Organ matters - Organs matter!

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20130301/NEWS01/303020002/Supercomputer-organ-versus-old-school-pipes?nclick_check=1

QuoteVERONA — It's the battle between old and new.

Organists are calling it the "David and Goliath" event, or the "Tale of Two Organs."

The matchup on March 11 pits Verona United Methodist Church's Viscount organ against the pipe organ at the historic Church of the Epiphany in Washington, D.C. It's a showdown that's been designed for entertainment by some world-class organists and that involves Verona due to the type of instrument they have.

The concert is meant to match the old-world technology of Epiphany's 64-rank Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ versus new-world technology from Viscount Organ Company, know as Physis.

It's a real wind instrument on one side, and a software-driven algorithmic machine on the other.

Aeolian-Skinner versus Viscount. The 3,467 finely crafted real windblown pipes compared to the 4,000 watts of the digital organ on the other.

Bring it on.

"This (kind of competition) used to be a very big thing when the organ was an instrument that people would come to see," said Josh Dove, owner of Whitesel Music in Harrisonburg. "They would do these big concerts like this and make a big show out of it."

Dove's music company is the one who supplied Verona's UMC with the new Viscount Organ — and the only organ provider in the area to have the new technology, Dove said.

Last year, Verona UMC replaced an aging instrument with a state-of-the-art, custom three-manual Viscount Organ with Physis technology — making it the first electronic organ to apply physical modeling to pipe organ sound.

Bob Weeks, the pastor at Verona UMC, said it's an honor to have the church's organ used, not only for him but also the congregation.

"The clash of technology — old and new. It doesn't just replicate the old sounds, but it brings something new to it," Weeks said of the church's Viscount.

It's not so much pride or the attention, Weeks said, it's more of an affirmation of choosing the new technological instrument.

"This electronic organ, which makes this one different from all the rest, uses nothing but software. It uses a technology called physical modeling. It recreates the sound through computer code," Dove explained. "There's no real wind-blown pipes, the sound comes out of speakers."

Quote
"What's incredible about it is every last aspect of the pipe organ comes through the speakers. You can literally hear the valves opening and closing as you push down the key on the organ," he added. "You can hear the wind blowing through the pipes as you're playing. You can feel changes in air pressure happening. All of these things are happening but there is not a single pipe on the whole thing."

A pipe organ uses real pipes. With just a push of a key, it releases a valve and allows air to pass through the pipe producing sound.

According to Dove, the thing that makes Verona's church's organ so different is up until now, all of the electronic organs have worked on a technology that's 20 years old called sample sound technology. "In the electronic organ, when you push down a key it's like hitting play on a tape player. It's just copying the sound," Dove said.

With Verona's organ, the computer creates the sound from scratch at a speed so fast that that the human mind doesn't even know there has been a delay at all, Dove explained.

"This series of organ processes at a speed of up to 21 billion pieces of information per second," he said.

The idea of the battle brewed up between Dove and Jeremy Filsell — the artist-in-residence of the Washington National Cathedral and music director of the Historic Church of the Epiphany in downtown Washington, D.C.

Filsell personally requested Verona UMC's organ and will be playing it March 11, while Neil Weston, an international organist, will be performing the pipe organ.

But why a battle?

"What we intend to show is that this technology is that this technology from Viscount is something that is a legitimate alternative to a church that can't afford a real pipe organ," Dove said. The Viscount can cost much less than a real pipe organ — which can range in the seven figures, Dove said.

Verona paid about $65,000 for their Viscount, after a donation from the company. It retails for about $100,000, Weeks said.

By no means does Dove mean this to become a fight over replacing pipe organs with the new Physis technology.

One upside with the Viscount, Dove said, is it can be updated with just a push of the button.

Updates can be made on this new organ like one would update software on an iPhone — it's free, too. The older types of electronic organ would stay the way they came. If an update was needed, somebody from the organ's company would have to come out and install updates.

