New Cathedral Organ

[sjf1967]

Really? I tough it was available for free (save the huge costs to be expected for moving  and restoring it of course).

And again, I am not for adding Tierces and the like in a romantic organ. I already linked

to a text I placed on my forum about Mixtures in romantic-based organs.

(By the way, I received *some* support after having posted it from people

less fancifull than myself)

I also explained I do not design hotch-potches, but contemporary synthesis organs (that is, made from elements of compatible periods), a long belgian tradition since absolutely all organs built here from the Renaissance up to 1930 are precisely that.

 

So, while fully supporting the Leiden project, I could have written it differently -The main difference would be this one: I would have chosen the builder first, and then have layed the spec down with him-.

 

Further, do we need to see the styles as closed boxes? To build an english-inspired organ in Europe isn't the same thing as to reconstitute an historic organ in Britain,

for which accuracy would be the first goal indeed.

 

Pierre

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But that seems to me to be precisely the point, Pierre - the whole project is based on the notion that this is NOT just another a synthesis organ, or a vaguely English 'inspired' one, but one that reproduces the stylistic and tonal ideals of Harrison/Willis 1880-1920, whatever that means. It looks to me something like a standard issue 3 manual Willis (Gt Hohlflute and Sw 4' flute look a bit odd though, and the Gt 4' flute should be Harmonic, surely?), with an Arthur Harrison mixture grafted on, and a Solo which mops up whatever is left - a bit like King's Cambridge, but stranger. The Pedal organ is also a bit unexpected. It's hard to see why they would have enlisted two English cathedral organists as patrons if this was just another stab at an all purpose eclectic Euro-organ. I'm sure it will sound very beautiful, and three cheers for Leiden for doing it at all, but it is not at all what it pretends to want to be, and as it reads looks like a missed opportunity. If you want an English 'cathedral' organ, why not replicate Truro, or the Willis Chancel Organ at St Pauls?

[AJJ]

But that seems to me to be precisely the point, Pierre - the whole project is based on the notion that this is NOT just another a synthesis organ, or a vaguely English 'inspired' one, but one that reproduces the stylistic and tonal ideals of Harrison/Willis 1880-1920, whatever that means.  It looks to me something like a standard issue 3 manual Willis (Gt Hohlflute and Sw 4' flute look a bit odd though, and the Gt 4' flute should be Harmonic, surely?), with an Arthur Harrison mixture grafted on, and a Solo which mops up whatever is left - a bit like King's Cambridge, but stranger. The Pedal organ is also a bit unexpected. It's hard to see why they would have enlisted two English cathedral organists as patrons if this was just another stab at an all purpose eclectic Euro-organ. I'm sure it will sound very beautiful, and three cheers for Leiden for doing it at all, but it is not at all what it pretends to want to be, and as it reads looks like a missed opportunity. If you want an English 'cathedral' organ, why not replicate Truro, or the Willis Chancel Organ at St Pauls?

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Or even Leicester...........!

 

AJJ

[Pierre Lauwers]

As I already said, Rome wasn't built in one day.

The eclectic organ, which I call "Inverted neo-classical organ" is very much in vogue today... And that one, as questionnable as it may be, is already a step towards something else. But it is still eclectic, yes.

 

But what will happen now? Any british builder, presented with the project, will, no doubt, suggest some changes. In one direction or another according to their personnal styles, and that is very well that way, no matter this direction.

 

Another solution would be to convince W....estern England somewhere to GIVE Leiden

the poor old thing they will soon replace!

(The better would be to give the Scott's cases as well, notwithstanding the questions of the Diaphones, which are bound to the masonry, and the brick swellbox!)

 

That would be the "coup du siècle"....

Pierre