Impression of Gert: The church of Saint Peter in Chains of Menesterol was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style.
In the 15th and 17th centuries the church is changed.
In 1970 they placed in the church an organ from 1842 of the former chapel of the hospital.
Technically, this organ was in a bad state. Gerhard Grenzing built in 1980 in the old cabinet a new instrument.
The organ was built in the North German baroque style.
In 2006, J. F. Dupont cleaned the organ completely and replaced the Regal by a Dulzian (one of most beautiful stops of the organ!).
There is no very long reverberation because the church is not very large, but the reverberation is 'intensive',
I think this is because there are 'spheres' in the roof, so there are lots of reflections.
With the exception of pure romantic music you can play a lot on this organ.
It is not a special historical organ.
But special: this sample set has a very low price and therefore it is an ideal set to start with Hauptwerk:
You have a Surround, Wet, Moist and Dry version together for less than E 70,-.
2 keyboards + pedal, it contains a complete disposition with the most important stops.
The wet version has a nice reverb.
The set (with exception of Surround) is ideal in combination with Hauptwerk Basic.
The hardware requirements are not high: you need 2.3 GB for the Wet version, a computer with 4 GB RAM is sufficient.
The set includes, as mentioned, four recordings:
Dry: Recording inside the organ case near the organ pipes, you hear almost no reverberation.
Moist: The recording was done near the organ case. Less reverb, but it doesn't sound 'cold'. You can use this version to sound your Hauptwerk-systeem as a 'home organ'. Listen below to sound examples of this version.
Wet: An AB (spaced omnis) recording.
The stereo experience is very well; you can hear it good at the Montre8. This wet recording has a nice reverb. Listen below to sound examples of this version.
Surround: 2 stereo channels, for the 'front' is the wet-recording (AB) used, for the 'rear' an ORTF-recording with a lot reverb.
I do not like the original surround version, it is overkill, and it sounds very 'woolly' in my living room.
Anton Heger made alternative surround versions (see: Menesterol; twee nieuwe surround versies), he replaced in the front-channel the wet-version with the dry- respectively moist version. A good idea!
You can download these alternative versions from site of Sonus Paradisi (Update page).
I prefer for 'speaker usage' the Moist-surround-version (of Anton), for 'headphone usage' I prefer the pure wet-version.
When you are handy with programming ODF (Organ Definition File) you can create your own 8 channel ODF which includes the Rear, Wet, Moist and Dry recordings.
The sample set has pretty detailed (you hear the 'blowing') principals, bright flutes and fine reeds.
I find the Flute4 a bit loud compared to the Bourdon8.
The Trompet8 (divided in Bass and Discant) is quite soft, not sharp and not too powerful.
The 'tutti' sounds very good (listen below to 'Plein Jeu'), the stops mix well but it is still bright.
The Sesquialter sounds also good, I doubt which stops should be used belong: 'Montre8, Prestant4, Sesq' or 'Bourdon8, Prestant4 Sesq', I think the first choice.
Also in this sample set, I find the (artificial) tremulant not very nice.
As example I played the Canon psalm 43 of Klaas Bolt with tremulant.
The wind model (available in Hauptwerk Advanced outside U.S.) is a bit 'smooth' (or tight, it's just how you look) adjusted: Sometimes you will find there is too less wind.
Via the menu 'Organ / Organ preferences / Wind supply model' it is possible to adjust the influence of the wind model.
The lay-out looks good:
Practical, easy to read and also just beautiful and realistic.
I miss only buttons for combination stops.
On the Voicing screen I increased the volume of 'Blower' and 'Tracker noise' a bit.
For this set is a free demo version (G.O.: Montre 8', Prestant 4', Flûte 2' Récit: Bourdon 8', Flûte 4', Quinte 1 3/5) available on Sonus Paradisi: Free stuff.
For this price an absolute must if you do not have other quality sample sets in this style.
Gert, March 2012
Mp3 examples, played by GertCAUTION (Wet version):
JW Player goes here
Mp3 examples, played by GertCAUTION (Moist version):