Johannus appears to be having yet another sale on their products. I was looking into their entry-level model, which sparked my interest.</p>
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What are your thoughts on this instrument, or something similar? The stoplist is similar to what I would need, it uses sampling technology, and the price is low. That works for me.</p>
I'm still looking for an instrument for my home.. I've been straying away from older digital instruments, as it's difficult to find ones that use sampling.</p>
Uhh. I dont need a first car! I need an organ! lol</p>
I have heard great things about these instruments. They have a very pleasing and respectable tone for their size for sure. Baroque sounding of course, as Johannus is known for that. </p>
If you can, it might be more worth the investment to spend an extra $1200 and go for the next model up. It has more features, but the Opus 7 is still, a very nice and modest organ!</p>
The Opus 7 RACO has a thirty note pedalboard. For $1,345 more ($7,995) the Opus 17 has an AGO pedalboard. If the organ is intended for serious study spend the extra money. You won't be playing many organs in the US with a pedalboard like the RACO's. (Yes, I gave a recital this summer on an organ with thirty notes in the pedals, but it was an historic organ and the pedals weren't like the RACO's anyway.)
Although the Opus 7 has an RACO pedalboard, it is very different from an AGO pedalboard. In fact I would much prefer a 30 RACO pedalklavier to the All "princess pedals" which feel like a scrunched AGO pedalboard. Now that is a pedalboard I wouldn't recommend.</p>
AV</p>
P.S. Only rarely does one encounter organ music that calls for either of the top 2 notes on a 32 note pedalklavier.</p>
Yes, the "princess" pedalboard is worse. It probably did more to harm the reputation of Allen among organists than anything else.</p>
The problem isn't the missing two notes on the RACO but the change in configuration. (Right now I can't think of any standard repertoire using those two, although there may be some Lemare transcriptions--and my transcription of Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 12, which I premiered Friday evening.) Now if it were an exact AGO pedalboard minus the top two notes that would be fine. The photograph suggests otherwise.</p>
But why buy something new that is inadequate from the onset? This is a poor way to save $1,345.</p>
[quote user="MarkS"]The problem isn't the missing two notes on the RACO but the change in configuration. (Right now I can't think of any standard repertoire using those two, although there may be some Lemare transcriptions--and my transcription of Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 12, which I premiered Friday evening.)[/quote]Regarding standard repertoire using the top notes of a 32-note pedalboard... I can think of at least three off the top of my head, all by Leo Sowerby:</P>
<UL>
<LI>Pageant</LI>
<LI>Comes Autumn Time</LI>
<LI>Symphony, 1st movement</LI>[/list]
The last piece is probably my very favorite use of top G in all organ repertoire. It occurs at the climax of a very protracted build up to full organ.While holding a low C with theleft foot,theright foot steps its way up a scaleup to the high G - the organistdoes the 'splits'! The music finally resolves to G major and the theme is subsequently stated by full pedal. It is such a thrilling musical moment. [8-|]</P>
Searle Wright's Carol-Prelude on Greensleeves uses the top 2 notes of a 32 note pedalboard. The pedal carries the refrain melody starting at top G. While it's possibleto play 8va basso, it's not as easy to play in that range than as written.</P>
I didn't even know RACO was a style of pedalboard.</p>
I definitely want AGO, so I would spring for the next model up. What is our overall opinion on these instruments? The price seems reasonable to me.</p>
Searle Wright's Carol-Prelude on Greensleeves uses the top 2 notes of a 32 note pedalboard. The pedal carries the refrain melody starting at top G. While it's possibleto play 8va basso, it's not as easy to play in that range than as written.</p>
Toodles.</p>
[/quote]</p>
</p>
I forgot about that one.</p>
Haven't played the Sowerby tunes, although I'm working on his Festival Musick right now.</p>
For the price these Opus models are very good. They are not as realistic sounding as say the Sweelink line or the Rembrandt models. If one is looking for an instrument to use for practice, they are certainly fine. The stops sound better in combination than individually. The voicing is well sorted right from the factory. The internal audio is not the greatest, external speakers can help a lot here. </p>
Johannus, I have been hearing has been building a lot of these Opus organs since they posted the sale prices.</p>
Thanks for the input! I really would like an instrument for home, and I'm having quite a time finding one! When I thought about going new, my options were extremely limited. Especially considering the cost of these instruments!
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