Updated January 2023
After the Antegnati's
organ of Bellinzona, Ticino, Switzerland sample set,
Tarcisio Ferrari offers us another instrument: the Carlen organ of
the Saint-Hippolyte Catholic Church of Vouvry, Valais. He granted AOEV the authorization of
presenting and promoting this Hauptwerk sample set. Look at his
website.
The church
The current church is a construction dating from 1819 to 1822,
in style imitating the Italian baroque churches. The bell
tower of the 15th century was preserved. If the Gothic church
was destroyed, fragments are preserved (door frame in the
South, a window frame in the sacristy and especially a double
stained glass placed high in the choir, this double stained
glass dates back to 1488-96 and represents one of the few
stained glass windows of the 15th century well preserved). The
current church is dedicated to Saint Hippolyte, bishop of
Sion. (according to "orgues et vitraux. ch")
Presentation
of the organ
The Vouvry
organ is one of the greatest historical instruments in Valais. It
was built by the Valaisman Jean-Batptiste Carlen,
from Naters, in 1822 - 1831 but it could include older elements
of a first instrument made by his father Felix Alois Carlen
(1734 - 1816). He added a 16' cornet and the missing
notes of the first short octave. The Carlens is a family of
Valaisan organists makers from Reckingen, who built many organs
throughout Valais but also in other cantons. The organ of Vouvry
had to undergo transformations: "baroquisation", modernization in
1957. All these attempts did nothing but distort the beautiful
instrument. During the last restoration of the church (1979-80),
the Valaisan Füglister Organs Factory completely restored this
instrument by restoring its composition of original stops. The
case also received sculptural elements inspired by those of
origin, from the "Positif de dos". Füglister discovered, by
dismantling this organ, that the realized composition of the stops
was not exactly that envisaged in the estimate.
The current 5-row Cornet is as follows: 16 ', 8', 5 1/3 ', 4', 3
1/5 '. The organ of Vouvry, with its unusual sound palette, is a
synthesis between the German, Italian and French organs. We find
here parallels with the famous organs of the Mooser factor of
Friborg who lived during the same period (according to " orgues et vitraux. ch")
The current composition is as follows:
Main (54 keys: Bourdon 16',
Principal 8', Gambe 8', Flūte harmonique 8', Flūte (conique) 8',
Octave 4', Flūte harmonique 4', Flūte (conique) 4', Nazard 2
2/3, Superoctave 2', Flageolet 2', Tierce 1 3/5', Fourniture 2
1/3' (based on 8'), Cornet
16', Trompette 8', Clairon 4'.
Swell (54 keys: Bourdon 8',
Gambe 8', Principal 4', Copel 4', Flūte 4', Flageolet 2'.
Pedal (17 keys): Principal
16', Soubasse 16', Basse (flūte) 8', Mixture 3 1/3', Trompette
8' (bass- discant)
The
coupling of the two keyboards is drawer. GO / P coupler by double
valves.
An extended
version of the sample set, authorizing a more extended
repertoire (over all French Baroque music) is available. The new
stops are:
Grand-Orgue: Voix humaine 8' (borrowed from Giubiasco's
sample set, courtesy of Piotr Grabowski
Positif de dos: Quinte 2 2/3', Cimbale 2 sterks, Cromorne
8' (free adaptation of the cromorne of an Isnard instrument for
GrandOrgue, under GNU license), Clarinetto 8'
Récit: Bourdon 8', Flūte
4', cornet 8'
Pedal: Bombarde 16', Clairon 4'
Listen
Some demos
to listen to:
With Hauptwerk 4:
- played by Tarcisio Ferrari: Petrali, Elevazione - Brahms, Herzlich
tu mich verlangen and Fugue - Widor, Symphonie
1 - N. de Grigny: a
solis ortus
Sous Hauptwerk 5: With Hauptwerk 5:
- played by Dominique Dantand: Gasparini - Benaut
- Magnificat
de Lasceux - Concerto
in g minor
- played by Jean-Pļerre Silvestre: Bagatelle
de Beethoven and 6
pieces by Julius Andre
Compare
with this recording of the real
organ.
Extended version: listen 'B. Storace Variazoni sulla
Monica' (http://www.antegnati.com/vouvry.html)
- played by Jean-Pļerre Silvestre:
Zelenski,
canon et prélude pastoral
- played by
Dominique Dantand: Monsieur
Leclerc, Magnificat du 2č ton
About
the sample set
The sample
set can be installed using Hauptwerk, version 4.2
and later. It is neither encrypted nor protected by a licence.
Reuse of the samples nevertheless requires the authorization of
the AOEV.
The sample set is available in wave format 48kHz/24-bit (to be
used by every one), stereo, multiple loops and multiple releases
(3 levels). The long natural reverb 4.5 s reflects the original
acoustics of the church. Original inegal temperament, A = 431.5
Hz. The sample set has three variants: an original stereo
version, an extended stereo version and a 4-channel surround
version (Main: near the organ bench and Rear: near the tribune
becoming semi-dry if the rear channels are not loaded. Two
sliders allow the metering of the channels, with the mouse
wheel.
RAM requirement:
- Stereo version :
16-bit: 2.3 GB
20-bit: 3.9 GB
- Extended stereo version
:
24-bit: 5.50 GB
16-bit: 2,.3 GB
it can be easily loaded 16-bit on a 8 GB
RAM computer
- Surround
version 4 channels
16-bit: de 4.70 GB (minimum) to 7.42 GB (maximum)
20-bit: 12.82 GB
24-bit: 13.97 GB
- Extended surround version 4 channels:
It can be used with a 16 GB computer, for example Near 20-bit and
Rear 16-bit. The 32 GB computers can load it 24-bit.
Accessing the sample-set
The sample set can be obtained by sending an email to Tarcisio
Ferrari (postmaster@antegnati.com). Its
very democratic price is 60. Part of
the profits will be donated to the parish for the maintenance of
the instrument.
Thanks
Thanks to Tarcisio Ferrari who made this sample set, with the
local help of, the parish of Vouvry as well as Alain Grandchamp
and Alexandre Mariaux. Their assistance has been invaluable.
plan of the church of Vouvry
