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Your local pipe organ sounds like ...

aross30

New member
I have a couple to contribute... I subbed at this church this week.
*note: this is the first time I've played here, but I'm glad I did make a recording because it's a beautiful instrument. The church itself isn't very big, but stone walls and a barreled ceiling combine to make for WONDERFUL acoustics for organ music. Hope you enjoy!

Another interpretation of Buxtehude's Passacaglia in d
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP4QHrmPs70

Georg Böhm Præambulum in C (been off the book for a week now)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNYowgu4ABY
 
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Mat

Sr. Regulator
Staff member
Sr. Regulator
Regulator
Hi aross. I thoroughly enjoyed your playing (and I didn't hear any squirrels). The sound quality was very good. What kind of recording equipment did you use? Zoom perhaps?

Thanks for sharing.
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Very nice, aross :)

The recording is nicely done, too ... curious like Mat is to what you used.

Do you have any facts on the instrument ... size, manuals, etc?
 

aross30

New member
Do you have any facts on the instrument ... size, manuals, etc?

You can find a history and specification here:
http://www.uquebec.ca/musique/orgues/quebec/smatthiasw.html

It was built before straight pedalboards caught on in North America (The first one in Montreal was one of McGill university's practice instruments built by Casavant in 1978), so it has an AGO pedalboard. Full length, reversed keys (many classical organs in Montreal have shorter keys now). The action is slow, not too heavy, just slow and the the pedals are so touchy you can play them if you look at them hard enough. Also, the manuals do not overlap so playing the positif feels a bit like scratching your knees. Lastly, it is incredibly loud! Accompanying even the congregation is a tricky business.

The Hauptwerk and Positif are so far away from the organist, and the swell is right in your face, that it it is impossible to tell what the congregation is hearing. The positif is situated as an Oberwerk, but they must have called it "Positif" because it is voiced to be very, VERY present as though it were much closer to the congregation than it is. The whole organ has some truly beautiful flutes though.
 
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Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
What perceptive ears you have :p

It's a Zoom H4.

I thought so, too ... I own a Zoom H4 as well - a wonderful recorder in every way

You can find a history and specification here:
http://www.uquebec.ca/musique/orgues/quebec/smatthiasw.html

It was built before straight pedalboards caught on in North America (The first one in Montreal was one of McGill university's practice instruments built by Casavant in 1978), so it has an AGO pedalboard. Full length, reversed keys (many classical organs in Montreal have shorter keys now). The action is slow, not too heavy, just slow and the the pedals are so touchy you can play them if you look at them hard enough. Also, the manuals do not overlap so playing the positif feels a bit like scratching your knees. Lastly, it is incredibly loud! Accompanying even the congregation is a tricky business.

The Hauptwerk and Positif are so far away from the organist, and the swell is right in your face, that it it is impossible to tell what the congregation is hearing. The positif is situated as an Oberwerk, but they must have called it "Positif" because it is voiced to be very, VERY present as though it were much closer to the congregation than it is. The whole organ has some truly beautiful flutes though.

Thanks for that :). Nice specification.
 

branchporter

New member
Our church's one-of-a kind organ is described on this site, which includes links to three YouTube videos, the only recordings presently available on the net.

Unfortunately, during the depression, the church was financially able to replace our 1871 Johnson tracker with a "new" organ. It was provided by Marr & Colton, a struggling ex theater organ builder. Fortunately, M&C used the 1871 pipework.

The organist, Robert Welch of Indianapolis, was 17 years old at the time. He is a Facebook friend who was vacationing in our area. No local organist was available, so I asked Robert if he could play. He did so, with only a half hour preparation time. It was his first whole service, and his first paid gig. Currently, Robert is a Sacred Music student at the University of Indiana.

http://www.pennyanfbc.com/organ.html
 

denf

New member
Fun piece, and fine playing. I'm now trying to locate a copy of it. It doesn't seem to be at IMSLP. Any Ideas as to where one might locate it?

Thanks,

Dennis
 

Ella Beck

Member
I don't know if this video from Norwich Cathedral has been posted yet?

This is the nearest cathedral organ to us - sounds lovely. :)

 
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Ella Beck

Member
This is the organ of St Nicholas, parish church of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk - about 3 miles away from our house.
They only started calling it 'Yarmouth Minster' in the last year or two, and it grates a little, as I'm from York originally, where they have a Minster that is worthy the name. :)

But it's nice to have the video and see the young man having a go on this organ and using the stops.

 
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