Organ matters - Organs matter!

They could "recognize the gift" by restoring and reinstalling the instrument, or, failing that, find it a good new home!




http://onwardstate.com/2013/02/01/farewell-to-the-schwab-pipe-organ/

Quote

It's always a sad day when a piece of Penn State history is lost. It was only a year ago that we said goodbye to the venerable Old Main elm. Although two years its junior, Penn State will lose another piece of campus history, this time in the form of the Schwab Pipe Organ.

"The pipe organ is no longer in working order and repairs, salvage, and/or storage in an off-site location is cost-prohibitive," said Geoff Hallett, the Penn State assistant director of annual giving, in an email. "The Office of Annual Giving is currently investigating ways to appropriately recognize this portion of the 1936 Class Gift."

The pipe organ has witnessed a lot over years as the Schwab Auditorium remains one of Penn State's most historic buildings. "This building from the first stirred the soul of Dr. Atherton as nothing else had done during his administration," Fred Lewis Pattee once remarked of the building. In fact, President George Atherton was so eager to get the building completed in time for the 1903 commencement that he had the construction site covered with a wooden shell and heaters installed so that construction could continue throughout the cold winter.

The class of 1903 did meet in Schwab Auditorium that June for commencement, thanks in part to President Atherton's persistence. Atherton is buried in the shadows of this historical edifice on the walkway just outside of the building that helped transform his vision.

The 900-seat auditorium is the first Penn State building to be financed by a private gift. Steel magnate and University trustee Charles Schwab donated the $150,000 needed to fund the project — part of President Atherton's resurgence plan to emphasize liberal arts curriculum at a once exclusively agricultural institution.

The Schwab Pipe Organ is the result of the Class Gift of 1936. The class also funded a telescope atop Buckhout Laboratory and a made contribution to each of the Renaissance and Library scholarship funds. It is fitting, perhaps, that Charles Schwab was very fond of the instrument and often hosted musicians in his mansion to play on his personal pipe organ.

The pipe organ has been stored under the stage for quite some time now as it is not in working order. Renovation plans have been set for Schwab this spring, and the organ will be removed of and disposed of that time, according to the Office of Annual Giving.

For 77 years the organ has witnessed decades of commencements,  countless world class musical performances, and other notable campus events.

You did good, Schwab Pipe Organ. See you on the other side.

Eric
KB7DQH

..........despite growth in contemporary worship

Quote
    By DIRK LAMMERS  Associated Press
    December 26, 2012 - 2:01 pm EST

   

    AAA
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SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota — The pipe organ has ruled the Christian worship sanctuary for centuries, and the majestic instrument continues to reign supreme in many Roman Catholic and mainline Protestant parishes.

It's a tougher sell for congregations moving toward contemporary worship.

The growth in praise-band led services, combined with a nationwide shortage of qualified organists, is prompting many congregations to leave pipe organs out of their new construction plans.

Jerry Aultman thinks that's a mistake.

The longtime organist and music professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological said the pipe organ doesn't need to be relegated to funerals and weddings, and it fits nicely into modern worship when used in the right way.

"We shouldn't abandon the organ in contemporary music styles," said Aultman, who plays each Sunday at First Baptist Church in Dallas. "The organ is a wonderful instrument to blend in with any kind of instrumental ensemble. It can fill in a lot of holes in the sound."

The pipe organ, which dates back to the third century B.C., "has always been the choice for churches who want one musician to fill the room with sound," South Dakota organ builder John Nordlie said.

The instrument has been considered expensive throughout its history, with current price tags ranging from $100,000 to well into the millions. But pipe organs hold their value and can last for generations if they're well-designed and well-maintained, he said.

Nordlie crafted his first instrument in 1977 for a church in Appleton, Minnesota, and has built nearly 50 organs in Sioux Falls shop. Each part is handcrafted, from the wood and metal pipes that turn airflow into notes to the ornate cabinetry that houses the massive structures.

Although electronic and digital instruments can try to emulate the sound of wind being pushed through pipes, "they will never match the sound of the pipe organ," Nordlie said.

"The difference is there," he said. "Whether you take the time to listen carefully is entirely up to you."

The large megabuilders of the 1960s have largely disappeared, but numerous smaller companies are building as many instruments as they can turn out, said James Weaver, executive director of the Organ Historical Society.

