Cathedral in Poland

[dll927]

Some time back, in a thread on six-manual organs, there was a mention of a new cathedral in Poland, somewhat out-of-the-way, and largely one priest's doing. I can't find any reference to it in Google, etc. Does anyone remember the name of the place? I find it rather odd not to be able to come up with anything. Oh yes, it was one of the six-deckers.

[Mat]

I think you are looking for Licheń.

http://www.organy.art.pl/instrumenty.php?instr_id=564

[mathetes1963]

Beautiful organ case. Seems to fit the building architecture very well. How's it sound?

[Mat]

Well, I'm not sure as I've never been there. But here's what I found on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R53D-Qe1Jg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QHJwvMvFjI

[dll927]

That's got to be it. Thanks, fellows. And on one of the videos something unusual (for European organs) happens -- when the guy presses a piston (which are very sparse), the stop keys actually move.

It seems they have different ideas in Europe - no pistons for different divisions, just generals, and pretty much set by the company that made the organ. What ever happened to choice in the matter? Oh yes, sometimes you see what the Germans call "Freikombination", which would appear to mean you can set them.

On the other hand, imagine American Presidents who were no longer around by 1900. Can you imagine how boggled they would be by such things as cars and airplanes, to say nothing of computers? By the same token, Cavaille-Coll and his coterie of organists would be equally taken aback by a console like Mormon Tabernacle, for instance. But they might also think it was a vast improvement.

But the fact remains, Daniel Roth still gets plenty of sound out of that 1862 monster.

[Mat]

-- when the guy presses a piston (which are very sparse), the stop keys actually move.

Is it really that rare? I am no specialist on pipe organ but I was dead sure that's just the way it is, everywhere. Maybe it's because I'm European...

Also, Freikombination is quite popular solution, I saw it in many different organ. In Polish it's called "Wolne Kombinacje".

Not sure though, what does word piston mean in this context?

Weren't you surprised by the acoustics? From what I've heard, I say the organist in Licheń does not have an easy job...

[dll927]

Pistons, referring to organs, not internal-combustion engines, are the little (usually white) buttons between the manuals that change stop combinations. There is a "set" piston to put a given combination on a given piston, thus they are known as "adjustable" pistons. There are also toe studs that duplicate general and pedal pistons.

But this is in the U.S., and there are differences in other countries. It seems that in Europe, especially Germany, many organs have only "general" pistons under the first manual. And I understand they are not always "adjustable".

Yes, when a piston is pressed, the stop knobs or tabs and couplers, etc. move to the combination set on that piston. That way, the organist can also add or subtract stops by hand. There are usually (in the U. S.) pistons for each manual (division) plus "general" ones that change all the divisions at once. Also there are "reversible" pistons, usually to control couplers and 32-foot stops. Those are not changeable and have just one particular purpose.

All this came about around the late 19th or early 20th centuries when electrical action became common. Nowadays some builders provide new tracker-actions organs with electrical stop control, so they can have the convenience of pistons.

Depending on the size and complexity of a particular organ, there are sometimes pistons to do certain things, such as kill off the reed stops, etc. I suppose at least theoretically, they could be used to do anything the builder wants them to do, such as tell the preacher it's time to shut up.

I hope this clarifies what "pistons" are!!

[Mat]

Definately! Thanks, dll.

[wljmrbill]

Thanks .. enjoyed the videos and the sound of the organ. Very Beautiful church and case for organ.

[Contratrombone64]

"kill off the reed stops ..." made me laugh

[Aristide]

Indeed, many organs in Europe don't have the pistons and just have 'general'.
The III/P at my post has 'fixed combinations' as they are called (like PP-P-MF-F-FF-T), and 2 'free combinations'. And that's a luxury. The console dates from 1953, when that was fashionable. The original Schyven organ dates back from 1886. It's still the same organ, just another console. Where historical restorations take place, those consoles are now being removed and the 'original' ones are rebuilt. Many restorations from the 50's and those years, who replaced the original console with new ones having pistons, have rebuilt the original consoles ... without the pistons.
I don't really miss them. It's a habit.
If I'd be used to an organ with many setzer combinations, and came to play a recital in a different location without them, it would be more difficult than vice-versa. So I mostly stick go General, which keeps me very agile with the stops.