Quote from: Voix Cynique on July 17, 2011, 10:25:50 PMQuote from: pcnd5584 on July 17, 2011, 09:17:12 PM
apparently you have forgotton that the main purpose of the Grandes Orgues in a French church is not to accompany either a choir or the congregation, but to provide voluntaries and other (usually improvised) organ music during the services.
I wasn't thinking of rôles, merely physical layout. I had quite forgotten the Nave organ. In this case, I would have to ask - why tracker action at all?
Yes - but the rôle informs, or at least influences, the layout.
As has already been stated, why tracker indeed.
Quote from: Voix Cynique on July 17, 2011, 10:25:50 PM
On the other hand, some extremely complex layouts are still possible with tracker action - see http://www.mander-organs.com/portfolio/peachtree.html. However, here, clearly, the trackers run under the sanctuary floor - clearly impossible with an organ elevated in a gallery with an isolated nave division in a triforium. Admittedly, there is also a 2m/p West end organ (playable electrically from the East end console) but I suspect that, in that building, it's more a luxury than a necessity.
Incidentally, how does the organ at Chichester work? I think it's tracker action, but clearly it's in the North Transept arch, on a gallery, with the Nave division in the South Nave triforium, so that can't be tracker - and does one then have a problem with one action being faster than another? Reminds me of the organs at San Lorenzo del Escorial - merged from four (IIRC) into one by Organeria Español with electric action and a huge five-manual console up in the chancel, with a simply horrendous lag on the Nave organs.
The Mander rebuild and restoration of the organ of Chichester Cathedral is, as far as I am concerned (having played it no many occasions), superb.
The main instrument is as you describe it, with mechanical action to the five divisions of the main organ. The stop action also has a parallel Solid-State system, utilising powerful solenoids, of German manufacture, in order to 'drive' the combination pistons. The Nave Organ is on electro-pneumatic action - at least, I do not recall it being direct electric. I have no idea regarding the time lag with the main organ. In any case, the Nave Organ is used to bolster the singing of hymns, so even if one is playing on a moderate registration on the main organ, the Nave section cannot clearly be heard from the console. The congregation may hear the main organ fractionally later than the Nave section; however, as far as I know, the Nave Organ, once the upperwork is reached, dominates the sound. Incidentally, the Nave Organ also has its own console, situated on the floor of the Nave, on the north side.
A useful expedient when playing pieces on this organ, is to use a small amount of the Nave Organ, in order to help project the sound down the Nave, past the Bell-Arundel screen. If one were to use no more than the 8ft, stops with, perhaps occasionally the 4ft. Principal, in the Nave, this has the effect of amplifying the sound of the main organ, without detracting from its impact.
However, I am glad that someone has finally got around to authorising the addition of a Swell to Choir coupler.* The original omission of this, I always regarded as the only serious handicap on this otherwise excellent instrument.
Incidentally, the Solo Sub Octave coupler is electric, additional key-contacts being fitted to the Solo clavier. Thus there is no further weight experienced by the player when using this device.
* There is a possibility that this was simply overlooked by the consultant (and, presumably, everyone else involved in the planning of the rebuild), and consequently left off the drawings.