An organ recital

[jbuck919]

It is nothing special, and I don't expect everyone here to enjoy it. It is just excellent, the kind of recital I would give if I were in that position. The organist is not famous, nor will he ever be, just a guy. Why someone of that age is giving a graduation recital is beyond me.

I post this mainly because of the organ, which is very famous in our circles. Flentrop is a famous Netherlands organ maker and this is one of their masterpieces. It is the organ builder that made the famous organ in what used to be called the Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard, where E. Power Biggs almost single-handedly restored interest in mechanical action (tracker) organs. You might notice that what is missing is anything from the French repertory. Actually, I own a CD called "French on the Flentrop" played on this organ, which includes even Messiaen (whom I hate, but there it is). All organs, like most engineering designs, are a compromise. It is extremely unusual for an organ of this kind to make Messiaen sound as good as he ever will.

[Lance]

I always loved that Flentrop organ at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. Biggs did, indeed, make many a recording at Harvard. I had the pleasure of seeing him live in Syracuse, NY one time. I think his wife, Peggy, was at his side helping with stops, etc. The place was packed and it was a memorable recital. Many of his recordings are still being made available, but I doubt there will ever be a "mega-set." Same for Virgil Fox.

[jbuck919]

I always loved that Flentrop organ at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. Biggs did, indeed, make many a recording at Harvard. I had the pleasure of seeing him live in Syracuse, NY one time. I think his wife, Peggy, was at his side helping with stops, etc. The place was packed and it was a memorable recital. Many of his recordings are still being made available, but I doubt there will ever be a "mega-set." Same for Virgil Fox.

Thanks, Lance. Here is the specification (always singular no matter what one may read) for that organ. It will not mean anything to most posters, but a specification can be very deceptive. Many organs have weak stops that are virtually useless. This one does not. The exception is the trumpets en chamade (horizontal heralding trumpets). Organists hate these. They are useless unless you happen to be welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury. Their inclusion in a specification is always the result of a stupid committee decision.

Organ Specification

D. A. Flentrop – 1965
Paul Fritts & Co., Organ Builders
- 1992/95
4 Manuals & Pedals
58 Stops/79 Ranks
3,944 Pipes

Suspended key action and electric stop action.
Solid state combination action (255 memory levels)
Couplers and general pistons duplicated on toe studs

Note: 32 Prestant is a 12 pipe extension of the 16 Pedaal Prestant.

Note: Boldface Type indicates new work completed in 1992, 1995 and 2011


Hoofdwerk II
(Great) 56 Pipes/Rank
16 Prestant
8 Prestant
8 Roerfluit
4 Octaaf
4 Speelfluit
2-2/3 Quint
2 Octaaf
1-3/5 Terts
IV Mixtuur (224 Pipes)
III Scherp (186 Pipes)
16 Trompet
8 Trompet
4/16 Trompeta (*horizontal)
8 Trompeta (*horizontal)

[*2011 Paul Fritts]



Rugwerk I

(Positiv) 56 Pipes/Rank
8 Prestant
8 Gedekt
8 Quintadeen
4 Octaaf
4 Roerfluit
2 Octaaf
II Sesquialter (112 Pipes)
III Mixtuur (168 Pipes)
III Scherp (168 Pipes)
16 Dulciaan
8 Schalmei
Tremulant

Bovenwerk III
(Swell*) 56 Pipes/Rank
8 Prestant
8 Fluit
8 Gemshoorn
8 Zweving (44 Pipes)
4 Octaaf
4 Koppelfluit
2-2/3 Nasard
2 Flageolet
1 Octaaf
V Mixtuur (280 Pipes)
8 Trompet
8 Kromhoorn
Tremulant
*Mechanically Operated Swell Shutters



Borstwerk IV
(Brustwerk) 56 Pipes/Rank
8 Gedekt (wood)
4 Prestant
4 Fluit
2 Gemshoorn
1-1/3 Larigot
II Cymbel (112 Pipes)
8 Regaal
Tremulant
Zymbelstern

