Digital Organ Choice

[Bad Organist]

It would be a shame if Ahlborn were to stop making its sound modules. However at least if they can, they should resume making the module model 201, even if they were to cease production of the other three. Someone writing in another blog has said that he recently failed to secure a processed order for the instrument from Ahlborn-Galanti. He wonders if they were still making them.

At the moment, I find no such product intro on the Ahlborn-Galanti.com website.

On the other hand, I have heard praises from someone writing separately that said that model 201 has a very heavy Baroque flavour in it, and he was very pleased with it. And if you look at the stop list, it is almost the only module of a rather complete stop list of a smaller organ; the others making similar devices are currently Content of Holland (that gives North German Baroque voicing) and Hoffricter of Germany (that gives switcheable South German Baroque and French Classical voicings).

Model 201 of Ahlborn is a specification of a small South German Baroque instrument, and I honestly think it benefited the organ junkies greatly in the past, particularly those who may not have been able to afford a complete instrument (with manuals and pedalboard), but wanted to play with more realistic organ sound. For a device of 20 stops you really can't ask for too much given the following disposition. The only criticism is that there is a lack of Waldflote 2', which I believe is packed in the Cornet III. Let's hope that if Ahlborn is making it again, it will include the flute stop.

Felix,

The Ahlborn Archive modules have not been made since about 2005. I doubt that any new modules will be coming out soon.

The exact purpose of these modules was to be an add-on to a Midi equipped organ. They were not meant as stand alone complete instruments. As an augmentation to an existing organ they were great, but as an instrument by itself it was not really complete. As you say, the 201 was the closest. I could go into detail why they were not really complete organs, but I will say briefly that they did not have sufficient hardware in them to be as good as a complete Ahlborn organ.

The 201 is more baroque sounding than typical Ahlborn organs, especially the ones shipped to North America. However, there is a special specification out there called "Silbermann", which sounds more baroque, more beautiful, and is even better as a complete instrument. I have done a number of conversions of these, and the results always satisfied the end user.

Another trick to making these modules sound better, is to branch out the audio to 6 channels. Internally each division has a left and a right output channel. Using the additional channels allows for greater creativity in tuning and wind chest layouts as well as localization of the sound of each division.

All in all, these modules had their day, and are now no longer made, and only available as used items. I have sold 2 used ones in the last few months, one using the Silbermann spec., basically a modified 201.

Bad Organist

[FelixLowe]

Felix,

The Ahlborn Archive modules have not been made since about 2005. I doubt that any new modules will be coming out soon.

The exact purpose of these modules was to be an add-on to a Midi equipped organ. They were not meant as stand alone complete instruments. As an augmentation to an existing organ they were great, but as an instrument by itself it was not really complete. As you say, the 201 was the closest. I could go into detail why they were not really complete organs, but I will say briefly that they did not have sufficient hardware in them to be as good as a complete Ahlborn organ.

The 201 is more baroque sounding than typical Ahlborn organs, especially the ones shipped to North America. However, there is a special specification out there called "Silbermann", which sounds more baroque, more beautiful, and is even better as a complete instrument. I have done a number of conversions of these, and the results always satisfied the end user.

Another trick to making these modules sound better, is to branch out the audio to 6 channels. Internally each division has a left and a right output channel. Using the additional channels allows for greater creativity in tuning and wind chest layouts as well as localization of the sound of each division.

All in all, these modules had their day, and are now no longer made, and only available as used items. I have sold 2 used ones in the last few months, one using the Silbermann spec., basically a modified 201.

Bad Organist

When was their series of Silbermann modules released? About 13 years ago when I started my project, I never saw any allusion in their leaflets that said they had a sub-category of their line using Silbermann samples.

Also for the ordinary line of the four modules, their info seems to have taken off their website only about half a year to a year ago, I guess. If you say that happened in 2005, that surprises me a little.

I did see somebody advertise a discard for sale in 2005, that said it was a tailor-made archive module by Alhborn, that had a French classical specification.

What you told me is what I was totally unaware of. But Thanks for the info.

