Listen to the Prog Organ Virtual Pipe Organ
Revised:
23 October 2024
Below
are over three hours of mp3 audio recordings of Prog Organ, representing many
different organs. They reflect the sounds you would experience when seated
at the console of the corresponding pipe organ, not the distantly-recorded
effects more appropriate to a CD of the instrument. Although superficially
impressive at first, this latter approach can make a simulation feel increasingly
unnatural to the player accustomed to sitting closer to the pipes in most
cases. Therefore the ambience is on the "dry" side rather than "wet",
adjusted to approximate the ambience of the original
buildings. Do not expect the 10 seconds' worth of St Paul's cathedral type
of reverberation washing around your ears which manufacturers impose so often on
their audio samples - they only do this to disguise the inadequate sound of their
organs. What
you hear here is the sound of accurately-simulated pipes in a realistic
acoustic.
All
the clips were recorded in real time by real players at a real
console, warts and all, not merely invented by somebody pratting around off line
with a MIDI sequencer as is so often done. The warts are effective
watermarks!
In most cases the
sub-headings below are links which will take you to other articles on this site,
where you can also access the same clips as well as
read more about the simulated organs they were recorded on. The
simulations are listed in an approximate date order (i.e. the date of the
simulated pipe organ).
Sennheiser
HD 650 phones and KEF Reference 104aB speakers are used for mastering in my
studio, but if you want to hear exactly what I heard then the headphone option
is the one to go for.
1. Small
Digital Organ
These recordings
were made using
the classically-voiced 'Small Digital Organ' sample set. More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . III
. 16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . Trem
Gt:
8 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 2 . 8
Ped:
16 . 16 . 8 . 8 . 16 . 4
Couplers:
3
Prelude on the hymn tune 'Halifax'
(W T Best) - 0.98 MB/1m 4s
Reflection
(Charles Wood) - 2.01 MB/2m 16s
Der Tag, der ist
so freudenreich.
BWV 605. (J S Bach) - 2 MB/2m 11s
2.
"Neo-Baroque" Organ
This
is a simulation of the style of "neo-baroque" pipe organ commonly
built in Britain and America in the mid-20th century. While the fluework
was voiced generally along Baroque lines, there were usually attempts to make
these instruments more eclectic by including stops such as French reeds and
strings together with undulating stops. Typically at least one department
would be enclosed, borrowing and extension was used, and the action would be
electric with a plethora of couplers and registration aids. The organ here
is of this type and it could reasonably be described as a two manual version of
the 1950's Harrison & Harrison organ at London's Royal Festival Hall.
Its synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
8 . 8 (celeste) . 8 . 8 . 4 . 2 2/3 .
2 .1 3/5 . IV
. 16 . 8 . 4 . Trem
Gt:
16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . 2 . 1 1/3
. IV . 8
Ped:
16 . 16 . 16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . III . 16 . 8 . 4
Couplers:
3
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. BuxWV
211. (Buxtehude) - 1.79 MB/1m 57s
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. BWV 599.
(Bach) - 1.48 MB/1m 37s
Herr Christ, der einig'ge Gottes-Sohn.
BuxWV 192. (Buxtehude) - 2.78 MB/3m 2s
Herr Christ, der eing'ge Gottes-Sohn. BWV 601. (Bach)
- 1.74 MB/1m 54s
3.
Bureå church, Sweden
These
recordings were made using samples from the three manual neo-Baroque organ at
Bureå church in Sweden using the sample set by Lars Palo and Graham
Goode. The instrument was built in 1967 by Hammarbergs Orgelbyggeri
AB. Further details can be found at www.familjenpalo.se/vpo/about-burea-church
though a few changes were made in this version (e.g. an additional
principal-toned pedal stop of 16 foot pitch was derived). A synoptic
disposition is:
Huvudverk:
8. 8. 4. 4. 2. II. V. 8
Svällverk:
8. 8. 4. 4. 2.
1 3/5 . 1 1/3
. 1 1/7 . III. 8. Trem
Bröstverk:
8. 4. 2 2/3 . 2. 1. II. 8
Pedal:
16. 16. 8. 8. 4. 2. IV. 16. 4
Couplers:
6
The
Bröstverk was implemented as an independent but 'floating' division which can
be coupled to either or both of the keyboards (and the pedals) in the current
two manual Prog
Organ console.
'Short' Prelude in D minor. BWV 554a (attrib. J S Bach)
- 1.78 MB/1m 57s
4. St
George's Church, Dunster
These recordings were
made on a simulation of the Hill, Norman and Beard organ of 1962 at Dunster
church in Somerset. More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
8 . 8 (celeste) . 8 . 4 . 4 . 2 .
1 3/5 . 1 1/3
. III
. 16 . 8 . 8 . 8 (from Gt) . Trem
Gt:
16 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . 4 . 2 2/3 . 2 .
