Great
|
Violone 16'
|
The Great manual double. The Violone is an important stop when used in full organ with the swell to great coupler drawn,
it adds depth and stability to the ensemble. It is one of the harsher stops on the organ; its tone is rather raspy and hard.
It is most useful when played an octave higher providing an alternative 8 foot voice, and when used in this manner with the Diapason and
Principal, a good 8' - 4' - 2' chorus is obtainable on the Great, but is of course, an octave short at the top. Because of its weight, it thickens the great work when
played at its normal pitch, and because of this, has been removed from the "full Great" composition pedal. It is also very useful as a solo stop.
|
Open Diapason 8'
|
The Open Diapason is of excellent quality. Its tone is hard, but incredibly pipe-like. It is very prompt to speak and provides
the perfect foundation on which to build a chorus. It is beautiful when used as a solo voice, and is one of those stops of which you
will never tire. It blends with all the other stops, especially the Gamba and Principal ranks.
|
Dulciana 8'
|
The quietest stop on the organ. It is voiced as a small Diapason with a hint more flute tone. It is excellent as an accompanimental stop in soft
combinations, but lost in full organ. It blends admirably with the swell Bourdon when the box is closed. The Dulciana reeds are contained
inside what may be deemed as a large resonating box which seals them completely. All harshness otherwise produced by the reeds is lost.
|
Clarabella 8'
|
The Clarabella is a highly successful stop. This register opens the resonator box over the dulciana reeds as well as the reed themselves.
The tone is perfectly modified by the surrounding box, but it is thicker and heavier than the Dulciana due to the opening. The stop
is not without flute tone, and it is strong enough to support a flute chorus when drawn with the swell flute and octave coupler.
|
|
Principal 4'
|
The Octave is voiced very slightly brighter than the unison, although it can be used effectively with many of the stops, it really requires
a firm 8 foot stop to be drawn first. In combination with the 8' Diapason, it provides a good and firm chorus.
|
Swell
|
Bourdon 16'
|
The Swell manual double. This is a really useful stop and completes the Swell division. It does not make the full swell thick in any way
and combines very well with any other stop on the organ. It is voiced with a slight amount of "chiff",i.e. there is a slight sound of attack
which precedes the note, this is especially noticeable when the box is open.It also provides a welcome break from the Sub-bass when coupled to the pedals.
|
Gamba 8'
|
A delicate string stop. The swell of this organ works incredibly well, largely because of this stop. It contrast with all of the Great work,
and blends with all other stops. It is especially pleasing when used with the Swell Octave coupler.
|
Flute 4'
|
As a solo stop the Flute is quite harsh. It is not a bad example of reed voicing, but it does not display real flute tone. This said,
it is not lost in the full organ and when used in combination, loses many harsh harmonics which improve its tone. The use of this stop in combination
with the Swell octave coupler gives the only 2 foot pitch on the organ (up to c3).This makes a huge difference to the ensemble, and therefore makes this a most valuable stop.
|
Oboe 8'
|
The tone is rather thin, and even delicate when the box is closed. But it is a very responsive stop to the swell box, making it a highly expressive solo stop.
It is voiced perfectly for its use, but one feels that were this instrument to be used (again) in a church, a harsher, and more powerful reed might be more advantageous.
|