And I guess Ahlborn must have upgraded their engine and sound quality as I just heard a short course they upload onto the Ahlborn-Galanti.com website that introduces the many tonal elements of a classical organ: http://www.ahlborn-galanti.com/Listen.html. I bought a similar course many years ago from Organ Historical Society, which was a CD containing two LPs recorded by Donald G Harrison, who introduced the many tonal resources of the American Neo-classical specification which he used to change his then extant line of Romantic organs of his firm in the mid-1950s.

[FelixLowe]

Felix,

The Ahlborn Archive modules have not been made since about 2005. I doubt that any new modules will be coming out soon. The exact purpose of these modules was to be an add-on to a Midi equipped organ. They were not meant as stand alone complete instruments. As an augmentation to an existing organ they were great, but as an instrument by itself it was not really complete. As you say, the 201 was the closest.

To me I may have different definition of what is complete. As I wrote in my previous posts, the Kleuker organ that served that church in Causeway Bay only had 13 stops. And I found that a sort of complete organ already. For a real pipe instrument, depending on the size of the environment it serves, 13-18 stops can be said to be a complete instrument if they have the proper office of tonal appointment.

I had also listened to organs in other congregations before, that were digital instruments, very big ones, but they did not sound as interesting and polyphonic even though they were professionally installed.

[FelixLowe]

In J S Bach's works, there is a title, a Chorale Prelude called All Men Must Die (BWV 643) http://www.virtuallybaroque.com/audio/bwv643_ss4ch.mp3. Instrument: Marcussen & Son Organ / St. Stefanuschurch / Moerdijk (Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands) (1965) - Samples by Ariaan Hoogendijk.

Chorale Text
German:
Alle Menschen müssen sterben,
alles Fleisch vergeht wie Heu,
was da lebet, muss verderben, soll es anders werden neu.
Dieser Leib, der muss verwessen,
wenn er ewig soll genesen
der so grossen Herrlichkeit,
die den Frommen ist bereit.

English:
Hark! a voice saith, all are mortal,
Yea, all flesh must fade as grass,
Only through Death's gloomy portal,
To a better life ye pass,
And this body formed of clay
Here must languish and decay,
Ere it rise in glorious might,
Fit to dwell with saints in light.
--Tr. C. Winkworth

Do you believe it? The English translation is only euphemism. The German says All Men Must Die. In actual fact, that song is related to another used in Easter called At the Lamb's High Feast. Luke Mayernik performs an improvisation on "At the Lamb's High Feast." This performance was recorded at Octave Hall on a four-manual Allen organ. This is part of a new DVD, Inspired by the Masters, available from Allen Organ Company:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP9ZV-yjTdI

Nice and flowing tune, but I am not sure if the hymn text suggests some form of transubtantiation. It obviously does as it is a translation from Latin, and that should be to no one's surprise. Also there seems to be some contrived phrasing of the theology in the text.

Hymn text:
At the Lamb's high feast we sing
praise to our victorious King,
who hath washed us in the tide
flowing from his pierced side;
praise we him, whose love divine
gives his sacred Blood for wine,
gives his Body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

Where the Paschal blood is poured,
death's dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel's hosts triumphant go
through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, Paschal bread;
with sincerity and love
eat we manna from above.

Mighty victim from on high,
hell's fierce powers beneath thee lie;
thou hast conquered in the fight,
thou hast brought us life and light:
now no more can death appall,
now no more the grave entrall;
thou hast opened paradise,
and in thee thy saints shall rise.

Easter triumph, Easter joy,
sin alone can this destroy;
from sin's power do thou set free
souls newborn, O Lord, in thee.
Hymns of glory and of praise,
Risen Lord, to thee we raise;
Holy Father, praise to thee,
with the Spirit, ever be.

Words: Latin, 1632;
trans. Robert Campbell, 1849
Music: Salzburg, melody from Jakob Hintze, 1678; harmony by J S Bach, 1685-1750. Listen to the hymn tune on the Moller organ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaS63-rLv-k
Meter: 77 77 D

[Bad Organist]

When was their series of Silbermann modules released? About 13 years ago when I started my project, I never saw any allusion in their leaflets that said they had a sub-category of their line using Silbermann samples.