Filsell and Weston, along with Dove, are presenting a "Battle of the Organs" Concert starting at 7 p.m. March 11 at The Church of the Epiphany at 1317 G St.in Washington, D.C.

Eric
KB7DQH

QuoteBuried as it is among ads for motorcycles, sports jerseys and jewellery, a classified listing on websites Kijiji and Craigslist for "Pipe Organ Casavant Freres Opus 1034, Circa 1924" has attracted relatively few page views.

Developers who are converting a church in Toronto's west end into condos are desperately seeking a new home for the pipe organ. They're having a tough time – go figure.

QuoteThe carefully crafted instrument, which was manufactured by Quebec's Casavant Frères Ltee roughly 90 years ago, has 849 pipes that will have to be dismantled just to remove it, a process that will take weeks and cost more than $15,000. Reassembling and cleaning will be an additional $40,000 or so. And the current asking price is $20,000.

Still, there has been some interest. The condo developers, the Windmill Development Group, received a phone call from a music producer who thought about putting it in his studio. But he didn't call back after learning that the pipes, which range from four to 16 feet in height, stretch as high as 25 feet once the façade and casing is included.

Indeed, the organ officially became homeless when the blossoming Seventh Day Adventist congregation that had made its home on Perth Avenue sold the site to move into a bigger space – with lower ceilings.

There was another call from an amateur historian who keeps random artifacts at his farm. And a company that didn't know why the instrument was being put up for sale tried its luck to see if it could interest the developers in replacing the pipe organ with a more modern (and easy to relocate) digital one. But the most promising call thus far has come from a church organization that offered to disassemble and store the instrument until a church needed it.

"Hopefully, we just find someone who comes along and says, 'We're building a church and we'd love to have it,'" says Alex Speigel, who runs the Toronto office of Ottawa-based Windmill. "What do you do with an organ? It's huge! So we've been spending a lot of time trying to find a new home for it."

The company isn't required to find a home for the instrument, but is trying to find new uses for as many of the church fixtures as possible. They're hoping to house them all before construction begins, in roughly two months.

Mr. Speigel and his associates have put in calls to the company that built it, music professors, a number of organists and other musicians, most of whom politely said they'll spread the word.

"We get some crank calls and some great calls; it's a whole process," Mr. Speigel says. "We've even got a guy at the Discovery Channel who said, 'If you ever find a home for this, we want to do a special on just taking this whole thing apart.'"

Simon Couture, vice-president of Casavant Frères Ltee., says his firm has put a lot of effort into seeking a home for the instrument and is surprised one hasn't been found yet.

He likens his efforts to pair up buyers and sellers of the company's organs to being a matchmaker: "When the right instrument becomes available, you need to be ready."

"We have worked very hard to find a home for it," he said. "It doesn't mean it's not a good pipe organ, it's just a matter of what people are looking for at this stage."

He noted that the company is in the midst of reinstalling a 1960s organ from a decommissioned church in Montreal into a parish in Mississauga. That parish wanted a larger one than the one Windmill is selling, and also made its decision before Mr. Couture knew this one was for sale.

"We see it as our duty, our mission, to find new homes for these Casavant organs," he said. "It's really sad that we seem to be unable to find a new home for this one."

But Mr. Couture remains optimistic. And in the meantime, the instrument is getting some love – Mr. Speigel can occasionally be spotted putting his amateur piano techniques to use.

"It's really amazing because there are two levels of keyboards and then there are all these pedals on the floor," he says. "If nobody's listening I can have a lot of fun."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/now-on-craiglist-a-pipe-organ-just-20000/article9214811/

Eric
KB7DQH

Quote
February 26, 2013 by Norman Lebrecht

The death has been announced of Marie-Claire Alain, one of the most influential organists of all time. She was 86.

Her father, Albert Alain (1880-1971), was an organ composer and builder. Her composer brother, Jehain Alain, died fighting the German in 1940, at the age of 29. Marie-Claire played his works all her life.

