1778 Pazicky (PSZ) baroque organ released - videos, sounds

[Csaba Huszty]

Dear All,

the 1778 Pazicky baroque pipe organ of Pusztaszabolcs (the ’PSZ baroque organ’) is ready and accepts orders now.

The PSZ organ is a 17-stop, 2-manual + pedal baroque instrument built by an unknown builder at an exactly unknown date before 1739. It was extended to its current state by Pazicky in 1778. The epic history of this instrument contains many disasters but miraculous lucks too, and it is the oldest and largest preserved instrument of its kind in Hungary, with an original 45/18 compass in Werckmeister III tuning. It was carefully restored recently to its 1778 state and the sample set was recorded last summer.

The sample set:

.: 192 kHz recording, 48 kHz / 24-bit 2-channel stereo samples, 3 loops per sample
.: Acoustics: wet (dry-compatible recording), 3 releases per sample per attack layer
.: Touch sensitivity: 2 velocity (attack) layers for all pipes, velocity-sensitive (attack and release) and optional tracker action noise for all keys (128 levels)
.: optional blower (engine), tracker and drawbar stop noises
.: Historical and Extended version in one ODF file
.: Switch between Historical and Extended modes with a single click / touch
.: Compass extension to 54 / 30 (<< according to your votes)
.: Short octave support: original note order (historical mode) and full note order both supported
.: Wind stability control (where Hauptwerk supports)
.: GUI-controllable combination action (additional buttons appear in Extended Mode), Multiple touch screen-optimized pages for 1280x1024
.: Perspective keyboards, animated drawbar stops with their sound (optional)

So the extended version and the historic version ships together.

Stoplist:
II. Manual (great organ, 45 notes original, 54 notes extended; ~1700-1739)

- Principal (8’)
- Copula maior (8’)
- Octav (4’)
- Copula minor (4’)
- Quinta (2 2/3’)
- Sedecima (2’)
- Quint minor (1 1/3’)
- Mixtura (2x1’)

I. Manual (positive, 45 notes original, 54 notes extended; 1778)

- Coppel (8’)
- Quintadena (8’)
- Flauta minor (4’)
- Principal (4’)
- Octave (2’)
- Super octave (1’)

Pedal (18 notes original, 30 notes extended)

- Petal (Subbass 16’ + Burdon 8’)
- Octav bass (8’, ~1778)
- Flauta bass (4’, ~1778)

Couplers:

- Copula claviaturae (II+I, 1778)
- P+II (in extended mode)
- P+I (in extended mode)

Requirements:
RAM: 16-bit all features: 5.4 GB (8 GB system), 16-bit first loops: 3.1 GB (4 GB system).
Format: Hauptwerk v3.20.
Disk space / download size: 9.5 GB.

Since the instrument is in its 1778 state, the set can be pre-ordered at

Introductory price: $177.8 for download delivery, $227.8 for retail box. Pre-order price is available until the sample set's official release date 7 April 2009.

List price: $249 retail box (3 DVD and color manual) and $199 download.

Expected release/delivery date: 7 April 2009 or earlier. If we are ready earlier it will be released earlier.

Most of the images and texts are already uploaded. Videos and sounds will follow as soon as possible.

Preliminary demos are already featured on the website.

If many of you will buy the library to support the development, a surround version will also be released according to your surround setup preference (the instrument was recorded in surround).

Website: http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/products_details.php?idtermekek=13

Demos: http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/demos.php?idtermekek=13

Live imitation made with the PSZ set: Zachau: Herzlich tut mich verlangen http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_live48k.mp3

Full-size video (124 MB) – courtesy of Joseph Felice – http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_Scarlatti_L164.mov

On the video demo: organ engine noise is turned off here, full layers/releases, tracker noise turned on, organ in extended mode; note the combination buttons below the 1st manual which appear only in the extended mode to preserve the historical console view.

Hoping that you will like the sample set, your purchase will support the real instrument financially.

Edit: until 7 April the pre-order price is still available, but the sample set is ready and available now.

Csaba

[Csaba Huszty]

http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_Frescobaldi_Hymn.mp3
http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_Frescobaldi_Variations.mp3
http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_Pachelbel_PraeludiumG_bloweroff.mp3
http://www.inspiredacoustics.com/temp/PSZ_Zipoli_FughettaC_bloweroff.mp3

[imcg110]

A charming instrument very nicely presented!
I look forward to the download becoming available.

