Harmonic Gedeckt English/German

A stopped flute of 8' or 4' pitch, formed of pipes of triple (harmonic) length. Because the pipes are stopped, they overblow at the 3rd harmonic (a twelfth above unison), and thus must be three times as long as a normal stopped pipe sounding the same note. Compare this with the double-length open pipes of the Harmonic Flute. Irwin describes its tone thus:

It is more liquid and velvety than the Gedeckt of normal length, therefore making a unique solo voice. It sounds a penetrating but not loud carrier-wave for other solo stops as well, making these more colorful and vivid in timbre because their higher partials are transported with less loss of energy on this stop's wave. The Gedeckt can perform the same function.

Wedgwood lists it as a synonym for Zauberflöte, and reports that Norman & Beard placed a 4' Harmonic Gedackt in the organ at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge, which was a reproduction of a form of German Flute placed by Snetzler in his organ at King's Lynn.

Examples

None known. Contributions welcome.

Bibliography

Bonavia-Hunt[1]: Zauberflöte. Irwin[1]: Harmonic Gedeckt. Wedgwood[1]: Zauberflöte.
 
Copyright © 2000 Edward L. Stauff, all rights reserved.
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