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#1
Here's Gert van Hoef doing an improvisation on "Neumark", a hymn tune from the 1600's. The tune is used in the hymn "If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee".

Toward the end, his footwork - with hiking boots - is incredible!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N07M0Rne1xk

Gert recently began studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music at The Hague, Netherlands. With his skills and love of music, we may well be seeing a world renowned organist and composer in the making.
#2
Gert van Hoef recently posted a performance of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor which many have said is the best interpretation of this famous piece they have heard. Gert just turned 19 today - Happy Birthday, Gert!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEHGxpRoZQM

And - I agree, young Thomas Mellan has extreme talent!
#3
Thanks Tony!
I wish I had a stoplist of the Johnson as built. It may have had a mixture, as Johnsons of that size and era usually did. The Johnson pedal division was likely about as you described. Most older Johnsons had two or three pedal ranks. In the present organ, some of the pedal ranks are "borrowed". For instance, the 16' Lieblich Gedeckt and the 8' flute are the same rank, which is also used in the Swell at 16, 8 and 4 foot. Presently, two flute ranks are on unit chests, the rest is straight. While those two flute ranks are great sounding, another flute rank, the 4' Rhor (Chimney) Flute is one of the nicest stops I have ever heard!

I wish the old Johnson tracker was still there and unaltered, it would be a treasure!
#4
I've wondered if the organs built in the 1800s by New England builders Hook and Hastings, Johnson, etc were influenced mainly by English organs. Our organ has most of the pipework of the previous 1871 Wm. Johnson organ. Would it be similar to something that might be found in England?
It's stoplist and description can be seen here:
http://www.pennyanfbc.com/organ.html
#5
Organs in danger / Cavaillé Coll in Argentina
March 18, 2013, 01:41:34 AM
Here's a truly depressing video for organ lovers. This Cavaillé Coll is in the Buenos Aires area of Argentina. (Haven't I heard about someone from there lately?) I did some searching - This unaltered CC organ has been allowed to fall into total dis-use and dis-repair. An offer of a wealthy woman to finance it's restoration was rejected by the RC Church. Extensive restoration of the basilica was carried out with no effort to rescue or even protect the organ. Latest word I found is that it still could be restored, but likely will not be.  (The link found in the description does not work)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUnHNpSjDPU

Another video that has the struggling CC organ being played: (Has English sub-titles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpOMEvvqKPs
#6
Further information:

I have communicated with Gert for more than three years. He seems to be a genuinely nice young man. Gert is now organist at his home church, and has a job demonstrating organs for a digital organ company. To my way of thinking, Gert deserves more attention and "hero worship" than Justin Beiber!  Yes, I'm a fan! ... of Gert, not of Justin ;D 

Some criticize Gert for his animation while playing - his arm movement and hand lift, etc, thinking it distracts from his playing. . Others see this as his natural style and his involvement in his playing which enhances his playing. One of Gert's "heroes" is the popular Dutch organist and composer Feike Asma (1912-1984),  who used a lot of "flair" while playing.

In the two newer videos I listed,  the organ is in the church Stephanuskerk in Hasselt, Netherlands. The church was built in 1446, with the tower being rebuilt in 1752 after lightning caused a fire which destroyed the tower, carillon and organ. The present organ was built in 1802. After having been modified through the years, it has been restored to it's original specification, but with the addition of an independent pedal division.

Some may be interested in my YouTube playlist, "Young Organists" which lists videos of over 80 organists, aged 7 to 20. There IS hope!
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E3FAEF5B472FACBA
#7
Young Gert van Hoef is quite a musician - he is totally involved in his playing!

When the van Hoef family got a home organ at Christmastime 2007, 13 year old Gert began picking out tunes by ear. Doing quite well, he decided to tackle something challenging - Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, which he learned by watching YouTube videos. In July 2008, he posted his own video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKmpm8S3lVg

While working on the Bach, Gert decided he should learn to read music, so he started taking lessons. Here's how he is dong four years and 122 videos later. In this video he had just turned 18: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1iNqv7edW0

Gert is very much at home with improvision: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VcruF4_pFQ&feature=relmfu

I have greatly enjoyed watching Gert's progress!
#8
Here's another of the new features of the arena: "Tesla coils will be added on each side of the scoreboard which will be capable of shooting actual lightning some 25 feet".

With 25 foot sparks or arcs occurring within the building, I would be quite nervous about using digital components in the organ's key, stop and combination actions, or provide MIDI and transposing functions!

ZAP!
.... Dick Johnson
#9
Hi - This was inspiring to me!

A 23 rank, 3 manual Hilborne H. Roosevelt organ has spent 124 years at camp - a summer camp for boys! It is in the chapel of a High Episcopal camp in the Catskill Mountains, about 175 km. from New York City. The organ is used daily for morning services, and requires no electric power at all - the bellows are pumped by campers who vie for the privilege. Several well known organists have been camp organists there.

David Sinden, an organist from Indianapolis, describes his daily responsibilities during his several years as camp organist:

> 7:20 a.m. - The chapel bell rings. Most of the camp is already inside. Hopefully, I have already managed a quick prelude. Then I start the opening hymn: probably Holy, Holy, Holy or something like it from the 1940 Hymnal. Then a sung, high Anglican Mass (with incense) follows. My musical responsibilities in this service include Kyrie, Gloria, Gradual hymn, Creed (in a semi-operatic setting by Caeleb Semper), offertory hymn (incense), Sanctus, Agnus Dei, communion hymn, post-communion hymn and a brief postlude. Other things that fascinate me about the liturgy:
> * the epistle is chanted by a camper
> * the very brief (but spectacular) sermon by Father Ray Donahue (affectionately known as "Father D")
> * a quasi-medieval prayer asking that the deceased founders of the camp be rewarded with eternal life
> * the "Last Gospel" (prologue hymn of the Gospel of John) recited in unison before the closing hymn

More info, pictures and a stoplist can be seen at these sites:
http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/gallery/us_northeast/new_york/delhi_boys-camp_roosevelt.shtml
http://sinden.org/blog/2005/07/1886-hilborne-h-roosevelt-_112129215992304171.html
http://sinden.org/2004/08/camp-lake-delaware-boys.html
http://sinden.org/blog/2005/08/187786-roosevelt-st.html

Audio clips can be heard here:
http://www.lakedelawareboyscamp.org/LDBC/SITE/Audio.html

I bet this old organ has had an influence on thousands of boys - especially the ones who supplied the wind!