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24' Praestant. Half real, half resultant?

smilingvox

New member
Hi, guys.

I recently bought a recording done on the big Stellwagen in Marienkirche, Stralsund. In it is Nicklaus Bruhns' Praeludium in G. At the end, the organist used the 24' Praestant.

I was able to hear low G purring, then when he played low C, I could hear low 16' C, but not low 32' C.

I guess twenty-four feet is....

just that....

and the remaining notes are Resultant and my earphones weren't registering? Or the bass octave is incomplete? Or if it is complete (with Resultant), maybe 24 feet refers to largest pipe in the facade?

Unless someone has been inside this beauty and knows for sure, any insight at least?
 

QFE

New member
At a guess, the micophone(s) were in the wrong position. Did an experiment once with a fellow organist at the console. Walked down the nave slowly as he held a sustained '32' ft note... the sound would fade in and out as my ears passed a particular point on the sound wave. Just by a gentle nod of the head, the sound was either 'on' or 'off'.
 
Dorsetmike

Dorsetmike

Member
QFE, I suspect if you repeated the experiment with a different note held that you would find the points where it was on or off would be different; the effect is due to different path lengths for reflected sounds and direct path sounds making them arrive at the ear either in or out of phase, out of phase will reduce the sound heard and they could cancel altogether depending on a number of factors, for example how much is absorbed by the relecting surface.

Similar effects can occur with any form of wave transmission, be it sound, radio or light.
 

QFE

New member
LOL Mike, now I know why i did so badly in acousitcs at Uni! It goes to show how a 'good' building can make a 'bad' instrument sound wonderful and vice versa.
 

L.Palo

New member
To answer the original question have a look at http://www.stellwagen.de/html/td_disposition.htm and at the pedal 32' Gross Principal bass (ab F = from great F). This means that it's an incomplete stop that lacks the notes below F. The organ also lacks great C sharp. It's not so uncommon practice for organs of that period as well as music from that period.
 

smilingvox

New member
Thanks, Marc, for the youtube clip. It was fascinating, esp. the huge scaled open flute Juergen demonstrated.

The first thing I thought of when he pulled it out of the Rugwerk was the Midmer-Losh at Atlantic City. lol One of the largest Diapasons there is 34 scale.
 

smilingvox

New member
Marc said:
Probably the same goes for the organ in the Martinikerk, Groningen, NL. Also a 32 ft Praestant, but it's actually a 24 ft.
Click to expand...

Yesterday, I listened to a CD I have of Piet Kee playing the big Schnitger. In one of the pieces, where he used the 32' Praestant, he hit low C and I heard the unmistakable rumble of CCCC. Maybe the lowest few notes are Resultant?

Beautiful thumbnail, btw. Which organ?
 
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