Digital Organ Choice

[FelixLowe]

Dies sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot', BWV 635: http://zionorgan.com/vb/mp3/bwv635_vbw_wc_75.mp3. From the Orgelbüchlein, this closely imitative piece is a short but grand treatment of the chorale associated with the Ten Commandments.

Registration - Chorale: Zwelwerk Schalmei 8' + Octaaf 2' coupled to HW Holpijp 8' + Octaav 4' and to PD Subbas 16' + Gedekt 8'; Prelude: HW Holpijp 8' + Octaav 4; Zwelwerk Schalmei 8' + Gemshoorn 8' coupled to PD Subbas 16'. Impulse reverberation added. Instrument: Vermeulen Brothers Organ at Congregation "Vloedschuur," Heteren, Holland (1959) - Samples by Hauptwerk.nl

English-language text:
These are the holy ten commands,
Which came to us from God's own hands
By Moses, who obeyed His will.
Standing upon Sinai's hill.
Have mercy, Lord!
--Tr. George MacDonald

[FelixLowe]

Hymn Light's Abode, Celestial Salem (Regent Square) and Postlude (Herbert Sumsion's Ceremonial March): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcyiMag2Oew. The organ is a 43-rank four-manual Austrian-built Rieger installed in 1979 at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.

Light's abode, celestial Salem

Lights' abode, celestial Salem,
vision whence true peace doth spring,
brighter than the heart can fancy,
mansion of the highest King;
O how glorious are the praises
which of thee the prophets sing!

There for ever and for ever
alleluia is outpoured;
for unending, for unbroken
is the feast-day of the Lord;
all is pure and all is holy
that within thy walls is stored.

There no cloud nor passing vapor
dims the brightness of the air;
endless noonday, glorious noonday,
from the Sun of suns is there;
there no night brings rest from labor,
for unknown are toil and care.

Laud and honor to the Father,
laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit,
ever Three and ever One,
consubstantial, co-eternal,
while unending ages run.

Words: Thomas à Kempis, fifteenth century;
trans. John Mason Neale, 1854
Music: Regent Square

[FelixLowe]

Ach bleib bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 649: http://www.silborg.net/vpm/bwv649_vpm.mp3.

This transcription is from the 5th movement of Cantata 6 for the second day of Easter: "Bleib bei uns, denn es will Abend werden." Registration - Man. I Prinzipal 8+Oktava 4+Quinta 1 1/2; Man. 2 Full cornet; Pedal Subbass 16 and Man. I/Pedal coupler. The pedal is a little jumpy as it tries to avoid overlaps with the left hand. Midi File available. Instrument: Gottfried Silbermann Organ, St. Marienkirche - Rötha, Germany (1722) - Samples by Brett Milan

English-language text:
Oh, bide with us, Lord Jesus Christ,
For now the evening is at hand,
Thy godly word, that radiant light,
Let in our midst, yea, never fade.

Within this recent time of woe
Grant us, O Lord, steadfastness sure,
That we thy word and sacrament
Keep ever pure until our end.
--Tr. Z. Phillip Ambrose

[FelixLowe]

In Dir Ist Freude, BWV 615:http://zionorgan.com/vb/mp3/bwv615_ss4.mp3. A bell-like motive in the pedal emphasizes the idea of ringing in the New Year, but bursts of joy are appropriate any time. A full complement of couplers is available on this version of the Marcussen samples, enabling several sonic layers. Instrument: Marcussen & Son Organ / St. Stefanuschurch / Moerdijk (Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands) (1965) - Samples by Ariaan Hoogendijk

English-language text:
In Thee is gladness Amid all sadness, Jesu, sunshine of my heart.
By Thee are given The gifts of heaven, Thou the true Redeemer art.
Our souls Thou wakest, Our bonds Thou breakest; Who trusts Thee surely
Hath built securely. He stands forever, Alleluia!
Our hearts are pining To see Thy shining, Dying or living,
To Thee are cleaving, Naught can us sever. Alleluia.
--Tr. C. Winkworth

[FelixLowe]

Any idea for registering In Heavenly Love Abiding (Nyland)? Personally I prefer the following:

In heavenly love abiding: http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/i/i246.html

(Manual: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4', Nasard 2 2/3' and Waldflote 2'
Pedal: Subbasse 16', Gedackt 8' and Choralbass 4')
In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear.
and safe in such confiding,
for nothing changes here.
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid,
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

(Manual: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4', Nasard 2 2/3', Waldflote 2' and Octave 2'
Pedal: Subbasse 16', Gedackt 8' and Choralbass 4')
Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back.
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack.
his wisdom ever waking,
his sight is never dim.
He knows the way He's taking,
and I will walk with Him

(Manual: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4', Nasard 2 2/3', Waldflote 2', Octave 2' and Sesquialtera II
Pedal: Subbasse 16', Gedackt 8' and Choralbass 4')
Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen.
Bright skies will soon be over me,
where darkest clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free.
My Savior has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

