The Blockwerk, part 3

JULIAN RHODES' DREAM ORGANS

THE BLOCKWERK - AN HISTORICAL SKETCH
Part Three: Romantic to Modern

The second part of this account showed the continuing presence of the Blockwerk from the 1500s to the 1700s. We will now trace its persistence in organs up to the present day.

STRINGS AND REEDS

It is very rare to find contemporary Blockwerks in other tonalities than principals; but there are isolated examples.
In the 1920s and 30s, large American organs sometimes included a string division playable only as a block, controlled by a single stop. Examples include Cleveland Auditorium, OH (Skinner 1921), with a six-rank string division playable from any manual and pedal; and Macky Auditorium, Boulder University, CO (Austin 1922-3), with a six-rank string organ and a similar stop-control arrangement.
Meanwhile, the Wanamaker organ at Philadelphia included in its String Pedal division a XII Mixture, comprising the 32ft. Gamba, the 16ft. Mutation Diaphone, and Mutation Viols at 1.5.8.12.15.19.22.24.26.31: a complete string Blockwerk.
At Davies Hall, San Francisco (Ruffatti 1984) there is a fourteen-rank Violes d'Orchestre 8ft. prepared for.
I know of no flute Blockwerk except for the 18th-century example at S. Niccolo l'Arena, Catania, Sicily. This five-manual organ contained an eight-rank 'Concerto Flauti' 1.1.1.1.8.8.8.8. The varied pipe-forms included overblowing, conical and inverted conical, round mouths and square mouths.
At Engelberg Abbey, Switzerland, the 1926 Goll organ includes a number of composite stop controls. On Manual III there is a Zungen-Cornett (reed cornet), drawing separate reed ranks at 1.5.8.10. At Atlantic City Convention Hall there are two compound stop-tabs on Pedal, bringing on similar groups of reeds at 1.5.8.12.15 and 1.5.8.12.15.19.
The 1976 proposal by C.B. Fisk for Davies Hall was to include, on the Solo division, a IV Orlos 1.8.8.15, a total of 244 horizontal pipes.

MIXTURES

N.B. in tabulated mixture compositions, '-5' means 10 2/3ft. pitch; '-8' means 16ft. pitch, and '-12' means 21 1/3ft. pitch.

There are several ways in which 19th and 20th-century mixture stops recall the old Blockwerk:
- in adding a large or emphatically-voiced mixture to a few independent chorus ranks, in the same way that the medieval Hintersatz was added to the foundation principals;
- in retaining the ranks present at the bottom of the compass while adding others as the scale rises;
- by including unison and sub-unison pitches, thus effectively forming a complete chorus within the mixture itself.
All these characteristics appear among the various examples given below. The main way in which they deviate from the strict Blockwerk is that in a modern mixture there are breaks; but our keyboard compass is greater than that of the medieval Blockwerk, making breaks a necessity.
The organ now at St. Bartholomew's Church, Armley, near Leeds, was built by Edmund Schulze for a privately-owned music room in 1866-69; the famous five-rank mixture may have been added when the organ was moved to the church in 1879. The disposition of the Great is:

16 16 8 8 8 8 4 4 II V 16 8
The two-rank Rauschquint contains twelfth and fifteenth; the composition of the five-rank mixture is:

C 15 19 22 26 29 g0 8 12 15 19 22 c2 1 5 8 12 15
Thus from treble c the mixture forms a blockwerk from unison to fifteenth. As the pipes are scaled identically to those of the independent chorus stops, the effect of bringing on the mixture is a great increase in power and drive.
This kind of mixture composition and treatment was unknown in England before the organs of Schulze. They influenced a whole generation of organs by such builders as T.C. Lewis and Forster & Andrews. In the 20th-century Harrison & Harrison included Great mixtures beginning, like Armley at 15.19.22.26.29; so did Henry Willis III in his 1922 organ at Westminster Cathedral, London, where the Grand Chorus V on Great has the following composition:

C 15 19 22 26 29 f0 12 15 19 22 26 c#1 8 12 15 19 22 c#2 1 8 12 15 15
The influence of Schulze is clear in the effect of this stop, though the breaks are more subtle and there is no 5 1/3ft. quint in the upper part of the compass (one was provided on a separate draw).
The organs at Johannesburg Town Hall (Norman & Beard 1914) and St. Paul, Toronto (Casavant 1914) both contained a Bombarde division which included a VI Grande Fourniture 12.15.19.22.26.29. These schemes were influenced by George Dixon.
Now to the organ in France.
As early as 1846 Cavaillé-Coll had included a Plein Jeu X as the only mixture in his organ at La Madeleine. In 1851 the organ by Ducroquet for the Great Exhibition, London, included in its twenty stops a Grand-Orgue as follows:

16 8 8 8 8 4 V 16 8 4
The composition of the Plein Jeu was 12.15.19.22.26. This is reminiscent of Schulze; but the effect, especially with the French reeds, was doubtless quite different.
In his rebuild of the organ at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris in 1868, Cavaillé-Coll introduced his 'progressive' mixtures, also known as 'harmonic' mixtures. Despite this name, they were not made up of overblowing pipes; instead they comprised moderately scaled cylindrical pipes. Their distinctive feature was that they contained no breaks in the traditional sense; rather they gained ranks as the scale ascended. Thus they reinforced the harmonic spectrum in the treble and bonded the flues to the reeds without what Cavaillé-Coll described as the "high, piercing tones" of the traditional mixture.
On the Grand-Orgue at Notre-Dame there was in effect a IV-X Plein Jeu Harmonique, comprised of Fourniture Harmonique II-V and Cymbale Harmonique II-V. Here are their compositions, with the ranks of the Cymbale on the right. Note that the stops gains ranks in opposite directions - the Fourniture dowanwards, the Cymbale upwards.

Fourniture II-V Cymbale II-V C 8 12 12 15 c0 5 8 12 12 15 17 c1 1 5 8 12 12 15 17 19 c2 -5 1 5 8 12 12 15 17 19 22
The Positif contained only one mixture, a Plein-Jeu Harmonique III-VI:
C              8  12  15
c0          5  8  12  15
a0       1  5  8  12  15
f#1  -8  1  5  8  12  15
Otherwise, a typical Cavaillé-Coll Fourniture in a large instrument might include the following ranks:
C                        15  19  22  26  29
f0                8  12  15  19  22
f1          1  5  8  12  15
f2  -8  -5  1  5  8
Both these features - the 'harmonic' mixture and the low-breaking mixture - have appeared from time to time in 20th-century instruments.
The Wanamaker organ at Philadelphia included two large mixtures based on the 32ft. harmonic series: Grand Mutation X on Pedal, and Grand Mutation VIII on Great.
In their 1924 rebuild of the organ at the Royal Albert Hall, London, Harrison & Harrison completely revised the disposition of the Great organ. It emerged as follows:
32  16  16  16  16  8  8  8  8  8  8  8  8  8  5 1/3  4  4  4  4  2 2/3  2  2  
V  VI  VII
16  8  8  8  4  4
The three mixture stops had the following interesting compositions:
Mixture V:
 
CC       8  12  15  19  22
c1    1  8  12  15  19
g#1   1  8  12  12  15
(reaching 8ft. pitch by middle c)
 
Harmonics VI:
 
CC            10          15  17  19  21  22
f#1     5  8  10  12  14  15
d2   1  5  8  10  12      15
(reaching 8ft. pitch by treble d#)
 
Cymbale VII:
 
CC                                          19  22      26  29  31  33  36
c0                              12  15      19  22  24  26  29
c1                    5  8      12  15  17  19  22
c2      -5      1     5  8  10  12  15
c3  -8  -5  -5  1  3  5  8
(reaching 5 1/3ft. pitch by middle c and 10 2/3ft. pitch by treble c)
In 'The Organ' quarterly, October 1947, Gilbert Benham wrote:

