Dream Hauptwerk Organ

Hello everyone!

For quite a long time I was thinking about building / buying my own, custom Hauptwerk organ. I'm mostly interested in Baroque music, so I was thinking to create my Dream console in a "baroque style" (maybe Kampen Hinsz Organ replica??) with 4 manuals. But I'm not sure about few things:

- Is 4 octave keyboard range enough to play most of organ works? From time to time, I will also play pieces by composers like Louis Vierne which might need a bit wider range. What should I do? I really didn't want to own a 5-octave keyboards, because these don't look like baroque era keyboards, they're too wide, because I want to build a real baroque organ replica. What do you think?

- I decided to have a 4 manual console. I also wanted to have a real, baroque handstops (like in Kampen / other baroque organ), not only imitations, but I would like them could be pulled in and out automaticaly if I use combination buttons (Paul Fritts, US organ maker makes exaclty what I need) Good idea? Possible?

- I'm not sure which Hauptwerk organ should I have: Hinsz, Kampen or Schnittger, Zwolle? Which is better in what way?

- What my organ should have is mechanical coupling system. (When I couple keyboards and play on one of the keyboards, the keys of the other one are "moving"). It will be turned on/off by pulling a handstop, but on the top manual (4th) it will be turned on/off by moving back/front the 4th manual, like in Hinsz Organ in Kampen (I think that it's named Schiebekoppel, but I'm not sure). Is it possible to get that console? These "gadgets" are important because these organ are needed to be a real baroque organ replica. What do you think?

- What about the costs, can anyone estimate the price range? How can I lower the price without lowering the quality?

Thank you for all your suggestions.

Hello KK,
Hinsz also was my first dream organ and I tried to design two stop boxes "resembling" the original, but later I changed my mind and, hence, my project. You might see pictures at :
viewtopic.php?f=21&t=10840&p=79870&hilit=Ruben#p79870

Your dream console is logically possible, technically feasible (perhaps) ...and economically expensive, I think, But once you get familiar with HW and other marvelous sampled organs you would like to go beyond baroque (in my first encounter with HW I was convinced I would be happily married with Sr. Anne forever...and now I have an harem: 12 organs¡ and I feel bad not giving each one equal dedication).

Luis

Hi kkbzn,

I'm not able to help you a lot, but still have a few remarks.
You're aiming at a real baroque style imitation and therefore want 4 octave keyboards i.s.o. 5 octaves. Perhaps, a compromise might be to get 4,5 octave manuals (either 54 keys to upper f, or 56 keys to upper g). This would give you quite some more possibilities re. literature to be played.
Also, you want real draw-knobs together with mechanical coupling. Don't forget the Pedal to Man. couplings (probably you thought about that, but you only mention Man. - Man. coupling; btw, Schiebekoppel is probably the correct German word, since in Dutch it is called a Schuifkoppel).
Regarding the above (i.e., real baroque imitation), I wondered why you want the handstops to be pulled in and out automatically when using a combination system. Since this is an ultimate non-baroque way of registration. So, if you refrain from this automatic pull-in/pull-out system, you might have a considerable price reduction.
But as Luis already said, your project won't be cheap and I would also consider the complexity of mechanical coupling. (Organ builders can make it for you, but that will not do any good to lowering the price...)

On the Dutch organ forum there is a user who can tell you a lot of tips and tricks in organ building: JacoP.

About sample sets: I think Zwolle might be better, Kampen is more classical than baroque though it handles baroque music very well. Kampen is quite a bit overpriced, to my opinion, and the standards in sample set recording have increased since it was released. In this regard, Zwolle is also getting a bit out of date. Many organs that have less than 4 manuals actually have (much) higher quality, for example the 2-manual Steinkirchen Schnitger nowadays gets a lot of very positive reviews. But of course you can buy many sample sets, if you have the funds.

Definitely pay a lot attention to your audio chain. Some people advise to allocate up to 50% of your budget for top quality speakers/headphones, soundcard/amplifier and room treatment, and I think it might be a very good advise. After all, the sound is the most important aspect of the organ!

I was thinking to create my Dream console... with 4 manuals.

With four manuals, the music rack will be a long ways from your eyes. Maybe OK if you have great vision, or prefer to memorize all of your pieces.

- Is 4 octave keyboard range enough to play most of organ works?

Absolutely not. Four octaves should suffice for music of the Renaissance, but certainly NOT for Baroque.

From time to time, I will also play pieces by composers like Louis Vierne which might need a bit wider range. What should I do? I really didn't want to own a 5-octave keyboards, because these don't look like baroque era keyboards, they're too wide, because I want to build a real baroque organ replica. What do you think?

I think it is a shame to let considerations of LOOKS interfere irreversibly with considerations of FUNCTION. The idea of any organ is to make beautiful music. Be sure that nothing you do will interfere with this or limit this in any undue fashion.

As you continue to play the organ and grow in your musical experience, you may naturally wish to obtain other sample sets as well, perhaps not all of them Baroque but all of them carefully selected to add something very special. Better to allow for these possibilities in advance.

My advice is to go for the modern standard of five octaves (61 keys).
For optical reasons You might wish to cover the eight top keys (f4 - c5) with a piece made of the same wood as the key cheeks. So You can use the manuals either with 61 or with just 53 keys.