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Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

Existing and forthcoming Hauptwerk instruments, recommendations, ...
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deWaverley

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Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostSun Jun 24, 2012 5:30 pm

Sounds like a very promising release, but nobody seems to be 'reporting back' with their views on what it is like to use (apart from a brief paragraph from micdev).

I (and others I'm sure) would be interested to hear people's experiences so far...particularly with the end of the reduced price period approaching.

Maybe it's so good that people can't tear themselves away to post here. :wink:
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Marco

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostSun Jun 24, 2012 7:33 pm

given the number of excellent pieces played on the organ on contrebombarde it does seem that the people that have it are quite busy enjoying it!
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jerrymartin

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostMon Jun 25, 2012 10:34 am

Mine just arrived this weekend and having installed it I am truly thrilled.

5/5 overall from my point of view

1) Presentation - the sample set arrived in the most professional packaging I have seen thus far. Three DVDs, the first of which contains installation instructions and registration form, are professionally printed, and the set ships with a beautiful full-color booklet with stunning pictures of the instrument and a detailed history.

2) Installation - no issues. As always, Milan Digital Audio processed the dongle update within hours of Prof. M shipping the sample set so I was ready to go upon receipt of the discs.

3) User Interface - The multiple screens allow for a lot of flexibility in interfacing with the instrument. I use a single touch screen and found it logically laid out and easy to use.

4) The sound - most important in a commentary such as this. I was able to load the set in 24-bit, uncompressed, and came in just below the 16GB limit on my machine. (Windows 7 x64).
- I am truly blown away by this set. Having only had a day or so to play thus far, it is by far the most incredibly true-to-reality set which I have ever played. Despite the church having a large accoustic, and the set being wet, the multiple-release samples make the response incredibly crisp and alive. Sampled tremulants all around, which is particularly noticable in solo passages which call for the cornet or other mutation stops - the tremmed samples are warm and round.

- The original organ has a slightly limited compass in some stops, but the sampleset comes with the option of extended compass.

Summary:
This is a great set, and in terms of value for money this is a lot of organ for the price paid. One should also consider the prominence and historic significance of this instrument. I highly recommend listening to all of the wonderful recordings on contrebombarde and am happy to say this is the Silbermann I was waiting for. I anticipate a lof of hours in the coming weeks will be virtually spent at Arlesheim.

Thank you Prof. Maier for another wonderful addition to the Hauptwerk Library.
Jeremiah Martin,
Portsmouth, Ohio
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OAM

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostMon Jun 25, 2012 4:39 pm

Thanks for your detailed review and excellent evaluation, very motivating to continuing the project!
Prof. Helmut Maier
OrganArt Media Sound Engineering
D-88662 Überlingen/Lake Constance
http://www.organartmedia.com
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James

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostMon Jun 25, 2012 4:55 pm

I just received my set late yesterday afternoon, but ended up playing it until bedtime. It is an absolutely wonderful organ. It will take some time to get used to the stops--the flute stops have individual characters on the different manuals, a welcome surprise. The echo is a real echo, voiced quieter than the great and the swell. Since I just got it, I can not really say much more than I like it very very much. In my opinion, it is a great bargain for the price, though I perhaps should not say that, as it might encourage the good professor to charge more the next time.
James
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josq

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostWed Jun 27, 2012 2:45 pm

Beautiful recordings on CB indeed!

As many others, I'm particularly curious how Arlesheim compares to Ebersmunster. And -apart from the tremulants- how it differs from typical French organs such as the Bedos modle. St Michel and particularly St Max.
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Patrick Larhant

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostWed Jun 27, 2012 3:31 pm

I should say the main differences with Ebersmunster are :
- the principals of Arlesheim are less fluty, a bit more edgy ;
- the mixtures are more ascending and more acute and assertive.
All in one, I find Arlesheim better suited than Ebersmunster to play Bach and Ebersmunster better suited to play a french plein-jeu. But it is only a subjective opinion. Both of them are delightful to play and each one copes well with both french and german baroque music. Matter of taste.... :D
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostFri Jul 13, 2012 4:44 pm

:D I just have "inaugurated" the Arlesheim-Silbermann in my home, in the mountains of Colombia. :D

I can not make any authoritative comparisons with other instruments since it is my first purchased organ. BUT I can tell everybody ALOUD that this virtual instrument is simply MAGNIFICENT in every detail, no to list all the rest of sinonymus. If someone close his eyes while playing, he will feel transported in time and space to Arlesheim in Silbermann´s times (...in spite -in my case- of the wrong notes...).

Again, great acknowledge to Organ Art Media and Hauptwerk.

Luis García :D
Manizales
Colombia
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Gert

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostWed Aug 29, 2012 12:27 pm

See for a review and recordings of Dick Sanderman: http://www.pcorgan.com/SampleSets1761ArlesheimEN.html
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josq

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Re: Arlesheim - anyone have it?...Opinions?

PostThu Aug 30, 2012 7:05 am

For those who don't speak Dutch: basically Sanderman describes (after reviewing a few historical facts) that Arlesheim is more versatile than Ebersmunster. But he remarks that Ebersmunster is more characterful, more pronounced. He experiences the principals of Arlesheim as more precise, less fluty (if I translate correctly). He is very positive about the tremulants, especially on the Grand Orgue. The Valotti temperament which comes with the present-day Arlesheim might be experienced as a barrier.

Arlesheim is more suited as a "basis set", Ebersmunster is very characterful for French and German Baroque.

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