I've got four organs for my setup at the moment: The MasterWorks E.M. Skinner Organ (Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Chicago, Illinois, USA), the Cavaillé-Coll organ found in the Notre Dame de Metz cathedral in France (both from Milan Digital Audio), the J. J. Binns organ found in the Old Independent Church, Haverhill, Suffolk, England (from Lavender Audio) and the Hinsz Organ found in Bovenkerk, Kampen, The Netherlands. Eventually, I will buy more organs - but for the time being these instruments will give me countless hours of pure joy, practicing my favorite scores.

Here's a little info about the organs and my train of thoughts leading up to the purchase:

The Skinner organ

(image from Milan Digital Audio web site)

Keyboards: 3 keyboards and pedal
Stops: 58

Here's the specification as of 02. november 2008.

I chose this organ because I liked the symphonic characteristics of the instrument. I've always liked the sound of American organs, and this particular instrument has all the combinations and possibilities I look for. In addition, it has 32 pedals where most European organs has 28 or 30.

More info can be found at the web site of Milan Digital Audio.

Update 21.11.08

I received and installed the Skinner organ a few weeks ago, and have had the pleasure playing and exploring this wonderful organ. The sound quality is simply superb, and all the ranks makes it possible to create a very wide palette of sounds. This organ sample set is more than capable of playing music from most periods - from baroque to romantic and contemporary music. I even found a combination that sounded EXACTLY like the synthesizer sound on Europe's "the final countdown"! That was a very fun moment...

I can highly recommend this sample set to anyone that wants a versatile and well-balanced organ. Combined with external reverberation, this sample set continues to impress me over and over again.

Update 10.05.09

I recently purchased the full version of Hauptwerk to be able to access the voicing feature. WOW! I tuned the few mistuned pipes in the out-of-the-box Skinner (you could just use equal temperament within HW, but then you loose the small errors that makes the instrument sound realistic and not toaster-like) sample set. In addition, I tuned the organ so that C, D, E, F#, G# and A# sounds from the left speaker, and C#, D#, F, G, A and B sounds from the right channel. That improved the Skinner sample set. by a HUGE amount! You'll get more spatial sound, and you feel like sitting at the console of a real organ. Fast solo runs seems to jump around you! It really sounds fantastic!

I've also increased the volume of the 8' trumpet in the swell division, so that it can be used as a solo trumpet. A lot of other adjustments have been made - not because the MDA Masterworks Skinner have lots of faults, but each speaker/amplifier setup will have its own characteristics, in addition to the fact that the room where the instrument is placed also comes into account. With the full version of Hauptwerk, you can make all these adjustments (for example, the CCC to EEE on the pedal division - C through E on the second octave - was WAY too loud on some ranks. I managed to balance that out within a few minutes!).

For a large, dry sample set., the full version of Hauptwerk is highly recommended. Same goes for anybody that wants a great sounding organ in their home. The features of the full version are definitely a must-have.

Oh, and to my american friends that don't get the wind-model: For the Skinner organ, the only use for the wind model is to have fun by switching off the motors and play while the organ goes from full blaster, via gradually shedding ranks until it sounds like a sick cow before fading out!

I do not use this organ anymore, just on occasions. With external reverb added, it is a fun instrument with a huge potential. It just isn't my cup of tea. But it is the perfect organ if you want to have great fun and/or want to have that "American" sound.

The Cavaillé-Coll organ:

(image from Milan Digital Audio web site)

Keyboards: 3 keyboards and pedal
Stops: 38 (Extended version: 48)

Here's the specification as of 22. october 2009.

I love French romantic music, particularly Vierne, Widor and Lefébure-Wély. These composers all played on Cavaillé-Coll organs. To be able to play their music on an instrument very close to what they had is a dream-come-true for any organist - hobbyist or professional.

And since my brother Viggo Fagerjord is a great organist with a soft side for the French romantic music, a Cavaillé-Coll was a logical step. He's FAR better than I can ever be on the keyboards, so naturally I look forward to when he visits and play on my HW setup!

Since the Metz organ is a wet sample set (meaning that it has built-in reverb), opposed to the dry Skinner organ (which need artificial reverb), I'll be able to experience both worlds. I'll write more when I've received the organ and had some quality time on the organ bench.

Update 24. august 2011

The C.Coll Metz organ has been played a lot! It is the most used organ I have. It really came to life once I upgraded my Hauptwerk computer, making it possible to load the Metz organ at the highest quality setting. For my repertoire, this organ has it all. From soft, beautiful celeste to growling thunder from the 32' Bombarde!

The sample set is however not free from the odd bits and pieces. A few pipes does not work all that good, and one note on the 8' trumpet on the pedals has no reverb if you play it staccato. I am not 100% sure if all updates is applied correctly, but the 8' trumpet on the pedals has behaved this way all the time. But - these errors are purely minor, and you do not notice them too much anyway. The sample is a few years old, and a lot has happened since then.

