Invitation to “A Concert in the Sawdust”
We welcome you to attend our traditional “Informal Concerts in
the Sawdust”.
Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of November 2019
At 18:00h/6:00pm on both days. Different organists will play original works for the organ as well as transcriptions and improvisations
THE ORGAN FOR THE PRAGUE CATHEDRAL
Around the middle of October this year, a large part of this organ, under contract by the Prague Cathedral, was already mounted in our workshop, although it was still under construction- This Gothic Cathedral is one of great beauty and impressive dimensions. One of the biggest challenges we had to face was how to fill the Cathedral properly, without the organ sounding forced but rather allowing it to project energy and poetry. In order to accomplish that, we had to run several acoustical tests with real pipes at different times and at different places inside this very large building.
One of the distinctive features of the organ’s façade is the use of crystal (glass). The idea of using glass (crystal) came up to express the long and distinguished tradition of glass artisanship in Bohemia. Large pieces of glass will hang between the pipes that will illuminate a variety of different shapes, and thereby turn the organ into an authentic exhibit of Bohemian art. Interestingly enough, it is the car manufacturer Skoda who sponsors this part of the instrument’s design and who worked in collaboration with the artisans at the Lasvit glassworks Company.
The instrument was presented to the Organ Committee, its patrons and, above all, the Cardinal of Prague, all of whom came in for the occasion 14th. October.
If all goes according to the present timeline, the organ will be mounted in the Cathedral between December 2019-- March of 2020, and the official inauguration will take place in the Summer of 2020
Unusual features
-Number of pipes: about 5.700
-Of this organ’s 106 stops, some are of special interest
-The “Viola de Gamba” and the “Tuba” on high pressure,
We did the same thing on our organ for Radio France, in Paris, three years ago.
-A number of 32’ pipes in the façade beginning on F (8.7m high)
This is the first time we’ve done this. (Up to now our largest façade pipes were 16’)
-The organ will have a variety of “String” stops inspired by the Romantic (19th c.) sounds of Czech and German organs.
-The shortest pipe is 14mm high
-The longest pipe is almost 10m high
-Weight: 33T (plus about 2T, taking in account the Bohemian Crystal)
-Dimensions: 13 in width, and almost 13m high
How to get there:
Road signs help you find the workshop
Limited seating
The Grenzing Workshop
c./Edison, 7. 08754 El Papiol (Barcelona)
We look forward to seeing you
Natalie and Gerhard Grenzing