Words: Anna Laetitia Waring, 1850

Music: Nyland Meter: 76 76 D

[FelixLowe]

Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, (BuxWV 178): http://www.silborg.net/vpr/buxwv178_vpr.mp3. A serene setting of the Passion Chorale by Dietrich Buxtehude, which alternates between straightforward melody and ornamental flourishes. Registration: Hauptwerk Principal 8; Hinterwerk: Gedacktes 8, Rohrfleute 4, Nassat 3, Oktava 2, Tertia 2; Pedal Subbas 16 and Oktavenbass 8 Note: German organs of this period used rounded-up numbers for pitches: 3'=2 2/3;' 1 1/2'=1 1/3;' Tertia 2'=1 3/5'. Midi File available. Instrument: Gottfried Silbermann Organ, Reinhardtsgrimma / Sachsen, Germany (1731) - Samples by Prof. Helmut Maier

English-language text:
Ah Lord, me a poor sinner
Blame not within thy wrath;
Thy solemn rage yet soften,
Else is my hope forlorn.
Ah Lord, may'st thou forgive me
My sin and mercy send,
That I have life eternal
And flee the pain of hell.
--Tr. Z. Philip Ambrose

[FelixLowe]

Auf meinen lieben Gott, BuxWV 179: http://www.silborg.net/lee/buxwv179_lee.mp3. Chorale and 4 variations in the form of a dance suite.

Chorale: Rugwerk Fluit Does 8' + Holpijp 4' coupled to Hoofdwerk Roerfluit 8' + Speelfluit 4' + Tremulant.

Double: Rugwerk Fluit Does 8' + Holpijp 4' + Octaaf 2'.

Sarabande: Rugwerk Fluit Does 8' + Holpijp 4' coupled to Hoofdwerk Prestant 8' + Roerfluit 8' + Tremulant.

Courante: Hoofdwerk Roerfluit 8' + Octaav 4' + Octaav 2' + Mixtuur 4-6 sterck.

Gigue: Rugwerk Fluit Does 8' + Holpijp 4' + Octaaf 2' + Scherp 4 sterck coupled to Hoofdwerk Roerfluit 8' + Octaav 4' + Octaav 2'.

All use Bourdon 16' occasionally.

Tremulant noise enabled. Temperament 1/10 Comma. Instrument: The Hinsz-Organ at Leens in the province of Groningen (1733/34) - Samples by Hauptwerk.nl

English-language text:
In my beloved God
I trust in fear and need;
He can me e'er deliver
From sadness, fear and trouble.
My sorrow can he alter,
For all rests in his hands now.
--Tr. Z. Philip Ambrose (used by permission)

[FelixLowe]

At the place where the Kleuker was in Causeway Bay, the Royal College-trained organist was once heard playing Be Thou My Vision (Slane). What stops did she employ?

It was one of those rare occasions for a song to be played with the Sesquialtera II even in the demo during congregational singing. From my memory, her registrations look something like the following:

Be Thou my....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Octave 4', Octave 2', Sesquialtera II
Pedal: Subbass 16', Gedackt 8', Choralbass 4'

Be Thou my Wisdom....
Manual: Same as Verse 1
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

Riches....
Manual: Verse 1 stops
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

High King of heaven....
Manual: Original stops and Mixture IV
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

[FelixLowe]

At the place where the Kleuker was in Causeway Bay, another occasion where the Sesquialtera II was used right at the start of the song and of course in the demo during congregational singing is Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer (Sussex): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4UCeged4AY.

I cannot remember exactly how the five verses were played by the Royal College-trained organist, but suffice it to say that she kind of played the first verse with something like:

Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 4', Octave 2' and Sesquialtera II
Pedal: Subbass 16', Gedackt 8' and Choralbass 4'

Since the five verses do not differ in character greatly, from my memory she adopted similar registration throughout. Only that she played with both hands on one manual and also on two manuals alternately. When she played with both hands on the Great and Swell, it must have been that the left hand playing the tenor would have featured the use of Principal 8' and Octave 4' or similar registration. When she was doing that, she wasn't really playing the Cornet-like Soprano alone, but both the Soprano and Alto together, as usual.

[FelixLowe]

One more occasion that I heard the Sesquialtera II used at the beginning of a hymn is, however, of a completely different occasion. It wasn't the usual "Kyrie" type of rendition of a psalm tune or anything.

At the place where the Kleuker was, a young and green organist, presumably some kind of organ music graduate from the CUHK was doing her audition that morning, I guess, during one Advent service, where she played Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.

