Encyclopedia of Organ Stops

Double Open Diapason English
Great Bass English Major Bass English Sub Principal English	Contra Principal English Double Diapason English Principal Basse French
Basso Profundo Italian? Contraprinzipal German Diaocton Greek Doppelprincipal German Double Principal English	Grossprastant German Grossprinzipal German Open Diapason Bass English Pedal Pipes English Principale Basso Italian Principale Doppio Italian

This entry is still under construction. The next time you visit, check the Revision History to see what's been added.

A Diapason stop pitched an octave or two below unison pitch; i.e. 16' or 32'.

Major Bass is also a synonym for Contra Bourdon. Grand Principal is also a synonym for Grand Diapason. See also Sub Octave. Wedgwood alone considers Offenbass to be a synonym.

Three of these names are mentioned only by Wedgwood. Regarding Diaocton, he writes: “A 16 ft. pedal stop (Washington Temple, U.S.A.). = Major Bass.” Regarding Basso Profundo, he writes: “A deep-toned pedal stop equivalent to Major Bass. Milan Cathedral, 24 ft.” Regarding Pedal Pipes, he says only “see Major Bass.” No examples of these three names are known, other than those cited by Wedgwood. Wedgwood considered Major Bass to be a synonym for Contra Principal, but not Contra Bourdon.

The following illustration is Audsley's; click on it for a larger image.

Variants

Grossprinzipalbass

Examples

Contra Principal - 4 @ 32'
Contra-Prinzipal - 1 @ 32'
Doppelprincipal - 1 @ 8'
Double Diapason - 50 @ 16', 2 @ 32'
Double Open Diapason - 27 @ 32', 82 @ 16'
Double Principal - 1 @ 16'
Great Bass - 1 @ 32', 4 @ 16'
Grosspraestant - 2 @ 16'
Grossprinzipal - 1 @ 8', 1 @ 32'
Major Bass - 12 @ 16', 7 @ 32'
Open Diapason Bass - 1 @ 8', lower part of split stop; Hook 1873
Principal Basse - 6 @ 32'
Principale Basso - 1 @ 8', 1 unknown
Principale Doppio - 1 @ 16'
Sub Principal - 7 @ 16', 10 @ 32'

Principalbasse 32, Pédale; St. Sulpice, Paris, France; Clicquot 1781. This is the earliest known example of this name.

Bibliography

Adlung[1]: §137 Doppelt, §177 Prästant. Audsley[1]: Contraprinzipal; Diapason, Wood; Double Diapason; Subprinzipal. Audsley[2]: I.XIII Contraprincipal; Double Open Diapason; Grand Principal; Grossprincipal; Principal; Principale Doppio; Subprincipal; II.XXXVI Double Principal. Bonavia-Hunt[1]: Double Diapason. Grove[1]: Double. Hopkins & Rimbault[1]: § 563. Irwin[1]: Double Diapason. Locher[1]: Double Bass; Octave; Principal. Strony[1]: Double Open Diapason. Sumner[1]: Sub-Prinzipal. Wedgwood[1]: Double Diapason; Major Bass.

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