What is a Real Organ? Don't Let Your Bias Trick You!!

Why is the introductory piece to camera audio track in mono?

Hi Titus, as a amateur organist I’m in no position to question the opinion of a professional organist like you. Nevertheless I think you take a interesting stance on the subject. I live in a country with beautiful historical pipe organs around every corner. I don’t know any church with a digital instrument. If they can’t afford a “serious” pipe organ than they often choose for a chest organ instead of a digital variant. As you might know, most of my own performances on my channel are played with Hauptwerk. I am amazed with the possibility of virtual traveling to different countries and era’s. But it never can replace a real pipe organ. And I never shall call my custom made console, an organ. Because it isn’t. For me a pipe organ is much more than sound. It’s craftmanship. It’s a living breathing instrument, with a “personality” that behaves different in any season, in any temperature, with every performer in any circumstance. It’s a piece of art, made of wood and metal. And some of them are living for centuries without losing their voice. I’m very happy with my fantastic Hauptwerk console and state of the art sample sets. But sitting on the bench from a pipe organ, in its natural environment, goes beyond music. It’s love.

Allen has done a great job in many installations.

My late mom's favorite church organ selection. And coincidentally, her maiden name was Allan, Scottish style with an "a", not an "e". Nicely done. Thanks, Titus.

Great video. I feel like the Hauptwerk age has helped some of the anti-digital organ mentality. As I play on an Allen every Sunday, and as it’s the only instrument I have access to, I do my best to make it sound as “real” as possible. Beautiful playing! 🎶

An excellent pronouncement, Titus. I have played electronic instruments which work just fine. Fortunately, I also get to play all three pipe organs for services each weekend in my small city. The Bach selection is a favorite. Thank you!

I’m just not convinced by the sound of Allen organs. I have degrees in music in organ and voice, and Allen always sounds algorithmic and 2-dimensional to me. I’m not opposed at all to digital organs. Now, as you say, and my organ professors always said- The room is the most important stop. You’re playing in a great room, and that Allen sounds much better because of it. It’s obviously a good installation. The best digital organs IMO are Phoenix from Peterborough, CA, and Walker (great, insanely expensive). We have a 6 year old Allen at the organ where I am full-time that my predecessor chose, and it’s an unfortunate installation. But to me, you can never beat a real pipe organ as far as sound. Great video!

Thank you Titus and Kim for helping to encourage at least some people to appreciate and accept organ music in Australia - while accepting that not every situation is capable physically or financially of supporting an authentic pipe organ. The sample sets carefully crafted by Rodgers, Allen, Hauptwerk and others are to most ears perfectly acceptable in the environments they're installed in.

Congratulations on your approach to "organs". Like you I like ALL organs be they be Pipe Organs, Electronic Organs or Sample based (Hauptwerk etc). I would have loved to learn the "organ". I did up to grade 7 in piano but I really loved the sound of the organ. I can remember as a very small child being taken occasionally to Mary Immaculate Church in Manly. There was a pipe organ at the rear of the church and I as a small child was fascinated by its sound. In later school days I spent time in many churches with Harmoniums, Real Organs and even a Hammond organ. I liked them all.   I now have a Hauptwerk setup with three manuals and pedals and a number of organ samples. I live near Canberra but in NSW. If you are down this way, I'd be honoured if you would like to play my setup. Cheers and keep up the good work. Mike

I play on a new Rodgers at my church, and it is honestly pretty nice. I’ve also heard a 4m Walker that was utterly convincing (it was very finely voiced, and in a nice room that did it many favors, but I was always thrilled whenever I was asked to play it). The fact is that the newest generation of these instruments are actually quite good. Yes, the real deal is “better”as a general rule, but it’s also fair to say that a nice digital is often better than a poor pipe instrument.

It depends on context. I swerve towards a real pipe organ, but a good digital would beat a bad or unsuitable pipe organ. If a church has a well used and loved, quality digital then that is far superior to a situation where a pipe organ is ignored and overlooked, for example in favour of a praise band or something

I understand what you were trying to convey, I am neither a purist of for that matter a brilliant organist, but I will say that musicianship is very important. I have heard many a "real" organ with problems ,played by professionals that can still know just how much or how far they can go with the instrument that works. And play an entire concert with very pleasing results. As an electronics tech I also enjoy the world of the digital organ. Certainly the environment of a good natural acoustics makes it easier to emulate a pipe organ. Sometimes an electronics that is well set up is going to be better in some instances then the installed pipe organ it may replace. My own church has an instrument that is getting very tired and truly is nothing special, replacing it with an electronic is certainly an option. This would allow us to open the music repertoire more effectively and everything would work. Not to mention Hauptwerk would make for even more exciting options. Unfortunately very few people really understand just how much it costs to maintain a pipe organ in fully working order. I am yet to play an electronic that has blown me away, but I suspect this is more to do with the installation not being great. Would be glad to know of any really great installs ins Australia that I could go and listen to and play. Hey the world of organsis an exciting journey !

To me the definition of real organ dont necessarily mean if it has pipes or not. To me, it simply means whether the organ can generate its own sound or not. Be it the sound generated by pipes, reeds, or electronically (before digital). Digitals have come a long way, and can if properly tuned for their environment, sound nearly as good or even indistinguishable fromthe pipes their digital samples were taken from.

I have the same organ. Allen Q320E. Love it!

I could certainly hear a slight difference in the sound at first, but it sounds beautiful regardless.

It's good to see that you don't 'sit on the fence' when it comes to the issue of pipe versus digital organs, Titus (and leaving the 'purists' in this world perplexed or horrified by your views is clearly not going to give you sleepless nights!). For certain, there are many really awful pipe organs in this world (I've encountered plenty!) and there are many really excellent digital instruments (I've heard many and played a few!). I'm with you when it comes to saying what matters most is whether the instrument produces 'musical' sounds that are pleasing to the ears. Of course, not even the most sophisticated sound system consisting of amplifier and speakers can ever fully replicate the sound of hundreds of pipes speaking together as the magical way pipes influence one another sonically is quintessentially what produces the unique sound of a real pipe organ. But for most of us mere mortals, we can be easily deceived by the wonders of computer technology, whether the instrument is a sample sound organ or one where digital organ tone is being generated synthetically (as with Viscount Physis technology). Those churches (and other institutions such as universities) that can afford to install new pipe organs or renovate/maintain good existing instruments are most fortunate as good pipe organs do not come cheap (and nor do the best digital instruments, although they are not as eye-wateringly expensive as the real thing!). At the end of the day, if music in church is about enhancing worship, then the focus should be on how that is best achieved rather than on whether pipes are superior to digital approximations. I suspect that in 100 years time, there will be fewer excellent pipe organs left to play and many more digital instruments in this world that can do all that is required of them - and more besides. But the debate about what makes 'a real organ' will be with us for eternity!

I am not prejudiced against digitals but I can definitely tell them from a pipe organ.

Looks like a Protégé L-321. We have one at the Bethel Methodist Church on Anguilla in the Caribbean, but I don't think it's set up very well because it definitely doesnt sound like this. The acoustic of this church in the video is very good. Thanks for the video 👍🏾

Very good sentiment towards these types of instruments. No one will say these organs sound better then a pipe organ, but many churches choose them because they cost less, don’t require maintenance, and don’t take up much space. As long as the organ is voiced well for the space it is in, it will sound great, though I might be biased there

Can you please tell me where you got that version of Jesu Joy of Mans Desiring would like to take a close look at it, appeared to be a little light on the left hand accompaniment than I am used to. Regards