A fun detail: The Sonnette souffleur does work! Pulling this "stop" activates a bell located in the instrument, and was used to ask the bellows operator to get to work, pumping air so that the organ can sound.

My brother has tried the organ thoroughly, and he is impressed! For me, that's the best credit a sample set can get. This is certainly the first organ I would recommend you buy! But be aware - you need a fast computer with lots of memory. This organ sounds awful if you load it in 16 bit - in my not very humble opinion.

The J. J. Binns organ:

(image from Lavender Audio web site)

Keyboards: 3 keyboards* and pedal
Stops: 42 (extended version: 64)
* Choir high pressure reeds can be routed to a 4th keyboard

Here's the specification as of 29. October 2009.

The collection would not be complete without a genuine British organ. The Old Independent Church, Haverhill, Suffolk has a magnificent organ built by J. J. Binns. Lavender Audio has created a fantastic Hauptwerk organ sample set with all the bells and whistles one could want in a HW sample set. In addition, they've made an extended version where some ranks are added to the mix - resulting in an English organ capable of a broader repertoire.

One of the key features for me is that this organ can give that distinct, rich sound known from English church choir CD's - that solid, deep foundation. Another key feature in this organ, is the fantastic Tuba!

I do not use this organ all that much - it does not fit my usual music too well. But it is a very well made sample set, and gives great value for your money. External reverb helps a lot since this is a relatively "dry" organ (meaning that the reverb time is short). Certainly a great instrument for choral work!

The Hinsz Organ

(image from Milan Digital Audio web site)

Keyboards: 4 keyboards and pedal*
Stops: 24/41/55, see specifications.
*Extended Editions: Volumes 2 and 3 include an extended edition expanding the keyboard compass from 49 notes to 56 and the pedal compass from 27 notes to 30. 4th manual only needed for volume 3. Volume 1 needs 2 manuals and pedals.

Specifications as of 11. may 2010:
Volume I
Volume II
Volume III

The Hinz organ in the Bovenkerk is a famous instrument used in many recordings. The organ is divided into 3 volumes. You can buy only volume 1 if you wish (it sounds fantastic). The instrument has a very long reverb - up to 7 seconds. And it sounds superb! You get the sensation of playing inside a huge cathedral, and yet the organ is "direct" and very responsive making it fully usable for practice. Highly recommended!

I decided to purchase the Hinz organ after I downloaded the demo version. I instantly fell in love with the clear, crisp sound with that huge reverb! Firstly I ordered volume 1, but found the keyboard compass too small. I then ordered volume 2, and then volume 3 (I am considering to expand my keyboard stack to 4 manuals). This is a must-have organ for serious Bach pieces! The only drawback is that there's just a few reed stops, but I seldom miss more reeds when I play tutti on this baby!

After having used this organ for quite some time, I am still impressed by the enormous sound it can create! If you're going to play Bach, this organ is definitely for you! I've tried tuning the 8' Holpijp on the Bovenverk into a celeste-like flute, amped up the Hoofdwerk Trumpet 8' and some minor adjustment here and there. These adjustments created a whole new feel of the organ, expanding its use significantly. The organ lacks an enclosed devision (swell), but has so many stops it is easy to compensate. Truly a majestic and grand instrument, highly recommended!

A few thoughts...

I highly recommend that you listen to the demos available on the Hauptwerk website. But remember that the speakers or headset/earphones you use play an important role in the listening experience! Remember that Hauptwerk cannot replace a real pipe organ. But unless you can fit a 40+ rank organ into your living room, Hauptwerk is the best way. There are a few companies that makes digital pipe organs, but they never sound as convincingly as a good quality HW sample set. A HW sample set includes, in most cases, every flaw the organ had at the time the sound recording was done. Thus, the organ will sound more lively than a perfectly tuned and balanced digital organ. The flute that doesn't quite work, the squeak from the mechanics on that one rank - they are all there! The good thing is that you can set the organ to perfect equal tuning (or any other temperament) and eliminate the sounds from the mechanical parts - if you want to do so.

I've seen comments on Youtube where people thinks the blower sound is "wrong". Clearly, these people has never been up close to a REAL pipe organ. A "toaster" (nickname for digital organs) is just too synthesized. Even if the manufacturer started out with recordings from the real McCoy. Too refined, too "worked". A pipe organ is a living, breathing instrument with flaws. They are, after all, hand made...

The biggest selling point for a system like this is the price tag. A good quality digital organ with 40+ ranks can easily cost you $ 20.000. A similar HW setup can cost you as little as $3000. And you can start out at $0 and build from there. That's what I did!

Four organs, all with more than 40 stops, in a living room! You've got to love Hauptwerk!