The mixture... gives both cohesion and brilliance to the whole of the great. It is not a powerful stop, and could not well be such, but supplies a very useful full-tone chorus.
The cymbale... does not add the supreme brilliance and shimmer one might be led to expect, but it imparts a very marked sense of fullness, richness and cohesion to the diapason work, and is best drawn after the mixture and before the harmonics. Its effect is marked throughout the entire compass, and is perhaps the outstanding feature of the great. In its lower range it imparts a distinct sub-unison pitch, due, of course, to its quint ranks.
The harmonics is a tremendous stop, to be used with some caution after the cymbale and mixture are out, and I think one or two of the reeds may well be out before this stop comes on, for its brilliance and power are very considerable indeed. As some indication of its effect let me say it comes out with considerable force after all the great reeds are out, in the manner of a "grand slam".

The organ at the Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Graces, Woulwe-St-Pierre, Bruxelles, (known as the 'Chant d'Oiseaux' church) was designed by Jean Guillou and built by Detlef Kleuker in 1981. It is a remarkable instrument, worthy of extended comment; for now, here are three of the mixture compositions. Firstly, the Grand-Orgue, which has a disposition of:

16 Montre 8 Montre 8 Flûte Majeure 4 Prestant 2 Flûte III-IV Grosse Mixture 8 V Plein-jeu 15 III-V Cornet 8 Trompette (en chamade) 4/16 Clairon (en chamade)
And the mixture compositions:

Grosse Mixture III-IV: C 8 12 17 c0 8 10 12 g0 5 8 10 c1 1 5 8 10 g1 1 3 5 8 c2 -5 1 3 8 Plein-jeu V: C 15 19 22 26 29 f0 12 15 19 22 26 f1 8 12 15 19 22 d2 1 8 12 15 19 a2 1 5 8 12 15 d3 1 1 5 8 12
And that of the Récit Plein-jeu Progressif III-VII:

C 12 15 19 e0 8 12 15 19 f1 5 8 12 15 19 c2 1 5 8 12 15 19 a2 -5 1 1 5 8 12 15 d3 -8 -5 1 5 8 12 15
The 32ft. and 16ft. harmonics will be noted; also the breaks to low pitches, and the progressive Plein Jeu after Cavaillé-Coll.
In the 1996 organ at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, Marcussen included a Swell Plein Jeu V-VI in a similar vein:

C 15 19 22 22 22 c0 12 15 19 22 22 g0 8 12 15 19 19 c1 1 8 12 15 15 19 g2 1 8 12 12 15 15 c3 1 8 8 12 12 12
Again, note the early accession of low pitches, reaching 8ft. by middle C.
Now for some other large mixtures.
John Compton was a progressive organ builder in many ways, not least in his use of the harmonic series. He believed that a complete tonal effect in full chorus could be achieved only by the provision of the 'rare' mutation pitches:

It was... easy to understand why the tierce had failed; it needed the septieme to perfect its tonal structure... The septieme was objectionable only because of the absence of the neuvieme (the ninth partial); the neuvieme was harsh-sounding unless topped by an onzieme (the eleventh partial); that the onzieme cried aloud for a treizieme (the thirteenth partial); and so on, without end.

The opportunity to demonstrate this philosophy practically arose seldom. In 1926, at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, he provided a Cornet VIII on Great as follows:

12 15 17 19 21 22 23 25
In 1929 at Bournemouth Pavilion the two Great mixtures comprised:

Cornet XI 5 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Plein Jeu IX 12 15 17 19 21 22 23 24 25
This is a genuine re-interpretation of the medieval Hintersatz, in which a mass of harmonic superstructure is added to a few basic chorus ranks. The inheritors of Compton's work were the German avant-garde builders of the 1960s.
In Italy, the 1930 Tamburini organ at Auditorio Pio XII in Rome contained a Gran Ripieno XI. At Milan Cathedral there was a Ripieno X (Gran Organo) and a Ripieno XI (Positivo). These large, multi-rank mixtures took over the function of the high-pitched, separate chorus ranks familiar in Italian instruments since the 15th century.
In America the Kilgen firm also included 'Ripieno' registers in its organs. The very word is suggestive of the Blockwerk principle, for it means 'filling up', like the old Hintersatz. In the Kilgen organs the Ripieni included some of the separate chorus ranks as well as bringing on the mixtures. For example, in the 1930 Kilgen at the First Christian Church in New Castle, PA there are two 'mixtures' on the Great windchest; their ranks break at different points from each other, like the individual upperwork ranks in the classical Italian organ. The three-rank mixture is as follows:

rank no.1 rank no.2 rank no.3 C 22 C 26 C 29 a#1 15 d#1 19 a#0 22 a2 8 d2 15 a1 15 g#3 1 c#3 5 g#2 8 g3 1
And the two-rank:

rank no.1 rank no.2 C 15 C 19 a#2 8 d#2 12 a3 1 d3 5
There are three stop-tabs which control these mixture ranks. "8rks Ripieno Fondamento" draws the 16ft Double Diapason, 8ft 2nd Open Diapason, 4ft Octave, IIIrk mixture and IIrk mixture. "6rks Ripieno Maggiore" draws the 8ft Gemshorn, 8ft Concert Flute, 4ft Flute and IIIrk mixture. "4rks Ripieno Minore" draws the 8ft Gemshorn, 4ft Flute and IIrk mixture.
The organ at St. Laurence, Nürnberg, was comprehensively rebuilt by Steinmeyer in 1937. The Schwellwerk Grossmixtur VII-X has the following composition:

C 12 15 19 22 26 29 29 d0 8 12 15 19 22 22 26 26 a0 5 8 12 15 15 19 19 22 22 d1 1 5 8 12 15 15 19 19 22 22 d2 -5 1 5 8 12 15 15 19 19 22 a2 -8 -5 1 5 8 8 12 12 15 15
and it is capped by a Klingende Cymbel IV-V, beginning at 36.40.45.50, with nine breaks reaching 8.10.12.15.19 at a3.
The Brustwerk has a Gross Mixtur XII-XVI; such a complement of ranks is worthy of the old South German builders. The stop is as follows (the stray "35 36" and "36" ranks should be read as part of the line above; if the whole thing goes off the edge of your screen, reduce the size of your mono-spaced font!):

C 15 15 19 19 22 24 26 29 30 33 35 36 B 12 15 15 17 19 22 24 26 29 30 33 35 36 f0 8 8 12 15 17 19 22 24 26 28 29 30 33 36 b0 5 8 8 12 15 17 19 21 22 24 26 28 29 30 33 f1 1 5 8 10 12 15 17 19 21 22 23 24 26 29 32 33 b1 1 1 5 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 19 22 24 25 26 29 f2 -5 1 1 5 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 19 22 25 26 29 b2 -8 -8 -5 1 3 5 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 22 f3 -8 -8 -8 -5 1 3 5 8 10 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 b3 -12 -8 -8 -8 -5 1 3 5 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 17
Note the presence of x/7, x/9 and x/11 mutation pitches. The stop is complemented by a Helle Cymbel III-IV, beginning at 36.40.43, with eight breaks reaching 8.10.12.15 at g#3.
In Switzerland, the organ at Einsiedeln Abbey was rebuilt in 1939 by Moser and some big mixturework was added: Mixtur X-XII and Scharfzimbel VII-VIII on the Hauptwerk; Mixtur XI and Zimbel VII on Pedal.
More recently, historically aware organ-builders in the USA who derive their inspiration partly from baroque German organs have included some very large mixtures in the 17th-century style. The Fisk company has regularly made such stops as the Mixtur VIII-XIV in the 1984 organ at Stanford University Chapel, CA.
Towards the end of the 20th-century there was a revival of interest in the Bombarde division, usually comprising large mixtures and big, horizontal reeds. In 1978 the Hill organ of 1861 at Ulster Hall, Belfast was rebuilt by Mander. The Solo division was effectively transformed into a Bombarde, and two large new mixtures were included; in power and effect they are reminiscent of the medieval Blockwerk. Well-stocked Bombarde divisions are common in large organ in the USA: a particularly complete example is at First Baptist Church, Jackson, MI. This Keates-Geissler rebuild of c.1989 has a Bombarde including VII Grand Fourniture 12, X Rauschwerk 8 and IV High Zimbel 36. The use of the name 'Rauschwek', familiar from 18th-century southern Germany, is especially interesting.

