Let the music play

Europe’s organ builders use a research organ constructed in Leonberg for testing

For many years, the Musical Acoustics research group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (FHG IBP) has been dedicated to the scientific study of organ and church acoustics. Projects run by the institute in this area have repeatedly been supported with special project funding from the European Commission. The Mühleisen Organ-Building Company (Werkstätte für Orgelbau Mühleisen GmbH) in Leonberg has been involved in the institute’s work from day one. Research carried out jointly by the company and the institute have focused on how to preserve and improve an organ’s sound using modern technology. This symbiosis of instrument building knowhow and engineering expertise aims to generate a broader understanding of organ sounds and create new links between physics and music – between science and art. The Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (SEZ) supported the two partners in applying for EU projects, and also took care of project management.

People who regularly attend concerts in churches know that every organ sounds different. In principle, every organ is unique – because unlike other musical instruments, organs are highly individual when it comes to their appearance and sound. In terms of the richness of their timbre, their pitch range and their dynamics, they are best compared not with other instruments but with an orchestra, says Dr. Judit Angster. As head of the Musical Acoustics research group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, Angster has carried out a number of successful European research projects with the support of the SEZ since 1997. The group’s projects and research work have revolved around areas such as researching organs’ traditional wind systems, developing innovative new wind systems, sound production in flue pipes, methods for sound design and dimensioning of organ pipes, developing pipe construction methods for organs, and developing techniques to assess how to best adapt pipe organs to the acoustics of the room or space in which they are located.

Since December 2011, the scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute have had a unique research organ, built by the Mühleisen Organ-Building Workshop, at their disposal for investigating all kinds of sound-related issues. The University of Stuttgart is a research partner for the project. Given the complexity of church organs and the fact that they cannot be moved or dismantled, until many measurements have remained impossible or only possible to a limited degree. Previously, model organs in laboratories were used to test individual steps in the organ-building process. Newly developed components could only be tested using model organs in labs. “Software that was developed in a European research project has been used to develop all kinds of organ flue pipes,” explains Judit Angster. “The research organ makes it possible for us to carry out complex measurements and investigations directly on the organ itself.”

Konrad Mühleisen, founder and senior director of the Mühleisen Organ-Building Company in Leonberg, believes the main difference between the research organ and conventional church organs is the research organ’s transparency. Most of the inner workings are visible, and the pipes, soundboards, pressurized air channels and stop registers are all exposed. The wind chests of the research organ are also replaceable, which allows newly developed wind chests to be measured in a way that was previously impossible. The organ can also be switched over from a traditional wind system to an innovative new wind system developed in a European research project.

Judit Angster and her team began new research work with a number of European organ builders in November 2011. The consortium successfully applied to the European Commission for the EU’s new REEDDESIGN project. As a result, they will receive € 759,000 in EU funding until October 2013. Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum now is responsible for the project management.

The aim of the REEDDESIGN project is to address the practical problems that organ builders face when designing reed organ pipes. Eight SMEs from seven countries are contributing to the project by making their reeds, throats, resonators, entire reed pipes and voicers available for lab experiments. They will also validate results in their workshops. Expected benefits from the project include a 15% cost reduction (thereby resulting in greater competitive edge for the organ builders involved), improved sound quality, and a stronger market position, especially in Asia. The project goal is to develop new dimensioning methods, as well as a software tool for dimensioning and designing reed pipes with the aim of improving their sound. New types of reed pipes that sound like Asian musical instruments are one focus of the research activity. Finally, the project also aims to develop demonstration models for quality control of the reed material in terms of its elasticity and hardness, and for inspecting the warp (i.e., the curvature) of the reed.

The SEZ supported the partners in the project bidding and is responsible for the management of administration and finances. Effective project management is one of many factors central to the project’s success. The European Commission provides funding to consortiums of up to 20 partners from a variety of countries and organizations. Collaborating with international companies, universities and research institutes requires a great deal of technical expertise and an understanding of cultural differences.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Norbert Höptner
Dr. rer. nat. Jonathan Loeffler

Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (Stuttgart)
su1216@stw.de

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