A second brother, Olivier Alain (1918-1994) was an organist and director of the conservatory in their birthplace, Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Marie-Claire Alain recorded the complete organ works of J S Bach no fewer than three time

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/02/last-of-a-mighty-organ-line.html

:'(

Eric
KB7DQH

Quote Casavant Pipe Organ.
Beautiful working condition.

Opus 2776
Electro-pneumatic; 2 divisions, 3 ranks + 1 Bourdon 16'.
2 manuals (61 notes), 1 pedal (32 notes).
Built 1963
Excellent, maintained, and still played.
Specs available upon request., $20,000. Email: mkojanek@rogers.com

The "online classified ad" also has pictures...
http://classifieds.ottawacitizen.com/ottawa/for-sale/casavant-pipe-organ/63E09223052792E9DDgmQ4325109

Eric
KB7DQH

Right this second (streaming onwww.king.org Click on "listen live") is a rather pleasant piece for chamber instruments and pipe organ!!!  I currently have no idea what it is as I missed the announcement as I was reading other stuff online and had the volume on the HI-FI turned well down... Soooo... I have begun recording at a suitable break between movements, and will report back when I find out what this is ;)

Eric
KB7DQH

After seeing the following documentary on Public Television on more than one occasion

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I41LAY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=earthnoworg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002I41LAY

a Web search turned up the following...

QuoteAn interview with Amit Goswami
by Craig Hamilton

nautilusBefore you read any further, stop and close your eyes for a moment. Now consider the following question: for the moment your eyes were closed, did the world still exist even though you weren't conscious of it? How do you know? If this sounds like the kind of unanswerable brain teaser your Philosophy 101 professor used to employ to stretch your philosophical imagination, you might be surprised to discover that there are actually physicists at reputable universities who believe they have answered this question—and their answer, believe it or not, is no.

Now consider something even more intriguing. Imagine for a moment the entire history of the universe. According to all the data scientists have been able to gather, it exploded into existence some fifteen billion years ago, setting the stage for a cosmic dance of energy and light that continues to this day. Now imagine the history of planet Earth. An amorphous cloud of dust emerging out of that primordial fireball, it slowly coalesced into a solid orb, found its way into gravitational orbit around the sun, and through a complex interaction of light and gases over billions of years, generated an atmosphere and a biosphere capable of not only giving birth to, but sustaining and proliferating, life.

Now imagine that none of the above ever happened. Consider instead the possibility that the entire story only existed as an abstract potential—a cosmic dream among countless other cosmic dreams—until, in that dream, life somehow evolved to the point that a conscious, sentient being came into existence. At that moment, solely because of the conscious observation of that individual, the entire universe, including all of the history leading up to that point, suddenly came into being. Until that moment, nothing had actually ever happened. In that moment, fifteen billion years happened. If this sounds like nothing more than a complicated backdrop for a science fiction story or a secular version of one of the world's great creation myths, hold on to your hat. According to physicist Amit Goswami, the above description is a scientifically viable explanation of how the universe came into being.

Goswami is convinced, along with a number of others who subscribe to the same view, that the universe, in order to exist, requires a conscious sentient being to be aware of it. Without an observer, he claims, it only exists as a possibility. And as they say in the world of science, Goswami has done his math. Marshalling evidence from recent research in cognitive psychology, biology, parapsychology and quantum physics, and leaning heavily on the ancient mystical traditions of the world, Goswami is building a case for a new paradigm that he calls "monistic idealism," the view that consciousness, not matter, is the foundation of everything that is.

A professor of physics at the University of Oregon and a member of its Institute of Theoretical Science, Dr. Goswami is part of a growing body of renegade scientists who in recent years have ventured into the domain of the spiritual in an attempt both to interpret the seemingly inexplicable findings of their experiments and to validate their intuitions about the existence of a spiritual dimension of life. The culmination of Goswami's own work is his book The Self-Aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World. Rooted in an interpretation of the experimental data of quantum physics (the physics of elementary particles), the book weaves together a myriad of findings and theories in fields from artificial intelligence to astronomy to Hindu mysticism in an attempt to show that the discoveries of modern science are in perfect accord with the deepest mystical truths.

