JULIAN RHODES' DREAM ORGANS
STOPLISTS FOR IDEAL ORGANS

Dr. Walter Supper, an architect by profession, was an influential figure in the German organ world from the 1950s to the 1970s. He designed organ cases, and drew up stoplists for instruments at Ulm Münster (Walcker 1969, V/95), St. Georg Tübingen (Weigle 1965, III/58) and elsewhere.

In the Organ Club's 'Golden Jubilee' Handbook (1976) he wrote an essay from which the following extract is taken:

..in the 1960s it was appreciated by the more forward-looking that the tonalities of the organ had to be expanded. The Gesellschaft der Orgelfreunde, of which I was President from its foundation in 1951 until 1972... was able to make its contribution in advising that the main tonal build-up, including the topmost registers, in relation to stopped, open and tapered pipes and reeds, should have a widening influence on the tonal gain in two directions:

a) in the overtone (aliquot) ranks, i.e. 2 2/3, 1 3/5, 1 1/7, 8/9 etc., and
b) in the softer and string tones which... should make their own contribution to the overall sound...

When one speaks of tonal colours one may liken this to true colours. Certainly one may make a bouquet of only red roses or only of white lillies. Those living in this machine and computer age have acquired for themselves a physical compensation through gaily-coloured pictures, brightly-tinted clothes and cheerfully painted motor car bodies. Why should not a longing for colour also be gratified in sound?

Supper belonged to the second generation of the Orgelbewegung, and these comments show how he strove to widen the tonal possibilities of the rather ascetic instruments built in previous years. This bore fruit in many Modernist designs during the 1960s and 70s.

The essay ended with a selection of hypothetical stoplists. Here are two examples.

"A small versatile church organ with eighteen stops"
 
I HAUPTWERK 
    16       Harfpommer
     8       Flachflöte
     4       Prinzipal
     4       Spitzflöte
     2       Waldflöte
  III-IV     Mixtur 15
             Tremulant
 
II SCHWELLWERK
     8       Gedacktflöte
     4       Rohrflöte
    2 2/3    Quintflöte
     2       Prinzipal
    1 3/5    Terzflöte
    8/9      Nonenflöte
    III      Zimbel 29
     8       Hautbois
             Tremulant
 
PEDALWERK
    16       Untersatz
     8       Viol-Oktave
    4+2      Dolkan-Piffaro
     8       Fagottbaß
 
I-P  II-P  II-I
 
 
 
 
"An opulent three-manual organ with forty-nine stops"
 
I HAUPTWERK
    16       Gedacktpommer
     8       Prinzipal
     8       Rohrgedackt
     8       Spillpfeife
     4       Oktave
     4       Violetta
    II       Rauschquint 12.15
     2       Waldflöte
   IV-V      Mixtur 15
    16       Fagott
     8       Helltrompete
 
II POSITIVWERK
     8       Gedackt
     8       Quintviola
     4       Praestant
     4       Kleingedackt
     2       Kleinoktave
     2       Nachthorn
   1 1/3     Quinte
    8/9      None
    III      Terzzimbel 22
     8       Krummhorn
     4       Schalmey
             Tremulant
 
III SCHWELLWERK
    16       Stillbordun
     8       Holzprinzipal
     8       Spitzgedackt
     8       Harpfeife  (tapered wood, veiled sound)
     4       Weitprinzipal
     4       Rohrflöte
     4       Schwebung
    2 2/3    Quintflöte
     2       Feldflöte
    1 3/5    Terzflöte
    1 1/7    Septime
     1       Vogelpfeife
    VI       Scharfmixtur 15
    16       Dulzian
     8       Hautbois
     4       Clarine
             Tremulant
 
PEDALWERK
    16       Prinzipalbaß
    16       Subbaß
     8       Oktavbaß
     8       Spitzflöte
    5 1/3    Quinte
     4       Rohrpommer
    4+2      Piffaro
    III      Baßzink 17
    16       Posaune
     8       Dunkeltrompete
     2       Vox Humana
             Tremulant to Kleinpedal
 
6 unison couplers.