Chamber Organ

Chamber Organ Specification

Key compass of GG to e3 (58 notes) at a pitch of A415.

Transposing keyboard for pitches A392  A415  A440  and A465 with tuning slides to the metal pipes for re-tuning at different pitches.

Stop list:    Stop Diapason                             8 ft

                  Open Diapason                            8 ft  metal pipes from f #

Principal bass and treble                                4 ft

Fifteenth bass and treble                                2 ft 

Sesquialtera                                                     II    (GG: 1⅓,  4/5     G: 1 3/5,  1⅓)

Cornet                                                              II    (c1   2⅔, 1 3/5)

Shifting movement (reducing to Diapasons)

The organ registration of each movement is frequently prescribed by the composer – thus the unfamiliar tone of the reed stop (the regal) occurs exactly where Soler asks for it. The issue of the pitch at which to play was complicated by the awareness that Spanish organs of the 18^th century were frequently tuned higher than present day concert pitch (A440), although a baroque pitch of A415 was still sometimes used.  In the end A435 was chosen as a compromise which allowed both organ and strings to work well.

The Organ on Guild Music

• GMCD 7280/81 - Padre Soler - Six Organ Quintets

Page created 14.07.04