Also for the ordinary line of the four modules, their info seems to have taken off their website only about half a year to a year ago, I guess. If you say that happened in 2005, that surprises me a little.

I did see somebody advertise a discard for sale in 2005, that said it was a tailor-made archive module by Alhborn, that had a French classical specification.

What you told me is what I was totally unaware of. But Thanks for the info.

And I guess Ahlborn must have upgraded their engine and sound quality as I just heard a short course they upload onto the Ahlborn-Galanti.com website that introduces the many tonal elements of a classical organ: http://www.ahlborn-galanti.com/Listen.html. I bought a similar course many years ago from Organ Historical Society, which was a CD containing two LPs recorded by Donald G Harrison, who introduced the many tonal resources of the American Neo-classical specification which he used to change his then extant line of Romantic organs of his firm in the mid-1950s.

Felix,

The Ahlborn Archive modules were GeneralMusic (Italy) products. They were probably made in batches of several hundred at a time, and warehoused until ordered. I don't believe there are any new ones to be found anymore. Part of the reason for them being discontinued is the fact that they came out with new technology organs about 5 years ago. The Archive models were then old technology which dated back to the early 90s. The Archive modules came out about 1996.

The 4 standard specifications were the only ones advertised. The story on the Silbermann and Cavaille-Coll specs. is that they were derived from custom organs that Ahlborn in Germany made. They were indeed different sounding, as the sampling and processing was done in Germany, not in Italy at GeneralMusic. From recordings I heard, these organs sounded better than the standard models.

Anyways, the Silbermann samples are really quite interesting. You can find the spec. here, http://www.organworks.ca/Content/Dow...ure-lowres.pdf

Hopefully, I answered all your quesitons.

Bad Organist

[FelixLowe]

Felix,

The Ahlborn Archive modules were GeneralMusic (Italy) products. They were probably made in batches of several hundred at a time, and warehoused until ordered. I don't believe there are any new ones to be found anymore. Part of the reason for them being discontinued is the fact that they came out with new technology organs about 5 years ago. The Archive models were then old technology which dated back to the early 90s. The Archive modules came out about 1996.

The 4 standard specifications were the only ones advertised. The story on the Silbermann and Cavaille-Coll specs. is that they were derived from custom organs that Ahlborn in Germany made. They were indeed different sounding, as the sampling and processing was done in Germany, not in Italy at GeneralMusic. From recordings I heard, these organs sounded better than the standard models.

Anyways, the Silbermann samples are really quite interesting. You can find the spec. here, http://www.organworks.ca/Content/Dow...ure-lowres.pdf

Hopefully, I answered all your quesitons.

Bad Organist

Certainly, you can't emphasise enough to try to separate the two teams. I guess you were referring to the Alhborn AG. It is interesting that you should emphasise this in your last email. In certain leaflets I got when I was starting my project, GeneralMusic was advertised as a joint venture of Italy and Germany. I guess something happened around about 2005, that caused something more to happen. Alhborn recently posted a disclaimer in connection with what appeared to be communist defamation of the company. A week ago, the message no longer appeared. I wonder what really happened. Some said they had been producing in China, other said the company went into certain difficulties. When you said they came up with new technology in 2005, I guess you were referring to the period of Americanisation of the company, where perhaps America injected new technology in their design and then started outsourcing production in China. Is it fair to make that guesstimation?

Now at hindsight, as early as 2004, they might have planned to move to China. They might have been itching to move in mid-2003. I would believe you with regards to things happening in around 2005. I guess Ahlborn became more Americanised around about that time, probably moving their organ branch from Italy to America. And America may want to own the brand outright, I guess.

