Gloucester Cathedral

[James Atherton]

On 22/12/2023 at 22:23, Paul Walton said:

A fascinating spec and very creative response to the challenges of the space. It's new and forward looking but with clear influence from the past. It's clearly designed to do the three jobs of a Cathedral organ:

accompany the choir - plenty of foundation, enclosed soft 16s (including a reed), enclosed Clarinet, 32' tone - all the things the 1971 organ didn't have. Yes, we all prefer two enclosed divisions but if there's no space, there's no space.

support the congregation - the 1971 organ by the nature of its sound gave the impression of being very loud but actually struggled to support a full building and was criticised almost immediately for this.

play repertoire - although third on the list, still clearly thought about. This is definitely making a statement as a 21st century Cathedral organ, not harking back to an early 20th, and acknowledging that (despite its shortcomings) there was good in the 1971 organ. Undoubtedly the right way for Gloucester with its varied history. I'm glad it's the flute mutations that are enclosed, for Alain, Messiaen, etc - there's no repertoire to my knowledge that calls for enclosed principal mutations.

And all that in so little a space. Many hours must have been spent. I'm sure some might like such things as a Pedal Mixture or Great Cornet, but in that space what is there will be used far more often than they ever would. Forgive yet more questions, but two thoughts, if I may (I'm sure they've already been considered):

Might having the Voix H available on the Solo to combine with the Clarinette give a more convincing Cromorne to dialogue against the Sw cornet?

I can't see a way of having a 4' reed on the pedal for the right foot if the pedal divide is being used. Maybe impossible (and maybe not wanted!) as the soft Solo reeds are borrowed from the Swell, but could a Solo Octave to Pedal (which we're having a bit further down the M5!) make that work?

Very much looking forward to hearing and hopefully playing it in a few years. Congratulations!

Paul

On 22/12/2023 at 22:23, Paul Walton said:

A fascinating spec and very creative response to the challenges of the space. It's new and forward looking but with clear influence from the past. It's clearly designed to do the three jobs of a Cathedral organ:

accompany the choir - plenty of foundation, enclosed soft 16s (including a reed), enclosed Clarinet, 32' tone - all the things the 1971 organ didn't have. Yes, we all prefer two enclosed divisions but if there's no space, there's no space.

support the congregation - the 1971 organ by the nature of its sound gave the impression of being very loud but actually struggled to support a full building and was criticised almost immediately for this.

play repertoire - although third on the list, still clearly thought about. This is definitely making a statement as a 21st century Cathedral organ, not harking back to an early 20th, and acknowledging that (despite its shortcomings) there was good in the 1971 organ. Undoubtedly the right way for Gloucester with its varied history. I'm glad it's the flute mutations that are enclosed, for Alain, Messiaen, etc - there's no repertoire to my knowledge that calls for enclosed principal mutations.

And all that in so little a space. Many hours must have been spent. I'm sure some might like such things as a Pedal Mixture or Great Cornet, but in that space what is there will be used far more often than they ever would. Forgive yet more questions, but two thoughts, if I may (I'm sure they've already been considered):

Might having the Voix H available on the Solo to combine with the Clarinette give a more convincing Cromorne to dialogue against the Sw cornet?

I can't see a way of having a 4' reed on the pedal for the right foot if the pedal divide is being used. Maybe impossible (and maybe not wanted!) as the soft Solo reeds are borrowed from the Swell, but could a Solo Octave to Pedal (which we're having a bit further down the M5!) make that work?

Very much looking forward to hearing and hopefully playing it in a few years. Congratulations!

Paul

Thank you, Paul. 

What lovely comments, and so heartening when someone really understands the concept. 

I completely take your point about the Solo Oct to Pedal when the Pedal Divide is drawn. I hadn't thought about that. It will come down to space on the jambs, but worth a convo with J-Ho to see what he thinks.....

 

The Voix Humaine is on the Swell soundboard rather than on a chest, so this wasn't possible on the Solo. However it is possible on the Swell, but of course the Flute mutations are tied up there.... 

The Clarinette will be purposely 'woody' and not really a substitute for a Cromhorne. It might be that the Hautbois and Clarinette together on the Solo fulfills that purpose.... Until we get it in there we won't know. It will be up to those that play it (and I look forward to hearing you take her out for a spin) to see how they can make repertoire work. 

 

That's 90% of the fun of meeting an organ for the first time. As long as the music stands up, it doesn't matter that much what your draw. The tired old 'you can't play Bach without two choruses, or Couperin without this or that' is mostly now behind us (in most quarters) 

This new organ, as you rightly see, is designed with liturgical requirements at the fore, but not a little thought has gone into the playing of the wider organ literature. 

 

Time will tell how it turns out, but it hasn't been designed with any fads or fashions, so with luck it will see us all out, and many subsequent custodians of the instrument. 

 

ATB

 

J

[Jonathan]

James; very interesting and helpful re the Aliquot detail. 

I look forward to detail about the console in due course.

Many thanks.  Jonathan