Sonus Paradisi-new sample sets, performance, plans, progress

[zurek]

I feel I owe some report to the Hauptwerk community regarding the latest development around the Sonus Paradisi sample sets. The last release of ours appeared several months ago (Rabštejn nad Střelou) and it may seem that nothing new happens in our virtual workshop. The contrary is true. So, what are the plans for future releases?

1. in the nearest future, we shall release the Caen sample set in the dry version. This is long expected release of our most popular Cavaille-Coll sample set. Most probably, this will happen tomorrow. At the same time, we will release an update to the Caen sample set containing the dual touch screen support required by several users.

2. We are putting much effort into an improvement of our old sample sets. Sonus Paradisi project started back in 2003. At that time, Hauptwerk 1 allowed for no advanced features. When Hauptwerk 2 appeared, we quickly converted all our sample sets into this format, however, the samples were the original Hauptwerk 1 type. So, we need to recreate several sample sets to bring them into the Hauptwerk 3 shape. This will happen in two ways, either recreating the sample set from scratch - i.e. making completely new recording and creating the sample set out of this new recording. This will happen for our most precious virtual instruments. The second way - more easy - will be re-creating the sample set from the sample material we have. This will be done where the new recording is not possible. This work already gives its fruits:
a) We re-recorded the St. Maximin about a month ago and we expect the release of the new St. Maximin sample set in around June 2010. It will contain all the advanced features of Hauptwerk 3, mainly the multiple releases, the surround version, the dry version in addition to the wet version.
b) We re-recorded also the Zlata Koruna sample set and I will release it in very near future, after the last review is done by an external reviewer and when also the demo-performance is ready for the web pages.
c) Similarly, we re-recorded the Smecno organ which is the most antient organ in Czech republic.
d) We re-created the sample set of Litomysl, giving it a substantial face-lift, thanks to huge support of our external collaborator. The release is expected in about a month or so.
Then, other old sample sets will undergo the same procedure.

3. We are preparing new virtual organs. Soon, we will release an italian type instrument from Izola which we recorded this winter. After that, another -this time modern - organ from Slovenia will follow. In addition to that, we still have about 12 organs recorded from past, we just need time to make the sample sets from the recordings we have. To name just one treasure which still awaits the post-processing, it is the recording of the entire Francis Chapelet collection of organs in Montpon-Ménesterol. This is a unique collection of Spanish, Italian, French and German types of smaller instruments and all of them will be available in Hauptwerk format. We may expect the release gradually during the year to come.

4. For our most precious sample sets, we are creating new demo pieces to show their qualities better. In past, we were criticised by not always offering demo pieces on our web pages which would show all the qualities and tonal colors of our virtual organs in a simple and convincing manner. Finally, we found several contributors, thanks to them we can enrich the demo-web pages. So, whoever is still not convinced about the quality of the Freiberg or Forcalquier sample set, let him listen to the improvisations of Frédéric Deschamps. Some of them are available, I will add more in near future.
The web pages are to be found here:
http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs/freiberg/demos.0.asp
http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs/forq/demos.0.asp
We received newly recorded pieces also for the Prague Baroque sample set. This time by Bert Visser who used the extended version of the sample set. These demo-pieces show very well the plethora of sound colors of the sample set, however, they also show the limitations of the extended version of the sample set.
http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs/prag ... emos.0.asp
It can be clearly heard at times, that the virtual acoustics created for the reed stops which were added to the sample set of the Týn organ from other sources, do not always blend well together with the original acoustics of the church. Also, the programming of the short releases needs revision. The releases clearly need re-elaboration in this case! We are planning to re-examine and re-create the releases for the Prague baroque sample set to bring it to the standards of today. My estimation is about 2 months for the process.

[Lia]

Wow, this is wonderful news, thanks a lot! You have quite some projects going on
I'm especially looking forward to the re-recorded St. Maximin.

[imcg110]

Excellent news!! I recently tried out the old version of St Max and decided that the HW1 style settings would just annoy me, but saw great potential for an HW3+ surround version. I am so pleased that it is being re-visited.

[zurek]

Yes. I was never saying that my sample sets were perfect. I have thought all the time and it was my aim that they were near the top level of the "technology" of the day. And during the last 7 years, this sample set "technology" kept developing rapidly. And I also think that our "learning curve" was quite steep, especially thanks to the dedication of all those wonderful people who gradually surrounded me in my work and who brought new ideas and new expertise to the sample set development: Antonin Brazdil, Jan Skvaril, Jiri Kopecky, Karel Kvaca, Martin Duemig, and recently also Al Morse, Frédéric Deschamps and others.
The difference between the early sample sets and the new ones is so huge, that when I compare now privately my original release of Zlata Koruna with what I hear now from the new sample set, I am very much ashamed of my early work - well, this is life. For this reason, I think all the older sample sets up to St. Maximin must be recreated to greater or lesser extend.