I don't know whether she was instructed to use the Sesquialtera by her teacher, or she decided to do it by herself. The effect, in any case, was just appropriate for the song. The effect was adding just the right hint of sarcasm and ridicule to that phenomenon 2,000 years ago. If you study the lyrics closely, you would know that absurdity there -- the contrast of being the "Lord of all" and "lying in the cattle stall" is just too great a contrast to contemplate. Her rendition added farce and absurdity in order to bring out the ridiculous flavour painted by the words there. And it was her unique tonal manipulation bent on giving a due sense of pungency to the lyrics, that made her rendition quite successful. The Sesquialtera II at that time functioned as a rhetorical tool of irony, which was completely different from the usual prayerful and reflective meditation use for petitioning to God.

Her rendition would have featured registration that looks something like this: Principal 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4', Rohrflote 4' and Sesquialtera II for the manual. For the pedal, it would have been perhaps just Subbass 16' and Gedackt 8'.

Another aspect is that the song itself resembles some kind of nursery tune, so her use of the Sesquialtera II made the song rhyme just appropriately added more farce to the absurd.

Her rendition definitely adds to the idioms of organ stops. Had I not heard her play, I would have conceived something like: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 4', Nasard 2 2/3' and Octave 2' for the manual, etc.

Have a listen to this rendition by the King's College Choir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA0Xk...eature=related.

[FelixLowe]

Again, if that idiom of irony has been discovered by that young girl's rendition, I have an idea of applying it to O Sing a Song of Bethelehem (Kingsfold). I think it can sound like the following:

O sing a song of Bethelehem....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Octave 2'
Pedal: Subbass 16', Gedackt 8', Choralbass 4'

O sing a song of Nazareth....
Manual and Pedal: Same as above

O sing a song of Galilee....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Octave 2', Quintflote 1 1/3' and Sifflote 1'
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

And if the last verse must be sung, then the Sesquialtera II can come in:
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 4', Twelfth 2 2/3', Octave 2', Quintflote 1 1/3', Sifflote 1' + Seventeeth 1 3/5'
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

Hear this rendition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqN5QLAz1jM.

[FelixLowe]

Have you thought about how to register God Save the Queen? These days, the song can be placed slightly more briskly than is generally depicted on TV during royal occasions when the song is played really slowly, and is dragging a bit, too. Personally, I prefer the following registration:

God save our....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Octave 4' and Rohrflote 4
Pedal: Subbass 16, Gedackt 8'

Thy choicest gifts....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Octave 4', Rohrflote 4, Quintflote 1 1/3 and Sifflote 1'
Pedal: Subbass 16' + all manual stops coupled.

Now the last verse is bit tricky. It was written by a different person named W. E. Hickson 1803-70, who says in the end of the verse that:

"Lord, make the nations see
That men should brothers be,
And form one family
The wide world o'er."

How you register the last verse depends on whether you believe those words. It can take a Mixture IV or it can take the manual Bombarde 16' or the Fagotto 16', which can be drawn starting from "Lord, make the nations see", presuming the first section of the last verse remains the same registration as Verse 2.

If you truly believe those words, you can draw the Mixture IV right at the beginning of Verse 3, starting with "Nor on this land alone".

However, if only one verse is used as an anthem and not a hymn, as would be on a royal occasion, it is normally the first verse sung only. On that occasion, registration can take on more stops like, but still I would prefer no Mixture stops. This is a conclusion after listening to quite a number renditions in the past. It sounds firm, but normally without any high-pitched ringing, screeching or rumbling. So I guess it would sound like the following:

Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Octave 4', Rohrflote 4', Twelfth 2 2/3' and Octave 2
(Depending on the occasion it is possible to optionally add in the Quintflote 1 1/3' and Sifflote 1' just before "Send her victorious...."
Pedal: Subbass 16', Gedackt 8' and Choralbass 4'

Hear this single-verse rendition by Diane Bish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsGsmO75Rkw.

[FelixLowe]

Hear this Markus Wargh's Improvisation on the English national anthem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zufK6Z3ulQ.

[FelixLowe]

Interestingly though, for the hymn Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above, it makes sense not to include any trumpet. While in North German organs, many forms of short-length and half-length reeds had appeared, in CZ, there is a possibility that only the Quinta was available to imitate the reed. The thing is there may not even have been a Quinta on certain German organs yet. This one sounds nice without any reed or Quint.

So I guess, a registration idea can look like this:

Sing praise to God....
Manual: Principal 8', Gedackt 8', Rohrflote 8', Octave 4' and Octave 2'
Pedal: Subbass 16', Gedackt 8', Choralbass 4'

What God's almighty power....
Manual and Pedal: Same stops as Verse 1

Then all my gladsome....
Manual: Verse 1 registration + Mixture V
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

O Ye who name Christ's holy....
Manual: Verse 3 registration
Pedal: Same as Verse 1

Hear this version sung by an American church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkWBQLcNDk.

[Luis Enrique]

I have heard many digital organs. To my taste, Allen is the best option(sound & quality) when no money for a moderate pipes organ