# Does contemporary organ makers invent new (physical) stops?



## jonatan

Does contemporary organ makers invent new physical stops - e.g. new types of pipes?

It is hard to say - whether they do or do not do that. From the one side - stops mainly reflect the instruments of orchestra and the set of those instruments is finite and quite permanent for some centuries already. So, if there is no instrument in symphony orchestra, then there is no corresponding stop in pipe organ.

One can argue about saxophone, it is quite new instrument - maybe new stops should be made for it.

But well - maybe still there are some explorations? Maybe composers of contemporary organ music are willing to experiment and collaborate with the organ makers and new ideas can be explored? Who knows...

My question is not about digital organ and digital sound. There can be almost everything (with the usual disclaimer about digital vs analog).

p.s. today I had the opportunity to visit the 124-stop organ and ask this question to its organiste titulaire and he said "no", but he stressed that each organ is different piece of art and there is quite a lot variation among organ makers and even among organs, so - my question is not quite relevant.


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## ejw

jonatan said:


> Does contemporary organ makers invent new physical stops - e.g. new types of pipes?
> 
> It is hard to say - whether they do or do not do that. From the one side - stops mainly reflect the instruments of orchestra and the set of those instruments is finite and quite permanent for some centuries already. So, if there is no instrument in symphony orchestra, then there is no corresponding stop in pipe organ.
> 
> One can argue about saxophone, it is quite new instrument - maybe new stops should be made for it.
> 
> But well - maybe still there are some explorations? Maybe composers of contemporary organ music are willing to experiment and collaborate with the organ makers and new ideas can be explored? Who knows...
> 
> My question is not about digital organ and digital sound. There can be almost everything (with the usual disclaimer about digital vs analog).
> 
> p.s. today I had the opportunity to visit the 124-stop organ and ask this question to its organiste titulaire and he said "no", but he stressed that each organ is different piece of art and there is quite a lot variation among organ makers and even among organs, so - my question is not quite relevant.


Saxaphone stops are fairly common on theatre pipe organs. However, I have seen one on a classical pipe organ once. The titulaire was right, every organ is different in its palate of stops, voicing, etc. THey all have the requisite foundations (Diapasons, Principals, etc.) and flutes, reeds, strings, and mixtures, but the variety, number, and ranks of each of those types of stops will vary from instrument to instrument. Same with the couplers. That is why it is extremely important to rehearse well before playing a particular organ. I am a church organist, and though I have had regular positions, currently (well prepandemic current, lol) I am a substitute organist as right now I need schedule flexibility. I will not play for a church unless they allow me to rehearse at the church prior to the service. I need at least a couple of hours to play my postlude, preludes, offeratories, and the scheduled hymns on that instrument. Otherwise, it is a no-go. I also require the permission to set stops and all the presets that I will use. When I have a regular position, I always leave a piston or two available for substitute organists only, so they can do the same thing when I am taking a service off. I don't like surprises, and I want to give my congregations that best musical experience to enhance their worship service that I can. It is something that I take seriously, and the congregation deserves their organists best.


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## Krummhorn

ejw said:


> AOB . . . When I have a regular position, I always leave a piston or two available for substitute organists only, so they can do the same thing when I am taking a service off.


I do the same ... there are 6 memory levels on my church organ; I continually use 4 of them, which leaves 1 for the organist emeritus, and 1 for a visiting organist. On our AOB at church a physical key is required in order to change each of the memory levels ... each of the six keys is totally different.


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