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The Emergence of the Romantic Organ

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  • The Emergence of the Romantic Organ

    The lovely beginnings of the Romantic organ can be discovered in perhaps unexpected places. These are sometimes found in 18th-Century organs that have been rebuilt in the 19th-Century and given sensitive restoration in recent years. Such restorations retain the best of the work of later builders, and sometimes it is a case of restoration back to a particular date, maybe a hundred years after the original instrument was built. As I understand, the Da Vinci “Last Supper” has been restored back to its original, thus depriving the fresco of its history. It is a lot more interesting (probably) when historic organs are allowed to retain traces of what they have lived through.

    One of my favourite organs is in the Aa-Kerk, Groningen (The Netherlands). This marvellous Schnitger organ was restored (rebuit?) by Ock in the early 19th-Century. The latter builder showed great skill. One can still play a lot of music using only the Schnitger pipes (or their restored versions); but the more romantic sounds are wonderful – including the times you use them in Baroque music. I remind myself that Bach clearly appreciated the work of Hildebrandt and Trost, who were already starting to move in a romantic direction. The sounds you hear at (e.g.) the Castle Church, Altenburg (Germany) are somewhat similar to those from the Ock pipes in Groningen.

    Another “Baroque” organ with a much stronger Romantic tinge is at St. Jan Cathedral, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands). This marvellous organ (Ock of Cologne, 1622 and Heinemann, 1784) sounds wonderful in French Romantic music, and is also, naturally, superb in French and German Baroque.

    In 1804 Ignaz Kober built the fine organ in the Cistercian Monastery of Heiligenkreuz (Austria). This has been well restored adhering to its original specification and tone, and is a fine monument to a period in Austrian organ building that has few remaining specimens.

    Either side of this instrument stand the 1769 Franz Xaver Christoph organ in the Waisenhaukirche Mariä Geburt, and the 1847 Joseph Seyberth in the Karlskirche, both in Vienna. The latter has survived with a great deal less interference than the former. Still, the Waisenhauskirche instrument has been sensitively restored by Helmut Allgäuer (Grünbach) (1983), and is of interest because it is close to the house where Haydn spent his last years, and is, indeed, similar to “Haydn Organs” in Eisenstadt.

    The organ in the Karlskirche is a truly lovely instrument, with its interesting separation of departments, the main manual in the centre, Positive on the Epistle side, parts of the pedal on the Gospel side. Its sound has the typical Austrian sparkle, and even Classical composers such as Muffat sound superb, being given an extra fullness and colour. It would perhaps be ideal for Mendelssohn.

    The situation in France is interesting, in the Cavaillé-Coll greatly respected the Baroque builders. The chief difference between the periods is that the Grands Jeux and the Plein Jeux were kept completely separate, whereas later they were combined. It was Cavaillé-Coll’s flutes, of course, that were particularly outstanding. Listen to the slow movement of Widor’s Symphonie Gothique on any of the relevant organs, and you cannot fail to be moved. It is refreshing to know that builder and composer worked together in the case of Franck, and that his music is allied to these particular sounds – even though his music can be just as gripping and emotional on completely different organs.

    Those lovely beginnings are brought to a magnificent climax in France, not only because of the quality of the instruments, but also the fact of the musical tradition which continues to this day and points with hope to the future as few situations do in our present rather uncertain times.

    Greetings and all best wishes,

    Roger.

  • #2
    Originally posted by Roger Rayner View Post
    It was Cavaillé-Coll’s flutes, of course, that were particularly outstanding. Listen to the slow movement of Widor’s Symphonie Gothique on any of the relevant organs, and you cannot fail to be moved. It is refreshing to know that builder and composer worked together in the case of Franck, and that his music is allied to these particular sounds – even though his music can be just as gripping and emotional on completely different organs.
    Interesting. It has me wondering whether the organs adapted to the music being written or the composers adapted to the organs being built.
    -Admin

    Allen 965
    Zuma Group Midi Keyboard Encoder
    Zuma Group DM Midi Stop Controller
    Hauptwerk 4.2

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Admin View Post
      Originally posted by Admin View Post
      Roger Rayner View Post
      It was Cavaillé-Coll’s flutes, of course, that were particularly outstanding. Listen to the slow movement of Widor’s Symphonie Gothique on any of the relevant organs, and you cannot fail to be moved. It is refreshing to know that builder and composer worked together in the case of Franck, and that his music is allied to these particular sounds – even though his music can be just as gripping and emotional on completely different organs.
      Interesting. It has me wondering whether the organs adapted to the music being written or the composers adapted to the organs being built.
      In the case of French Romantic music, it was the music following the organ. Quite a few books and articles refer to the fact that Cavaille-Coll forged ahead on a course different from anyone before him, and the composers adopted the writing to take advantage of the new sound(s).

      Apparently, in the case of German Romantic music, the same thing happened, but gradually. The builders started adding more Romantic touches, and the composers started moving in that direction, but no where nearly as quickly as in France. Of course one may argue that there was always that tendency in French music, since even Baroque music in France was never as polyphonic as in Germany.
      Mike

      My home organ is a Theatre III with an MDS II MIDI Expander.
      I also have an MDC 10 Theatre spinet.

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      • #4
        I think that the French Romantic organ is about the only time when musicians (Franck particularly) and organ builders (Cavaille-Coll) got together to talk about the connection between music and instrument! Am I right?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Admin View Post
          Interesting. It has me wondering whether the organs adapted to the music being written or the composers adapted to the organs being built.
          Ahh, the eternal question...the chicken or the egg. Not unrelated...

          Does Art imitate life, or life imitate Art?
          “There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.”
          “What I have achieved by industry and practice, anyone else with tolerable natural gift and ability can also achieve.”
          Johann Sebastian Bach

          (at Home) Conn 645 Theater Deluxe
          (at Church) 1836 E. & G.G. Hook Bros, Opus 26

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