MIXTURES, PRINCIPALS AND REEDS

It is arguable - though rather unfortunately so, in view of the extended nature of the preceding examples - that the modern breaking mixture cannot, by virtue of its very nature, be said to resemble the medieval Blockwerk. If so, there is less ambiguity when we encounter those mixtures which include a unison rank from the very bottom of their compass.
Such a stop was the Grand Chorus X included in the Bombarde division of the 1925 Willis organ at Liverpool Cathedral. Here, the sub-unison is also present from the first note:

CC -8 1 5 8 12 15 19 22 26 29 g#0 -8 1 1 5 8 12 15 19 22 26 g1 -8 -5 1 1 5 8 12 15 19 22 f2 -8 -8 -5 1 1 5 8 12 15 19 c#3 -12 -8 -8 -5 1 1 5 8 12 15
Breaks apart, this is indeed a modern Blokwerk - a complete, undivided principal chorus.
At St. George's Hall, Liverpool in 1931, Willis did essentially the same thing in a slightly different fashion. To the Solo division he added a divided Blokwerk in two stops: a Solo Diapason 8ft, and a VII Grand Chorus 8.12.15.19.22.26.29.
John Compton was not slow to realise the potential of such stops. He included unison ranks in the mixtures of several of his large instruments, though in accordance with his philosophy of extension the pipes were usually borrowed from elsewhere in the instrument. At Downside Abbey in 1931 he provided the following:

Great Plein Jeu (VIII engraved on the stop knob, actually XI; pipes taken from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th diapasons and the gemshorn) 1 5 8 8 12 15 15 19 22 22 26 (a perfect evocation of the medieval Blockwerk; breaks at g45 and c50; ) Bombarde VII Sesquialtera (pipes from 3rd and 4th diapasons and the tierce rank) 1 5 8 15 15 17 19 Bombarde Grand Cornet (XII engraved on the stop-knob, actually XI; pipes used as follows:) from the Posaune rank: -8 1 5 8 12 15 from the 2nd diapason rank: 1 8 15 19 22 (This is a bold reed and diapason Blockwerk from 16ft. to 1ft.)
In the USA, the large organs designed by Emerson Richards included mixtures with the unison pitch present. In 1926 the organ at St. Mark, Philadelphia gained a VII Grand Cornet 1.5.8.10.12.14.15. The same pitches were present in the VII Grand Chorus at Atlantic City High School. For the great 1930 instrument in the Convention Hall, Atlantic City, Richards specified four such stops as follows:

Great: XI Grand Cornet -5.1.3.5.8.10.12.15.17.19.22 Solo: IX Grand Chorus 1.5.8.12.15.19.22.26.29 Fanfare: VII Stentor Mixture 1.5.8.12.15.19.22 Gallery 1: VII Mixture Mirabilis 1.5.8.12.15.19.22
To finish, a perfect example of the contemporary principal Blockwerk. Still prepared for only, the organ at Davies Hall, San Francisco expectantly awaits, in its Terrace division, the V Choeur de Fonds 1.8.12.15.19.

The next part of this essay examines modern trends against the Blockwerk concept.

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