• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Celebrating Musical Instrument: Grand/Church Organ

fas42

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
2,818
Likes
191
Location
Australia
And, I think this is the one I was looking for,


Doesn't mention the instrument, but I'm pretty sure it's the Sydney Opera House one. I have the CD, and this is the one I would put on, with the accelerator pressed hard to the floor, if someone reckoned they could do pipe organ well on their rig.
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL
OrganLive.com

A 320kbs feed works, here, in foobar

upload_2017-7-27_20-34-14.png


In-room, last chord of the above piece

upload_2017-7-27_20-40-24.png
 
Last edited:

The Smokester

Active Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
136
Likes
39
Location
SF Bay
Screenshot_20170729-111745.jpg

Here is a good orchestral piece involving a pipe organ. Go to the 3rd movement if you are anxious to get to the mostly organ part. Amazing how the Chicago Symphony starts to sound puny.

I played organ in my youth:

- The hall/cathedral/venue is definitely part of the instrument
- Some, if not most, pipe organs have air-activated chimes
- Hissing of air and squeaks and chirps are part of the charm
- Separate ranks (pipe types) and manuals (keyboards), can be couple together to create a "symphony" of sound
- A 32 or 64 ft pipe takes a while to start up, load the hall and really start to rumble. The organist anticipates this by pushing the pedals a second or so before the note is needed
- A 32 ft pipe, with a choir, both in full cry in a great venue, is a hair raising experience.
- A 64 ft note from a pipe organ, felt not heard, is a transcendental experience
- I doubt that a live performance of a great pipe organ in a great cathedral can be otherwise reproduced
 

Frank Dernie

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
6,445
Likes
15,779
Location
Oxfordshire
Wow, difficult to imagine one organist at 6 manuals plus all the stops and pedals!
On a choir trip to Munich a few years ago one of the concerts was at a monastery on the top of a mountain with a famous organ (don't remember exactly). Because of its complexity and size I went with the organist when he rehearsed to have a look at the mechanics of it - always the engineer.
Anyway he pulled out all the stops at ons stage and my was it loud! It is very true to say the building is part of the instrument. A truly unforgettable experience and the organ was ancient.
 

Frank Dernie

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
6,445
Likes
15,779
Location
Oxfordshire
View attachment 8010
Here is a good orchestral piece involving a pipe organ. Go to the 3rd movement if you are anxious to get to the mostly organ part. Amazing how the Chicago Symphony starts to sound puny.

I played organ in my youth:

- The hall/cathedral/venue is definitely part of the instrument
- Some, if not most, pipe organs have air-activated chimes
- Hissing of air and squeaks and chirps are part of the charm
- Separate ranks (pipe types) and manuals (keyboards), can be couple together to create a "symphony" of sound
- A 32 or 64 ft pipe takes a while to start up, load the hall and really start to rumble. The organist anticipates this by pushing the pedals a second or so before the note is needed
- A 32 ft pipe, with a choir, both in full cry in a great venue, is a hair raising experience.
- A 64 ft note from a pipe organ, felt not heard, is a transcendental experience
- I doubt that a live performance of a great pipe organ in a great cathedral can be otherwise reproduced
This is a favourite piece.
 

Frank Dernie

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
6,445
Likes
15,779
Location
Oxfordshire
Wiki says that first peak is the C1 note: "32.70 Hz. Lowest C on a standard 88-key piano." It says the lowest note (C-1) in organ is 8.1 Hz.
Not so sure about that if my entry in Wikipedia is anything to go by, it is not very accurate.
Only a concert grand has the 32.7 Hz string, most pianos do not go that low.
Since the 32ft stop is 16Hz I always wondered what was the point of the 64ft and 128 ft stops, seismic activity?
 

The Smokester

Active Member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
136
Likes
39
Location
SF Bay
Not so sure about that if my entry in Wikipedia is anything to go by, it is not very accurate.
Only a concert grand has the 32.7 Hz string, most pianos do not go that low.
Since the 32ft stop is 16Hz I always wondered what was the point of the 64ft and 128 ft stops, seismic activity?

Yes. It is felt, not heard.
 

fas42

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 21, 2016
Messages
2,818
Likes
191
Location
Australia
Wow, difficult to imagine one organist at 6 manuals plus all the stops and pedals!
On a choir trip to Munich a few years ago one of the concerts was at a monastery on the top of a mountain with a famous organ (don't remember exactly). Because of its complexity and size I went with the organist when he rehearsed to have a look at the mechanics of it - always the engineer.
Anyway he pulled out all the stops at ons stage and my was it loud! It is very true to say the building is part of the instrument. A truly unforgettable experience and the organ was ancient.
A favourite memory is being in Germany - just a smallish town, can't remember the name - and there was a decent sized church, organ playing. Walked in, the famous Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor was happening - stopped, and then went into rewind - again, the big stuff happened - and again! A student was being guided by a mentor on the finer points of playing the piece - I could have stayed and got the thrill any number of times as the "rough edges" were being sorted out - tremendous stuff ...
 

pavuol

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 2, 2019
Messages
1,562
Likes
3,950
Location
EU next to warzone :.(
G. Handel Passacaglia in g minor HWV 432 №6 / Г.Гендель Пассакалия соль минор [Timur Khaliullin]
One of my favourite classical track. Not great recording quality but I love the whole body action of the organist, take a look at the "foot part" at the end.
 

pavuol

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 2, 2019
Messages
1,562
Likes
3,950
Location
EU next to warzone :.(
III.Handel Organ Concerto Op.7 N.1 HWV 306 - III.Largo e piano[Simon Preston Trevor Pinnock The English Concert]
Something more subtle.
 

Similar threads

Top Bottom