[Csaba Huszty]

Thank you very much!

Update: since it was requested, the boxed version can also be pre-ordered with the same introductory discount. This makes the boxed version $227.8 (only the media price is added). Additionally a registered postal mail shipping method was also added to minimize the costs on the delivery.

http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=6FCKV_LIVE&&

[gecko]

Yes, a charming instrument, and a charming price (although 177.8 forints would be much better. But at least it's not EUR 177.80).

Question: in the pictures of the original organ, there's a large chair instead of an organ bench. Is that where the player sits? I can't imagine playing from it, although it would be good for naps during the sermon.

[Csaba Huszty]

Hi Gecko,

thank you! :)

The chair is indeed very interesting, but is convenient to play. I attach two photos here made during the recordings - I apologize for the quality.

[gecko]

Thanks for the pictures - I didn't understand the proportions before.

[jcfelice88keys]

Hello All,

I have contributed a performance of PSZ Organ in the Contrebombarde Concert Hall website, and have posted videos of the same performance in YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pau_QuD72s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs9R_T64060

The two Youtube versions reflect 4x3 and 16x9 Screen aspect ratios.


The piece is Domenico Scarlatti's very famous D Major Sonata, Longo 164. I have transcribed the original clavier piece for organ; this transcription exploits the various sounds of this charming baroque instrument.


Interestingly, the various mechanical tracker and stop drawbar noises are ever present in the video and they add to the character of what you are seeing. Contrasted with the audio only version in the Contrebombarde Concert Hall, the very same audio volume of mechanical noises sound too noisy, in my opinion.

Your feedback and comments are always welcome regarding what you hear and see.

Cheers,

Joe

[Csaba Huszty]

The organ is ready and released. Downloads are being issued now, the packages will be posted as soon as possible next week (it is Sunday when I am writing this).

Until the official release date of 7 April the pre-order price will be still active.

[jcfelice88keys]

Hello Fellow Hauptwerkers,

I give my heartiest recommendation to the PSZ organ as a great performance and practice instrument, especially the extended version that is selectable on-the-fly as you perform. If your midi keyboard/pedalboard sends note-on velocity other than the default value of 64, you will be positively amazed at the way the tracker action responds to your touch. I understand there are separately sampled voices dependent upon key velocity.

Interestingly, it is a "noisy" organ -- noisy in a good sense, that you get a good feel of the mechanical tracker- and stop drawbar sounds as you play, release notes and draw/retire stops. Of course, these features are able to be toned down, volume-wise, or completely disabled if you so desire -- but this is what I believe adds to the charm of the instrument.

Kudos to Csaba and the Inspired Acoustics team for providing such a delightful and intimate sounding instrument befitting the baroque repertoire for us to have at our fingertips and under our feet.

Cheers,

Joe

[micdev]

Joe,

As I already said in my "PSZ-Caen exciting times" post, just like you I like the velocity sampling and this set should be included with every CMK keyboards.

The noises are "real" and combined with a good keyboard, you can almost feel like sitting at a tracker organ. I also love the "life" within the organ, its 1778 feel.... and my teacher insisted that I used that organ as my practice instrument. Bye bye Metz.... now I realize what a poor organist I am ;-)

Have fun
François

[Anton Heger]

Hello Csaba,

I read on the website:

The free Trial version of the PSZ baroque organ is equivalent to the final version in all of its features except that the Trial version has a time-limited functionality of producing sound up to 10 minutes each time it is loaded, and disabling its sound output for a short time temporarily and occasionally within that period.

Is this version already available?
Anton

[Csaba Huszty]

Hi Anton,

thank you for asking. The plans are to pack and publish this a little bit later. The finalization of the convolution reverb takes most of the time now.

On the other hand there is a non-personal worship (installable) and classroom license for the PSZ organ also to be put on the website on 7th so please stay tuned.

Sincerely yours,
Csaba

[gecko]

I'd just like to add my vote of thanks and congratulations for this excellent sample set. The organ is extremely responsive, and the sound is very complicated and interesting, much more so than I would have thought just from looking at the stop list. Nice!

[Csaba Huszty]

Thank you very much! In the name of the entire team I feel very much honored to hear that.

Thank you,
Csaba

PS. Additional tuning files and add-ons will be posted later this week.