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Cromorne Registration on a Willis

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marcus.reeves

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Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostMon Dec 16, 2013 5:21 am

For playing French Baroque music, I've been wondering what anyone has any good suggestions for replicating the magnificent sound of a Cromorne on an instrument such as Salisbury or Hereford?

(I know the great advantage of HW is that I should probably just use a sample set such as St Maximin, but having recently taken the plunge with Salisbury I'm not a financial position to do that just yet!) :D

Obviously, the clarinet is the closest sounding stop but does anybody add anything random to it, like a Vox Humana, Flute or even Nazard? I'm trying to recreate that slightly buzzy, but immensely powerful sound in Clicquot organs.

Thanks for your suggestions!
Best wishes,
Marcus
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josq

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Re: Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostMon Dec 16, 2013 4:31 pm

Frankly, I think it is impossible. Many typical Baroque registrations just will not work on a Willis. I have the Hereford. In this case, the clarinet is just to soft and to friendly. You need a louder reed, but the Trumpets are to round.

The best is perhaps to combine a Trumpet with a stop at 2 and/or 1 1/3, you may use the octave couplers or combine a 16' Trumpet with a 4 or 2 2/3. This will make the sound a bit more edgy.

Another option could be to use the tuba, accompanied by part of the powerful principal chorus on the Great. In this case, you just decide to leave the sound ideal of a French Baroque organ and to take advantage from the strengths of a Willis.
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Andrew Grahame

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Re: Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostMon Dec 16, 2013 10:08 pm

My organ teacher frequently played French Baroque music to good effect on an English-style romantic cathedral organ back in the 1970's. For the Cromorne he used the Choir Clarinet plus octave coupler. A Willis Corno di Bassetto has a stronger more crusty sound than a clarinet, and even on its own it might suffice depending on what registration is used to accompany it.

Andrew
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marcus.reeves

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Re: Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostTue Dec 17, 2013 7:58 pm

Nothing for it but to buy St Maximin, then. :lol:

Actually, having experimented a bit, the Salisbury Clarinet and Vox Humana combined work quite well. I can fully understand that Hereford's Clarinet is too quiet and sweet due to it's buried nature. (It's still a wonderful instrument, however.)

Sadly, neither instrument has a Corno do Basetto, or a Cremona which is probably the closest English equivalent. I will try the trumpet and clarinet plus octave coupler suggestions, though.

Thank you very much.
Best wishes,
Marcus
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Andrew Grahame

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Re: Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostTue Dec 17, 2013 8:18 pm

I was going from memory as it's a while since I've had Salisbury or Hereford loaded up. It's the Silver Octopus Studio Willis series (from the 40 up) which has the Corno di Bassetto.

Good luck with your experimentation. My teacher had studied in France in the early 1960's and although the instrument at his disposal back in Australia was of English romantic origin I never heard him complain about it. No matter what he played there - and his repertoire was wide - he always found appropriate colours.

Andrew
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josq

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Re: Cromorne Registration on a Willis

PostWed Dec 18, 2013 3:08 am

The Dom Bedos demo allows for a Cromorne registration with a decent accompaniement on the other manual

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