Quantum physics, as well as a number of other modern sciences, he feels, is demonstrating that the essential unity underlying all of reality is a fact which can be experimentally verified. Because of the enormous implications he sees in this scientific confirmation of the spiritual, Goswami is ardently devoted to explaining his theory to as many people as possible in order to help bring about what he feels is a much needed paradigm shift. He feels that because science is now capable of validating mysticism, much that before required a leap of faith can now be empirically proven and, hence, the materialist paradigm which has dominated scientific and philosophical thought for over two hundred years can finally be called into question.

Interviewing Amit Goswami was a mind-bending and concept-challenging experience. Listening to him explain many ideas with which he seemed perfectly at home, required, for me, such a suspension of disbelief that I at times found myself having to stretch far beyond anything I had previously considered. (Goswami is also a great fan of science fiction whose first book, The Cosmic Dancers, was a look at science fiction through the eyes of a physicist.)

But whether or not one ultimately accepts some of his more esoteric theories, one has to respect the creativity and passion with which he is willing to inquire. Goswami is clearly willing to take risks with his ideas and is fervently dedicated to sharing his investigation with audiences around the world. He speaks widely at conferences and other forums about the exciting discoveries of the new science and their significance, not only for the way science is done, but for society as a whole. In India, the country of his birth, he is actively involved in a growing organized movement to bridge the gap between science and spirituality, through which he is helping to pioneer a graduate institute in "consciousness studies" based on the premise that consciousness is the ground of all being.

Goswami is considered by some to be a pioneer in his field. By attempting to bring material realism to its knees and to integrate all fields of knowledge in a single unified paradigm, he hopes to pave the way for a new holistic worldview in which spirit is put first. In fact, as far as we know, he is the only new paradigm scientist who is taking a clear stand against the relativism so popular among new age thinkers. At a time when the decay of human values and the erosion of any sense of meaning has reached epidemic scale, it is hard to imagine what could be more important than this.

And yet, for all the important and valuable work he seems to be doing, in the end we are left with serious reservations as to whether Goswami's approach will ultimately lead to the kind of transformation he hopes for. Thinkers such as Huston Smith and E. F. Schumacher have pointed to what they feel is an arrogance, or at least, a kind of naiveté, on the part of scientists who believe they can expand the reach of their discipline to somehow include or explain the spiritual dimension of life. Such critics suggest that the very attempt to scientifically validate the spiritual is itself a product of the same materialistic impulses it intends to uproot and, because of this, is ultimately only capable of reducing spirit, God and the transcendent to mere objects of scientific fascination.

Is science capable of proving the reality of the transcendent dimension of life? Or would science better serve the spiritual potential of the human race by acknowledging the inherent limits of its domain? The following interview confronts us with these questions.

Above is the introduction to the interview, which can be read in its entirety at the following link:

http://www.amitgoswami.org/scientific-proof-existence-god/#more-228

Eric
KB7DQH

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200244103338845&set=a.4422711059499.160368.1640650045&type=1&ref=nf

QuoteCharles Kegg

Here is an interesting child's play slide seen at a McDonald's in San Antonio. You climb up the left and as you slide down on the right, your posterior triggers a descending scale of notes. Even though the pipes are not quite anatomically correct, they are clearly organ pipes. Riddle me this: If the pipe organ is "culturally irrelevant" as some say, how is it that it was used in a new toy designed for 5 year old children? How did this come to be? Clearly the pipe organ is not as far from the minds of lay people as some would have us believe.

Posted here in "Electronic organs" as the toy is clearly electronic...  The photo was posted onto Facebook by an American Pipe organ builder...

Eric
KB7DQH

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

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

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

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

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.

QuoteFor 42 years, "Wilma" anchored the famous RKO Keith Theatre in downtown Syracuse, an icon to a city in its heyday. When her 16-foot tall pipes hit a full chorus, one can almost feel the Roaring Twenties coming alive.