Weaver said music aficionados still value the incredible amount of craftsmanship put into each organ. For proof, he points to the top-of-the line organs being built for municipal concert halls such as the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

"The idea of a handmade instrument is something which is just still quite a wonderful thing in our society and it's something that we really care about," Weaver said.

Another factor contributing to the organ's decline is a fewer number of musicians qualified to sit behind the consoles. The pipe organ is a complex instrument, and playing it well requires intensive training and practice.

Weaver said the number of organ students dropped tremendously a few years ago as musicians worried about whether their degrees would lead to jobs. He said he's starting to see a turn-around.

"Now there are more positions available I think," he said.

Aultman agreed. He said there are fewer universities offering organ degrees, but the ones that remain are stronger.

"There are still students that are majoring in organ, and there are still churches that will hire them and pay them a living wage," he said. "And I think that's just going to get better."

Aultman urges organists who want to make a living to embrace contemporary styles. He suggests that organists trained to playing only off of sheet music to learn play off chord charts like Nashville studio musicians.

"My advice to organists is, 'Don't be a snob,'" he said. "You're not going to probably find a position where you can play all Bach preludes and fugues for the bulk of your work."

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/33048b50d8e14f26b80723952d8c27a9/US--Pipe-Organ-Future

As this has found its way onto the Associated Press newswire, it has shown up at least three other places on the WWW as of this writing......

Eric
KB7DQH

It may be that Cameron has "opened the floodgates" but this organist offers a slightly different perspective...

http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/nov/15/young-star-brings-fresh-ears-to-the-pipe/

QuoteYoung star brings fresh ears to the pipe organ

Quote

By GUY D'ASTOLFO

dastolfo@vindy.com

Earlier this year, Christopher Houlihan dazzled the classical-music world with a series of concerts in American cities in which he performed the six organ symphonies by French composer Louis Vierne.

The concerts earned the 25-year-old Houlihan a cascade of critical acclaim. The Los Angeles Times called his performance in that city "a major surprise of the summer, a true revelation ... astonishing for so young a performer."

A reviewer for The Wall Street Journal said Houlihan displayed "a virtuoso's technical prowess, an architect's grasp of structure and a torch singer's ability to convey emotions."

On Sunday, Youngstown audiences will be able to witness the rising star in person when Houlihan comes to Stambaugh Auditorium for a concert on the grand pipe organ.

Houlihan, a graduate of Trinity College in Connecticut and the Juilliard School, answered a few questions before his Youngstown appearance.

Q. What is it about the pipe organ, and the ominous-sounding classical symphonies written for it, that attracts you?

A. There is no other singular instrument that has the variety and enormous dynamic range of the organ. Strings, flutes, oboes, trumpets, tubas ... the organ has it all. It can rip your head off with power one moment, and the next be as faint as a whisper. As an organist, I get to be a lot like a conductor, manipulating this enormously complex machine into making beautiful music. Louis Vierne's symphonies, in particular, make use of the organ for all of its colors and sounds. But I particularly love Vierne's music because his writing is very, very personal. His life was incredibly tragic, and his frustration is often palpable. At the same time, he gives us humor, romance and extreme joy.

Q. Do you see yourself starting a movement to bring more organ music into concert halls and to resurrect a new, and possibly younger, fan base?

A. Why not?! Whether I play a recital in a concert hall or a church, the music I perform has very little to do with the "religious" image the organ has. I find this is something that tends to turn off many of my friends — the idea that going to hear organ music somehow has something to do with going to church. This just isn't true.

Q. What pieces will be on the program at your concert in Youngstown?

A. I'll be playing three of my all-time favorite pieces: Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, a mesmerizing set of variations; Franck's Grande Piece Symphonique, basically the first "symphony" ever written for the organ; and Vierne's Sixth Symphony, the last of the French-romantic organ symphonies. The Franck and Vierne are sensual, exciting and colorful from beginning to end.

Q. Stambaugh Auditorium is known for two things: its superb acoustics and its newly restored pipe organ. Are you looking forward to playing it?

