Analysing the sound of pipe organs
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound when pressurised air is driven through a series of pipes. Although its origins can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece in the third century BC, pipe organs are still found today in churches, synagogues and secular town halls where they are used for classical music performances. The DEMORGPIPE project investigated 12 musical pipe organs. The study was conducted across five regions of Europe and included eight historical and four contemporary pipe organs. Room acoustic measurements were conducted and the sound of a number of pipes was recorded at various locations. Upon the completion of the recordings, the sounds were analysed. The findings of the in-situ room acoustical measurements and of the analysis of sound recordings were then compared against the results of the listening tests and to the historic scaling of the pipes. This is one of the most thorough studies of this nature to date. The in-situ measurement results of historical pipe organs constructed in different styles are important for the organ building sector as well as musicologists and musicians alike. The findings have been published in international acoustic, organ building journals.