"It's a wonderful opportunity, an honor just to play," said Harvyn Tarkmeel, a retired engineer who helps keep Wilma — the fully-restored, original Wurltizer Hope Jones Unit Orchestra pipe organ — making music at the New York State Fair. "We consider this to be one of the best-kept secrets in all of New York."

Throughout the fair, folks will often find Tarkmeel or a colleague filling the Empire State Theater in the Art and Home Center with sounds from the distant past.

Several times, Wilma has faced a silent obsolescence. The first time came after Auburn-based inventor Theodore Case incorporated sound into film, killing the silent movie industry. Next came the Hammond organ, which replaced the giant Wurtlitzer machines, and then the synthesizers that recreated entire orchestral sounds. Today, a smart phone can produce more noises than Wilma, whose sound-making system requires the space of a three-car garage.

But the impact is not the same.

2012-08-20-sdc-nyfairorgan1.JPGStephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-StandardHarvyn Tarkmeel is an organist in the Empire Theatre at the New York State Fair. He plays a Wurlitzer Opus organ, affectionately called "Wilma." The 87-year-old pipe organ was restored and reinstalled at the NYS Fairgrounds in 1967.

When Tarkmeel presses a switch for "SLEIGH BELLS," he doesn't bring forth a recorded sound. His touch sends an electric impulse that causes actual sleigh bells to shake.

It's the same with castinets, the tamborine and xylophone — which is struck by a real mallet. Actual drums are beaten, and real sirens blared. When he presses "CLARINET," 61 pipes converge to create the instrument, rising up from three backstage chambers. The organ and theater are virtually inseparable.

"It can be quite loud," Tarkmeel said, with a smile. "If you would like, I will demonstrate."

He flicked a few switches. Behind the stage, dark vertical blinds fluttered open. He pressed on the keyboard. The theater erupted into one pure chord, loud enough to engulf the building. It was the same sound that Wilma would have made in 1925, the year it was shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda.

"As far as we know, New York has the only fair in the country with a real theater organ installed on site," Tarkmeel said, then gave another blast.

The RKO Keith's, with its famous Italian marble columns and 5,000-bulb marquee, opened on South Salina Street in 1920. Within 20 years, as "talkies" redefined Hollywood, the giant Wurlitzer had become an afterthought.
2012-08-20-sdc-nyfairorgan3.JPGStephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-StandardTwo chamber rooms produce the sound from the pipe organ at the New York State Fair.

In 1963, with the Keith's theater struggling, the Syracuse community rallied to restore the organ. A 1965 organ concert drew 2,400 to the theater. It was too late. Two years later, Keith's was demolished to make way for a Sibley's department store. The organ was relocated to the Fairgrounds, where it became a staple of the annual fashion show.

In the early 1990s, fair officials sought to evict the organ. Supporters — then described in the Herald-Journal as "cultish" — fought for Wilma to stay. They won.

Every year, volunteers like Tarkmeel keep Wilma functioning, as in the beginning.

Tarkmeel, 69, has been playing the machine since 2004. A few years ago, he began calling it Wilma, after the wife of Fred Flintstone — a kindly presence from the deep past.

This year, members of the Empire State Theater Musical Instrument Museum hope Gov. Andrew Cuomo will stop at the Art and Home Center during his visit to the fair.

"I have no idea if Governor Cuomo even knows Wilma exists," Tarkmeel said. "I would love for him to hear it."

If Cuomo arrives during a show, Tarkmeel has a plan. He'll transition into "New York, New York" or maybe "I'll Take Manhattan," old songs that befit an old machine. But he might just throw in a wrinkle. He's been working on the 2009 hit by Jay-Z, "Empire State of Mind." It's not easy. Wilma has a button for train whistles, doorbells, ah-ooga-horns, even a human voice. But no switch says "RAP."

"I'll just try my best," Tarkmeel said.

So there you are... a Cinema organ installed at a fairgrounds ;D 8) 8) 8)

Eric
KB7DQH