A. Can't wait! Sounds like an extraordinary place to make music.

Eric
KB7DQH

Yes, it has been awhile since I have posted something on the forum;  however, I have been buried by a flurry of similar news stories from all parts of the USA, and thought since I seem to remember some discussion about this possibly elsewhere on the forum that I might bring this to the attention of the enthusiasts in the United Kingdom ;)

QuoteParish church organ's £170,000 refurbishment cheap at the price

QuotePublished on Sunday 25 November 2012 10:00

BERWICK can now lay claim to having the finest pipe organ in the north of England following the long-awaited completion of its £170,000 refurbishment.

That is the bold assertion of the Vicar of Berwick, Canon Alan Hughes who, having overseen the project, is delighted to see it finished before his retirement next month.

"I firmly believe we have created the finest pipe organ in the north," he proudly declared. "It's a magnificent instrument and thanks to the skills and generosity of Geoffrey Coffin, the principle organ builder, it's been done at a much lower cost than might have been the case with one of the major organ builders.

"It's had a complete restoration of its 1,936 pipes, retaining some of its original parts which date back to the 18th century, and adding in some new elements such as the voluntary trumpet section on the top."

The contractor, Principal Pipe Organs of York, programmed the work for completion in the summer of 2010 but delays mean it has only just been finished.

Canon Hughes said: "We recently estimated that were we to go out to tender now for this standard of refurbishment it would not be far short of £500,000 because although there has been a two- year delay in its completion it was done on a fixed price contract fixed five years ago."

It is 12 years since the pipe organ was last played, services having been conducted with an electric organ during the intervening period.

Organist John Burton said: "It's an excellent organ and I'm really pleased to have the chance to play it. The congregation seem to have been impressed by it in recent services."

The effort to get the organ refurbished started seven years ago when the church received several sizeable donations from local benefactors.

"The first estimate we got for the work was £68,000 so we realised we were half way there and felt we had to give it a go," recalled Canon Hughes.

"The Parish Church Trust agreed to underwrite the costs with a further £20,000 but we then realised the costs were going to be much more, due to VAT and the discovery of asbestos covering the cast iron central heating system around the back of the organ chamber.

"The congregation was very supportive and started making donations and holding fundraising events and we eventually reached or target. Having said that, there were those who felt we shouldn't do it and said it was a waste of money. Hopefully, now it's all in place they will see that it's been a worthwhile investment not just for the church and the congregation but for the wider community of Berwick."

Around £150,000 was raised from well-wishers throughout the country with donations from as far afield as Cornwall, London and Norfolk, with the Parish Church Trust providing the balance with funds accrued from legacies and gifts.

The organ was built in 1855 and installed in Berwick Parish Church in 1869, originally as part of the gallery but relocated to its present custom built organ chamber in 1905. Church records show that the appeal to install the church's first organ in 1773 raised £127 which covered the full cost. The present organ is only the third in almost 240 years.

Wyndham Rogers-Coltman, who has worked tirelessly as chairman of the fundraising appeal, said: "The current rebuild should ensure a long and successful life for the next 50 or so years as a special fund has been set up for the regular maintenance of the organ on an annual basis. Berwick is privileged to possess one of the most up to date organs in the north east where it can compete with any other for tone and song."

It is hoped the organ can play a full role in the bid to use the building as an enhanced venue for the arts, particularly music, which can be used by local organisations.

"I am greatly encouraged that we've managed to finish the project without debt," said Canon Hughes. "That will enable the church to approach new challenges, such as the restoration of 10 stained glass windows and the protection of all ground floor windows with stainless steel mesh which got underway this week."

The pipe organ will be dedicated by Canon Hughes at his last service on December 16 at 10am.

http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/lifestyle/features/parish-church-organ-s-170-000-refurbishment-cheap-at-the-price-1-2648163

Eric
KB7DQH

QuoteAre organs to be the scapegoat for the intellectual vacuum within the church that has driven away thinking and unthinking people alike?

I sure hope not! 

Because...http://chronicle.augusta.com/things-do/applause/2012-11-02/young-musicians-flocking-organ

QuoteYoung musicians flocking to organ
By Kelly Jasper   
Staff Writer
Friday, Nov. 2, 2012   




An unusual thing is happening among young musicians, said Brad Cunningham, the organist at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta.

The pipe organ is, dare he say it, "almost trendy."

No, really, Cunningham said. He has proof.

