Poem

The tide has gone

Just upped and shipped out.

Probably had enough

of ships, sliding on its surface, oily

and bearing down;

Boring through sheer size.

The beating hearts of ocean life - 

(as if they were the men of the land,

sound out

unobstructed by time that seems

to stop and start anew)

 - carry on

without a word

in sounding deeps

that lead to greater depths.

MESLANGE DES JEUX DE L'ORGUE - Gaspard Corrette

Those of you who know me will recall that I still like to play the organ from time to time.  Truro Cathedral is of course, blessed with the only Cathedral Organ built by 'Father' Henry Willis to still be even approaching its original state (a new detached console and moving the Solo Tuba to the front part of the interior pale in comparison to the rebuilds [and repitchings] other Cathedral organs have faced), but alas, I have not had the pleasure of playing it.  And rightfully so, for an organ scholar in retirement like me!  However, I am allowed access to one of the Cathedral's other instruments - what remains of the organ installed in 1750, in the Parish church of St. Mary in Truro, built by John Byfield II. (NPOR)

Battered and bruised over its 266 year lifespan, I now jump at whatever chance I have to play this noble fragment (the case and I'd say barely 4 of the 19 stops that would have accompanied the  first service of Nine Lessons and Carols remain, in heavily altered form), and hack through my favourite stuff: French Baroque.  Full of character and uncompromising discord, the composers of the French School had a talent for the dramatic, as well as the pastoral, using the 8 church modes to create suites of pieces that were designed to accompany the worship of French liturgy, either as alternating with chanting or a choir, or as pieces to be played at the communion.  Organ building reached a peak (and arguably stagnated), meaning that almost all instruments had the same basic sound available (with according luxuries on lager instruments), so a set of registrational rules were drawn up that once learned, could be applied to any instrument.

The menu that follows comes from the introduction to Gaspard Corrette's Organ Mass, the title of which translates as "Mass on the 8th tone for the Organ, for the usage of Nuns and useful to those who play the Organ" (no, really).  It's great, full of crashing discord and a few indulgent melodies thrown in to the mix of dialogues and Plein Jeu's... But trying to register anything on what's left?  I'll leave the French intact and give the hilarious machine translation but after I'll give as good an account as I can of what actually happens.  Unfortunately, everything starts to sound the same after a while...

Pour le PLEIN JEU: L'on tire les Claviers ensemble, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon de 16 pieds, Bourdon, Montre, Prestant, Doublette, Fourniture et Cymballe, Au Positif, Bourdon, Montre, Prestant, Doublette, Fourniture et Cymballe. 

For FULL GAME, Keyboards together are drawn, In Big Game, 16-foot Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Watch, Prestant, Doublette, Supply and Cymballe, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Watch, Prestant, Doublette, Supply and Cymballe.

Couple the manuals; On the Great, Open Diapason, Stopt Diapason, Principal.  On the Swell, Open Diapason, Stopt Diapason, Principal, Mixture.  Couple both to Pedal (in case of tenths)

Pour la FUGUE: L'on tire les Claviers ensemble, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, Prestant, Trompette, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, et le Cromhorne. 

For the RUNNING AWAY, Keyboards together are drawn, In Big Game, Bumblebee, Prestant, Trumpet player, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, and Cromhorne.

Swell Oboe and SD, couple to pedal (in case of tenths)

Le TRIO A DEUX DESSUS: on pousse les Claviers, la Main droite sur le Positif, et la Main gauche sur le Grand Jeu, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, Prestant, Montre, Tierce, Grosse Tierce, Nazar, et Quarte de Nazar, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, le Cromhorne, et le Tremblant Doux. 

The TRIO HAS TWO TOPS, Keyboards, the Right hand on the Positive, and the Left hand on Big Game are pushed,
In Big Game, Bumblebee, Prestant, Watch, Third, big Third, Nazar, and Quarte de Nazar,

In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, Cromhorne, and Trembling Soft.

Right hand on the Swell and the left hand on the Great.  Sw. SD and Principal and Gt. OD (or Principal an octave down)

Le DUO: On pousse les Claviers, la Main droite sur le Positif, et la Main gauche sur le Grand Jeu, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon de 16 pieds, Bourdon, Prestant, Tierce, Grosse Tierce, Nazar, et Quarte de Nazar, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, Tierce, et Nazar. 

The DUET, Keyboards, the Right hand on the Positive, and the Left hand on Big Game are pushed, In Big Game, 16-foot Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Prestant, Third, big Third, Nazar, and Quarte de Nazar, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, Third, and Nazar.

Right hand on Swell and the left hand on the Great.  Sw. Oboe (or OD and Principal), Gt. SD

Le RÉCIT DE NAZAR: Se touche sur le Positif, et l’Acompagnement sur le Grand Jeu, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, et Montre de quatre pieds, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre et le Nazar. 

The STORY OF NAZAR, feels each other on the Positive, and Acompagnement on Big Game, In Big Game, Bumblebee, and four-foot Watch, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch and Nazar.

Solo on the Great, accompaniment on the Swell - Gt. Principal and Sw. OD and SD

DESSUS DE PETITE TIERCE: Se touche sur le Positif, et l’Acompagnement sur le Grand Jeu, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, et Prestant, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, Tierce, et Nazar. 

