CREATING THE STRADIVARIUS OF ORGANS (TRAILER)

[paulj0557]

Am posting today - Valentines Day2011

Please listen to 'Organ Moods, John Winters at the Mighty Wurlitzer'.

Would you please make comments so that we can narrow down the exact organ/model. Someone at Artisan maybe? If the organ has already been digitized and offered as a product I'd really like to know. It being a Wurlitzer should mean that it wasn't a special build opus, correct?

[paulj0557]

Please listen to 'Organ Moods, John Winters at the Mighty Wurlitzer'.

The record is most majestic. Mr. Winter's playing and song selection are outstanding and the organ deserves special attention because of it's amazing tone. What is this Wurlitzer model? Someone can tell us. Someone involved in the recording, someone who plays or has played such an organ, or even the organ itself?

[Silverdaddy101]

Truly breathtaking. This instrument is one of the best of the best.

Iprefer mechanical action too, but have heard several electric actions that were quite convincing. It depends on the skill of the voicer.

One can make mistakes in scaling, but still correct it with a good voicer, so making hardfast rules is silly. There are always exceptions.

[1401JSC]

This is truly a wonderful instrument. John Mander and his team are geniuses.

But why praise the size of the instrument and its being tracker action? It is eminently suited to its acoustic and architectural environment, the stops are magnificently voiced to be beautiful , individual colours and a homogenous mass.

The CD produced for Mander gives a very 'French' timbre to the instrument, but I suppose that depends on how you use it.

Bravo to church authorities that approved this initiative.

[jerrygpp]

Tracker organs were made that way long ago because there was no other way to do it. Modern organs are made any way the builder pleases, since the trackers all by themselves don't guarantee good sound. The voicing of the pipes, and the pleasing resonance of the soundboards, and the placement of the organ are the real deciding factors. This organ sounds marvelous, if earphones on YouTube can be any indication.

[smorris231]

it makes a good sound too

[aihoschema]

Awesome! I am not 100% familiar with the types of pneumatic action on pipe organs - but I am definitely not a European baroque purist (=no Theatre organ style electro mechanics - why?). I love Wurlitzers - with their typical tremulants, vox humana and throaty tibia clausa ranks - and even (non-pipe) Hammonds with their harmonic foldbacks, all thir "flaws" (=character?) and leslie cabs. Of course nothing beats the power of a huge pipe organ, custom built for a hall or church.

[KE5RHD]

Forgot to mention that one of the issues on a tracker organ is the design of the linkages. Some of the current builders like to use diamond shaped links instead of circular or round. This helps reduce the clicking sound when a key or pedal is depressed.

[KE5RHD]

Mass produced organs? All I know is what they do now. A lot of audio engineering with some rather expensive equipment. Then the type, size, diameter, chemistry of each pipe is engineered for a particular space. They take everything into consideration. The only thing mass produced are not part of the final sound output.

[totallyamused]

Remeber Christian LOVE when writting of GOD'S Sacred Instruments and do not sound as "noisey gongs" LOL :) Tehy are all good if they so much as inspire a single soul toward HEAVEN!!!

[octave4]

Electro-Pneumatic organs are not "Mass Produced but mase for each building. US builders do not produce several sets of pipes and select the best for the building. Europs can do that as well, remember. Nice case, this building has to give nice sound. Put it in a dead building and see what happens.

[Organgrinder010]

The fact that this organ is a tracker makes the size even more relevant.

[LonerPoltergeist]

I love the pipe organ <3

[Meech430]

MP Mander, 68 stops, 98 ranks

This organ is truly a work of refinement. It has one of the most stunning sounds I have ever heard, and the tracker action is truly delicious to play and has great expressive capabilities.

[acoustics101]

With pipe organs size matters as far as versatility and variety of tone, but the main factors for sheer sound are the scaling, cutup and operating pressures of the pipes themselves. Look what Hope-Jones did at Ocean Grove Auditorium with an initial use of a mere 12 ranks!

I have heard great instruments that were trackers, electropneumatic, as well as direct electric action. To me the biggest single factor is the the type of action but the pipework itself.

[exultatedeo]

What company built this organ and how many ranks is it?

[and3583]

anyway, none of you can hold a candle to Cavaille - Coll when it comes to building an organ. Daniel Roth entries - view them and weep.

[and3583]

Also, the tracker action on this instrument is a mechanical feat of greatness, as is its registration and voicing. So what do you notice? ITS REALLY BIG. Wow, I've thought that about buses, buildings, mount everest, you name it, ITS TOTALLY IRRELEVANT.

[and3583]

Truly amazing organ/ists, but I don't like the captions - America please note - BEING VERY LARGE MEANS NOTHING IN ITSELF. 45 FEET, 3O TONS? IF YOU HAVE THE TALENT AND/OR STUDY HARD ENOUGH YOU'D KICK ASS WITH A BROKEN HARMONIUM. THAT 7 MANUAL THING IN ATLANTIC CITY YOU RAVE ABOUT IS TOO BIG TO TUNE BEFORE IT GOES OUT OF TUNE AGAIN.

[ccoraxfan]

Sounds like an attitude problem. Better get that fixed! :)

[ccoraxfan]

That in response to the "America please note" message below. America is not homogeneous!

[ufni3p]

I have to agree with ccoraxfan about the mechanical and electrical (or any other) action. But this absolutily one of my favourite newbuild organ's. What a sound!!!

[PETfilm]

What a great video! Thanks a lot, chevithorne!  :D

[ccoraxfan]

"In an age when electric-action organs are routinely mass-produced..."

Whoever wrote that doesn't know what they are talking about! This statement betrays a bias against electric-action organs, which are not inferior to mechanical actions, merely different. No pipe organs are mass-produced, electric-action or mechanical. Every pipe organ is individually designed for the building it will be installed in.

Only electronic organs are mass produced.

[and3583]

Pipe organ builders commonly produce pipes in batches and choose the ones they think will best suit the organ they're building. Also, electric actions rule - tracker is more sensitive IF YOUR FINGERS ARE STRONG ENOUGH THAT YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO PRESS DOWN AS HARD AS YOU CAN, BUT CAN VARY THE PRESSURE.

[Christopher81]

The young lady on the video is Renée Anne Louprette. The other organists are Kent Tritle and Nancianne Parrella. As far as pipe organs being a waste of money; get a life!

[shaneturquoise]

What an anachronistic waste of money.  But that's what a pipe organ is...

[michaelsmusicservice]

Anachronistic is inaccurate here! There are more builders, more new organs, and more rebuilds and restorations than ever before. Organ popularity has become international. Today, you might see an organ in your town being built a firm from across the sea. If you play the piano, ask an organist to let you play an organ and explain the extra controls. Many piano players become fascinated once they sit down and play.

[michaelsmusicservice]

If you don't play keyboards, it's never too late to check out cheap lessons at a local college or church. Some students have electronic keyboards for their lessons but they are prepared to play a full-size instrument, like the one you saw in this video. It's really self expression: different strokes for different folks, you know!

[kkmyrs]

who is the young lady that was briefly on the video, is there any more videos of her by herself

[Christopher81]

I remember when Renée used to accompany CONCORA and when she was attending The Hartt School. What an amazing organist she is.

[chevithorne]

Thanks Christopher,

I agree about Renee. If you have seen the complete film, I would be interested in any comments.

Can you suggest ways to speak the owrd about the film, I am tring to reach organ lovers anywhere.

Best wishes

bert