Spitfire Audio’s SYMPHONIC ORGAN — achieving the hitherto unachievable sound of the organ in imaginations to access those powerful cinematic sonics popularised by blockbuster film scores such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Interstellar, and Tron, courtesy of an immensely powerful, cathedral-sized organ built into Rugby School Chapel. Creating an epic but immediate sound like no other. Professionally captured and creatively presented as a definitive library like no other. Comprising carefully curated, ready-to-play presets perfect for fitting well with the sound-specializing British music technology company’s other SYMPHONIC range releases already available for Native Instruments’ KONTAKT sample playback engine.
It is little wonder, then, that as soon as Spitfire Audio co-founder and composer Paul Thomson heard (and felt) the Rugby School Chapel organ. The Organ housed in one of the oldest independent schools in Britain’s polychromatic chapel designed in 1875 by well-known Victorian Gothic revival architect William Butterfield. Paul knew he had to sample it. In fact, Spitfire Audio had to sample it!
Heard in the opening sequence to American animator, artist, director, filmmaker, and writer Tim Burton’s 2007 Academy Award-winning mystery thriller, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, the contrast of this monstrous, cathedral-sized organ — featuring four manuals (keyboards) with 55 speaking stops (controls) and a total of 3,721 gilded pipes. With its intimate chapel setting creates an epic sound with a unique intensity and immediacy unlike any other. Obviously capturing the unique power and beauty of this impressive instrument built by Bray’s Kenneth Jones & Associates in 2001 with a 33-feet-high new oak case substantially in front of the existing organ chamber at the north side of the chancel to enable the organ itself to speak directly into the chapel was far from easily achievable.
Spitfire Audio’s crack team of engineers and developers collaborated closely with the world-renowned composer, producer, and organ expert Andy Richards. Whose decisive discography spans working on fashionable films scores, such as the aforesaid Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (music engineer, score mixer, organ, and additional music) and the Danny Boyle-directed, 2008 Academy Award-winning British drama Slumdog Millionaire (score mixer). Programming, and producing an array of records by iconic artists like Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones, George Michael, Pet Shop Boys, Rush, and much more besides.
To record every pitch of the Rugby School Chapel organ with multiple microphone positions to achieve authenticity as well as capturing the natural sound of the room with which it interacts architecturally. Working with celebrated organist James Williams, who regularly plays the organ, Spitfire Audio was able to conduct detailed exploration and experimentation. All to ensure that it got the very best out of the impressive instrument and its stunning surroundings.
Since the Rugby School Chapel organ has an (almost) endless combination of stops and pedals, it can clearly be overwhelming for anyone not familiar with its intricacies. Spitfire Audio’s SYMPHONIC ORGAN library leans heavily towards instant playability, putting a comprehensive range of readymade stop combinations created by Andy Richards and James Williams into anyone’s hands. Having the hard-won outcome of such specialist curation readily at hand saves a huge amount of time and energy, enabling anyone to get the very best out of the impressive instrument and its stunning surroundings into DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) worldwide, with inspired compositions (hopefully) flowing forth for all to hear.
Composer can choose from 16 Manual (stop) combinations, 13 Pedal combinations for achieving that sub-bass-like sound, and eight Ensembles that span the whole organ. On top of that, the carefully captured natural room sound spans the (default) curated mix through to mix and matching six professionally-placed microphone positions for further control.
Choices range from mics inside the organ itself for an amazing, full-tilt sound to ambient mics for a wider, more resonant tone. The layout is presented in a dynamic order. From quietest to loudest, created by stop presets, and it is possible to choose any or all of the stop combinations, as well as 50 mind-bending, warped presets presented in Spitfire Audio’s acclaimed eDNA engine!
Availability and Pricing
SYMPHONIC ORGAN can be purchased here and digitally downloaded for a time-limited introductory promo price of £149.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$179.00 USD/€179.00 EUR (inc. VAT) until September 12, 2019 — rising thereafter to an RRP of £199.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$249.00USD/€249.00 EUR (inc. VAT)
