Kuhn Organ Builders Ltd, 2013

New organ

Windchests
slider chests
Key action
mechanical
Stop action
electrical
Inauguration
07.10.2013
Expert
Prof. David Titterington
Case design
Claude Lardon
Voicing
Gunter Böhme


www.orgelbau.ch/ope=114480

London

III/P/42

Great Britain, Greater London
Royal Academy of Music (RAM), Duke's Hall

© pictures Orgelbau Kuhn AG, Männedorf

Kuhn Organ Builders Ltd, 2013

New organ

Windchests
slider chests
Key action
mechanical
Stop action
electrical
Inauguration
07.10.2013
Expert
Prof. David Titterington
Case design
Claude Lardon
Voicing
Gunter Böhme

At the behest of Her Majesty the Queen

The Royal Academy of Music in London (RAM) is one of the leading schools of music in the world, with students from over fifty countries. Since it was founded in 1822, RAM has produced a large number of prominent musicians.

The new Kuhn organ is situated in Duke's Hall, a concert hall which seats an audience of 450 and forms the focal point of the Royal Academy of Music. We are very pleased to have been entrusted with this demanding task. We see it as recognition of the remarkable quality of our instruments. At the same time, being continually challenged to meet such demands of quality is immensely exciting.

The design of the front of the organ is basically in the true French tradition but here it is interpreted in the modern manner. The facade consists of seven distinctive towers connected by recessed intermediate flats. The organ acquires its elegance from the maple casing, tin front pipes, fine pipe shades of stainless steel and horizontal rods in their coloured frame, and fits into the hall perfectly.

The multiple functions of the second (solo) manual form the basis of the sound. On the one hand, similar to a French bombarde organ, this organ has substantial reeds and a cornet, and serves as a real solo manual. On the other hand, it additionally has the stops of a positive and can also be used as such. Moreover, the solo complements the other two manuals. With its swell box and the couplers, for example, the second manual can be employed as partner or counterpart of the swell organ.

This sound gives the new organ, despite its relatively modest number of stops, finely differentiated tone colours and an exceedingly wide dynamic range that is particularly suitable for interpreting music of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Translation: RS 2013