BDO vs AGO concave radial pedalboard

[Cristian Jorge Amadeo Kus]

Hi,
I'm an organ student from Rome, my name is Amadeo.
I'd like to buy either a concave radial BDO pedalboard or a concave radial AGO pedalboard to play at home. At my institute there are i believe only concave radial BDO pedalboards. So i'm not sure which one to get.
Any advice?
Thanks

[Casavant Fan]

Greetings Cristian. Welcome.

there is a well-known saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” As the BDO configuration appears to be more standard in Europe, you would probably be best off going in that direction. AGO Is the standard here.

[jbird604]

There has been some discussion of this on the forum, and I seem to recall someone saying that there isn't a great deal of difference between the radial-concave version of BDO and the American AGO pedalboard. So it might not make much difference, and you might not really even notice the difference.

What would be different though is that apparently there are actually TWO different BDO standards -- for a radial-concave pedal, and another for a flat straight pedal. Both are technically "BDO" but one is very different from our American pedalboards.

Anyway, good luck with your studies and happy pedaling!

[myorgan]

I'm an organ student from Rome, my name is Amadeo.

Amadeo,

Welcome to the Forum! I hope you continue to participate here for some time to come.

I'd like to buy either a concave radial BDO pedalboard or a concave radial AGO pedalboard to play at home. At my institute there are i believe only concave radial BDO pedalboards. So i'm not sure which one to get.

In addition to the advice already given, to be honest, I haven't found a great deal of difference between the two standards in the European organs I've been fortunate enough to play. The most unusual pedalboard I've ever played was a 3-manual Hook & Hastings with a straight/flat pedalboard that was positioned exactly one not off-center. I'll take most pedalboards over that one!

Again, welcome to the Forum.

Michael

[ahlborn]

Ciao Amadeo, (nome curioso!)
La differenza principale innanzitutto sta nel fatto che le norme BDO prevedono pedaliere di 30 note, nei modelli AGO ci sono 32 note. Ci sono inoltre lievi differenze nelle misure. Non ne farei comunque un dramma. In Europa il sistema maggiormente usato è il BDO, tranne in Inghilterra, dove viene usato il sistema AGO.
Anche in Italia, fino agli anni 70, per gli organi a trasmissione elettrica si costruivano pedaliere concavo radiali a 32 note.

Dove studi?


Hello Amadeo (curious name!)
The main difference is that the BDO system provides 30 note pedals, in the AGO models there are 32 notes. There are also slight differences in the measurements. I would not do a drama anyway. In Europe the most widely used system is the BDO, except in England, where AGO is used.
Even in Italy, up to the 70s, 32 note radial concave pedalboards were built for electro pneumatic organs.

Where do you study?

[Cristian Jorge Amadeo Kus]

Thanks all for replies,
I think ill get the BDO.

Ciao Amadeo, (nome curioso!)
La differenza principale innanzitutto sta nel fatto che le norme BDO prevedono pedaliere di 30 note, nei modelli AGO ci sono 32 note. Ci sono inoltre lievi differenze nelle misure. Non ne farei comunque un dramma. In Europa il sistema maggiormente usato è il BDO, tranne in Inghilterra, dove viene usato il sistema AGO.
Anche in Italia, fino agli anni 70, per gli organi a trasmissione elettrica si costruivano pedaliere concavo radiali a 32 note.

Dove studi?


Hello Amadeo (curious name!)
The main difference is that the BDO system provides 30 note pedals, in the AGO models there are 32 notes. There are also slight differences in the measurements. I would not do a drama anyway. In Europe the most widely used system is the BDO, except in England, where AGO is used.
Even in Italy, up to the 70s, 32 note radial concave pedalboards were built for electro pneumatic organs.

Where do you study?

Hi,
I study at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music.

[ahlborn]

At the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra a Roma the only organ with BDO pedalboard is the Klais organ.
All other organs have 32 note radial concave pedalboard, except the three manual Mascioni organ, which has 32 note straight concave pedalboard. Of course, the ancient positive organ has no pedalboard.

Clearly 32 note BDO pedalboard do exist, but these are not the standard. In Germany they are very rare.

[Cristian Jorge Amadeo Kus]

At the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra a Roma the only organ with BDO pedalboard is the Klais organ.
All other organs have 32 note radial concave pedalboard, except the three manual Mascioni organ, which has 32 note straight concave pedalboard. Of course, the ancient positive organ has no pedalboard.

Clearly 32 note BDO pedalboard do exist, but these are not the standard. In Germany they are very rare.

Capisco, quindi lei quale mi consiglierebbe?


I see, so which one would you recommend?

[ahlborn]

The choice must meet your personal tastes. In the various churches you will find always organs with different pedalboards, at least in Italy. Outside Italy, in the rest of Europe, the standard is BDO, and in UK is AGO (or rather RCO, which is identical to AGO).

La scelta deve essere fatta sulle sue preferenze personali. Scelga quella con cui si trova meglio. In Italia, nelle varie Chiese trovera sempre organi con pedaliere differenti. Fuori dall'Italia, il discorso è diverso: nel resto d'Europa lo standard è BDO, e in Inghilterra è AGO (o meglio RCO, che è virtualmente indistinguibile dal AGO).

[profeluisegarcia]

What is the real and practical use of 32 notes pedalboard? Just to play the 0,01% of organ literature that make use of those notes? The principle is to get ride of the unnecessary: the simpler and useful, the better. For instance, just because Carpenter uses 34 pedalboard, it does mean we should add more notes to our pedalboard.