Music Compositions of Philip Goddard — www.philipgoddard-music.co.uk

The Organs of the Invisible Cathedral —
Lists of Specifications

Two organ sizes

Two virtual organs are being used, for different compositions. A three-manual organ is used in The Unknown and this will also be used in all further organ compositions requiring three manuals. Following sterling advice from Carson Cooman, despite my predilection for large French organs I decided to make my three-manual organ an eclectic one with quite modest specifications compared with those organs used in various commercial CD recordings that I possess. Its manuals are only sparingly supplied with 16' stops; indeed the Positive section lacks any at all.

Again following Carson Cooman's advice, I'm using a smaller, two-manual organ for some works — much as I prefer larger organs — to enable the particular works to be played in many more places.

Source of the organ sounds

The sounds are all taken and in some cases adapted from John McCoy's freeware Jeux soundfont. It should be realized, though, that most of the sounds I get from the organ are combinations of my choice. As with any pipe organ, most of the individual ranks of pipes sound weak and pretty uninteresting until they are creatively combined. So, listeners to my works, if they think that my organ sounds are unusual, should not conclude that the Jeux organ sounds are unusual; it's only the way I've combined them — as other composers such as Olivier Messiaen and Jehan Alain have done before on their 'real' organs to achieve such variety and colourful and often mysterious effects.

The larger Organ — as used in The Unknown

1. Great

Foundations

Principals
  • Principal 16 
  • Principal 8
  • Principal 4
  • Principal 2
  • Principal 1
  • Montre 8
  • Doublette 2
  • Quint 2 2/3

Flutes (partially stopped)

  • Rohrflöte 8

Flutes (stopped)

  • Gedackt 8
  • Gedackt 4

Mixture stops

  • Mixture VI
  • Cymbale III
  • Cornet V

Strings

  • Gamba 8

Reeds

  • Bombarde 16
  • Trumpet 8
  • Clarion 4

2. Positive

Foundations

Principals
  • Principal 8
  • Principal 4
  • Principal 2
  • Doublette 2

Flutes (open)

  • Nazard 2 2/3
  • Tierce 1 3/5
  • Larigot 1 1/3
  • Piccolo 1

Flutes (partially stopped)

  • Rohrflöte 8
  • Rohrflöte 4

Flutes (stopped)

  • Gedackt 8
  • Cor de nuit 8
  • Quintadena 8

Mixture stops

  • Mixture VI
  • Fourniture III

Strings

  • Salicional 8
  • Viola 4

Reeds

  • Regal 8
  • Schalmei 8
  • Clarion 4

3. Récit

Foundations

Flutes (open)
  • Flute 2
  • Nazard 2 2/3
  • Tierce 1 3/5

Flutes (partially stopped)

  • Rohrflöte 4

Flutes (stopped)

  • Bourdon 16
  • Bourdon 8

Mixture & compound stops

  • Cymbale III
  • Voix humaine IV 8
  • Viola celeste 4
  • Flute celeste 8
  • Cornet V
  • Swell Chorus

Strings

  • Gamba 8

Reeds

  • Posaune 16
  • Vox humana 8
  • Gros Cromorne 8
  • Clarion 4

4. Pedal

Foundations

Principals

  • Principal 16
  • Principal 8
  • Principal 4

Flutes (open)

  • Flute 8

Flutes (stopped)

  • Subbass 16
  • Subbass 32
  • Bourdon 8

Mixture stops

  • Posaune Pedal III 16
  • Quintade III 16

Reeds

  • Posaune 16
  • Bassoon 16
  • Bombarde 16
  • Tuba 16
  • Trumpet 8
  • Clarion 4

Couplers & Effects

Couplers:

  • Positive — Great
  • Récit -Great
  • Récit — Positive
  • Great — Pedal
  • Positive — Pedal
  • Récit — Pedal
  • Tutti

Swell box:

  • Positive, Récit

Tremulant:

  • Récit

Written key range
(Middle C = C4):

  • Manuals: C2 — F#6
  • Pedal: C2 — G4

The smaller Organ — as used in The Great Wilderness

Please note that a larger organ is nowadays recommended for this work.

1. Great

Foundations

Principals

  • Principal 8
  • Principal 4
  • Principal 2

Flutes (partially stopped)

  • Rohrflöte 8

Flutes (stopped)

  • (Subbass 16)
  • Gedackt 8
  • Gedackt 4

Mixture stops

  • Cymbale III
  • Cornet V

Reeds

  • Trumpet 8

2. Positive

Foundations

Principals

  • Principal 8
  • Principal 4
  • Doublette 2

Flutes (open)

  • Nazard 2 2/3
  • Tierce 1 3/5

Flutes (partially stopped)

  • Rohrflöte 8

Strings

  • Gamba 8
  • Gamba 8 Celeste

Reeds

  • Schalmei 8

3. Pedal

Foundations

Principals

  • Principal 16
  • Principal 8

Flutes (open)

  • Flute 8

Flutes (stopped)

  • Subbass 16
  • Subbass 32 (optional)

Reeds

  • Bombarde 16
  • Trumpet 8

Couplers & Effects

Couplers

  • Positive — Great
  • Positive — Pedal
  • Great — Pedal
  • Tutti

Swell box

  • Positive

Written key range
(Middle C = C4):

  • Manuals: C2 — G6
    Pedal: C2 — G4