Ruffatti in Uppsala
Dear friends,
I am sincerely delighted that several of you have taken the time to comment about the new Ruffatti organ at Uppsala Cathedral. Having read all that has been written about the organ on this site, I feel that I should now jump in and make a few comments myself since I know the instrument very well indeed, designed the specification, followed the building and voicing very closely, and have the pleasure of playing it every day.
Corno Dolce claims that the organ is buried in the left transept and that only half of the organ sound gets out to the main body of worshippers. Im sorry, but this is nonsense. Long before the organ was built, extensive acoustical tests were carried out to determine the best place to build a new organ and both the south and north transepts proved to be superb. The sound certainly DOES get out into the whole building and the combined principal choruses alone (without reeds or mixtures) can lead a congregation of several hundred people.
Corne Dolces Swedish Concert Organist friend says that the new Ruffatti is a glorified choir organ. Im sorry, but I dont really understand what this means. What is a glorified choir organ? As for building an organ behind the High Altar, this was never an option and never even discussed. There is no space there for an organ, and even if there were, the Swedish Preservation Authorities would never have granted permission. In addition, we required an organ that can accompany the cathedral choirs this would be nigh impossible with an organ behind the altar.
VeniVidi2009s recording is sadly of poor quality, but as he says, the entire concert was recorded very well by Swedish Radio and broadcast at a later date. This concert was however not the inauguration concert (as even advertised by Swedish Radio). It was a short lunchtime concert held two days after the inauguration concert. I played the inauguration concert myself for an audience of over 2000 people but Swedish Radio could not come to record on that day.
I have recently completed the first CD recording of the new Ruffatti for Priory Records as part of their Great European Organ Series and this will be released quite shortly I believe.
The new Ruffatti at Uppsala cathedral is without doubt a stunning success. If anyone has any doubts or questions, please ask me, or better still, come to Uppsala at try it out for yourself (but contact me first so we can book a time).
With best wishes,
Andrew Canning