The European Anthem sounded on the organ of the Palace of Arts
2011. March 08.
Christoph Guyard, composer for the Council of Europe, has used a digital collection - a product developed by Hungary’s Inspired Acoustics - containing the sounds of the organ of the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall to record the Council’s anthem. The transcription of the tune of The Ode to Joy for orchestra, piano and organ has reached all relevant media across the globe, and therefore millions of people can hear the work of the French composer and the organ of the Palace of Arts in news reports about the Council of Europe.
The sounds of the symphonic organ co-built by Pécsi Organ Building Manufacture Organ Building Manufacture and Germany’s Werkstätte für Orgelbau Mühleisen in 2006 were recorded a year later by Inspired Acoustics, the research and development division of Entel Ltd. The sound of each organ pipe was recorded for 16 seconds at 192 KHz, four times the resolution of the CD format. In order to obtain best results, unique acoustic conditions were created by the adjustment of the resonance chambers and curtains of the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall.
Csaba Huszty, Chief Engineer for Inspired Acoustics, pointed out that the 92-stop organ is the largest instrument in the world to have been recorded with such detailed virtualization and that the product sound quality is also exceptional given the fact that the concert hall practically provided studio conditions. He said that it had taken 12 thousand working hours to process the resulting raw material into a database that enables anyone to bring a virtual organ to life on their computer with media player software. Moreover, if a properly configured organ manual is connected to a computer running the software, it will create a simulator capable of reproducing the original instrument both in terms of sound and handling. A similar instrument, a true rarity, can also be found in the lobby of the Palace of Arts.
With an open mind about technical advances, Christoph Guyard found the sound set of the organ of the Palace of Arts on the Internet and said he had chosen it because “there is no better digital instrument on the market” with regard to tone diversity and sound quality. He said that after many hours of listening and selection it became evident that the sound of the organ of the Palace of Arts was best suited for the modern and innovative sonic characteristics that he was looking for. His assignment was to write a short transcription of the well-known tune - The Ode to Joy - that represents the Council of Europe at special events and in media coverages as does the flag with the 12 stars.
The French composer also uses the virtual instrument made from the organ of the Palace of Arts in other projects of his. Images evoking the paintings of Chagall will be projected on the walls of Château de Valère in Sion, Switzerland and accompanied by the music of Bach between July and September this year. Modern transcriptions of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor will also be sounded by the organ of the Palace of Arts. The visitors of Grotte de la Clamouse, France’s famous show cave attracting more than a hundred thousand visitors each year, will also be welcomed by a composition of Christoph Guyard who again used the virtual organ of the Palace of Arts to compose his piece.
About the Council of Europe
Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe is an organisation based on intergovernmental cooperation and may be regarded as the intellectual forerunner of the European Union - it is not by accident that the Union has borrowed its flag and anthem. The Council of Europe currently has 47 members; Hungary joined it in 1990.www.coe.int
About Inspired Acoustics
Inspired Acoustics (IA) is the professional audio and acoustic research and development division of Entel Ltd., Hungary. www.inspiredacoustics.com / http://www.entel.hu
8.3.2011
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