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From:
Agnes Armstrong <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Fri, 24 Mar 2006 16:36:43 EST
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In a message dated 23/03/06 18:15:09, [log in to unmask] writes:


> What language this stoplist? Basque?
> Can anyone translate these names into English, or German?
> 
> 

This appears to be a Germanized version of Euskara - the 
language of the Basque region of northern Spain and western
 France. While I'm no expert, I have studied the language for 
a number of years and have played organs in the Basque country, 
including several built by Cavaille-Coll, Stoltz, Merklin-Schutze, 
Didier, Graff, and others. The 1993 organ by D'Lom in the 
Zenaruzza monastery at Ziortza has stop draws with names in 
Euskara. Most of the other organs have Spanish and/or French 
stop names. 

Euskara is a language with many sub-regional forms, what we 
might call dialects. (I was taken to task on this List once for
using that term, and told that "a language is just a dialect
with an army".)   !!!!

Thus, Euskara has many differences in spellings and meanings 
inherent even within the language. The origin of the language 
is unknown, and it is certainly not one of the Roman-based tongues.   
I sincerely doubt that such terms as "Vox caelestis" - for example -
are Basque. It's not a German term either, but the German builder 
of this organ has decided to call the stop by this name, anyway.

The stops that Jim lists in the specification of the Iglesia Del 
Sagrado Corazon seem to be a mix of languages, not unlike 
stoplists that we often find in American organs. In most Spanish 
organs, the Flautado is a principal (a flue, of course, but NOT a 
flute). In this organ it's the 8-foot stop of the main division, 
which would lead one to think it's a principal. However, the term 
"nagusia" which describes the 16-foot stop on the same division 
is a Basque word meaning "principal" or "chief" so perhaps the 
16-foot is a principal and the 8-foot is a flute. Hmmmm...

The "Zortzigarrena" is obviously named for the "Zortziko", 
a Basque folk dance in eighths, which is traditionally played 
by the txistu, a whistle-flute which sounds at 4-foot pitch and 
which is the main folk instrument in Basque country. 

In the expressive division, the "Xirula eztia" is named for the 
folk flute native to the province of Zuberoa ("eztia" means gentle 
or soft, in much the same way we use "dolce"). "Hamabosgarrena" 
and "Hemeretzigarrena" are just fractional names, equivalents of 
"fifteenth" and "nineteenth". The others seems self-evident, and 
much less Basque-based, such as "baxua" for "bass" in the Pedal 
division.

Interesting mix of languages and traditions here. 
I'll have to put this one on my list of organs to visit.

Agur (that's Euskara for "goodbye"),
Agnes Armstrong

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