Viscount history began long ago. In the 19th century Galanti accordions appeared – Galanti family manufactured the instruments in Mondaino, Italy.
The first patents appeared after few years of prospering family business and impetuous popularization of the instruments in USA which brought technical and esthetic enhancement. In the 1930s Galanti accordions were recognized all over the world.
In 1932 the new factory was built in Mondaino. The innovations kept on conquering the world after the World War II when bass sounds became acknowledged as independent instrument voices which contributed to the new approach to music. That led to further popularization of such instruments as electric guitar and electric organ.
In 1959 Marcello Galanti founded Viscount International. The company went through digital 80s and faced that crazy boom: synthesizers occupied the market while organs were constantly modernized – even today it’s a fast growing segment.
The activity of the company had three branches: professional sound equipment Verse (acoustic systems, monitors, speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, accessories), digital pianos and classic organs.
As for pianos, Viscount is sure that Bartolomeo Cristofori’s instrument made in 1700 could be understood only by its compatriot. Galileo YP 200/300 series was equipped with VEGA (Versatile Engine Generator Audio) technology and Grand Hammer Action keyboard, 16 sounds in layer and split modes (YP 300 supports 4 bass sounds in split modes), nice metronome, two headphones outputs as well as wide range of connectivity possibilities including USB.
YP 300 model, besides abovementioned specs, has 88 keys, a 128-note polyphony, 4 velocity sensitive levels as well as 4 reverb types and modulation, recording possibility (3 tracks up to 11000 pieces), menu and function control with all the basic needs: volume, balance, demo, split, recording control, tempo, preset choice, reverb, EFx, transposing, decay envelope and etc. GYP300 mini grand piano was released as a member of the series.
The compact (only 44 cm front to back) digital Physis Piano V100 tried to emulate with its shape and feel the modern acoustic piano. 88 wooden keys with ivory feel coating, 6 oscillators: Acoustic Piano Model (APM), Electric Piano Model (EPM), Wurly Piano Model (WPM), Clavi Piano Model (CPM), Acoustic Mallet Model (AMM), High Definition Sound Engine (HDSE), macro parameters of sound modeling which one of those 6 models is responsible for, they include: scale settings, string resonance, damper resonance, sensitivity, rotary speed and etc. The memory offers 192 factory presets and 192 user ones; processing chain: signal – compressor – amplifier – equalizer – effects; comprehensive integration possibilities; master section, besides effects and equalizer, includes reverb and mixer.
Viscount releases Physis Piano G1000 standard grand piano model as well.
The brand numbers 6 organ names – the instruments which are treated with a special attention. One of them is Chorale (P31/1/2/3/8). Chorale 8 crowns the series and offers 46 voices, 3 keyboards with track feature and the rich set of pedals. The sound system developed 8 reverbs imitating the acoustics of practically any kind of premises – from a small church to a magic cathedral. The library comprises 170 voices grouping them into 4 user styles; you can also use 4 preset styles (Baroque, Romantic, Symphonic, English). The list of details includes expression pedals, crescendo pedals, 12 orchestra voices, controllable tremolo and ensemble effects, musical temperaments (Equal, Kirnberger, Werckmeister, Pythagorean, Meantone, Vallotti), 5-band equalizer, 2 tweeter + 2 full-range speakers as well as one woofer.
Vivace (10/20/30/40/60/90) series culminated with a 90 model which wasn’t far from Chorale’s qualities, technical specification of which differed only with the number of pistons, sets of functions and memory.
Then there go serious Viscount models: Ouverture, Sonus, most popular Unico and Chorum the development of which was based on Physis physical modeling patented technology reproducing physical sound generating phenomenon you can observe in classic organs as well as on the RAR (Real Audio Rendering) revolutionary system.
Viscount is proud of the historical value of the organ – the company pays tribute to the classic looks as well. For example, Ouverture 468 appearance was inspired by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (French craftsman) creations – he was one of the most authoritative ornag maker in the 19th century, his style emanates grace and fineness. Ouverture 468 is equipped with 4 couplers in sub octave and super octave thanks to which many timbral combinations become available for musicians.
Architectural-functional part of the 4-manual Unico 700 consists of 13 speakers, 7 channels of the built-in amplifier system, 69 classic and 9 orchestra voices, 4 controllable tremolo effects, sequencer, 8 adjustable reverbs, 5-band equalizer, organ solo, sustain (with the help of expression pedal switch), music temperaments (Kirnberger II, Kirnberger III, Werckmeister III, Werckmeister IV, Werckmeister V, Vallotti, Silbermann I, Silbermann II, Kellner 1975, Meantone, Meantone pure minor third, Zarlino, Sauveur I, Sauveur II, Barca, Rameau, Pythagorean, controlled by a programmable "Tonic" key) and many other features.
Chorum 90 is the latest design of Chorum series using the new ARTEM (Advanced Real TEchnology Music) technology, powerful oscillator based on sampling which could imitate traditional organ sound and seem quite authentic. The platform allows selection of any of the most famous organs altering it with the help of acoustic modeling.
Viscount is an Italian brand with a more than a hundred-year history. It has enough experience to occupy its own niche in instrument manufacturing. The legendary name of Viscount company has seen many years striving on the market together with other organ makers and it remains one of the most respectable brands today.