Term
|
Definition
Designed by G. Donald Harrison and Walter Holtkamp for Aeolian-Skinner
Often has German positive plus French swell. Eclectic, not dedicated to one type of music. Often doesn't do anything completely faithfully, but does many things reasonably well.
Attempts to combine newer technology and orchestral stops with older sounds. |
|
|
Term
| North German Baroque Organs |
|
Definition
Characterized by the work of Arp Schnitger
Very large, as many as 5 divisions
Hauptwerk ("main division") contained a brilliant, well-rounded principal chorus with mixtures that were incisive and could include 10 or more ranks. Also some flutes for acc.
Rückpositiv behind the bench, penetrating with pungent reeds
Brustwerk normally the smallest, used for continuo playing, lowest manual?
Oberwerk was 2nd largest manual and like a smaller Hauptwerk
Pedal had a full principal chorus from 32', solo stops, chorus reeds, solo flues and reeds
Pedal located in towers to the R and L of the main case
Plenum, tutti ensemble, was extremely important
Smaller plena could be assembled on Ob and Rp and coupled into Hptw
Tierce only on Rp and Bw
Reeds in every division, including Vox Humana, Regal, Barfeife
Could produce a powerful plenum and also a multitude of smaller colorful combinations
Sign of prestige and prosperity of N. German merchants |
|
|
Term
| Central German Baroque Organs |
|
Definition
Characterized by Gottfried Silbermann
Often no Rückpositiv
Pedal was smaller, fewer high pitches, sometimes buried in the main case and needed augmentation via couplers
Chorus mixtures were milder
Cornets, Sesquialteras, Tierces much more penetrating and like French
Smaller role for reeds, larger one for strings and string celestes
Sound was bright, yet gentle: "silvery" |
|
|
Term
| South German and Austrian Baroque Organs |
|
Definition
Combined elements of both N. and C. German instruments
Heavier at lower pitch levels, 8' and 4'
Still contain huge mixtures, but were more subdued in sound
Many had a Rückpositiv
Lesser role for reeds
Balance of divisions sacrificed in favor of coloristic and echo effects
Hauptwerk predominated, other division subsidiary
Laid out on L and R of free-standing console
Further south = less pedal, 12-18 notes in Catholic areas used more for cadences and pedal points than obligato lines |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Principal chorus drawn on the Hauptwerk, possibly with choruses from other divisions coupled in
Chorus reeds drawn on pedals but not manuals
Mixtures and 5th sounding stops included; Terz not included
16' manual stops often included (Schnitger)
Octave sounding flute ranks often included (Silbermann) like French Plein Jeu
Mattheson said terz was ok--can help distinguish voices--but not with flutes
18th c. plenum was heavier and thicker than 17th c--weight replaced brilliance as the ideal |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Product of the Renaissance
Characterized by 5 generations of Antegnati family ("Brescian" tradition)
Prevailed almost until 19th c.
Flat, shallow, spacious case with 5-7 vertical partitions, like a Renaissance altar, 2 stories of pipes framing single-story units
Unstandardized range of 4 octaves or so
Single manual, pull-down pedals only (sometimes none)
Some divided stops
The bigger the church, the lower the pitches included (down to CC, which is 16' stop two octaves below middle C)
Sometimes had divided manuals
Echo and manual-change effects could not be achieved
Stops labelled by number designations indicating how far above the largest manual principal they were (if the lowest principal were an 8' C, 22nd would be 3 octaves higher, at c". Express the number as 7n + b; n is the number of octaves higher, and b is the interval above that octave)
Ripieno ensemble at the heart of the organ
Flutes present at 2 or 3 pitches for special solo effects and for using in combination with principals
Reeds were rare; if there, Regal was most common
Fiffaro = Voce humana, and was not a reed pipe, but a treble rank of principal-scale pipes tuned sharp or flat with main principale, like a celeste
Known for silvery, "vocal" tone, which may have been the ideal
Very low wind pressure
Delicate principals, mellow flutes, nearly absent reeds, "sweetness" of Fiffaro indicate human voice was the tonal model |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
Full chorus of principals on Italian Baroque organ
Made from open metal pipes
Ranged from 16' to as high as 1/3' ranks
Principals above 2' normally broke back in upper range, sometimes at c#"' (above high c)
Allowed for combination differences not possible with combined mixtures
Largest principal often divided to allow dialogues or melody/acc on the single manual |
|
|
Term
| Development of the German Romantic organ |
|
Definition
associated with organ in Merseburg Cathedral, Germany, where he played
G. Romantic organ started in about 1860
Organ Builders: Friedrich Ladegast, Wilhelm Sauer, Walcker (company, built recital hall organ)
Features:
Huge number of 8’ stops on Great=fascination with tone color
Tons of 16’ stops, even two on great
Pretty muddy sound in full organ--and they would use them all at once
French romantic style not just France (fonds)
Stabilization of wind supply invented, allowed for many more stops
“Winker” in wind line absorbs if too many sounds used at once
Different types of reservoirs, higher pressures
Primitive combination action system
Ability to create a smoot crescendo by adding stops
Rollschweller like a crescendo pedal used in section just before ascending lines begin in Weinen. Instead of a pedal, a barrel that you kicked
Cavaillé-Coll used ventils: separate “fond chest” and “anche chest.” Set it all at the beginning, but anche chest didn’t come on until you activated the ventil. Reeds and upperwork were on the anche chest
Some had two pedal divisions and pedal boards |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
This didn’t start in organ building until 1850 aesthetic, 1860 before some were around
Mendelssohn was still playing on Baroque instruments.
Same time as Cavaille-Coll.
Stayed in style in 1920s. That was the beginning of the organ reform movement.
Heyday was around the turn of the century.
Composed music was done with Romanticism by the 1900s.
Romantic ideas spun off into the orchestral, theater organ--taken to extremes. Orchestral organs designed for playing symphonic music--tons of 8’ stops. Default stand-in for an orchestra.
Goal, especially in early phases, was to achieve a giant, seamless crescendo. Aesthetic borrowed from Symphonic music. Huge, wide range of expression valued. (led to swell and crescendo pedals)
Technical innovations were needed:
More wind supply, higher pressure, more stable wind
Sauer organ in Thomaskirche, Leipzig: late German Romantic organ. “Symphonic” is more closely associated with French. 10 8’ stops on the great: each had a different color, and each combination has a different color. But only one or two reeds! Very little upper-work, only eleven out of 88 stops. Cavaille-Coll had 14 reeds out of 46 stops.
(William Sumner loved this in --praised seamlessness of color changes. These instruments also had Rollschweller, rolling drum type crescendo pedal.)
No Rückpositiv--it was closer to the congregation and clearer, used for solos, not this blended chorus aesthetic.
Softest stops were stringy--cut through a large room better than flute.
Swell was enclosed
Pedal would change stops automatically according to which manual you were using. |
|
|
