adri wrote:Since I am Dutch, allow me to answer.
I have Kampen; I find the organ absoltuely fantastic and inspiring to improvise on, both loud and soft, but its very wet acoustics and weak pedal, makes it less transparent to play big works on. They simply sound, well...muddy. Smaller works, with more intimate registrations sound great here.
A real romantic organ it isn't.
I don't have Utrecht, but the very wet acoustics there pose the same challenge. It apparently can be adjusted somewhat. But it remains wet. It does have quite a number of stops from an much older organ, but they have been adjusted to work with the Batz material.
Have you considered Vollenhove? Not so wet, transparent, well recorded, but the organ is a mixture of 17th C. Bosch material (on the Hoofwerk), while the Rugwerk is late 18th C. FC Schnitger; nice in itself, but very different in sound character. The pedal is 19th C. and matches the organ alright. It's well suited for earlier music if you limit yourself mainly to the Hoofdwerk. The organ was restored in the neo-baroque period, and the mixtures on this instrument, in my opinion, are too harsh. I have this set.
The Anloo set, 18th C. organ by Radeker/Garrelts in Schnitger style is extremely dry. Not to everyone's liking. II/P. I have this set.
The Midwolda set by Sonus Paradisi: late 18th C Hinsch organ with lots of stops for a village church. Not dry, not wet. Some reverb. Organ in Northern late baroque style (Hinsch was married to widow of FC Schnitger). I don't have this set.
Haarlem? It's a very large organ. Neo-baroque in character. As is Zwolle. Don't have either set.
Recent sets by Hauptwerk.nl, Sygsoft, include Hisch organ of Leens (not the greatest SQ), A Batz organ in Zeist (19th C.), a 18th C. Lohman organ (Leusden), and a few others. I don't have these sets.
A really good Dutch organ in clear acoustics hasn't been done yet, I believe. I know of one coming in the future that should be extremely exciting, but I can't say which one, and I have no idea how soon.
That's my feedback to you. Did I overlook some?
Rotterdam: Marcussen transept organ = not Dutch (neo Renaissance/Baroque)
Bergen op Zoom Ibach = not Dutch (German, bombastic, aggressive and loud; not poetic whatsoever)
Dear Adri,
Thank you very much for your extensive explanation and examples. Nothing better than getting an advise on Dutch Pipe Organs from a Dutch Man
).. very useful indeed..
A fully agree with you when you say "A really good Dutch organ in clear acoustics hasn't been done yet" and I look forward to any upcoming sample set.
There is a two manual pipe organ which to me sounds exceptional, I am sure it was never sampled, but this is the sound and acoustic I am desiring. It is the pipe organ of the Stephanuskerk Hasselt. Hopefully someone will consider sampling this beautiful organ. Another example is the three manual pipe organ of Evangelisch-Lutherse Kerk Den Haag.
For now, I think that I will likely buy Batz sample set. Decision is based on the price and surround option.
I appreciate your reply and comments.
Kind regards,
Wadih