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Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

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subbas32

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Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostThu Nov 24, 2016 3:12 pm

Dear forum members,

I'm happy to announce a new extension for the Utrecht sample-set from Sonus Paradisi. This is a smaller scale extension compared to the 4-manual Caen extension (and the Rotterdam extension that is in progress).

New features in this extension:
1. The keyboard and pedal ranges are extended to AGO standards (5 octaves for the keyboards and 32 notes for the pedal). There are switches that enable:
    a) the original Utrecht compass (Manuals: C-f3, Pedal: C-d1)
    b) the extended compass added by Sonus Paradisi (Manuals: C-g3, Pedal: C-f1)
    b) AGO compass (Manuals: C-c4, Pedal: C-g1)
2. A swell pedal has been added to the Rugwerk

3. A "Simplified Jamb" has been added that:
    a) includes the standard 8' AGO couplers (HW+PD, RW+PD, BW+PD, RW+HW, BW+HW, BW+RW)
    b) has the bas/diskant splits removed (i.e. the splits are removed from the HW Mixtuur, RW Touzijn, and BW Vox Humana)
    c) has indicators added for the RW and BW swell pedals
It is still possible to use all of the original page views as before, either with or without the extensions.

Besides the "Original Organ Tuning", all features in the original Utrecht sample-set will work as before. The "Equal Temperament" is selected by default, but of course you can load other temperaments you have as well.

It was not feasible to extend the sampled tremulants that are included in the Utrecht extension since the speed of the tremulant changes for these samples when they are repitched within Hauptwerk. Consequently, for the highest notes added to each rank with a sampled tremulant, the Hauptwerk tremulant model is used.

Screenshots:
Simplified Jamb
Range Extensions

Ordering:
Before you can use this extension, you must first own the Utrecht V2.5 sample-set from Sonus Paradisi. Note that it is NOT included with the extension. It can be purchased from Sonus Paradisi here.

The price for this Utrecht extension is US $25. If you are interested in purchasing this extension, please send me an email at customhworgansATgmailDOTcom or contact me via PM on the forum.

Other extensions:
Most of this extension was built using an automated procedure, and so it would be relatively quick to do similar extensions for other samplesets. Feel free to make suggestions for particular sample-sets for which you'd like to have a small extension of similar scope to the one described above.

Thanks, and best regards,

Jake
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Opus1954

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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostFri Nov 25, 2016 6:31 pm

Hi Jake,

Excellent work! I don't own Utrecht, but I can see that this is a very nice addition, and for a reasonable price in my opinion.

My wishes for CC Metz 1903 (MA)... I have not been able to figure out if HW can do this already by itself...

1. Add swell pedals for Grand Orgue and Positif (I have switched the Grand Orgue and Positif)
2. Add tremulants to Grand Orgue and Positif
3. Extend to 61/32 keys

This would create lots of flexibility for using the set.

If you don't want to make this publicly available... I would like to know if you would consider making such an extension just for me...?

Frank
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostFri Nov 25, 2016 8:06 pm

Hello Frank,

Thanks for your inquiry!

My wishes for CC Metz 1903 (MA)... I have not been able to figure out if HW can do this already by itself...

The ODF for the Metz sample-set is encrypted and consequently it is not possible to make any changes to it. The only option I can think of would be to use CODM to reconstruct the Metz sample-set and then add the desired features. Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to replicate an ODF in CODM, so the final result will not be identical to the initial organ. For example, all voicing stored in the ODF is lost and the wind model will need to be rebuilt from scratch. Having said that, Stephen Schaub has kindly made an extended CODM version of the Metz available here.

I'm not sure if you already have it, but an alternative to the Metz sample-set is the Caen sample-set which can be purchased from Sonus Paradisi - link. This sample-set is already extended to 61/32 keys in its original form and it would be no problem to make the changes you suggest.

Best regards,

Jake
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostSat Nov 26, 2016 10:14 am

Hello Frank,

yes, I can confirm Jake's comments. I have working portrait jambs for the Metz, but I never released them to the public (and I am not using them any more) as the CODM I created on the basis of Stephen Schaub's work sounded completely different when compared to the original sample set. At least at that moment it is not possible to use the voicing from the original encrpyted sample when creating a CODM.

