2-manual 8-register 10-rank unit church organ

[AllanP]

I believe that the real problem with a unit organ is that most organists do not take the time to register pieces to get the desired effect. For example, use diapason 8', 4', 2' and playing both hands on the same manual may cause audible missing notes depending on the arrangement. Registering the same piece with 8' flute, 8' string, 4' octave, 2' piccolo makes all pitches independent. Making all ranks available on both manuals and pedal at all useful pitches gives the organist great flexibility in registration.

A typical straight organ will have the stops pre-arranged by the organ builder to give a few select useful combinations. The unit scheme gives the possibility of more flexible registration, however, this then makes the organist rather than the organ builder responsible for the sonic result.

[myorgan]

I believe that the real problem with a unit organ is that most organists do not take the time to register pieces to get the desired effect. For example, use diapason 8', 4', 2' and playing both hands on the same manual may cause audible missing notes depending on the arrangement. Registering the same piece with 8' flute, 8' string, 4' octave, 2' piccolo makes all pitches independent. Making all ranks available on both manuals and pedal at all useful pitches gives the organist great flexibility in registration.

Allan,

I will admit, I am a bit lazy when registering. If the music calls for Fonds, then I attempt to register the Foundations--assuming the instrument will handle it if I see the respective stops. Often, I don't have sufficient time to learn a new instrument before playing, so it is helpful if everything works as posted on the stops.

I guess it's one of those things that is commensurate with experience. If you are not an experienced organist, you probably won't miss the notes, but if you are, then you'll know how to register around it--unless you're lazy (like me!).

Michael

[Havoc]

Nightengale. Often done with two or three treble pipes bent over into a glass of water which must be kept topped up. There is a Manuel Rosales organ in a church in the San Fernando Valley in California that has one and it is a delightful sound, albeit of limited use for liturgical purposes.

Indeed. But then I admitted that I'm very baroque biased. There isn't much literature for a rosignol but it can be fun. And you need one in the organ to be able to play it.

[OT] Does this exist in electronic organs? I have never seen it but admit I never really looked either. [/OT]

I believe that the real problem with a unit organ is that most organists do not take the time to register pieces to get the desired effect. For example, use diapason 8', 4', 2' and playing both hands on the same manual may cause audible missing notes depending on the arrangement. Registering the same piece with 8' flute, 8' string, 4' octave, 2' piccolo makes all pitches independent. Making all ranks available on both manuals and pedal at all useful pitches gives the organist great flexibility in registration.

Good point. But if you have to mix flute and strings with prestants to get a foundation, how can they be a real flute, string and prestant without clashing if you use them like that? I mean if you want each rank to be able to fill a bit of the role of the other ranks, then how much character will each rank have? Don't you risk to fall into rather bland voicing?