His instrument of choice is enjoying a resurgence of popularity in younger generations.

Cunningham himself teaches lessons to local high school students on Reid's 3,000-pipe Schantz-built organ.

Students at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School helped install a pipe organ in one of the practice rooms this summer.

Augusta State University now has four organ students studying with Jim Nord, Cunningham said.

And perhaps most exciting, the young organists are looking forward to an upcoming concert with Christopher Houlihan, hailed as one of America's premiere young organists, and a bright star lighting the path for countless other young musicians embracing the organ.

Houlihan, 25, will present a concert at Reid on Thursday.

The front row seats won't be pews, but bean bags. They're meant for children ages 8 to 12, who will be allowed to sit just feet from the organ for a better view of Houlihan's footwork.

"What cooler instrument is there, with all of the sounds and pedals?" Houlihan said by phone this week.

The concert is part of the Schaeffer Organ Concert Series, named for John Gerhardt Schaeffer, a former Reid organist and Augusta State University music professor.

Four years ago, Houlihan was just starting his senior year of college.

He recorded his first two CDs while still in college, prompting classmates to form the "Houli Fans." The fan group, which has its own Facebook page, not only claps at concerts, but cheers.

This past summer, Houlihan attracted national attention by performing the six organ symphonies of Louis Vierne in marathon sessions in six cities across the U.S.

He'll play one in Augusta on Thursday.

"It's a whole symphony for solo organ," he said. "I've got a whole symphony under my fingertips."

The diversity of sounds that come out of an organ fascinate kids, he said.

"It's so colorful and exciting and really explores all of the sounds an organ has," he said. "It's loud and frightening, delicate, sensual, exotic and everything in between."

Houlihan first discovered the organ in church as a child.

"The sound of it could just rip your face off," he said.

Needless to say, Houlihan was impressed. He started lessons at age 12 with John Rose and went on to study at Trinity College in Connecticut and The Juilliard School in New York.

Grovetown High School student Nick Lowery picked up the organ two years ago, at 15.

The now 17-year-old studies with Cunningham.

"One of the different things that has fascinated me is all the different sounds you can get out of it," he said.

Nate Thompson agreed.

"It's pretty cool," said Thompson, a 14-year-old freshman at Davidson.

Both say they're planning to attend Houlihan's performance in Augusta.

"Old is new," Cunningham said. "Young people are returning to the organ."

He thinks he might be able to explain it.

"In the mid-1970s, we had a moment in the American church," he said. Worship took a turn toward contemporary, and now there's an entire generation of kids who have grown up without organ music.

"They've never heard anything like this before," Cunningham said. "It's a different kind of instrument."

Organists such as Houlihan help their cause.

"He's a great representative for the organ," he said. "He gets rid of the rules. He's doing things differently. He's going, 'Why not have fun with the pipe organ?' "

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Christopher Houlihan in concert, presented by the Schaeffer Organ Concert Series

WHERE: Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2261 Walton Way

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday; childcare is offered beginning at 7 p.m.

COST: Free

LEARN MORE: See christopherhoulihan.com

Eric
KB7DQH

The Boston Globe published an "opinion" piece titled "To Revitalize the Catholic Church, Kill all the Organs"...  :o :( >:(  http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2012/10/24/revitalize-catholic-church-let-kill-all-organs/9FpzZPSQzhfd4uUeCJNDbK/story.html  for which there have been many, many comments and responses from nearly everyone who was aware of this "screed" over the past couple days throughout the "blogosphere"...  As I write this I am made aware of the 84 "guests" viewing this forum, no doubt searching for "Halloween Organ Concerts" or maybe some "reaction" posted here--
So far, I have spotted thesehttp://view-from-the-loft.blogspot.com/2012/10/killing-us-softly.html?spref=fbhttp://felicemifa.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/four-alternatives-to-killing-your-pipe-organ/ and as they say, the "story is developing"...   

Eric
KB7DQH

The inauguration of this instrument takes place today :o 8) ;D ;)

Eric
KB7DQH

The inauguration of this instrument is likely either in-progress or has already concluded as of this writing... followed by a symposium until the 22nd of this month ;)

Eric
KB7DQH

Quote

Hirten speaks about pipe organ in film

The Ventura Chapter of the American Guild of Organists invites the public to "Image is Everything — The Pipe Organ in Film" on at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 3290 Loma Vista Road in Ventura.

