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Bittern wrote:

Happy New Year, everybody!

Any reactions to Sonus Paradisi's Groningen sample set? Comparisons to Zwolle would be particularly helpful. I presently have Zwolle in Hauptwerk 4 advanced.

Many thanks,

Peter

Bittern wrote:

Happy New Year, everybody!

Any reactions to Sonus Paradisi's Groningen sample set? Comparisons to Zwolle would be particularly helpful. I presently have Zwolle in Hauptwerk 4 advanced.

Many thanks,

Peter

jacko wrote:

Under Free Stuff at the Sonus Paradisi website, there's a fully functional DEMO set of Groningen - also suitable for HW4 regardless of the commentary provided by SP. The "Download surround" version in FOUR files works faultlessly in HW4 (Windows 10) on my machine. See

http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/blog/st-martini-groningen-demo-set/

Andrew Grahame wrote:

That's right, Groningen and Zwolle are quite different.

I just installed Groningen last night, and briefly explored it. I found that it's quite a different instrument from any sample set I've acquired previously.

The production side is impeccable, as can be expected from Sonus Paradisi. Having 4 stereo pairs to play around with gives extraordinary possibilities to create your ideal listening position. I use headphones exclusively, so this must be taken into account as the context for the following observations.

I found there is a surprising feature of its specification - the Bovenwerk resembles a kind of "grand chorus" - along the lines of the bold diapason chorus work which found its way onto the Solo organ of some modern English cathedral and concert organs during the middle and latter parts of the 20th century. The BW chorus is louder than the HW chorus, and the two can be coupled. Also, the BW contains a 16-foot chorus reed - the HW only has one at 8-foot pitch. It would appear, then, that the BW has been conceived as being the "other half" of the HW. The two departments need to be considered together. Cavaille-Coll did something similar at St Sulpice with the Grand-Orgue and Grand-Choer departments.

By contrast, it's not possible to couple the Rugwerk to the other departments. The coupler for the RW actually brings the HW down to it (rather like a "Great to Choir" coupler would do on an English organ). You can add the BW to the HW, and add the HW to the RW, but you can't add the RW to the HW or couple the BW to the RW. In other words, using the organ's native couplers it's not possible to couple all 3 departments together.

The pedal is extensive and complete, but it needs to be as there are no pedal couplers.

Of course, it's possible to use the Hauptwerk master coupler system to add whatever additional couplers you desire, but it's worth taking the organ's original concept into consideration.

There are extensive secondary choruses of flutes and mutations, especially on the RW and HW, though surprisingly no Tierce or Cornet. The RW and BW each has a Sesquialtera, and the HW has a Tertiaan, so these compound stops need to be mixed with other ranks for a cornet effect. The HW has a beautiful quiet unison string - called a Salicet - which is a bit like a Dulciana.

From my first exposure to this organ, it would certainly call for considerable care in registration, not to mention the perspective settings. I found that the more was added of the Diffuse and Rear channels the Pedal increased in volume to the point where it started to lose balance with the manuals.

In conclusion, this is an astoundingly fine addition to the Sonus Paradisi stable. It's in line with Jiri Zurek's uncanny ability to seek out and sample organs which are "special". I believe it will replay close and careful study in terms of registration management.

Andrew

Andrew Grahame wrote:

Thanks Adri. I'm only encountering this sample set for the very first time - I've not even heard a CD recording of it. I must try that coupling trick. I have set up master couplers, but as a rule I try not to use them on historic sample sets.

I didn't mean to imply that Jiri Zurek is the only sample set producer who is seeking out fine instruments. Quite a few other producers are doing the same.

I've just closed the organ down for the night, after a short time looking for sounds to play BWV 659 (Nun komm, from the Great 18). I ended up with the BW flute 8 plus Nasat coupled to HW Quintadena 8 and flute 4 for RH. It sounded good, both with or without the tremulant. LH was on RW Principal 8 plus flute 4, and pedal was the 16-foot flute plus Principal 8. It all balanced quite nicely.

I agree about the front direct ranks. I plan to mute these in favour of reinstating some sampled tremulant sounds.