64’ Bombarde Basso?

[MAS]

What is the "64’ Bombarde Basso" in Washington Cathedral's organ? Is it a 64' reed (it looks like it should be one)? I thought that there was only one 64' reed in existence, the Contra Trombone in Sidney Town Hall (not counting Atlantic City's 64' which is a diaphone).

 

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/music/greatorgan.shtml

 

 

-MAS

[John Robinson]

What is the "64’ Bombarde Basso" in Washington Cathedral's organ? Is it a 64' reed (it looks like it should be one)? I thought that there was only one 64' reed in existence, the Contra Trombone in Sidney Town Hall (not counting Atlantic City's 64' which is a diaphone).

 

http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/music/greatorgan.shtml

-MAS

 

As there seems to be no 32' reed, could this be a misprint (for Bombarde Basso 32')?

 

John

[Vox Humana]

It's definitely "Bombarde Basse", not "Bombarde Basso": I've got a photo to prove it!

 

I looked up the specification that Washington sent me back in '98 prior to a visit. It says that the 64' is extended from the Contre Bombarde 32', which in turn is extended from the 16' Ophicleide, but it also says that the 64' only has 3 pipes (which would be for the B, B flat and A). I thought it was more than that, but my memory is obviously playing tricks again. Anyway, I am quite positive that at that time, the bottom of the 64' was quinted. It did sound absolutely filthy, so I wonder whether the electronic octave is a more recent replacement for the quinting.