Nat'l Basilica of Koekelberg, Brussels

[smilingvox]

There's a very interesting church I visited nearly 30 years ago in Brussels. The National Basilica of Koekelberg, or the Church of the Sacred Heart. It's that enormous church, with the green dome, that sits on the hill, overlooking the city centre.

Because I was so worn out at the time, I only stopped in briefly just to take in its vast size, but did notice its organ.

I can't find a stoplist for the organ. Anybody give me some leads to one?

 

[Nikam]

If no-one comes up with a stoplist, what about contacting the Basilica? There is no mention of an organ on their website, which seems a bit odd.

http://www.basilicakoekelberg.be/documents/contact.xml?lang=en

 

[LasseMBach]

Hey smilingvox,
You can find your stop list for the organ.The link is given below.
http://www.organsamples.com/CasavantOrganStopList-HW2.htm

Thanks
Lasse

 

[Krummhorn]

According to Martin Doering's 'dieorgelseite' there are two organs within that Basilica:

- 58/III (Transeptorgel) Loncke (an organ builder in Belgium)
- 16/II (Chororgel) Genf (Geneva)

Another source for contact could include Kristiann Sehnhave.

 

[Corno Dolce]

I found a website that has the stoplist for the organ by Loncke:

http://www.orgues.irisnet.be/nl/DetailOrgue/117/Orgue-de-choeur-moderne--Loncke.rvb

Look in the section that says "Technische Kenmerken"...

Not a particularly impressive instrument judging by the stoplist imnsho...And I'm not thinking about the number of stops either........

Almost "Neo-Baroque Style" by Larry Phelps of Casavant infamy.............YUCK!:banghead:

Actually, I liked Casavant very much before Phelps royally screwed it up........

As it is said: If it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT!!!!!!!!

 

[Krummhorn]

Those older Casavant's are absolutely wonderful ... the ones Phelps didn't touch, anyway.

Didn't Phelps pioneer his own company after leaving Casavant?

 

[Corno Dolce]

Dear KH,

I have this very foggy remniscence that Mr. Phelps did such but understand that this is only a vague guesstimation on my part.

 

[Krummhorn]

Hi CD,

I did some searching and came up with his obit ... from February 22, 1999. He was 76.

Some things I found on his life are:

• apprenticeship with Aeolian- Skinner in Boston, where he trained as a voicer and tonal finisher, his art had taken him to Cleveland where he worked with the Holtkamp Organ Company;
• returned to Boston to design the large Aeolian-Skinner organ for the extension of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and to supervise its installation.
• then on to Allen Organ Company of Macungie, PA
• then appointed consultant with Casavant Frères Limitée, soon became Casavant's Artistic Director and eventually became its President.
• founding his own company, Lawrence Phelps & Associates, in Erie, Pennsylvania,
• then rejoined the Allen Organ Company as Director of its Custom Organ department.

A colourful career ... it was shameful what had been done to many Casavant installations over the years ... I had played one of the larger ones in Riverside, CA years ago. It was one of the original Casavant's that had not been revoiced by Phelps, fortunately.

 

[Corno Dolce]

Dear KH,

Yes, quite the colourful career - And that he had worked for Allen also...!? Oh, how the "orgelbewegung movement" aka (neo-baroque) upended most of the organ-building world. It was a rejection of the glorious "symphonic" movement...In order to, imnsho, recreate another age - throwback, if you will. It all becomes so cliche to recreate the organs of Bach's time. But now I risk going into the minefield of "Which is better? Baroque or Symphonic?" So, I'll make way for other inclusions into the discussion of "organ periods".

Ps. It can also be asked: Why recreate the C-C organ? Or facsimile thereof? A valid question.......Probably for another thread.............