2 . II . 8 . 4
Ped:
16 . 16 . 16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 2 . 16 . 16 (from Sw)
Couplers:
8 (incl. various sub & super octaves and unison off)
Arioso (Bach) - 3.14 MB/3m 26s
Puer natus in Bethlehem. BWV
603 (Bach) - 982 kB/1m 2s
Lobt Gott, ihr
Christen, allzugleich. BWV 609. (Bach) - 804 kB/51s
Ave Verum (Mozart) - 2.27 MB/2m 29s
Bist du bei mir (Stölzel) - 2.2
MB/2m 24s
A
Memorial Piece (Parry) - 1.80 MB/1m 59s
Andante in G (Charles Macpherson) -
2.9 MB/3m 10s
Monologue
XI in F sharp major (Rheinberger) - 3.7 MB/4m 2s
Trumpet Voluntary (Prince
of Denmark's March) (Jeremiah Clarke) - 2.96
MB/3m 14s
Salut d'Amour (Elgar arr. Grey)
- 2.71 MB/2m 57s
Entrée Pontificale (Enrico
Bossi) - 3.82 MB/4m 10s
Postlude on a theme of Orlando Gibbons (Song 22)
(C V Stanford) - 3.24 MB/3m 32s
5.
Rutt virtual
theatre pipe organ
These recordings were made using samples from the
3/6 Rutt theatre pipe organ (1935) in the St
Albans Organ Theatre, England. Click on the
heading above for a detailed article which includes its tonal analysis. As with any theatre organ, a wide range
of stops can be derived from the basic ranks but the synoptic disposition below
shows the particular one used for the recordings. Here flue stops (except
strings) are
black, reeds red, strings green
and tuned percussions blue. Unfortunately
copyright considerations severely constrain the number of of theatre-style items
which can be included here.
Solo:
16 . 16 . 8 . 8 . 8 .
4 . 4
. 2 2/3 . 2 . 16 . 8
. 16 . 8 . 4
. 8
. 8 . 8 . 8
. Trem
Accomp:
16 . 16 . 8 . 8
. 8 . 4 . 4 . 4 . 2 .16
. 8 . 4 . 8
. 8 . Trem
Pedal:
16 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 4
. 4 . 16 . 8
Couplers:
2 (Solo and Accompaniment to Pedal)
Daisy Bell (Harry Dacre) - 1.44 MB/1m 34s
Evensong (Easthope Martin) - 3.95 MB/4m 18s
6.
WurliTzer virtual
theatre pipe organ
These recordings were made using samples from the 3/10 Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ
(1933) in the St
Albans Organ Theatre, England. The sample set was augmented using a
few additional ranks to become a fully unified
13 rank
virtual theatre pipe organ in two simulated pipe chambers. Click on the
heading above for a detailed article which includes its tonal analysis. As with any theatre organ, a wide range
of stops can be derived from the basic ranks but the synoptic disposition below
shows the particular one used for the recordings. Here flue stops (except
strings) are
black, reeds red, strings green
and tuned percussions blue. Unfortunately
copyright considerations severely constrain the number of of theatre-style items
which can be included here.
Solo:
16 . 16 . 16 . 16
. 8 . 8 . 8 . 8
. 8 . 8 . 4 . 4
. 2 2/3 . 2 . 8
. 8 . 8 . 8
. Trem
Accomp:
8 . 8 . 8 . 8
(celeste)
. 8 . 8 . 8
. 8 . 4 . 4 . 4 . 2 . 8
. 8 . Trem
Pedal:
16 . 16 . 16 . 16
. 8 . 8
Couplers:
2 (Solo and Accompaniment to Pedal)
Since the day I met you (Harry Dacre) - 2.45
MB/2m 40s
Holsworthy
Church Bells (S S Wesley
arr. Pykett) - 3.45 MB/3m 46s (also available here
played on a simulated 'Romantic British' organ)
7. Malvern
Priory
These
recordings were made on a simulation of the large and beautiful four manual
Rushworth & Dreaper organ of 1927 at Great Malvern Priory. The
simulation is unusual in that the samples were recorded over 40 years ago in
1979 for purposes to do with the physics of organ pipes. However with the
advent of the virtual pipe organ it has now proved possible to use them to
recreate the sound of the instrument as it then existed. This has some
significance because the organ has since been rebuilt with some consequential
changes to how it sounds. More details of the organ, including the stop
list, can be seen by following the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
16. 8. 8. 8. 8 (celeste). 4. 4. 2. III. 8. Trem. 16. 8. 4
Gt:
16. 8. 8. 8. 4. 4. 2 2/3 .2. III. 16. 8. 4
Ch:
16. 8. 8. 8. 4. 4. 2
Solo:
8. 8. 4. 8. 8. Trem. 16. 8
Ped:
16. 16. 16. 8. 8. 4. 16. 16
Couplers:
7
The
Choir and Solo are implemented as independent but 'floating' divisions which can
be coupled to either or both of the keyboards in the current
two manual Prog
Organ console.
