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Quake in your boots time...

jhnbrbr

New member
Thanks again, Corno. That tune must surely be one of the greatest masterpieces of 19th century hymn writing - so much emotion conveyed in a few phrases. Now, I don't want to be a party pooper, but looking at the organ in this clip, does any organ really need that number of stops? Isn't it just a little extravagant?
 

jhnbrbr

New member
Still thinking about that wonderful tune "Melita" by J.B.Dykes. It was commonly used as the culmination when theatre organists did a "Storm" improvisation, and I once heard it used humorously. At one time there were regular late night party cruises along the stretch of the Stratford on avon canal which runs close to my house, and you could hear the well-oiled guests singing at the top of their voices as the boat approached. On one particular evening the boat's engine failed, and all the singing came to a sudden halt, and no doubt there was a certain amount of anxiety on-board. After a few moments silence, in a flash of inspiration the pianist started playing "Eternal Father strong to save" which certainly raised a laugh and put everyone back in the party mood.
 
Thanks.

I was reading recently that when the late 18th/early 19th century composer, theoretician and organist Abbe Georg Vogler visited London in the late 1790's he also performed a storm sequence on the organ of Westminster Abbey which amazed everyone.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Aloha jhnbrbr,

The organ console, digi-stops, speakers, and associated appurtenances are a gift from the US Naval Academy Class of '56. The console is by R.A. Colby and the digi-stops and speakers are by Walker of Pennsylvania.

Yes, it can and does look overly extravagant but at least the US Naval Academy Chapel is sufficiently humongous enough so that the organ sound will bloom.

The other *Military Biggie* at West Point speaks into a big barn of an acoustic space which has those damn-blasted Guastavino tiles that rob any and all reverberation.

Cheerio,

CD :):):)
 
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