American composer and organist, John Karl Hirten, is the guest speaker at the free event.

From the "Phantom of the Opera" to "Minority Report," the organ has a distinguished history in film, not only in musical scores but on the screen itself.

Using film clips and background materials, this presentation looks at the various ways that Hollywood views the pipe organ, and how those views may affect how the organ and organists are viewed.

The evening begins with movie-time refreshments in Kahler Hall. The audience will then be ushered into the sanctuary to hear Hirten play some illustrative selections on the Hedgel organ followed by the video presentation.

For more information, call Sara Edwards at 701-6970.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/oct/05/hirten-speaks-about-pipe-organ-film/#ixzz290nsxsdO
- vcstar.com

This would have been an interesting event to attend...

Eric
KB7DQH

This articlehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2216157/Only-Wurlitzer-organ-working-cinema-revealed-5-year-restoration-bringing-old-Hollywood-glamour-Cumbria.html?ito=feeds-newsxml# is a bit closer to the truth...

QuoteLive pipe organ music is evocative of old Hollywood glamour and silent movies, but has long been absent from British cinemas, until now.

The only Wurlitzer organ in a working cinema in Europe has made its debut after a painstaking five-year restoration, much to the delight of cinema goers.

Enthusiasts from across the country descended on the Royalty Cinema in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, at the weekend to witness a piece of history.

QuoteThe organ was originally at a theatre in Ohio but was shipped to the UK in 1934 when 'talkies' ended the era of silent films in the USA. It was used occasionally at the Rex cinema in East London until the 1970s.

Mayor of Windermere Allan Winrow cut the ribbon at the weekend to unveil the instrument.

Mark Latimer, who launched the restoration, said: 'At some points I never thought we would get this far, so it's tremendous to see it playing - it sounds fantastic.

Quote'People have come here from the south coast to Scotland and everywhere in between.'

Visitors were treated to an afternoon concert featuring organists Chris Powell, David Ivory and David Shepherd.

Organs took the place of orchestras in the heyday of silent films, designed to produce many different sounds and timbres using the fewest number of pipes to minimise the space needed.

The restored Wurlitzer has the traditional horse-shoe shaped console and sits in pride of place on the right hand side of the screen at the Royalty cinema.

QuoteDescribing the opening event as 'fantastic', Alan Adams, of Barrow, said: 'I could have listened to the organ for hours.

'It was so good and it's wonderful to see the organ being used. I am glad I came.'

The celebration continued with an evening showing of silent film Safety Last, accompanied by Mr Ivory on the organ.

He said being involved brought back some memories for him.

'I played this very same organ 40 years ago so it's nostalgic for me - I used to play it in an East London bingo hall. I'd entertain the ladies before bingo so it's nice to be playing it again.'

QuoteThere were also shorter films to start the cinema evening, which included the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton, with Paul Gregson at the keyboard.

One of those chuckling at the comedians, John Simpson, from Lancaster, said: 'This is the first time I have seen a Wurlitzer in action so I was very excited. I've heard them on CDs but nothing compares to seeing it live.

'Everyone has been laughing so it must be good, and the organists are so talented.'

Alan Mason, of Barrow, who attended the concert and film show, said: 'The concert was very good and I am surprised at how many people turned up.

'I've seen the organ over the years so it's lovely to come and see it being played, especially in a setting like this because there are not many vintage cinemas about.'

The "unmoderated" comments make for an interesting read...

This link will take you to a few more photographs and an ITV video...

http://www.itv.com/news/border/2012-10-05/rare-wurlitzer-organ-restored/

Eric
KB7DQH

Eric
KB7DQH

http://www.osadvertiser.co.uk/news/ormskirk-news/2012/10/11/ormskirk-parish-church-launch-appeal-for-150-000-repair-of-organ-80904-32005319/

QuoteORMSKIRK Parish Church has launched an appeal to secure funds for a £150,000 repair of its organ – before it is too late.

The 3,356 pipe organ – the largest in Lancashire and second only in size to Liverpool Cathedral's organ within the Liverpool Diocese – is in dire need of repair.

