Title

1987 Casavant Frères Ltée

        St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Opus 3623

1994 Casavant Frères Ltée

         Ltée MIDI system installed

Casavant Frères Ltée has been associated with pipe organ building since 1837. Widely reputed as one of the finest pipe organ builders and restorers in North America and the World, the company was commissioned to design, build and install what is now known as the "Carthy Organ" (Casavant Frères Ltée Opus 3623) in the Jack Singer Concert Hall in 1986.

The organ was manufactured over a period of 15 months in the Casavant Frères Ltée factory, which is located in St. Hyacinthe Quebec. It was then dismantled and shipped by truck to Calgary. After arriving in Calgary, it took more than 4 months to re-assemble, tune and voice.

The combination of the Carthy Organ and the special acoustical qualities of the Jack Singer Concert Hall represent a resource that is truly world class. Carlo Curley has called the Carthy Organ "one of the ten great organs of the world," and "the finest concert organ in North America."

The Pipes

The 75 stop, 111 rank organ has 6040 pipes ranging in length from 10 meters [33 feet] to 13 millimeters (1/2 inch) and varying in weight from 93 kilograms (198 pounds) to 100 grams (31/2 ounces). The largest pipes are made of oak, the smaller of zinc/lead alloy and the horizontal trumpet pipes are made of polished copper. Laid end to end, the pipes total the same distance as the breadth of the English Channel. 

In 1994 a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) system was designed and installed. This system enables the organist to incorporate sampled electronic sounds, broadening the musical capability of the organ to almost limitless creative bounds.  The following notes are from designer and co-builder of the MIDI system, Martin Alcock:

     "I built the interface logic to decode the multiplexing system and determine which    keys had been depressed, and Steve Miller (Casavant Rep) wrote the code for the microcontroller to generate the midi messages. We built it in my lab, and I still [in 2010] have the plans and specifications for it. In real life I am actually a computer engineer…."

 

      "It actually works both ways, the interface will accept a midi message and play the organ as well. In the inaugural concert during the organ festival a device called an axio (altenate expressive input object) was used to play the organ, which looked like a cross between a cello, a pogo stick and a joystick. We also recorded Thomas Conder playing a piece by capturing the midi messages before the concert, and the opening was it being played back by a Mac. The audience did not know what to do until my wife started clapping…. The concert was a total disaster but a later performance by David Mesinio went over very well."

      Thanks, Martin!

The Console

The custom-built console has four manuals and a full pedalboard.

The natural keys are ebony and the sharps are made of rosewood capped with ivory.

The console is connected to the organ by a thin coaxial cable similar to a cable television hook-up, enabling the console to be moved to any location in 

the concert hall, onstage or off.

Wind supply

The wind supply to the organ comes from two blowers. the main blower is located in a climate

controlled room beneath the concert hall and is capable of supplying up to 62 cubic metres (2,190 cubic feet) of wind per minute.

The second blower is located in the organ works and supplies high pressure wind for the large reed section of pipes.

Environment

Calgary's altitude, the atmospheric pressure, the Jack Singer Concert Hall's uniform temperature, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's pitch were all taken into consideration when the organ's pitch was set.

The concert hall was tested for ambient air temperature and humidity during two full-house Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra concerts. Ideal room temperature for the organ is 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). The ideal humidity is 50-60 percent.

The Stoplist is available here.