• Welcome to the Pipe Organ Forum! This is a part of the open community Magle International Music Forums focused on pipe organs (also known as "church organs"), organists, organ music and related topics.

    This forum is intended to be a friendly place where technically advanced organists and beginners (or even non-organists) can feel comfortable having discussions and asking questions. We learn by reading and asking questions, and it is hoped that the beginners (or non-organists) will feel free to ask even the simplest questions, and that the more advanced organists will patiently answer these questions. On the other hand, we encourage complex, technical discussions of technique, music, organ-building, etc. The opinions and observations of a diverse group of people from around the world should prove to be interesting and stimulating to all of us.

    As pipe organ discussions can sometimes become lively, it should be pointed out that this is an open forum. Statements made here are the opinion of the poster, and not necessarily that of the forum itself, its administrator, or its moderators.

    In order to post a new topic - or reply to existing ones - you may join and become a member by clicking on Register New User. It's completely free and only requires a working email address (in order to confirm your registration - it will never be given away!). We strive to make this a friendly and informative forum for anyone interested in pipe organs and organ music.

    (Note: If you wish to link to and promote your own website please read this thread first.)

    Many kind regards
    smile.gif

    Frederik Magle
    Administrator

    Krummhorn
    Co-Administrator

Hi Everyone!

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hi everyone,
this is Matthew aged 17, I would like to introduce myself. I am a church organist from Malta. I started getting private lessons on piano at the age of 13, then started studying organ 2 years ago, first self-taught, then I started going for private lessons. I am very glad to find this website, and I'm really interested in learning from other's ideas, opinions and knowledge.

regards,
Matthew. :)
 

methodistgirl

New member
hello

Hello and welcome:wave:. I'm 47 and I'm learning the organ. I don't know
where Krummhorn is, but I will say hello. I hope you have as much fun
as I do with this websight.
judy tooley
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hello :wave: Matthew.

Welcome aboard to MIMF. I think you are the first organist from Malta that I've encountered on this forum. What kinds of organs exist in Malta (pipes, etc), and what do you play on at your church?
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hi krummhorn!
In Malta, we have a great influence from Italy, In fact most of the pipe organs here are 'Mascioni' organs (1950s, 60s) (which have a concave, fanned pedalboard; and are electro-pneumatic), and 'Inzoli' organs (1800s; mechanical tracker action); 'Tamburini' organs; then there are other old ones like the 'santucci' organs (1773, 1775 etc), from sicily, which have a small two octave pedalboard (and mechanical tracher action).

Also, we have german organs such as 'Bosch' and 'Seifert' (also 1900s).

I have played on all these kinds of pipe-organs, but my favourite is an English-built organ, which is to be found in st. Paul's Anglican pro-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, made by 'Hill and Son and Norman and Beard Ltd.', London 1949 (electro-pneumatic).

Those were the pipe organs,
then regarding electronic organs one can find 'Ahlborn', 'Allen', 'Viscount' and 'Copeman-Hart' organs.
As you can see there is quite a variety! :)

I also would like to thank you all for your kind welcome, thank you so much, yes I do feel lucky to have found this website, to me it is like finding a mine full of gold, and you never know what new surprises you can encounter! :)
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
p.s. I'm not really fond of electronic / digital organs, I simply love pipe organs, but then if I had to choose, I really like Copeman-Hart organs, when i had the opportunity to play at Mdina Cathedral in Malta, i was dissappointed when i was told that it was digital, and not a real pipe organ, because it's sound was so authentic!
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Matthew,

Thanks for sharing about the organs found in Malta. It is always interesting to learn about another countries organs. What is the largest pipe organ there?
 

Thomas Dressler

New member
Hi Matthew! Very interesting! I agree with Krummhorn that it's fascinating to hear about instruments in other countries. The Sicilian Santucci organs you mention sound very interesting to me, as I'm quite interested in historic instruments.

Hope you enjoy reading through the postings on this forum!

Tom
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hi krummhorn, i believe the largest organ in Malta is situated in st. John's co-Cathedral, in Valletta. however, i never had the opportunity to play it, since the organist there (who happens to be my organ tutor) lets practically no-one play it. It really is a pity.

Matthew.
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hello Tom,
If you want, i can post the specifications of one of the santucci organs i played. i am planning to collect the lists and photos of every organ i played, and make an album. what do you think?

regards,
Matthew.
 

Arvin B

New member
Hello Tom,
If you want, i can post the specifications of one of the santucci organs i played. i am planning to collect the lists and photos of every organ i played, and make an album. what do you think?

regards,
Matthew.

