voix celeste
Noun: * A gentle tremolo organ stop: A "voix celeste" is a specific type of stop on a pipe organ. It consists of two ranks of pipes tuned slightly apart, which when played together produce a gentle, shimmering, and undulating sound effect, reminiscent of a celestial or heavenly chorus.
The term is used exclusively in the context of pipe organ construction, registration (selecting which stops to use), and musical performance. It describes a particular tonal color available to the organist. * The organist added the voix celeste to the flute stop, creating a beautiful, ethereal sound in the quiet passage. * This organ's swell division features a lovely voix celeste at 8-foot pitch. * For the romantic piece, the registration called for the use of the voix celeste.
- The "voix celeste" is almost always found in the organ's Swell division, which is enclosed in a box with shutters that can be opened or closed by the organist to dynamically control volume and expression.
- It is typically labeled on the organ console as "Voix Céleste" (using the French acute accent) or simply "Celeste".
- A Unda Maris (Latin for "wave of the sea") is a very similar stop, sometimes used interchangeably with "voix celeste," though purists may distinguish between them based on the specific interval of tuning difference.
- Celeste (n.): A common shortened form of "voix celeste."
- Tremulant (n.): A separate device on an organ that produces a vibrato effect by fluctuating wind pressure. While both create a wavering sound, a tremulant affects all stops drawn on a division, whereas a voix celeste is a specific stop itself.
- Stop (n.): The general term for a set of organ pipes producing a particular tone color, controlled by a drawknob or tablet.
- Unda Maris (n.): A closely related organ stop producing a similar undulating effect.
The term is a direct borrowing from French, meaning "celestial voice" or "heavenly voice." Its meaning is highly specialized and fixed within the domain of organ music. It does not have general English meanings outside this technical context.
- an organ stop producing a gentle tremolo effect