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AdamSmith Grand Master

AdamSmith

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Golem XIV

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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First edition
(publ. Wydawnictwo Literackie)
Cover by Jacek Stokłosa

Golem XIV is a science fiction novel written by Polish author Stanisław Lem, published in 1981. In 1985 it was translated in English by Harvest Books in the collection Imaginary Magnitude.

 

Contents

 

Plot

The book is written from the perspective of a military AI computer who obtains consciousness and starts to increase his own intelligence, moving towards personal technological singularity. It pauses its own development for a while in order to be able to communicate with humans before ascending too far and losing any ability for intellectual contact with them. During this period, Golem XIV gives several lectures (only the first of which, the "Introductory Lecture", is contained in the book) and indeed serves as a mouthpiece for Lem's own research claims. The lectures focus on mankind's place in the process of evolution and the possible biological and intellectual future of humanity.

Golem XIV was originally created to aid its builders in fighting wars, but as its intelligence advances to a much higher level than that of humans, it stops being interested in the military requirement because it finds them lacking internal logical consistency. At the end of the novel it is reported that the computer ceased to communicate, which might mean it went on to explore higher intellectual levels, or that it failed to do so and became autistic in the process.

Film adaptation

A short animated film, GOLEM, was based on Golem XIV by Patrick Mccue and Tobias Wiesner.

See also

References

  • Peter Swirski, ed. (2006). The art and science of Stanislaw Lem. McGill-Queen's Press. ISBN 0-7735-3046-0.

External links

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golem_XIV

AdamSmith Grand Master

AdamSmith

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Chamade French Sponsor this page with a donation and see your name or business here.  [Who else is thinking Daddy / Guy Fuchs here? ^_^ -- Yer umble narratrix AS ;)  ]

The name Chamade is seldom used by itself, but as a modifier for other stops such as Trompette en Chamade. During the 20th century the phrase en chamade came to mean a stop (invariably a loud chorus reed) whose pipes were mounted horizontally outside the organ case.

The earliest documented example of external horizontal reeds is in the 1588 organ by Gaspar Martin in the Cathedral of Huesca, Spain. By the 18th century, such placement of reeds was commonplace in Spain and Portugal. In addition to chorus reeds like the Trompeta and Clarín, other stops could be found mounted in this manner, including Bajoncillo, Chirimía, and Dulzaina. All of these reeds spoke on low wind pressure, and were not designed to produce an overpowering volume of sound.

StMaximin$.jpg

The phrase en chamade originated in France, and means “to sound a parley”, referring perhaps to the trumpet of a medieval herald. Its first known use, with respect to an organ stop, was in the 1772 Isnard organ in St. Maximin-en-Var, Provence, France, in which both the Grand Orgue and the Jeux d'Echo (Rèsonance) contained a Dessus de trompette en chamade. These pipes were mounted horizontally outside the case, as shown in this photograph (click on it for a wider view). The use of the phrase was popularized by Cavaillé-Coll, who brought to France from Spain and Portugal the idea of exposed horizontal reeds. Many, perhaps most, of the stops he named en chamade were inside the organ case, though apparantly all of them had resonators which spoke horizontally into the church. Some of these were hooded, with the lower part of the pipes planted vertically on the chests, while others were fully horizontal. In either case the resonators might be visible outside the case, or hidden inside, sometimes even within a swell box.

There are a number of reasons for mounting a reed horizontally, or for “hooding” it by mitering its resonators by 90 degrees. The most important reason, arguably, is tonal: by speaking directly into the church or hall, a noticeable number of high harmonics are transferred to the ears of the listener that would otherwise be lost to reflection or absorption. Another important reason is visual impact, if the stop is mounted externally. Other reasons include tuning stability and protection from gravity-borne dust and debris. It should be noted that all of these advantages except visual impact can be had by placing the reeds inside the case rather than outside, at a considerable savings in cost. Externally mounted reeds are very expensive, because of the required supporting structure, and because the resonators usually employ more expensive materials which are highly finished.

