clock chimes and organs

been enjoying the short organ recitals BBC2's showing recently,however why at the end of the pieces do they start playing clock chimes? i can sort of understand the reasoning behind the footsteps walking away but clock chimes?why?
or is it just the director being arty?

 

If you're interested this series is currently being repeated on
BBC 4. Usually it's on a 10min slot at 7pm, seemingly on random days throughout the week. However last Saturday it was on for an hour at 7pm. Just need to keep an eye on the schedules.

As regards the clock chime, this was used on a performance last week of BWV615 from the Orgelbuchlein. However it's not used on my cd of the work.

Perhaps Rds has some information on this?

Sid

 

Hi, Sidf, Welcome to Groovehandle.

Short answer:

A special organ stop - a carrillion - was available and very well liked in many organs of the Bach area -- indeed throughout Germany. It is usually a 4' register that you add to the rest of the registration, and it produces a very happy and sparkling effect. André Isoir uses it once in his recording of the Orgelbüchlein. The most famous case that I know of is, however, the Gabler organ in Weingarten - it has I think two carillons.

Further explanation

Carrillions are considered to be 'Spielerei' Stops, that is, fancy stops. There are many such stops. One of the most interesting is the Zimbelstren - a Star that has very small an penetrating sounding bells at its points, and that is set in motion, producing a golden or silvery powder of sound. This can be sometimes very beautiful (as indeed does the carillion).

Other organ toys are, form instance, 'drums' - not actual drums, but very low pipes tuned to a minor second, producing a thunderous sound.

Another kind of effect is achieved by the use of the 'tremulant', which produces an unsteady supply of wind - a kind of vibrato (not really the same) which is very often used on soloistic slow voices.

All these stops are to be used 'a discrezione' - which means, 'if one wants them'. So when registering Christmas carols one may be well advised to use the Zymbelstren; when playing a 'Batalha' (a toccata-like description of a battle, with lots of raucous reeds thriown in) one may well use the 'drums' at the crucial moments. And, of course, if you are playing a very moving line you might well use the tremulant.

The reason for this frredom is the following.

You see, if you want to play a particular piece of music you must do with what the organ you have at your disposal actually has, and organs vary a great deal. So the registration (that is, the kind of sound you get) is different according to the organ you use. So the liberty of the player is just enormous. He can use a sexquialtera (fifths and thirds) for a solo or, in another organ, a superoctava (high octave) and in another a nasard (the 3rd harmonic) together with the fundamental.

It is exactly as if a conductor had to orchestrate every piece he conducts: for a given line, he might chose an oboe, a trumpet, a flute, a violin, a clarinet plus violin and so forth.

He must further chose if he plays the piece at diapason, at an octave lower or at an octave higher (pedal lines are usually, but by no means always played one or two octaves lower)

Faced with an unknown organ an organist must perform that task every time. With a large and good organ the possibilities are virtually infinite.

So some organs offer Spielereien - you may use them if you want.