Pedaal
(Pedal)
32 Pipes/Rank
32 Prestant (12 + 20/16′)
16 Prestant
16 Subbas (wood)
8 Octaaf
8 Gedekt
4 Octaaf
4 Spitsgedekt
2 + 1 Nacthoorn (64 Pipes)
VII Mixtuur (224 Pipes)
32 Bazuin (8w/24m)
16 Bazuin
8 Trompet
4 Trompet
2 Cornet



Couplers
II + I
II + III
I + III
Ped + I (Rugwerk)
Ped + II (Hoofdwerk)
Ped + III (Bovenwerk)



Combinations
6 Combinations per Division
8 General Pistons
1 General Cancel
1 Setter Position

[Lance]

It is too bad, perhaps, my life centers around PIANOS. But I truly love the organ, collect many recordings of the instrument, but know very little about them. If you were to write a brief essay on pipe organs, the various kinds, and what all the specifications really mean, that would be a great honor right here on CMG! Whaddaya think, jbuck?

[John F]

When I was at WHRB we had a weekly program called "Organ Tour" (Biggs enthusiasts will recognize the title), and one semester when I was classical music director I took it because none of the other members would. Odd, because there were some organists among the students; one of my roommates in Adamd House was an organist, and had the privilege of practicing (though I believe not playing in public) on the instrument in Harvard Memorial Church. When applying to Adams House I listed music as an interest; my roommates were this organist and a tuba player in the Harvard marching band. Anyway, back to WHRB, I chose as the program's opening theme music one of Mozart's church sonatas for organ and strings (it was K.224 in F major); not very appropriate as the organ just plays continuo and isn't very audible. When another member took over the program, he promptly replaced it.

At that time, Westminster Records was issuing recordings by André Marchal and Marcel Dupré, who also recorded for Mercury I don't know whether they licensed the recordings or made them themselves. At the time E. Power Biggs was pretty much the norm for organ music in America, and what's exciting about the norm? I only played his recordings as a last resort. My programs may have been good or bad - they were certainly uninformed, and I had to do a lot of reading and listening to come up with something every week. I can't say that the experience increased my appreciation of the organ and its repertoire - sorry, John - but at least I became a little less ignorant.

Speaking of Biggs, his recording of Handel's organ concertos was made on a 1749 organ at Great Packington which Handel h imself played and had a part in building. When the recording came out, I remember a minor scandal that the instrument had been retuned to modern pitch, which would have involved shortening the pipes, and it had been "ruined." I don't know whether this is true or not. Today, when "authentic" performances are given at the original pitch (usually lower), this wouldn't have happened.

[jbuck919]

It is too bad, perhaps, my life centers around PIANOS. But I truly love the organ, collect many recordings of the instrument, but know very little about them. If you were to write a brief essay on pipe organs, the various kinds, and what all the specifications really mean, that would be a great honor right here on CMG! Whaddaya think, jbuck?

I am afraid, dear Lance, that you have set me an impossible task. It would be like asking you to rehearse the construction of the modern piano back to Beethoven, who though he wrote the greatest music for it, was never happy with the pianos of his time. And John F, even though you never developed an appreciation of the instrument, even in your days which you mention, you could have done a lot worse.

[maestrob]

Thanks for that, JohnB! I will listen later of course, and comment. I do love the organ, but know very little about the instrument. "Just a guy," indeed! I listen through headphones, so I can appreciate the acoustics of the venue more.

[Belle]

For some reason all of the links provided by jbuck never appear as anything but a blank screen. A great big hole in the page and nothing for me to see or hear. Unfortunately.

[jbuck919]

For some reason all of the links provided by jbuck never appear as anything but a blank screen. A great big hole in the page and nothing for me to see or hear. Unfortunately.

d

I'm sorry, Belle. In the future I will try to provide the actual link in addition to the inconvenient YouTube. This was a stumble-on and hard to find again.

[jserraglio]

The Missing Link
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mhO-3ni71 ... q-iaKiP2Pg

[Belle]

Thanks very much; I'll listen this morning. It looks good.