Best,
Christoph
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostWed Dec 21, 2016 12:53 pm

Hi there

I am curious to know how many pieces (of the period of Utrecht or even a bit later) do require 5 octaves keyboards and / or 32 pedal notes to be performed ?

Any one know and could share the information ?

Thanks
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostWed Dec 21, 2016 6:09 pm

JACQUES wrote:Hi there

I am curious to know how many pieces (of the period of Utrecht or even a bit later) do require 5 octaves keyboards and / or 32 pedal notes to be performed ?

Any one know and could share the information ?

Thanks


Last 5 octave notes are used in orchestral transcriptions of organ works, for instance, in Lamare`s Wagner works, besides Dupre and Guilmant, Demessieux, Mulet, Healy Willan , as I recall (although most their french organs highest note was G-56). Kenneth Spencer wrote in his excellent book on HW "in order to play a full range of modern music, you should purchase keyboards with 61 notes". But also, thanks to this extended keyboard the super-octave coupler is more useful, mainly in solo stops.
As to the 32 pedal, I still wonder why AGO recommends 32 notes pedalboard. I do not think this extra two notes justify shortening space for the 30 notes.
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostThu Dec 22, 2016 8:38 am

Transcriptions for organ are a completely different story especially if done by 'modern' musicians, as the ones 'from-the-past' knew the range of the instruments they were writing for.

Still curious to get to know original organ pieces composed before the 50's which require G#57 and higher, as well as how to 'solve' the situation when faced to perform them in i.e. Utrecht's dome pipe organ you mention or in most of the french's built/restored before that time.

By the way, in Guilmant sonatas (symphonies) I find rarely a F54 or F#55; there might be pieces which you know requiring higher notes and that maybe you could kindly share.

Up to here it is a 'musical-curiosity'.

Obviously I agree with Spencer that nowadays it will make no sense to purchase manuals less than 61 keys.

With regard to the pedalier I do prefer 'flat-straight-30 notes' but, the question of requiring 32 should be better focused on the real need of it (? if any ?), rather than the 'space' between pedals.

If a 'new' pedalier –AGO or not-AGO– is correctly build (or designed, if you may let me use the word), it should be 'comfortable' to play.
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostThu Dec 22, 2016 9:27 am

Keyboard extensions higher than G'' are not extremely useful to me. In most music, you don't need it.

There is however a very different advantage: you get a wider range to play a piece or a melody an octave higher. So you can play a 16' as if it were an 8', and an 8' is if it were a 4', and with a keyboard extension you are less limited to do this.
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostThu Dec 22, 2016 10:44 am

If I recall correctly the Dupre Cortege and Litany Goes to C61 and G32 in the Pedal. This was one of the pieces written for the Wanamaker organ. Most notably, and not readily alterable, is the Sowerby Pageant which I seem to recall has some 50+ F#31's and G32's in the Pedal.

Suspecting that the Demessieux Octaves etude also fits the category I went to Joey Fala's astonishing performance of this on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qrFYQ73zcE and confirmed that indeed this does go to C61 and G32 (multiple instances of both) as well. There are probably many other pieces of greater or less merit that don't come immediately to mind.

Re: AGO spacing. The octave span of the pedalboard is not different for 30 or 32 notes, only the overall width.
Richard S Hedgebeth
Westminster Organ Works
Authorized Hauptwerk reseller
http://Westminsterorganworks.com
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Re: Utrecht Bätz Organ Extension to 5 octaves/32 notes

PostThu Dec 22, 2016 3:05 pm

JACQUES wrote:T
Still curious to get to know original organ pieces composed before the 50's which require G#57 and higher, as well as how to 'solve' the situation when faced to perform them in i.e. Utrecht's dome pipe organ you mention or in most of the french's built/restored before that time



Usually we select organ pieces playable according to a given organ possibilities (rather difficult to play fugues in a Merklin -1905- with only 20 notes in the pedal, I take care of) ). Now I can play -or pretend to play- the organ transcriptions I like in my loved romantic extended Utrecht, without missing notes.

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