Tuba: Trumpet Tune from the Temple Church Suite (John Stanley)
- 1.99 MB/2m 10s
First and second diapasons on the Great:
Hymn tune 'Westminster Abbey' (H Purcell) - 787 KB/50s
Oboe, Cor Anglais and Corno di Bassetto: Melody in A flat (Alfred
Hollins)
- 1.62 MB/1m 46s
Swell celestes
and Solo Flutes: Communion in E flat (Alfred
Hollins)
- 1.56 MB/1m 42s
Viol d'Orchestre
and Swell
celestes: Hymn tune 'Richmond' (T
Haweis)
- 988 KB/1m 3s
Claribel Flute: Moderato (W G Alcock) - 940 KB/1m 0s
Interplay
between Great, Swell & Choir: Voluntary in G (W G
Alcock) -
2.12 MB/2m 19s
In memory of Hubert Parry: Rather
slowly (W G Alcock)
- 1.77 MB/1m 56s
A
famous piece by S S Wesley: Larghetto
in F sharp minor (S S Wesley)
- 5.5 MB/6m 0s
8.
St
Mary's Church, Pilton
These
recordings were made on a
simulation of Robert Hope-Jones's organ of 1898 which still exists at Pilton church in Devon.
More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
8 . 8 . 8 . 8 (celeste) . 8 . 4 . 8
Gt:
16 . 8 . 8 . 8
Ped:
32 .
16 . 16 . 8
Couplers:
8 (incl. various sub & super octaves)
Other:
Stop Switch
Demonstration of the stops
- 4.20 MB/4m 35s (yes, their relative dynamics really are like this!)
Cantilène Religieuse (Dubois)
- 2.58 MB/2m 49s
Vom Himmel hoch BWV 606 (J S Bach) - 706 kB/45s
9.
Bellahouston
Parish Church, Glasgow
These recordings were made on a
digital re-creation of the Cavaillé-Coll organ installed here in 1874 but
long since lost. More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Réc:
8 . 8 . 8 (celeste) . 4 . II-IV . 8 . 8 . Trem
G.O.
:
16 . 8 . 8 . 4
Péd:
16 . 8 . 8 . 8 (all duplexed)
Couplers:
4 (incl. octave grave)
Choral
No. 1 in E (extract - Franck) - 5.9MB/6m 31s
Andantino in G minor (Franck)
- 5.75 MB/6m 16s
Élévation
ou Communion (Saint-Saëns)
- 4.01 MB/4m 23s
Prière à Notre Dame (Boellmann)
- 3.22 MB/3m 31s
Lob
sei dem allmächtigen Gott. BWV 602. (J S Bach) - 1.1 MB/1m 10s
In
November 2013 this organ was extended to 30 speaking stops so that it would
encompass a wider range of Cavaillé-Coll's characteristic tone colours,
including his beautiful quiet solo reeds and his powerful pedal organs.
The augmented instrument is described in the article The
organ Cavaillé-Coll never built! The following tracks were
recorded on the modified organ:
Pièce Héroïque (César Franck) -
8.20 MB/8m 58s
Pastorale
from 1ère Sonate (extract - Guilmant) - 3.56 MB/3m 53s
Toccata from Symphony no. 5 (Widor) - 5.42
MB/5m 55s
Berceuse (Saint-Saëns
arr Guilmant) - 4.2MB/4m 34s
10.
St Mary Ponsbourne,
Hertfordshire
The church of St Mary Ponsbourne near St Albans in Hertfordshire, England, contains an
authentic and historic English organ built in the mid-Victorian era by the well
known firm of J W Walker in 1858. This article describes how its sound was
captured digitally for posterity on a virtual pipe organ (Prog Organ),
just prior to a major overhaul in April 2013. More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Sw:
16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 2 . 8
Gt:
8 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4. 2 2/3 . 2
Ped:
16
Couplers:
2
Andante
Religioso (Henry Smart) - 1.5 MB/1m 38s
Gelobet
seist du, Jesu Christ - BWV 604 (J S Bach) - 1.21 MB/1m 19s
11.
Protestant Church, Romanswiller, Wasselone, France
This
much-modified organ was built originally by Stiehr-Mockers in 1843, and you can
download its history here. These Prog Organ-compatible
samples were derived from Joseph
Basquin's originals which contain some exquisite sounds (downloadable
as jeuxdorgues21.rar from www.jeuxdorgues.com,
though I have
re-looped and de-noised most of the original samples).
