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About LinkBacksMy namesake and it's only twin brother/sister (Atlantic City, USA). You'll need to scroll down to the section titled Notable organ stops
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_stop
My namesake and it's only twin brother/sister (Atlantic City, USA). You'll need to scroll down to the section titled Notable organ stops
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_stop
That's quite a good article, especially the stop classifications etc.
Our pipe has a 32 footer. Nice pictures.
judy tooley
That's a good site... It's a shame there aren't any full length 64' stops in the UK.though there are some great cathedral organs near where I live (York Minster and Lincoln Cathedral). York Minster has some 32' open pipes outside the organ case as can be seen here.
Daniel
Daniel, it is a shame, and of all the places where they would actually fit, some of the huge British cathedrals are prime examples!
Can someone describe the effect these stops have on the ensemble, in the room? Do you actually hear it, feel it? Do they work with mp to fff registrations? It must be a considerable expense to build such a stop. Does the cost warrant the effect, the musical effect? Is this a case of 'mine bigger than yours"?
Always been very curious about the 64 and thanks for the link to hear one - albeit through my computer speakers!
W.
W.
Hi Westhill,
A 64' pipe playing low C produces sound at 8 HZ, or 8 cycles per second. The human ear can only hear down to about 20Hz. What establishes the note that we "hear" are all the upper harmonics ... the rest is "felt", if we were to be in the same room where it is being played, or the sound is reproduced on a "killer home AV system."
The two 64' ranks mentioned are at extremely high wind pressures ... they would hardly be used for mp situations. On the other hand, there are softer 32' stops, for example the Untersatz, which lends itself well to the softer combinations used in the pipe organ.
The 64' stops, is, imho, a novelty item ... there is some organ literature that specifically calls out for a 64' stop. Not one single pipe organ where I live has a 32' rank, but we organists are still able to play those pieces that suggest using such a stop.
Is it a question of 'mine better than yours' ? I don't think so ... Heck, if one has the $$ to spend on this rank, all the better. For most church organ budgets, even a modest 32' pipe rank is totally out of the question.
Kh ~~.
Administrator
Amateur musicians practice until they get it right ...
Professional musicians practice until they can't get it wrong ...
K: Thanks for your post. Yes, you say felt... the same way we hear an open 32 come on in an organ piece? It must be so sub-sonic. I find the 32 gives a certain -earthquake- or -subway under your feet- feel. A 64 must just feel as if the subway is really close.
Do we hear these pitches at he movies? I think I know what you are talking about. Movie sound systems are so extravagant I often feel like I'm being shaken from the start of the movie to the end.
W
Westhill - both of the world's two 64 footers are reed stops, I've only heard (and played) the monster at Sydney Town Hall. What the august Krummiest says is true, they are novelty stops. In fact, in a book written by Robert Ampt on the history of the Sydney Town Hall organ there are reproduced comments made by the maker about the introduciton of this unique stop that led me to believe that it wasn't done for novelty's sake, rather to introduce extended technique in organ building.
The Contratrombone can be clearly heard (at least down to the lowest G of the pedal's capacity, then felt below that) over the full organ, and the Sydney Town Halls Great Trumpets (4' 8' 16') are damned noisy.
Whilst I think it's a nice thing to have, it is not the organ's main attraction. I remeber recently going on a tour of the insides of the Sydney Town Hall monster and Mr Ampt gave us a thrilling discourse on its mechanism and ins and outs. Including showing us the kitchen sink and workbench inside (on the right hand side of the organ against the back wall).
For me, the 32' stops that I adore are the flute ones ... whether it be a diapason, montre, or whatever, they do actually produce a wonderful "quaking". I personally find the 32' reed stops a little overbearing, like a fat mother-in-law or aunt, always getting in the way but a very necessary part of the family.
The top picture is beautiful. Breathtaking!Originally Posted by Daniel Palmer
That's a good site... It's a shame there aren't any full length 64' stops in the UK.
Daniel
judy tooley
Ah York Minster, is just devine ... at least I think it's York Minster.
The 64 I used to play just kind of modulated everything else. If I had all of the 32' ranks going, you wouldn't really notice the 64 under them. But with just a handful of 32s, the 64 beefed it up quite a bit. When the spotlights were on, they shook and the beams moved all over. Right after you released a note you can hear the big stainglass windows stop whipping back and forth, I worred about them falling apart.
Which 64 was that? Sydney or Atlantic City? I assume it was a faux 64, gravissima?
LA 1st Congo has a Walker e64 which does play the real pitches.
There's two that play at 64 on my 2nd page: http://www.geocities.com/mushmusic/OrgPics2.html
The other is the Oakland Rosales which has a seperate 21' to go with it's 32s.
I'm afraid none of them (apart from Sydney and Atlantic City) are proper 64 foot stops. As someone here said (amusingly) "they're an expensive draught ..."
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