The Organ
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Current Status
The current pneumatic organ dates from 1950. Unfortunately, formed in difficult times thus the construction involving all possible efforts of the team. The material which was used was equivalent to the poor choice possibilities in that period of time. Some index series were used in the old organ and some were even installed in it under the proposed disposition. To illustrate the cases the entire gaming table had to be completely changed forty years later. The expertise available from the acoustics point of view created a basic problem. The organ case is too deep and is not able to be closed (the organ sound is absorbed by the back wall). For this reason, the sound of the organ does not spread well and the overall acoustic impression is that it lacks sharpness and brightness. The overall assessment of the current situation notes that the organ is in a poor technical condition and the sound on a bad level.
The Layout of The New Organ
The aim is to implement three modern and up to date manual organs with mechanical tracts. The expected number of registers is from 30 to 40. The preferred breakdown of each machine: main machine, shutter machine, and solo machine pedal. In addition the liturgy will be accompanied by the organ and concert use therefore, the design layout and scale length will emphasis more the largest variety of colours and registers. The organ should be capable of interpreting the widest range of organ literature. This will help the combination of mechanical and electrical control registers. The design concept of the organ involves and supervises the activities of professional associations such as Mag. Art. Ondřej Múčka, who studied music and arts high school in Graz, Austria, and now works as an organist expert in the diocese of Brno.
The Use of Organ
Our parish leads a very active musical life. In the centre of the background is the church choir with a long tradition (since 1992 under the leadership of Jan Hanáček). In this fifty-membership choir mostly young people are involved. The quality of compositions sung/performed by the choir belongs to the best in Brno. The ensemble performs at concerts and it is singing always at least 10 times per year at church services. The organ is used as an accompanying instrument (often in conjunction with the orchestra). Unfortunately, the organ at current does not provide excellent performance and thus spoils the aim of listening the performed compositions in the expected quality. For example, in June 2009, when we were in our church recording Missa brevis by Jiří Pavlica for a CD with our choir together with the chamber orchestra Tišnov a digital portable organ had to be used for the recording, as the existing pipe organ in the choir was of poor quality and the technical condition for this purpose was absolutely inadequate.
The church is centred around five permanent organists who have either music education or are educated privately. The committed work and performance is considered as on a good level. Their work focuses on the accompaniment of singing at Mass and religious ceremonies in general. The performance of the choir is related with the host organ front Brno organists. All visitors will gain larger musical experiences not only by participating but mainly from the quality of the music tones from the new organ.
The organ in Královo Pole will be used mainly for performing concerts. At present it is working with musical art schools (< a href=„http://www.konzervatorbrno.eu/“>Brno Conservatoire, Jaroslav Kvapil Music school, Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno), and so our church regularly organises evening and organ discharges. Even with the excellent staging of organ works, however, is not possible to ensure the expected quality implementation and thus the audience does not gain the best of what it should receive.
From the above it is clear that a large amount of young people are involved in the musical events of our church. Thanks to the new instrument more future activities can be held. In Brno there are only two or three sets of organs suitable for concert use. The new organ in Královo Pole will allow the expansion of the Brno Organ Festival, which is mostly focused on church organ concerts at St. Augustine Church in Brno. The Organ Festival organisers have now agreed on future cooperation. The construction of a new organ is welcomed and supported.
