Don Richard Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 I have long held the belief that certain loudspeakers excel in reproducing certain music, and that Khorns are the least limited in that regard. The Khorn bass horn is a classic example of a design done right the first time, and this 61 year old loudspeaker is about as good as can be had for reproducing a certain instrument with an exceptional frequency range - the pipe organ. E. Power Biggs was one of the the greatest organists to touch the keyboard of this difficult instrument. He is credited with reviving interest in this ancient powerhouse of an instrument in the pre - WWII era. He had a radio show which brought the organ music of J.S. Bach and other composers to the masses. Most of his recordings that survive were done in the 50s and 60s, and few are available today. While roaming around the record store the other day I came across a Columbia Masterworks CD compilation of the great keyboardist. Most of the tracks were recorded around 1960 and remastered digitally. I took the album home and fed it to the Khorns. When Biggs hit the pedal notes on Bach's Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor I came out of the chair in which I was sitting. So completely real was the sound I couldn't believe it. When the track had finished I felt like clapping and screaming "Bravo". Bach's more delicate Sleepers, Awake! is the best recorded version of this work that I have heard. None of my enjoyment of this master musician would have been possible without PWK's masterful design. I have never heard another design of loudspeaker even come close to properly reproducing a pipe organ at realistic sound pressure levels. So to these three masters, Bach, Biggs, and Klipsch, I say "Rest in Peace, Your Work Lives On" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Amen to your entire post. I have a significant collection of Biggs, including a 78 from the forties. His Widor "Toccata" remains one of my favorite woofer testers as well as the finest performance of that warhorse work. Get a copy of this one (French Organ Music) if you can. Also, his Glory of Gabrieli was, and remains, a landmark work both technically and artistically. The four great organs of Freiberg played simultaneously and recorded in QS quad, which decodes nicely through Dolby PLII, as another one. However, all his recordings are well worth having and there are many of them. They will work your TT and speakers to the max. He, along with his antithesis Vigil Fox, did much to bring the pipe organ from obscurity back into the public mind. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 I took the album home and fed it to the Khorns. When Biggs hit the pedal notes on Bach's Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor I came out of the chair in which I was sitting. So completely real was the sound I couldn't believe it. When the track had finished I felt like clapping and screaming "Bravo". Great story and don't you just those magical moments a good pair of speakers can bring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 I haven't had the pleasure of hearing E. Power Biggs play, but I think Vanessa Mae's version of Toccatta and Fugue would be more interesting to watch, while also sounding good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 I have many albums (and a few CDs) of both E. Power Biggs and Virgil Fox on magnificent pipe organs throughout the world. Both virtuosos (now deceased) performed the works of Bach and others with true dedication to the craft, albeit each in their own unique styles. Hearing these organists' many recordings thru a pair of Klipschorns must surely be an aural treat to the ears, but Biggs and Fox were just two of literally thousands of exceptionally gifted organists throughout the world today. Luckily for all of us who don't own Klipschorns, hearing recordings from all these other fine organists played thru any Klipsch loudspeaker is simply stunning (the larger the better, natch). Even my ProMedia 2.1s portray a convincing likeness to the beauty of the pipe organ at higher levels...maybe not as easily as the largest Klipsch, but pretty darn close IMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 He, along with his antithesis Vigil Fox, did much to bring the pipe organ from obscurity back into the public mind. It didn't help much when most denominations decided that piano and, more recently, guitar/bass/drums, etc., would be better for worship music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Jim, I know you will like this. I was in Tampa for my daughter's wedding, which was held at St. Andrew's Episcopal. The organ is a 1994 Fisk. Sounded GREAT! Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 OMG, Bruce, what a marvelous instrument! Next trip to the inlaws I MUST make a visit to that church! We Anglicans DO get it right from time to time. My old parish priest once told a chorister wanting to place an amplifier for a musician on the floor of the church it would happen "Over my dead, cold body!." I've no qualms with praise bands or any style of worship, but as for me and my house "Gimme that OLD tyme relgion!" Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Thanks for the Fisk pic, Bruce...a marvelous tracker action instrument indeed! And you're right about contemporary keyboards/guitars/drums infiltrating today's congregations, with the organs suffering neglect and total exclusion from the worship service. Traditional hymns that once stood the test of time for centuries have now become old fashioned and out of touch with today's society, and to attract (and maintain) younger church-goers, music directors have given way to today's pop-style of music to keep them entertained! I'm sorry, but I don't condone this practice at all, not at the expense of the organ and its rich heritage. The small Lakeland, FL tracker action firm of Klug & Schumaker, Inc. my dad worked for in the early '80s went out of business precisely because of this move to more modern-day worship songs in the state's churches! With the rising costs to maintain older pipe organs, along with the declining interest