This mahooooosive organ is in the Library at the chateau of Candé. It was made by the American company Skinner and is one of only a dozen or so of their organs still in working order. It is listed as a French national monument in its own right. The organ can not only be played by a musician seated at the keyboard, but it has rolls that can be inserted and turn it into a self-playing instrument. We've only seen it open a couple of times, so Simon took the opportunity to take a photo last time we encountered the technician servicing it.
According to one of the gardeners at the estate the organ can be heard several kilometres away! The pipes stretch up into the attic, so it packs quite a punch. I'm not sure it would necessarily be a terribly pleasant experience sitting in the library with someone playing at full whack.
The organ is yet another of the incorrigible Charles Bedaux's modern gadgets, installed in the 1930s to keep the glamorous household entertained.
5 comments:
"Keep the household entertained???"
And the local populace by the sound...[urg]... of it, too!
Organs in libraries...
like this machine...
are only allowed to be played by Vincent Price...
or other Hammer Horror villans.
Does it affect the bats in the belfry, tho'?
It puts me in mind of the Unseen University organ, designed by BS Johnson. Does it have sound effects as well? Tim is particularly fond of organ music - I'd love to hear this one. P.
I agree with Tim about the organist!! The old ones do sound great played flat out... C
PG: I don't know if it has sound effects.
This is a link of one V Price playing... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R87_VQGoZw
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