BBC uses Hauptwerk

[adrianw]

The diapasons sounded far more convincing than most toasters that I've come across.

I have listened again, very carefully through headphones, and it still sounds very artificial and toastery to me. This is entirely personal and subjective, of course, but perhaps not invalid if others hear it similarly.

I'm sure Paul's done a fine job (as always)

I do not know Paul or his work but I'm sure he has made the best of a bizarre-sounding brief where the organ's ease of manual handling was apparently the overriding concern. No criticism was intended.

I was not suggesting the (to me) disappointing sound quality was a problem with the console and the point I was making is that I know that HW can sound much better than this.

it's very hard/unfair for any of us to judge the tonal qualities of this installation from a broadcas

I had understood that this organ's sole purpose was to be broadcast. On what other basis should or can we judge it?

[engrssc]

Depends on the broadcast set up that was used. Taking a direct feed isn't the best way esp if the broadcast console doesn't have what "it takes"or isn't properly set up for such. At least, that's not the way we would do it. And we broadcast every week via a webcast which broadcasts in stereo, soon surround sound.

Let's (hear), if possible. whether they can improve on that. I know BBC does do better than that.

Rgds,
Ed

[organsRgreat]

I'm afraid I must add my name to the list of those who found the organ sound disappointing – and it must be the BBC engineers who were responsible. I honestly believe I get a better sound from my own Hauptwerk system at home, though admittedly I have the advantage of a pair of Quad electrostatic speakers (the original ESL57 design, reconditioned by Quad a few years ago; I can't afford new ones unfortunately). I realise that the organ's function in that broadcast was to accompany the singers, but it was so obviously electronic.

I sent a link to an organist friend, who replied “O for the days when the Daily Service came live from All Souls Langham Place (just across the road from Broadcasting House) with a choir accompanied and directed by George Thalben Ball playing a real organ!”.

Having checked a map and seen just how close that church is to Broadcasting House I'm puzzled that the BBC now uses a studio it doesn't own, and has had an organ built so that it can be moved there when needed.

[dhm]

Having checked a map and seen just how close that church is to Broadcasting House I'm puzzled that the BBC now uses a studio it doesn't own, and has had an organ built so that it can be moved there when needed.

Until recently the Daily Service was usually broadcast from a church in Didsbury (near Manchester).
See here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/da ... e/history/
For some reason it was decided to move into a studio in Media City, Salford, hence the need for an organ for use in that venue.

[engrssc]

Give a listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08jlvsd#play Broadcast from 23/03/2017.

Quite a bit better IMHO, more Hauptwerk-like. Or maybe more Haverhill-like? Organ seems slightly in the background maybe replicating a cathedral, but that's strictly an opinion. Choir appears to have added reverb maybe. Mostly their songs were song without using the organ. Just the first and last hymns. Esp the last hymn shows the organ quite nicely. Have to remember all of those beautiful cathedrals in the UK (said with quite some amount of envy).

Rgds,
Ed

[ajt]

I had understood that this organ's sole purpose was to be broadcast. On what other basis should or can we judge it?

Fair point!