for its music (plus FL has no real culture, unless you consider tourist traps culture), many historical instruments in the state are virtually all silenced since only the wealthiest parishes can afford to maintain them, and newer churches aren't even interested in purchasing one, new or used! In the late '90s when my Catholic church had its multi-million dollar sanctuary built, the architect made provisions for pipe organ chambers above and behind the alter. The music director had no interest whatsoever in a pipe organ installation since all he ever played was a Yamaha pro MIDI keyboard and didn't even touch the old Rodgers electronic organ we had. Even today for all the Sunday Masses he still plays songs on a new Yamaha synthesizer along with his bandmates (with acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and a Roland V-Drums kit), and the congregation loves it! The old Rodgers recently bought the farm just a few months ago and I thought for sure the organ would be trashed just like the fine old Baldwin baby grand piano that was never maintained and fell into disuse after the purchase of the first Yamaha keyboard. The church instead traded in the old Rodgers at a Tampa Rodgers dealer for a brand new 2 manual drawknob Trillium Series organ so that the assistant organist for the Saturday Mass could still play a traditional instrument (she's a fine classically-trained organist who never touches the Yamaha)! But it just goes to show that even today's electronic organ manufacturers are jumping on the MIDI generated voice bandwagon, and this organ is also equipped with full General MIDI 120-voice compatibilities like the Yamaha keyboard. Naturally, the assistant organist won't ever use the built-in MIDI device, but it's the only way the music director for all the Sunday services will play the new organ at all! He's an exceptional pianist but a lousy organist (he has no organ playing technique whatsoever), and he'll eagerly throw in odd sounding MIDI synthesizer voices along with diapason and flute stops (with his bandmates trying to keep in time...and in tune on guitars and drums)! And the congregation all love it! Mostly all retirees too. People who grew up on traditional hymn singing who are now rockin' to songs that you'd hear on any pop music radio station IMHO! I only attend the Saturday Mass anymore...at least I get to hear real hymns performed on an organ (which does sound drastically better and more pipe organ-like than the old '80s Rodgers). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Dave, I knew you would like it too. Jim's father had built a pipe organ into their house in Florida, and I know he has a fondness for them. St. Brigid, a new Catholic Church in Atlanta, has installed a Casavant Frères, but they have absolutely NO info on their website about it. Went to a wonderful concert there after they had it installed. edit: And Jim posted while I was writing this... with the same feelings I have for contemporary worship. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 It wasn't a Casavant, but it was nice for what it was, with parts from the Canadian firm, along with Aeolian-Skinner, Austin, and Moller among others. The console was a restored 1931 F.A. Bartholomew 2 manual affair... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 ...which controlled a 19 rank instrument entirely enclosed in a single chamber professionally built inside the 2-car garage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 ...and with the few DAT recordings we made of the organ, when playing thru the Cornwalls, the dynamics of the instrument was well represented thru the horns! Even my RB-75s reproduce well-mastered organ recordings with my lowly 6.5 watt SET amp (with the help of my 2 subwoofers, natch). But I do miss that pipe organ and all those MIDI generated pieces I arranged for it. The new owner in Asheville is installing it in his Victorian house up in the mountains, but since he's 69 years old and doing it alone (with some help by his wife), he told my dad it'll be years yet until it's complete again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Thanks for the pix, Jim, though it breaks my heart. At least it will live again... When you get the DVD I will send when I can, you will see where my heart is liturgically. You should make a run down to Sarasota to the Church of the Redeemer for a service to see and experience how catholic is done! I know the Bishop of Rome frowns on us, but he'll come around some day. http://www.nicholsandsimpson.com/churchof.htm Check out the instrument that replaced the one we bought from there and meet Ann Stephenson-Moe and her husband Daniel Moe. Fine organist and great composer team. The music program at this church is extraordinary. A warning: You may find yourself straying from the path of Rome. [] Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Heh...I doubt I'll be straying anytime soon, but I'm all about excellent music that praises His name, no matter what denomination it is![A] The central Florida diocese is in Orlando at St. James Cathedral (which houses a '60s vintage Wicks that sounds remarkably good for a direct-electric)...at least where the Bishop resides, the music program there is also done right. Just wish he'd pass a decree where NO contemporary rock-band music is allowed in its Catholic churches. Oh well, can't win 'em all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 EDIT: double post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 I used to attend St. Joseph's over on the east side of Orlando. They have a nice sounding organ(I remember it sounding nice anyways). some pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Ouch, that website is pretty awful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Was Biggs that guy playing organ in the Monty Python show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Don't most of the hymn melodies come from old bar tunes? It's a bummer that some people get scorned for communicating in their native language while others are revered... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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