And while much of the work is eligible for grant support, every effort is needed to raise funds within the community to support the project, according to Mark Rawsthorn, who invited the Advertiser to a tour of the inner workings of the organ, which in its current form dates back to the 1800s.

Explaining how the appeal came about, he said: "I arrived last February and soon realised the state it was in. It sounds good from the outside but inside it's an accident waiting to happen, so we decided to do something about it before it's too late."

Mr Rawsthorn pointed out a number of holes starting to appear inside, with some of the pipes dating back to the 1700s. Many soft leather parts under high wind pressure have cracked, leading to wind leaking out. Warped wood is causing parts to jam, and the only remedy is to restore all the working parts. If left unattended, further damage could lead to costs far higher than £150,000 – a new organ of a similar size would cost over £1m.

Mr Rawsthorn said: "This is part of Ormskirk's heritage. dating back to before 1552. It's not to do with the church or music, it's to do with the town. "Organs were a form of civic pride, that's why people were always building bigger and better ones. A lot of love, care and effort has been put into it over the years and it would be a shame to abandon it."

As part of the appeal, the church has set up a sponsor-a-pipe scheme with pipes available from £10-£100. Tomorrow (Friday) the church will host a concert by the Occasional Singers choir, which starts at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £6 and £4 concessions. Then on November 3 there will be an organ recital for the official appeal launch, tickets £7.50, with all funds raised going towards the appeal.

Eric
KB7DQH

http://www.olrbrooklyn.org/pipeorgan/oct-5-2012/

QuoteGala Fundraiser Concert to benefit the restoration of two pipe organs.

QuoteFriday, October 5, 2012 - 7:30pm
The Church of the Advent, Boston, Massachusetts

30 Brimmer Street
Boston, MA 02108

QuoteMake a Request!
Mark Dwyer will take five hymns requests from The Hymnal 1982 for a donation of $200 per hymn and sung by all of those in attendance. Winning requests will receive a CD of their requested work, whether you are able to attend the concert or not.

QuoteThe Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Boston, MA)

1875 E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings organ
Click for organ's stop list

The largest and grandest organ ever built by E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings (their Opus 801), this instrument is without question one of the great cathedral organs of the world, and one of the most important surviving organs from the Romantic period. Leo Abbott, Cathedral Music Director since 1986, oversees the ongoing restoration by the Andover Organ Company. The funds from this recital will be put toward needed repairs to the Great windchest.
Our Lady of Refuge Church (Brooklyn, NY)

1934 Kilgen Organ
Click for organ's stop list

Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc. is scheduled to re-install the organ in the summer of 2013. The parish just needs to raise another $44,000 to have all needed funds. They have raised $184,000 to date.

Several of the finest organists in the Boston Area will play this concert with all proceeds being split between the two organizations.

Harvard University's Carson Cooman has composed Boston Fantasia which he will premiere.

The Recitalists:
Leo Abbott
Carson Cooman
Mark Dwyer
Harry Lyn Huff
Rosalind Mohnsen
Mark Edward Nelson
Lois Regestein
Lee Ridgway
Brandon Santini

QUESTIONS?

Email us. Your questions will be promptly replied to. Please do not call the Church of the Advent with questions.
Important Details

Advance ticket to the recital $18 bought online. $30 at the church door.
Post concert reception & recital ticket $38 bought online. $70 at the church door.

Tickets will not be mailed; your name will be on a list at the door as having paid.

Please note: the Historic Organ Foundation is using Our Lady of Refuge's PayPal Account. The recital and reception funds will be equally divided between Holy Cross Cathedral's in Boston & Our Lady of Refuge in Brooklyn.

Our Lady of Refuge is a 501(c) 3 tax exempt organization.

Eric
KB7DQH

Quoteis there place in this forum for talking about when the organ has made a difference? or what some of our significant experiences have been as listeners or players?

Yes, by all means... this is certainly as good a place as any ;) ;) ;) 

And to help this along I have commented elsewhere about the talents of one Thomas Mellan, an organist/composer who by now is all of 18 years of age...  His compositions have changed my perception of what the pipe organ is capable of musically...Some of his compositions are more like "tone paintings" rather than "tone poems"...stuff one normally associates with electronic keyboard instruments rather than something employing pressurized air... 

