Organ matters - Organs matter!

An old preffered of mine !
It was Donald Hunt in Worcester who made me discover the maybe most
underrated composer of the 19th century (had he be a german, there would obtain
say 10 complete works recordings in competition).

There are some good recordings on Youtube, and it is already a kind of a marvel since
it is an extremely difficult music for any choir, quite demanding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imKVnOcJNX0

Best wishes,
Pierre

The organ, built 1795, was in St. Mary in Chatham.
It came 1992 in Klais workshop.
After a *restoration*(1), it will be re-opened this March, 18,
in a Düsseldorf church:

http://www.orgelbau-klais.com/m.php?sid=232

(1) With "Restoration" is meant: As far as possible, to respect the original state,
as far as it is known, compasses, temperament etc included; even old nails to be
re-used whenever possible, etc etc....

I suppose there is no need to remind anyone about the very high esteem Samuel Green deserves. His historical significance cannot be over-esteemed, for Britain of course but also for central Europe, as he could well have inspired Abt Vogler (chromatic design of the soundboards; larger-scaled basses; general enclosure...) in his famous "simplification system" (which was important from an historic viewpoint, while it is blatant that he sometimes had done better to simply copy the english model!)

Best wishes,
Peter

This organ, with its 29 stops on two manuals and Pedal,
might well be a landmark.
(Unterinn is in the "Süd-Tirol", a german-speaking northern italian area, an absolute
hit with the german-speaking belgians as a holiday's place, so it won't be long before
I shall hear this organ in Situ...)

Specifications:

http://www.wegscheider.eu/img/disposition_unterinn.pdf

Some Bach videos have more to tell than any pile of words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaC21S_H2G0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZqqw8OKKQQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuySNyIsOCs

This organ, presently being built, has an interesting Specifications
which shows the latest trends:

http://www.orgelbau-klais.com/m.php?tx=182

Best wishes,
Pierre

At least viewed from the continent, this is a summit of the 20th century:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR1WOtJxuFU

Best wishes,
Peter

Played on the Sauer organ (pneumatic action) of the Bremer Dom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmLLCB25heI

Rather impressive indeed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2cyvIpknyc&feature=share

Best wishes,

Ihr Peter

We just learned that this precious organ:

http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D00288

...Is to be moved towards Britanny (France), after "having be bought by a parisian organist".
Though this may be good news, both for the heritage preservation and for the diversity of the continental
instrumental palette (in which the british organs are by far too rare still), we, on the french forum,
are nonetheless anxious, because there have been cases where such organs were re-erected by
non-professional people, with damages as a result, or stocked under unsuited conditions.
So we need to know a maximum about it in order that our members (among whom at least two dozens
in Britanny) can keep an eye on the matter !
Does anyone know who is involved, where the organ is to be placed, by who, etc ?

Best wishes,
Pierre

An interesting discussion could follow this: Howells played on the Ladegast organ
of Merseburg Cathedral - the "Liszt-organ"-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJTDnGP5YHI&feature=relmfu

Best wishes,
Pierre

Absolutely georgous:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFq6w3Welt

(Link towards the NPOR page under the video)

Best wishes,
Pierre

Here a quite interesting Video for those who like the northern "Stylus phantasticus",
on a perfectly suited instrument, but withouth any neo-baroque drawbacks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWx9qYq22hI&feature=share

A stunning performance, maybe the best Mendelssohn on Youtube,
on a magnificent organ visited and appreciated by Cavaillé-Coll (the Witte-Bätz organ
of the oude kerk, Delft, NL):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe1Sy1Qiof4

Best wishes,
Pierre

This is a new video, featuring a splendid Psalm-Prelude by Herbert Howells:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhSSB-zLaAA

The organ is a 1994 Reuters, built with pipework of the previous organ.

Best wishes,
Pierre

I found this article today with a great pleasure:

http://www.mander-organs.com/portfolio/sacred-heart-wimbledon.html

It deserves a carefull reading ! needless to say, I am eager to find sound files.

Best wishes,

Pierre

I have had one chance, that is, having be able to hear many ancient organs.
Among them, it is often the "little things", often not in a pristine state, that have
much to tell.
I believe the art of voicing emerged in Italy during the Renaissance period. There are ancient
organs there like this one (A Renaissance organ originally, but rebuilt during the baroque period)
that deserve a very carefully listening, despite its modest look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N2OmQZkKU8&feature=share&noredirect=1

(It was restored recently. I might come later with off-tune, scary ones !)

Best wishes,
Pierre

By Charles de Wolff:

http://pipeorgancds.com/chdewoplmeon.html

The Schyven/ Van Bever organ of Our Lady-Laeken is a fine example of a belgian romantic organ,
half-way between the french and the german styles.

Best wishes,
Pierre

.....The paradise on earth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIfmQqGlIbI

Noteworthy is -among others!- the articulation of the Principale.

21 minutes with this outstanding organ, from a builder known to Bach
(He played at least one Wagner organ in Potsdam in recital). I hold Wagner organs
for even more interesting for Bach than Silbermann's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghjTrkUGqfU

Best wishes,

Pierre

"An original improvisation on "Away In A Manger" by Rick Land performed on the world renowned Aeolian Skinner Pipe Organ at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Amarillo, Texas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SBsFtv49Co

Still with a distinctive "US" feel, and a wondefull organ.

Best wishes,
Pierre