On a practical note: those who supported my project from those early times, acquiring all my sample sets will not be forgotten, of course. Those, who have already the licence for my past sample sets will benefit from a very special upgrade price.

[RoyKnight]

Jiri,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the dual monitor upgrade for the Caen. I didn't think the organ could be more enjoyable, but you have made it so!

Have you considered such an upgrade for the Zwolle Schnitger?

Thanks again,
Roy

[zurek]

Yes, gradually (time allowing) I wish to equip with the dual touch screen stop jambs all the sample sets that need it - that means al those with a lot of stops, including the Zwolle.

[zurek]

Now, we added also some short demonstration of the Freiberg Wet Direct version to compare with the Diffuse one.
http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs/freiberg/demos.0.asp

[gecko]

This is wonderful news! The Chapelet collection is a special treasure. The Zlata Koruna and Smecno organs are among my favorites, and it will good to have them updated.

[micdev]

These are great news... Caen dual-screen was a must for this great sample set! The new version of St-Maximin in June will be just in time for a project I'm working on (and the organist wants to use the St-Maximin). The new version will be perfect!

An all the other organs... better start saving money!

Great work Jiri
Regards
François

[sutherland]

Yes, gradually (time allowing) I wish to equip with the dual touch screen stop jambs all the sample sets that need it - that means al those with a lot of stops, including the Zwolle.

Just wondering if there is any progress with this? Might we see dual stop jambs for Zwolle sometime soon?

[zurek]

There is a lot of progress, but not on Zwolle. Currently, I am finishing the new version of the Prague Baroque sample set, together with completely new sample set of another Slovenian organ which is modern, but inspired by the Thurignian organs of central Germany - very suitable for Bach organ works. I hope to release it sometimes next week or in about 14 days. However, I still need to make some useful demo pieces for these sample sets.

For this reason, I am looking for an able organist, who has the Georg Muffat toccatas (Apparatus Musico-Organisticus) in his fingers and who would be willing to supply promptly the recordings made with my new and much improved version sample set of Prague Baroque. The reward would be getting the Prague Baroque sample set for free. However, there are two requirements: the person must provide a proof of outstanding Muffat performance in advance, and second: the person must have very quick internet connection, to be able to download about 5 GB of data reliably and promtly.

Similarly, if someone is able and willing to supply outstanding, historically-aware and appropriate performance of Bach pieces - the more colorful ones the better - I would let him download for free the new Slovenian sample set for this work, so that he can prepare the demo pieces for my web page. Similar requirements and reward as above apply. The data download, however, is bigger, about 10 GB.

For the web demo performance, I require submitting at least about 40 minutes of music, live recorded, showing many different colors of the given instrument. If there is someone interested, please contact me on the e-mail or via private message.

***
After this adventure is finished, we will have to work very eagerly on the forthcomming St. Maximin sample set (completely new version base on new multi-channel recording) and then, perhaps other sample sets may come into question (new version of Santanyi sample set, new version of Smecno sample set, and perhaps improvements on the screen layout of the Zwolle and Freiberg sample sets). But my estimation of the release is at least several months, late autumn or so.

[imcg110]

Can I put a vote in for a new Santanyí - I was there last week!! It really is the jewel in the crown of Mallorcan organs. Although the current set is one of the best of the previous HW generation, a new multi release, surround version would be quite spectacular. That 25 rank mixture still puts shivers down my spine every time I hear it!!

[dalest]

if you want some improvisations for your new sound bank, i'm here ! ^^
bye bye

[Anton Heger]

There is a lot of progress, but not on Zwolle.

I am willing to change the Zwolle ODF is such a way that you do not have 1 screen for the stops but two: Left and Right thus.
If Jiri agrees, and somebody gives me photo's of the original stop layout in Zwolle, I think I can fix it in less than a week.
( I have done it already for personal use on two 15 inch screen's)

Anton

[sutherland]

There is a lot of progress, but not on Zwolle.

I am willing to change the Zwolle ODF is such a way that you do not have 1 screen for the stops but two: Left and Right thus.
If Jiri agrees, and somebody gives me photo's of the original stop layout in Zwolle, I think I can fix it in less than a week.
( I have done it already for personal use on two 15 inch screen's)

Anton

That's a great offer. I hope Jiri is willing. I had a search for images of the stop layout, but they were all to small to read. If there was no other remedy I could even fly to NL and get the necessary photographs.