However, from their website, I can guess that 2009 has not been an uneventful year for the company. What I can guess is that the team is split. This sort of thing is not difficult to guess. Factually, I had no idea that the company had moved its production base to China until someone talked about it at this site. But as with many American stuff, the production will be shifted to the third world. It is the great struggle America is succumbing to. But personally I had no concrete knowledge about the rationale as to why digital organs were made in China. One possibility, I guess, is that it may have been to do with signing some joint agreements. But to me it has no significance with regards to shifting the production base. If the quality control can be maintained, then it would be the same in Europe as in the third world. Somebody, however, had once emailed me that one church was using Ahlborn in China. I don't see why that church was so special that it had to suddenly come to my knowledge. So there might have been something. But to me the production of the digital organs there is just another computerised products made there. It is just another piece of electronics. From what I know, there is no indigenous pipe organ companies in China, which means that they don't really know how to assemble a true pipe instrument -- the real thing. To be honest, China needs jobs -- the more the better. But I don't think it wants to lead the world. For China, the world is the PRC. And the PRC is basically a strictly communist bunch of provinces. I don't think it wants to govern Europe or America. I am not sure if certain church-related products need special approval from the Church when production bases become shifted to certain realm. Earlier I have written that this instrument is not an exclusively church instrument for start. At least half of the repertoire performed is secular music. The problem is we are talking about an Italian brand -- maybe the RC wanted to take interest as well.

The truth is that when you study the history of organs, the Hebrews, the Greeks and the Romans had them all in the ancient history.

There was a bow-tied guy from Italy, that posed stylishly for a picture on the Alhborn site, who also no longer appeared in the intro info. I guess there must have been some personnel changes.

Talking about Silbermann, I have a CD, that records a very rare Chaconne by Pachelbel, that was played on one of the Silbermanns, which I believed was quite original. It sounds quite different from other organs. It has wide-scaled flutes, and one of the featured sections of the music even sounds like the Xylophone with percussion-like effects, which I suspect were just chiffiness. It's nice but quite weired in terms of the ancient nuance that can rarely be found today. The Silbermann organ is powerful in terms of its tonal style, that even if just one or two flutes are used, you can already tell that you are not listening to a small organ.

The Module 201 is a sort of complete organ, as I checked it against certain Baroque organ stoplists that many organs didn't have the Waldflote 2' on them in those days. However, without it, it is a problem because some of the hymn tunes call for its use, like this one: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee_fmMl9trg. Watch this as well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx1eMwlDFb8.

For my own taste, I do think the first verse should be played with: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4', Quintflote 2 2/3' and Waldflote 2', with the chorus requiring two more stops of Gedackt 4' and Superoctave 2' to be coupled to those stops. The pedal Subbasse is of course required, with the five stops coupled to the pedal.

For reharmonisations of verses 2 and 3, the Quintflote 2 2/3' can go.

When it gets to the final verse, which is a reharmonisation already included in the hymnbook, the registration for my own taste would be: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4' and Waldflote 2', Gedackt 4', Superoctave 2' and Trumpet 8' (the very buzzy type), with five stops (the original five without the Quintflote 2 2/3', and the Trumpet 8') coupled to the Subbasse. Then when it gets to "Praise him!....", the Cymbel III can be added.

[FelixLowe]

Do you think this guy's playing "I would be True": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ0FYaxIdvA&feature=PlayList&p=4F6A5B785BB 6E38E&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16
is a bit contrived, by putting in the Chimes in the first verse?

At the place where the Kleuker was, I have heard the Royal College-trained organist play with both manuals like him, but with a different registration, roughly: Principal 8' and Rohrflote 4' for the left hand and Principal 8', Rohrflote 4' and Octave 4' and for the right hand. The pedal, I guess, was the Subbasse 16' and Gedackt 8'.

[FelixLowe]

Finally, I have spotted some sound clips about Wyvern organ. Here is one on Matt Porter playing Buxtehude's Prelude in C Major on the organ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNXJCXGNblQ. But it was only alleged to be a Wyvern by those who commented on the clip. If it is, then it is very clearly an instrument in the middle between South German and North German Baroque schools, with a stronger proclivity towards the Southerly school. I am wondering if Wyvern could be one of the best in UK.

[FelixLowe]

Meanwhile, there is another firm called Marshall and Ogletree of Boston. Some of the samples here show the organs to be of Anglo-American tradition. I guess they are American Neo-Classical instrument of eclectic schools. Hear a number of pieces performed on this brand: http://www.marshallandogletree.com/events/ and http://www.marshallandogletree.com/.

