Any Pipe Organ Recording Recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[BrianRS]

I want to test some on my new Pb2, but have never listened to this stuff any wasn't sure where to start.

 

[JessPrice]

Not sure if it has many pipe organs, but the Blue Man Group album is a good cd to test it out on. Plus a lot of the songs on the new A Perfect Circle album is great too.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

John Rutters "Requiem".
Has sustained organ notes @ 20 hz.
This is a reference recording that Stereophile and Home Theater magazine use. The choral arrangement is a workout for the rest of your system as well.
I used it for a demo when I went sub shopping. If I couldn't hear the bass, I didn't buy the sub.
Also I like the cd soundtrack to the "Fifth Element". It has a lot of different kinds of bass.
There is a bass "drop" tone on one track that shakes the house even when you can't hear it.

And of course Enya "Watermark"
and the last three tracks of the "Gladiator" cd soundtrack.
There is a lot of things happening in the low bass regions of this cd.

 

[Heath_E]

Chris,

Just curious as to which subs passed the test?

 

[Robb Roy]

Michael Murray's Organ Sampler

Not only are there some real subwoofer workout tunes, there's a nice variety of music.

-Robb

 

[alan halvorson]

Practically any organ recording on the Dorian label, particularly those played by Jean Guillou, such as: The Great Organ of Saint-Eustache, Paris,
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Stravinsky: Three Dances from Petrouchka, The Sonata of Julius Reubke (not that great, but it has a genuine 16 Hz note right at the beginning. Part of this disc is also piano), plus any of his Bach recordings.

 

[Manuel Delaflor]

Pomp & Pipes

 

[Steve Crowley]

Try E Power Biggs for organ. Great sound.

 

[ChrisHeflen]

Heath E

Well I am not going to turn this into a sub-woofer debate as there are plenty of threads for that.

Two years ago when I did my shopping, I auditoned the M&K v1250thx, the B&W ASW1000(?), the Paradigm servo 15 and pw2200, and sunfire true sub.
In no particular, corresponding order, I heard...bloated; tight, accurate, but down too many db's that low; awesome but too expensive; not musical enough; and just right.
All but the B&W did I try with that material and they all passed some better than others. I did try it on a smaller B&W and the "Fifth Element" thing tore it apart.

Please don't mis-quote me. These are only the subs I tried. I am not saying other subs can't do it.

 

[BrianRS]

Thanks for the help. I've got a couple of them coming this week!

 

[Seth--L]

Peter Richard Conte plays the John Wanamaker Organ - the largest (working) pipe organ in the world.

 

[Sathyan]

Buy this:
E. Power Biggs. The Four Great Toccatas. Sony. SACD.
http://www.amusicdirect.com/products...ku=CSONSA87983

 

[Drew_W]

Wow where to start...as an organist myself, and an avid collector of organ music, there's so many titles.

Seth beat me to what would have been my #1 recommendation. The Conte CD is quite something, it is filled with transcriptions of fairly familiar orchestral works, most of which Conte did himself. You get a nice 80 minute programme of music that is full of everything from the low low low bass notes up to the unusual but rather amusing celesta, which is a peal of high pitched bells that Conte weaves nicely into the music. It's also a nice test of speaker clarity and upper end definition. The back of the jacket pretty much sums it all up:

"WARNING! This recording presents the full low-frequency information generated by The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ at Lord & Taylor, Philadelphia. Specially designed and modified recording equipment has been used so that no low-frequency roll-off has been introduced at any stage. The low-frequency content of this recording accurately reflects the actual range of the instrument down to the open 32' pipes (producing a 16Hz fundamental). The naturally high levels of bass information, and exceptionall wide dynamic range, contribute immeasurably to the sonic excitement of this recording. Howeveer, on first hearing PLEASE EXERCISE GREAT CAUTION in setting the volume to establish a playback level that is safe for both your equipment and your hearing."

Now that's what I'm talking about And as an added bonus, you get a fantastic 60 page booklet detailing the history of the organ, its organists, and even the special measures taken in recording this CD including all pertinent technical details. (This CD is on the DORIAN label)

Another recommendation, the first track of John Scott's "20th Century Organ Masterpieces" played at St Ignatius Loyola in New York City. The first track, a Gerald Hendrie Toccata and Fugue contains some GLORIOUS bass as well as those nice highs. This is the first track I audition systems with, a real stress tester. (PRIORITY label)

Peter Baicchi's Organ Under Glass recording from the Crystal Cathedral is another big blaster CD, recorded on another big organ. Not quite sure what label this is on, but you can get it here: http://www.ohscatalog.org/ohscatalog/orunglas.html

 

[Stephen Dodds]

I'll 3rd the Magic! CD. Try the end of the track 2. With an average sub you will hear nothing at all for about 30 seconds.

With a good sub you will feel the sustained 16Hz tone.

The Dorian Saint-Saens Organ Symphony is also very nice as is the Chandos Widor/Frank/Guillemot.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

"PLEASE EXERCISE GREAT CAUTION in setting the volume to establish a playback level that is safe for both your equipment and your hearing."

This one goes to 111!

Any good Bach orgelwerks on DVD-A or SACD? Any Marie-Claire Alain? Her recording of BWV 565 for Erato is... AMAZING.


Gordy

 

[Seth--L]

One of the best and most interesting new organ recordings I've heard in a while was Robert Levin playing parts of the The Well-Tempered Clavier (books I & II) on the organ. The recordings are a must for Bach and organ fans. They're available on Hanssler.