Yes, I would be very interested to see that. I'm sure everyone else would too. I find the Sicilian influence interesting. I attended a fascinating lecture hosted by the local AGO (American Guild of Organists) about historic organs in Sicily.
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hello Arvin B,
Glad to get to know you. Sorry for my late reply. Here i am leaving the stoplist of one of the Sicilian pipe organs in Malta which i have played. This organ is a 1775 'Santucci' organ:

Left Column:
Voce Umana 8' (soprani)
Flutta Reale 8' (soprani)
Flauto in Ottava (soprani)
Flauto in XII (soprani)
Cornetta 1 3/5 (soprani)
Tremolo

Right Column:
Principale 8' Bassi (facade)
Principale 8' Soprani
Principale 8' 2do
Ottava 4' Bassi
Ottava 4' Bassi
XV Bassi
Xv Soprani
XIX
XXII
XXVI e XXIX
Contrabasso 16' (stopped)
Basso 8'
Rinforzi 4'

Accessories:
Terza Mano (octave coupler)
Ripieno foot lever (inserts all right column stops)

Keyboard: 53 notes (C1 to E53) breaks at B24-C25
Pedal: 17 notes 'a leggio' (C1 to E17)

Rebuit in 1899 by Giuseppe Bergomi;
restored and returned to its original Sicilian voice by Robert Buhagiar in 2000-2001.

Hope you found that interesting,
Matthew.

P.S. Arvin B, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me any information you have about sicilian pipe organs. Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:

Arvin B

New member
Thanks for the specs. I am by no means any kind of expert on this type of organ so I don't have a lot of information myself. However I will see if I can contact the man that gave the lecture and see what he has. This will probably take about a month but I will let you know on this forum what I am able to determine.

BTW Don't worry about late replys. I've found that on forums of a more scholarly nature discussions take place over a span of time. This isn't myspace.

I have a couple questions:

I would expect the Voce Umana to be in the principal family. Am I correct?

What is the Principal 8' 2do?

The upper harmonics (XIX and above) seem to only have one stop. Does that one stop draw it for both treble and bass?

How long is the pedalboard (does it extend below the bench)?

This is one of the rarest types of organ in America (there are lots of german baroque replicas and french romantic replicas) so thanks in advance for sharing.

Arvin
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Thanks for the specs. I am by no means any kind of expert on this type of organ so I don't have a lot of information myself. However I will see if I can contact the man that gave the lecture and see what he has. This will probably take about a month but I will let you know on this forum what I am able to determine.

BTW Don't worry about late replys. I've found that on forums of a more scholarly nature discussions take place over a span of time. This isn't myspace.

I have a couple questions:

I would expect the Voce Umana to be in the principal family. Am I correct?

What is the Principal 8' 2do?

The upper harmonics (XIX and above) seem to only have one stop. Does that one stop draw it for both treble and bass?

How long is the pedalboard (does it extend below the bench)?

This is one of the rarest types of organ in America (there are lots of german baroque replicas and french romantic replicas) so thanks in advance for sharing.

Arvin

_________________________________________________________________
Hi Arvin,

The principal secondo is another register similar to the principal; the upper harmonics have one stop which controls both treble and bass, and the pedal board DOES NOT extend below the bench, but consists of short pedals pivoted at the organists feet (as opposed to the keys which are pivoted on the inside end). The problem is that standard repertoir CANNOT be played on this type of organ UNLESS it has very simple pedalwork. The reasons for this are:

Not enough range,
and the pedals are not suitable for that kind of playing (both as layout, and also response).

Besides, sinch the pedals are so short on the pedal board, (yet go right to to back of the organ on the inside) they literally need to be stamped on to play! Funny aye? :D

Matthew.
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Btw,

I have a mistake in the spec. list. The registers named Ottava 4', one should be bassi, and the other obviously soprani.

Thanks.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hi Matthew,

Welcome aboard the Starship MIMF where everyone is a star. Please make yourself feel at home.

Cheers,

Corno Dolce
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hi Matthew,

There is a fellow from Malta on another forum which I infrequently visit.

His forum moniker is *tumult in the praetorium*. He apparently plays a very good sized instrument - 3 manuals and pedal - on Malta. Must have been one of the larger cathedral churches - don't know which one.

Below is the link to that forum:

http://organforum.com/forums/default.aspx

Cheers,

Corno Dolce
 

Matthew Schembri

New member
Hi corno dolce,

Could you please explain to me how do i find this maltese member? there are so many pages! I can't find him anywhere!

Thanks in advance,
Matthew.
 
Top