TOP OF THIRD BABY, feels each other on the Positive, and Acompagnement on Big Game, In the Big Game, Bumblebee, and Prestant, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, Third, and Nazar.

Solo on the Swell, accompaniment on the Great.  Sw. SD and Mixture, Gr. OD

BASSE DE TROMPETTE: On pousse les Claviers, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, Prestant, et Trompette, Au Positif, Bourdon, et Prestant ou Montre. 

BASS OF TRUMPET PLAYER, Keyboards are pushed, In Big Game, Bumblebee, Prestant, and Trumpet player, In the Positive, Bumblebee, and Prestant or Watch.

Solo on the Great, accompaniment on the Swell - Gt. Principal and OD, Sw. OD and SD (box half closed)

BASSE DE CROMHORNE: On pousse les Claviers, Au Grand Jeu, Montre et Bourdon, Au Positif, Prestant ou Montre, Nazar, Tierce, Doublette, Larigot, et le Cromhorne, point de Bourdon.

BASS OF CROMHORNE, Keyboards are pushed, In Big Game, Watch and Bumblebee, In the Positive, Prestant or Watch, Nazar, Third, Doublette, Larigot, and Cromhorne, no Bumblebee.

Solo on the Swell - Sw. Oboe and SD, Gt. Dulciana.  Great to Pedal coupled.

CROMHORNE EN TAILLE: Au Grand Jeu, Montre, Bourdon, et les Pedalles de Flûte, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, et le Cromhorne.

CROMHORNE THERE SHARPENS, In Big Game, Watch, Bumblebee, and the Pedalles de Flûte, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, and Cromhorne,

Solo on the Swell - Sw. Oboe and SD, Gt. SD.  Great to Pedal coupled.

TIERCE EN TAILLE: Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon de 16 pieds, Montre et Prestant, et les Pedalles de Flûte, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, Nazar, Tierce, Doublette, et Larigot. 

THIRD THERE SHARPENS, In Big Game, 16-foot Bumblebee, Watch and Prestant, and the Pedalles de Flûte, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, Nazar, Third, Doublette, and Larigot.

Solo on the Swell - Sw. Mixture, Principal, SD, Gt. SD.  Great to Pedal coupled

FOND D’ORGUE: On tire les Claviers l’un sur l’autre, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon de 16 pieds, Bourdon, Prestant, et Montre, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre. 

BOTTOM Of ORGAN, Keyboards the one at other one are drawn, In Big Game, 16-foot Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Prestant, and Watch, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch.

All 8 foot stops coupled to Great

CONCERT DE FLUTE: On tire les Claviers l’un sur l’autre, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon et Flûte, Au Positif, Bourdon, Flûte et le Tremblant doux. 

CONCERT OF FLUTE, Keyboards the one at other one are drawn, In Big Game, Bumblebee and Flute, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Flute and Trembling soft.

Manuals coupled, Sw. SD, Gt. OD and Flute

DIALOGUE DE VOIX HUMAINE: On ne tire point les Claviers l’un sur l’autre, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon et Flûte, Au Positif, Bourdon, Flûte, la Voix Humaine, et le Tremblant doux. 

HAD TALKS OF VOX HUMANA, Keyboards the one at other one are not drawn, In Big Game, Bumblebee and Flute, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Flute, Vox humana, and Trembling soft.

Solo on Swell - Sw. Oboe, Gt. Dulciana

DIALOGUE A DEUX CHŒURS: On tire les Claviers l’un sur l’autre, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, Prestant, Trompette, Clairon, et le Cornet, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre et le Cromhorne.

They HAVE TALKS IN TWO CHŒURS, draw Keyboards the one at other one, In Big Game, Bumblebee, Prestant, Trumpet player, Bugle, and the Cone, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch and Cromhorne.

All couplers - Sw. full, Gt. OD, SD, Principal, Ped. OD brought on for final 'Fort Lentement' 

DIALOGUE A TROIS CHŒURS: On tire les Claviers l’un sur l’autre, Au Grand Jeu, Bourdon, Prestant, Trompette, Clairon, Cornet, Nazar, Quarte de Nazar et Tierce, Au Positif, Bourdon, Prestant ou Montre, Cromhorne, Tierce et Nazar, le Troisième Chœur sur le Clavier d’Echo, et le Tremblant à Vent Perdu.

They HAVE TALKS IN THREE CHŒURS, draw Keyboards the one at other one, In Big Game, Bumblebee, Prestant, Trumpet player, Bugle, Cone, Nazar, Quarte de Nazar and Third, In the Positive, Bumblebee, Prestant or Watch, Cromhorne, Third and Nazar,

the Third Chorus on the Keyboard of Echo, and the Trembling with Lost Wind.

Don't even start chummy, you're 'avin a laugh.

Pfff.  Big Game...

If anything, Organ teachers should just hand out a list of machine translated stop lists and let their students have an honest stab at it before telling them the real things.  Imagine, that one day a recital is given by one of these earnest pupils, who through sheer nerves tells their audience that they hope to showcase the beautiful voicing of stops with Monseigneur Couperin's "Top of Third Baby", only realising what they said after a smattering of confused applause and the audience mumbling the word "...baby?"