Charles Tournemire "Postlude Choral" from "L'Orgue Mystique"

[richspotts]

@TheMysticalOrgan I'm not sure what the old organ was like. Your assessment of Möller isn't entirely unfair. However, Möller did a great deal to provide affordable organs to churches throughout the USA. And frankly they are pretty damn durable. The Whitelegg period was actually fabulous. I just played an untouched Whitelegg organ and it was so full of warmth and color. I could play the thing for hours and still find new tonal possibilities.

[TheMysticalOrgan]

@richspotts - "isn't entirely unfair"? So what is unfair about it? ;-)

I read the other day of some tiny church in Massachusetts that's just restored its tiny 9 rank Moller organ and they think it's the best thing in the world and want to share it with the rest of the world. They may be perhaps a tad delusional, but it really says something for the quality of Moller's work that they think so highly of it and have such affection for it, doesn't it?

[richspotts]

Pédale

32' Bourdon, 16' Contrebasse, 16' Flûte, 16' Soubasse, 8' Principal, 8' Flûte, 4' Octave, 4' Flûte, 2' Flûte, V Fourniture (2'), 32' Bombarde, 16' Bombarde, 16' Basson (Récit), 8' Trompette, 8' Hautbois, 4' Clairon, 4' Chalumeau

[richspotts]

III. Récit (Expressif)

16' Bourdon, 8' Principal, 8' Viole, 8' Céleste, 8' Flûte à cheminée, 4' Octave, 4' Flûte, 2 2/3' Nazard, 2' Doublette, 2' Quarte de nazard, 1 3/5' Tierce, V Fourniture (1 1/3'), III Cymbale (1/3'), 16' Basson, 8' Trompette, 8' Hautbois, 8' Voix humaine, 4' Clairon, Tremblant

IV. Antiphonal

8' Trompette-en-chamade

[richspotts]

I. Grand-Orgue

16' Principal, 8' Montre, 8' Flûte harmonique, 8' Bourdon, 4' Prestant, 4' Flûte conique, 2' Doublette, 2' Flûte, II Sesquialtera (2 2/3'), VI Fourniture (1 1/3'), 16' Bombarde, 8' Trompette, 4' Clairon, Tremblant

II. Positif (Expressif)

8' Dolce, 8' Unda maris, 8' Bourdon, 4' Prestant, 4' Flûte à fuseau, 2 2/3' Nazard, 2' Doublette, 2' Flûte à bec, 1 3/5' Tierce, 1 1/3' Larigot, 1' Flageolet, IV Fourniture (1'), 16' Basson, 8' Trompette, 8' Cromorne, 4' Clairon, Tremblant

[richspotts]

The organ is a Petty-Madden. It is an amazingly successful reworking of an old Moeller. It is done in a "French Style" and is extremely aggressive from the chancel. The instrument has to turn a corner to go down the nave and with the generous acoustic the sound is allowed to blend and sounds wonderful in the room.

[richspotts]

The organ is a Petty-Madden. It is an amazingly successful reworking of an old Moeller. It is done in a "French Style" and is extremely aggressive from the chancel. The instrument has to turn a corner to go down the nave and with the generous acoustic the sound is allowed to blend and sounds wonderful in the room.

[TheMysticalOrgan]

@richspotts - thanks for the info! What was the old Möller like? They had a very good reputation, particularly when Christopher Whitelegg was in charge - he had been trained by Willis and voiced the 1930s additions to the Salisbury Cathedral organ, which are gorgeous. However, he left Britain to go to the US, worked for Austin for a bit IIRC, then went to Möller. Henry Willis III, in his writings on North American organbuilders, described Möller simply as "a third-rate organbuilder"!

[EccentricRichard]

Hi! I've tried to find out about the organ at Trinity Cathedral, Trenton, but information is extremely scarce... who built the organ and when? What sort of size is it?

[pastorjackw]

Albert Ludecke was my teacher. He worked very closely with Petty-Madden on the design of this organ. Ludecke loved playing the French Masters: Frank, Widor, Vierne, Tournemire, Mulet, etc. I used to practice on this organ when I was a student in college. It was an amazing experience. Thanks for posting this!

[obxemt]

I grew up hearing this organ each week and loving it dearly during the Al Ludecke and later Tim Harrell years. Thank you so much for posting this.

[richspotts]

@obxemt

Thanks a lot! I currently practice at Tim's Church in Solebury. It's a fabulous Martin Pasi Tracker organ. BTW... Who is this? Have I ever met you? It's a small world.

[obxemt]

@richspotts We've actually met a few times but I was just a youngster then so I doubt you'd remember me. It would have been between 1994 and 1997 when I was in high school.

[gngeannakakes]

Virtuosic! The skill needed in keeping all the right stops in addition to playing all the right notes at the required spots in the score is amazing.

[richspotts]

@gngeannakakes

Thank you so much for your comment. This movement is such a pleasure to play. Look for "Charles Tournemire" on Facebook. I'm trying to learn the whole L'Orgue Mystique and I'm trying to do recitals to prepare for the "big recital". Be sure to keep in touch!