EDITORIALWe make no apology for returning to the perennial controversy over the responsibilities of organ design and building. Aubrey Allen drew attention to the ludicrous demands of some organists, based on no more authority or experience other than being 'the organist'. Some performers have had various stops added to perfectly good instruments in the name of providing 'authentic' sounds for their repertoire - a Tierce for Couperin, a Tuba for Cocker. Sadly, organ builders have not always been able to resist such pressures, whether from fear of losing valuable work, or just plain misjudgement.
The skill and judgement of J,S. Bach, composer, performer, organ designer and and inspector, in these matters have failed to incite humility in those who have viewed the instrument as a kind of glorified Meccano set, to be dismantled and modified according to the organist's whim. The authority of Bach's testing routines must have been a powerful incentive for organ builders to give of nothing but their best, a discipline which might have avoided some of the more dubious design features of the recent past. Organbuilders have nothing to fear from the true expert, who will always recognise the results of experience, judgement, and flair. |