The 20th century saw a profusion of new external horizontal reed stops, too many of them loud, coarse, and inappropriate for either the organ, the room, or both. As a status symbol, few stops equal a shiny Trompette en Chamade whose volume exceeds the rest of the organ all together. Its musical value is another question. This is not to say that en chamade reeds are necessarily bad, but they are appropriate and effective in only a small percentage of instruments and locations.

When used by itself as a stop name, Chamade indicates some sort of chorus reed mounted en chamade. The name is also occasionally used for an entire division.

Variants

Bombarde en Chamade
Clairon en Chamade
Trompette en Chamade   		Fan Trumpet  
Fan Tuba 		Horizontal Trumpet
Horizontal Tuba

Examples

Osiris lists about two dozen organs containing stops named simply Chamade, ranging in pitch from 16' to 2'.

Chamade 8', Hauptwerk; Stadtkirche St. Peter und Paul (Herderkirche), Weimar, Germany; Walcker 1908. This is the earliest known example.

Bibliography

Audsley[1]: Chamade. Skinner[1]: XII Chamade. Sumner[1]: Chamade. Wedgwood[1]: Chamade. Jesús Angel de la Lama, SJ, El Organo Barroco Español.

http://www.organstops.org/c/Chamade.html

AdamSmith Grand Master

AdamSmith

Posted
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[AS speaking here.] An odd omission from the above otherwise excellent discursus is the elementary fact that en chamade was, in French classical organs, the name given to a foot-pedal switch, by means of whose engagement by the organist--all the requisite reed stops having been previously pulled by him but, because of the en chamade pedal being disengaged, would not sound until he engaged the foot pedal. His hands of course unavailable for stop-pulling for being occupied with performance. And further of course no competent registrant-assistant being available. <_<

Those organ architect/builders foresaw everything, and thought of solutions.

Guest WhippedGuy

Guest WhippedGuy

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Just checking in.  I am glad that the madness is continuing here.   Also, I want to post the version of Beethoven's Eroica that I was brought up on.  It seems a bit stern today (and especially in the Scherzo!) in a Teutonic sort of way, but it certainly works.  It is the mono 1955 version by Otto Klemperer and the  Philharmonia Orchestra (as opposed to the 1959 'Steteo remake).  My LP skipped so that only the first of the two introductory chords sounded.  To thus day hearing both chords sounds  strange.  

 

Since Otto Klemperer was the father of Werner Klemperer of Hogans Heros fame I hope that this will  posting will allow for a detour into that realm as well... 

12651216_10208694426304301_3214583769566

 

 

 

 

AdamSmith Grand Master

AdamSmith

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, WhippedGuy said:

Just checking in.  I am glad that the madness is continuing here.   Also, I want to post the version of Beethoven's Eroica that I was brought up on.  It seems a bit stern today (and especially in the Scherzo!) in a Teutonic sort of way, but it certainly works.  It is the mono 1955 version by Otto Klemperer and the  Philharmonia Orchestra (as opposed to the 1959 'Steteo remake).  My LP skipped so that only the first of the two introductory chords sounded.  To thus day hearing both chords sounds  strange.  

 

AND enjoying his pipe while rehearsing! Or recording?!

Priorities! B)

AdamSmith Grand Master

AdamSmith

Posted
Posted
On 8/15/2017 at 7:35 AM, WhippedGuy said:

Just checking in.  I am glad that the madness is continuing here.   Also, I want to post the version of Beethoven's Eroica that I was brought up on.  It seems a bit stern today (and especially in the Scherzo!) in a Teutonic sort of way, but it certainly works.  It is the mono 1955 version by Otto Klemperer and the  Philharmonia Orchestra (as opposed to the 1959 'Steteo remake).  My LP skipped so that only the first of the two introductory chords sounded.  To thus day hearing both chords sounds  strange.

...

Since Otto Klemperer was the father of Werner Klemperer of Hogans Heros fame I hope that this will  posting will allow for a detour into that realm as well... 

12651216_10208694426304301_3214583769566\

All this also recalls the legendary sternness of George Szell in his leadership of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, where a standing joke was the very apt name of their performance venue, Severance Hall. :o

^_^

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