This could be fairly contrasted against other musicians who attempt to get their electronic keyboard instruments to sound like pipe organs :o ;)

Eric
KB7DQH

QuoteI hope that EVERYONE will listen to the music and superb performing ability of young Thomas Mellan. If he isn't the next major composer for organ, I will eat my organ shoes. The boy displays real genius far in excess of his years.

Some may fairly compare his compositions to those of Olivier Messiaen ??? :o ;) ;D

His composition "Galaxies and Explosions" and Messiaen's "Eyes in the Wheels" for example ;)

Eric
KB7DQH

An interview with organbuilder Martin Pasi...

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/applecapitalgroup/2012/07/16/pipe-organ-building-with-martin-pasi

And "Essence of Pipe Organ music  with  Benjamin  Kolodziej, organist at Southern Methodist University...

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/applecapitalgroup/2012/05/25/essence-of-pipe-organ-music-with-benjamin-kolodziej

Enjoy...

Eric
KB7DQH

QuoteRichmond, Va. --

Just as the transistor radio and cassette tapes gave way to digital music players, an electronic pipe organ from the 1960s was showing its age at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church.

The famous man behind it — Robert Noehren, the American Guild of Organists' international performer of the year in 1978 — had receded into memory. The approximately 20 organs Noehren built, including his only Richmond project at Ginter Park, were not recalled with the same measure of affection as his playing and teaching.

But now, after a $260,000 rebuilding of the Noehren organ at Ginter Park, "the results are fantastic," said Douglas Brown, the church's minister of music.

"It really is a fuller sound," he said, aided by three new ranks of pipes that range up to 16 feet.

"The console is command center. It's now state of the art. Before, I would push a button and it might work every fifth time. Imagine pushing the key on a clarinet and not knowing if it would work or not. It's much more beautiful and more even. It's just worlds different."

The newly restored organ will be dedicated Sunday at 11 a.m. during the regular worship service.

"It's a time to give thanks for the organ and for the people who support it, and a chance to hear what the organ can do," said the Rev. Carla Pratt Keyes.

An inaugural concert Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. could be the first of many, said David McCormick, former music director at Ginter Park, whose wife still sings in the Ginter Park choir.

"I really think it is an organ that is likely to be used for some of the American Guild of Organist (Richmond) concerts every year," McCormick said. "It is now worthy of joining that group of instruments in town that are really exciting to hear and play.

"There's a great deal of excitement there at the church since the organ has been brought back from New York," he said. Parsons Pipe Organ Builders cleaned and repaired about 2,500 pipes, added new musical stops and replaced electric switches with solid-state circuitry.

"I would call it a very big deal," said Matthew Parsons, project manager. "It was a complete remanufacturing restoration." Yet, the instrument remains true to its original builder.

"By no means are we making it new. It's still a Noehren," Parsons said. "He had the conceptual design. It still sounds the way he wanted it to sound."

Noehren died in 2002. To William Van Pelt, retired executive director of the Organ Historical Society, he "was an important figure and an interesting character. It's great that one of his organs is being kept pretty much as originally built."

During the nine months that Brown accompanied the Ginter Park congregation on a piano, he said he became more aware of the unique way a pipe organ infused the worship service with sound.

"It really is a wind instrument. It breathes in a certain way," he said. "As a congregation, when we sing, we breathe. To be supported by an instrument that uses air is a powerful thing."

kcalos@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6433

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2012/sep/15/5/tdmain01-ginter-park-presbyterian-church-restores-ar-2207034/

Eric
KB7DQH

QuoteThe First United Methodist Church in Crawfordsville is beginning a fundraising campaign to help repair the pipe organ that has been a part of the church for more than 50 years.

The fundraiser kick-off will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday at the church with a spaghetti dinner. All of the proceeds from the dinner will go directly to the organ.

Connie Meek, the church's organist, said the electronics system which operates the organ is in desperate need of repair. The estimated cost of the repairs will be around $30,000.

"It hasn't had any major repair work done to it in 40 years," she said.

Meek started playing the organ at the church in 1993 after Maxine Dreyer retired as the church's full-time organist. Meek began playing the organ in the church she grew up in as a seventh grader.

She said it is getting harder for churches to find organists because it is a dying art.

"I want to be able to continue to share that heritage," she said.