[FelixLowe]

Any new idea for registering the English hymn Jerusalem?

I think I would have for the little short prelude with: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4, Gedackt 4', Sesquialtera II, Waldflote 2' and Mixture IV.

Pedal: Subbasse 16', Gedackt 8, Choralbass 4'

Then the first verse would be: Mixture IV off.

The interlude: Mixture IV on again with the same stops

The second verse would start by drawing the Trumpet 8' (the very buzzy type) with the same stops and Mixture IV.

Postlude: same stops as the second verse.

Hear this version that has another idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAA0A...eature=related.

[Clarion]

Just think about why Phoenix has to sell four organs in one.

There's absolutley nothing to think about. No one has ever for a moment suggested that Phoenix has to sell four organs in one! And that's a ludicrous straw man attack on Phoenix.

If they were so confident in just one style, they would have just made them with much lower overhead costs.

Again, you are entirely missing what Phoenix is all about! They are certainly far from being stuck in any kind of one-style rut! Although you might embrace a cheap one-size-fits-all scenario, Phoenix has no need to go the cheap route. There are plenty of organ assemblers to meet the needs of potential customers who are merely looking for cheap! And if you are looking for cheap, then . . . .

Phoenix, on the other hand, represents the absloute antithesis of your proclivities. Have you actually checked out the cost of incorporating a few extra organs within the same framework??? Nope!!

When ordering a new organ on a $50,000 budget; with all of the other mechanisms already paid for and in place; are you really going to dismiss the option of another three organs incorporated within the same structure for the sake of saving a mere $100!!??? [/quote]

And I thought you said you had been enjoying the chiffy Baroque mode earlier?

Yeah! And I also like ice-cream . . . . but as a singular option . . . . ?!?!?!? That's nutz!!

The issue regarding "chiff" is that it is generally regarded as a necessity in terms of organ as an ancient instrument.

Chiff tended to be a feature of the low wind pressure days, where humanoids were conscripted to pump the bellows. Although with the advent of the age of universal electrical, that's not quite as important, I still prefer a somewhat more chiffy organ . . . . And I can enjoy that, 'cause Phoenix arbitrarily tossed in a pretty wonderful Baroque organ ex-gratia.

[Clarion]

Meanwhile, there is another firm called Marshall and Ogletree of Boston.

And over the last ten years they've managed sell two of them . . . . ??

[Clarion]

Certainly, you can't emphasise enough to try to separate the two teams. I guess you were referring to the Alhborn AG. It is interesting that you should emphasise this in your last email. In certain leaflets I got when I was starting my project, GeneralMusic was advertised as a joint venture of Italy and Germany.

Felix,

You are way outta touch with the modern organ world!

Ahlborn-Gallanti was once subsidiary of the now bankrupt General Music. The fact that Ahlborn-Gallanti still continues to exist as a minor warehouse presence in Illinois who manufacturers nothing, attempting to sell off left-over stock with no manufactuer backing or warranty.

Ahlborn-Galanti no longer exists beyond a deceptive wharehouse in Ilinois who is still in business, attempting to dump remaining Ahlborn-Galanti stock upon unsuspecting suckers!

[LastCorpseStanding]

And over the last ten years they've managed sell two of them . . . . ??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are now up to five. Although, I do know there's been a major split in that company. Some of the former employees, I'm not sure who, are claiming to have been the builders of some of those five. Perhaps they were major players in the actual design and voicing, or perhaps the sampling - I just don't know. Anyway, M&O is trying to fight back, and is claiming, probably rightly so, that they were the real builders.

I just have to wonder, why is a company with such advanced stuff resorting to selling Rodgers? I guess they need to make money, but come on...Rodgers? Maybe their stuff is just too overpriced to move in this economy.

[FelixLowe]

Felix,

You are way outta touch with the modern organ world!

Major showdown in the organ world today! In a sea of caprice, better to stick to a policy of one style. Stick with Eternity! A major fight is happening!

It is someone's last day today; he said he wanted to disappear in the industry and take the government pension instead.