It is sometimes refreshing to
listen to a non-Cavaillé-Coll organ! A synoptic disposition is:
Pos:
8 . 4 . 2 2/3 . 2 . 1 3/5 .
III . 8
G.O.
:
16 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4. 2 . V . III . 8
Péd:
16 . 8 . 4 . 8
Couplers:
3
Song
Without Words (M Moskowski)
- 2.25 MB/2m 27s
Largo (Bruckner) - 1.42 MB/1m 33s
In
2013 the original sparse sample set containing 265 samples was expanded to a
complete set of 923. The method used to realise this is described in the
article Creating Sample
Sets for Digital Organs from Sparse Data. The simulation was also modified and enlarged in other ways as follows:
-
The
simulation was tuned to Young's temperament (1799).
-
Stops
with an incomplete bass compass in the original sample set (Bourdon 16 and
Hautbois 8) have now been carried down to bottom C.
-
The
compass of the Cornet has been extended to 3 octaves starting at G below
middle C.
-
The
manual compass has been extended to 61 notes and the pedals to 30 notes.
-
A
Tremulant has been added to the Positif.
-
The
Positif division is now 'enclosed', making it a Positif-expressif rather than the
original Positif-de-dos.
-
Several
new stops, including a 16 foot reed, were added to the pedal organ.
The
following tracks were recorded on the modified instrument:
Voluntary
no. 8 in C minor - extract (Maurice Greene) - 1.77 MB/1m 56 s
Wer
nur den lieben Gott lässt walten - BWV 642 - extract (J S Bach) - 791
kB/50s
Chorale
prelude on "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott" (Max Reger) - 1.44
MB/1m 34s
Gottes Sohn ist
kommen - BWV 600 (J S Bach) - 1.12 MB/1m 19s
12.
Dorfkirche,
Fraureuth
These recordings were made on a
re-creation of Gottfried Silbermann's village organ of 1742 at Fraureuth, Saxony.
More details of this organ, including the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Hauptwerk:
8 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . 2 2/3 . 2 . 1 3/5 .
IV . III-V
Oberwerk:
8 . 4 . 2 2/3 . 2 . 1 1/3
. 1 . II . II
Ped:
16 . 8 . 16
Couplers:
3
Other:
General tremulant
13.
Neue Kirche, Arnstadt
These recordings were made on a
re-creation of J F Wender's organ of 1703 at Arnstadt, where the turbulent teenage Bach
was appointed as its first organist. More details of this organ, including
the stop list, can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Brustwerk:
8 . 4 . 4 . 4 . 2 2/3 . II .
III
Oberwerk:
8 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 8 . 5 1/3 . 4
. IV . II . 8
Ped:
16 . 8 . 16 . 2
Couplers:
3
Other:
General tremulant, Cymbalstern (in C), Cymbalstern (in G)
14.
St Peter-und-Paul-Kirche, Cappel
These
recordings were made on a re-creation of Arp Schnitger's organ of 1680,
originally in the monastery chapel of St John in Hamburg but now at
Cappel. This was one of the organs used in the 1950's by Helmut Walcha for
his series of Bach recordings. More details of this organ, including the stop list,
can be seen if you click
on the link above but a synoptic disposition is:
Hauptwerk:
16 . 8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . 2 2/3 . 2 . II
. V-VI . III . 8
Rückpositiv:
8 . 8 . 4 . 4 . 2 . 1 1/3
. II . II . IV-VI . 16
Ped:
16 . 8 . 4 . 2 . II . IV-VI . 16 . 8 . 2
Couplers:
1
Other:
General tremulant, Cymbalstern
XVth century tune to the chorale 'Herr Christ,
der ein'ge Gottes-Sohn - 978 KB/1m 2s
Mein junges Leben hat ein End.
(extracts - Sweelinck) - 3.8 MB/4m 9s (about
1/2 min from each movement)
Prelude in D major. BuxWV139. (Buxtehude) -
4.57 MB/4m 59s
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm' ich her. BWV 606.
(Bach) - 828 kB/53s
Heut' triumphiret Gottes Sohn. BWV 630. (Bach)
- 1.47 MB/1m 36s
Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, heiliger Geist. BWV 631. (Bach)
- 882 kB/56s
Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier. BWV 633. (Bach) - 1.68 MB/1m
50s
Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr
Jesu Christ. BWV 639. (Bach) - 2.06 MB/2m 5s
Canzona
in D minor. BWV 588. (extract - Bach)
- 2.92 MB/3m 11s
Adeste Fideles (hymn tune) (attrib. J F Wade)
-
883 KB/56s
Adagio in C (William Russell)
- 1.98 MB/2m 9s
Adagio
from Sonata no. 1 (Mendelssohn)
- 1.64 MB/1m 47s