Meek said the pipe organ is used during the church's traditional worship service on Sunday morning and for weddings and other special events.

"Those people who attend the traditional service still like the music from the pipe organ," she said.

Meek hopes the fundraiser helps to make the public aware of the need to keep the organ in working order.

Tickets for the dinner are

$7 for adults and $3.50 for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Eric
KB7DQH

QuotePULLMAN, Wash. - Seven faculty members will collaborate on a varied collection of works originally written for other instruments or voices during the Washington State University Faculty Artist Series concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in Bryan Hall Theatre.

"Borrowing from Our Friends" will include Shannon Scott, clarinet, playing "Daley's Arc," a modern piece with musical references to 1950s rock, and the ensemble En Chamade (David Turnbull, trumpet, and Jill Schneider, organ) performing baroque and romantic works. Schneider will play the Bryan Hall Schantz pipe organ.

Also featured will be Dave Snider on bass, Chris Dickey on euphonium and Ann Yasinitsky on flute with Gerald Berthiaume on piano. Faculty favorites to be performed include Barber's "Adagio for Strings," the Franck "Sonata in A Major" and two pieces from Handel's "Water Music."

Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the School of Music Scholarship Fund. Tickets, on sale one hour before performances in the Bryan Hall lobby, cost $10 general admission, $5 senior citizens 60 and older and non-WSU students, and free for WSU students with ID.

---------------------------------

Contact:
Sandra Albers, WSU School of Music 509-335-4148, sandra_albers@wsu.edu

Quote.

Arianne Wunder
THE VOLANTE | 0 comments

With his feet dancing along the peddles and his hands summoning sound from the keys, concert organist Douglas Cleveland, Ph.D, entertained his audience Sept. 14 in the University of South Dakota's own Aalfs Auditorium. Cleveland started the night of with Concerto in A Minor by J.S. Bach and three songs later ended it with Sonata No. 1, Op. 42 by Alexandre Guilmante.

"Hearing the organ at my hometown [Olympia, Washington] church was really inspiring, especially singing the hymns with the pipe organ—a lot of majesty and colors," Cleveland said.

He had studied the piano first and fell in love, but he was attracted to the organ because of all the possibilities of colors and the breath variations of its volume.

First, Cleveland won the 1994 American Guild of Organists National Young Artists Competition in Dallas. Since then, he has performed all over the nation. He has also performed with several symphonies including the Chicago Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Northwestern University Symphony and the National Symphony. He claims his favorite experience was playing at the Moscow Conservatory in Russia.

"The main thing that inspires me is traveling and meeting people," Cleveland said. "Being able to play in different spaces and concert halls throughout the world lets me see different aspects of architecture, which is a real love of mine. It plays a big part of being inspired when I travel, because organs are usually in beautiful spaces."

Many of his performances have been broadcasted nationally and overseas. National Public Radio, the BBC and the Northwest radio program "The Organ Loft" have played his works. Cleveland has received critical acclamation on his four CDs—"Cleveland in Columbus" shines as his most recent. Amongst his many accomplishments, he has been a member of the jury of several organ competitions. Also, while teaching at Northwestern University he received the Searle Award for Teaching Excellence.

Now Douglas Cleveland currently serves on the organ faculty at the University of Washington School of Music and is also the director of music at Plymouth Church in Seattle. Cleveland plans to continue to teach, play and inspire with the music of the organ for the remainder of his life.

Cleveland finished by advising aspiring musician students of USD, "Learn as much as you can about music. Work hard and take advantage of all the opportunities that you can here with such a talented faculty."

Eric
KB7DQH

On Craigslist for the moment...

QuoteSalem Memorial Lutheran Church of Detroit has a beautiful, 5-bell Zimbelstern Pipe Organ for sale, w/star, delay, speed and volume controls. A rebuilt Pilcher Op. 570,1907. (*Rebuilt by D.F. Pilzzecker & Co., of Toledo, OH.) Asking price: $10,000.00 o.b.o. (*Note: Dismantling and relocation of organ will be at purchaser's expense.) For addn'l. description/information, please contact Min. Polly Taylor, Min. of Music (Salem Memorial Lutheran Church), via email: www.salemchurchdetroit@att.net or call 313.881.9210.