The Sir Elton John and Ray Cooper Organ

Welcome

Over the past year we have witnessed the meticulous creation of a truly world-class instrument – both in Kuhn Orgelbau’s Swiss workshop near Lake Zurich and on our webcam over summer 2013 – as it has grown into its new home in the Royal Academy of Music’s Duke’s Hall. We have watched tens of thousands of component parts, large and small, in all sorts of materials skilfully and carefully assembled into a work of art.

Its confident, contemporary visual style is completely at home in the timelessly elegant surroundings of the Duke’s Hall. The instrument (all 24 tonnes of it!) proudly embodies the healthy interaction between tradition and innovation that is an essential and inspiring feature of so much Academy life.

We must extend enormous gratitude to Sir Elton John and Ray Cooper, who with exceptional generosity contributed the proceeds of two concerts to raise the funds for this permanent adornment of our musical life.

Professor Jonathan Freeman-AttwoodPrincipal

The financial support

Sir Elton John and Ray Cooper both spent some of their early years at the Royal Academy of Music. In 2009 Sir Elton and Ray started the appeal with a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in a spectacular evening of entertainment that included special guest Teddy Thompson and students from the Academy. The legendary duo united again in 2011, raising further funds with a concert at the Royal Opera House. In addition to the performance, a dinner and silent auction was held, with prizes including a Roberto Cavalli dress and the piano stool Sir Elton used during the concert.

Sir Elton John studied at the Royal Academy of Music during his teenage years, and has always regarded the training that he received at the Academy as vitally important. He has commented: “I am so proud to be able to support the Academy in any way I can and will always be grateful to them for opening the doors for me and so many other musicians to develop our talents and live our lives in music”.

Elton’s personal involvement, generosity and encouragement over the past few years have been inspirational and extraordinary.

I. Great C - c ‘’’’

1. Bourdon 16 ‘2. Principal 8 ‘3. Flûte harmonique 8 ‘4. Bourdon 8 ‘5. Viola da Gamba 8 ‘6. Octave 4 ‘7. Hohlflöte 4 ‘8. Quinte 2 2/3 ‘9. Superoctave 2 ‘10. Mixtur 4-5f. 2 ‘11. Fagott 8 ‘

III. Swell C - c ‘’’’

1. Quintaton 16 ‘2. Diapason 8 ‘3. Cor de nuit 8 ‘4. Viola 8 ‘5. Voix céleste 8 ‘6. Fugara 4 ‘7. Flûte octaviante 4 ‘8. Flageolet 2 ‘9. Fourniture 3-4f. 2 2/3 ‘10. Basson 16 ‘11. Trompette 8 ‘12. Hautbois 8 ‘13. Voix humaine 8 ‘ Tremulant

II. Solo * C - c ‘’’’

1. Rohrflöte 8 ‘2. Salicional 8 ‘3. Principal 4 ‘4. Flauto amabile 4 ‘5. Nasard 2 2/3 ‘6. Octave 2 ‘7. Terz 1 3/5 ‘8. Scharf 4f. 1 1/3 ‘9. Trompete 8 ‘10. Cromorne 8 ‘11. Clairon 4 ‘ Tremulant

P. Pedal C - g ‘

1. Principal 16 ‘2. Subbass 16 ‘3. Echobass † 16 ‘4. Octave 8 ‘5. Flöte 8 ‘6. Violoncello † 8 ‘7. Bourdon † 8 ‘8. Octave 4 ‘9. Posaune 16 ‘10. Trompete 8 ‘

* enclosed division† transmission from Great

Couplers II-I, III-I, III-I sub, III-II, III-II sub, I-P, II-P, III-P, III-P super

Mechanical couplers with optional Kuhn Coupler Assistance

Capture system including 15 x 1000 combinations USB interface

Organ SpecificationAbout the organ The detailed specification of the organ was drawn up by David Titterington, Head of Organ, in consultation with fellow professors at the Academy.

The instrument commands an imposing position in the Duke’s Hall, the main auditorium of the Royal Academy of Music. The tonal design takes its inspiration from the French organ tradition but it is interpreted in a modern manner.

The organ acquires its elegance and vibrancy from the maple wood casing, the tin front pipes capped by stainless steel shades and the multi-coloured horizontal rods in their coloured frame which complement the colour scheme of the hall. The facade consists of seven distinctive towers connected by recessed intermediate flats. Subtle lighting highlights the decorative addition of twenty-three carat gold-leaf pipe mouths, the glass console doors and brass fittings.

The tonal concept of the organ is based around the multiple functions of the second (Solo) manual. Similar to a French bombarde organ, this division has substantial reeds and a cornet but also serves as a real Solo manual. On the other hand it additionally has the stops of the Positive and can be used as such. Moreover, the Solo complements the other two manuals: the more ‘classically’ voiced Great and the French inspired Swell.

With two divisions under expression, the new organ has an exceedingly wide dynamic range with finely differentiated tone colours and is particularly suitable for performances with orchestra and for music of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Case design: Claude LardonVoicing: Gunther Böhme

The organ was heard in public for the first time on 7th October 2013, in a free public concert to a near-capacity audience in the Duke’s Hall.

Marylebone Road London NW1 5HT | tel 020 7873 7373 www.ram.ac.uk | Registered Charity No. 310007www.facebook.com/royalacademyofmusicwww.twitter.com/RoyalAcadMusic

Patron: HM The Queen

President: HRH The Duchess of Gloucester GCVO

Principal: Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood