Nicholas Schmelter recitals

Nunc Dimittis

William Thomas Farrell, III, died April 27. He was born May 20, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas. He attended San Antonio College, studying organ performance with Donald Willing.

Farrell’s interest in the organ would change from performing to building, voicing, and maintenance of instruments, and he was accepted as an apprentice to Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company’s tonal finisher, Roy Perry, who was based in Kilgore, Texas. He also became affiliated with Jimmy and Nora Williams, the regional installers for Aeolian-Skinner. Farrell assisted in the installation of the firm’s pipe organs in San Antonio’s Central Christian Church and the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, as well as Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, before relocating to New York City in 1960. There, he was curator of instruments at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Paul’s Chapel, Columbia University, and Philharmonic Hall (now David Geffen Hall), Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, among others. Farrell would install the pipe organ in the residence of Virgil Fox as well as assisting with many of Fox’s later recordings.

Returning to San Antonio in the early 1970s, Farrell maintained many instruments in Texas, including the Aeolian-Skinner organ at the University of Texas, now relocated to a church in Amarillo, and he tonally finished the first large analog organs built by Rodgers Instruments of Hillsboro, Oregon. In addition, he rebuilt instruments in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, also providing tonal finishing and new installations in the United States for Fratelli Ruffatti of Padua, Italy.

Tom Farrell was predeceased just a few weeks before his death by his partner of 57 years, Louis A. Goedecke, himself a master craftsman in woodworking. Together, they had formed the Farrell Organ Company of San Antonio.

James R. Metzler of Sylvania, Ohio, internationally known organist and choral conductor, died suddenly May 19. He was born June 20, 1947, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He began his musical career as a boy chorister in the Choir of Men and Boys at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Worcester. While a member of the choir, he began lessons on the church’s Aeolian-Skinner organ. 

Metzler earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey, and a Master of Music degree from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, Connecticut. He also pursued doctoral studies in organ and musicology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His organ teachers included Henry Hokans, Robert Carwithen, Alec Wyton (improvisation), John Holtz, Marilyn Mason, and Martin Neary at Winchester Cathedral in England. Additional studies were taken at the Royal School of Church Music, Addington Palace, Croydon, England.

James Metzler served as organist/choirmaster/director of music at Trinity Episcopal Church, Toledo, Ohio, from 1972 to 1996; Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Little Rock, Arkansas, from 1996 to 2006, where he was appointed Canon of Music; and churches in Grand Rapids, Michigan, from 2006 until 2016.

Metzler received the Choir Master certificate from the American Guild of Organists, earning the highest score in the country, and he was awarded the S. Lewis Elmer Award for the highest score of all diploma candidates. He held a Fellowship diploma from the Cambridge (England) Society of Musicians (FCSM); a Fellowship diploma from the Guild (England) of Musicians and Singers (FGMS); a Fellowship diploma from the Honourable Company of Organists (FHCO), Toronto; and an Honorary Fellowship diploma from the National College of Music and Arts (HonFNCM), London, for services to music. In addition, he was a member of the American Guild of Organists, the Organ Historical Society, and the Royal School of Church Music. 

Metzler presented organ recitals in the United States and abroad, including three in Westminster Abbey, London, two in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, as well as in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, which he considered to be the highlight of his performing career, Norwich Cathedral (UK), King’s College Chapel (Cambridge University, UK), Westminster Cathedral, London, Worcester Cathedral (UK), Ely Cathedral (UK), St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, New York City, Washington National Cathedral, and, most recently, at the Church of the Madeleine, Paris, in April 2017. Recordings of his organ and choral performances are available at www.YouTube.com/TheCathedralOrganist. 

As an educator, he taught on the music department faculties at Mitchell College, New London, Connecticut; the University of Toledo, Ohio; and at Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan. As a choral conductor, Metzler directed over 25 choral residencies to England, leading the music for more than 100 services in Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, York Minster Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Durham Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, Norwich Cathedral, Guildford Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, Chester Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral, St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square), Ely Cathedral, Christ Church (Oxford), and St. George’s Chapel (Windsor). In August 1995, he was privileged to direct the music for the British VJ Day 50th Anniversary Commemoration Service in York Minster Cathedral.

A funeral Mass was held at Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, Toledo, Ohio, on May 24, 2017.

April 27, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

In 1980, I was appointed organist and director of music at Queen Street Baptist Church in St. Catharines, a position I held for 18 years. In 1998, I was appointed organist and director of music at Lundy’s Lane United Church in Niagara Falls. During those years, I conducted 23 organ and church tours throughout Ontario and New York State. These tours generated a lot of interest and I easily filled two buses for each fall tour and maintained a very long mailing and waiting list. 

When I was appointed as organist and director of music at St. Paul’s United Church in Oakville in 2010, I was strongly encouraged to restart these tours. In the spring of 2012, the congregation of St. Paul’s toured four major churches in downtown Toronto, an experience of sights and sounds enjoyed by all that attended. We were warmly welcomed by the clergy and organists at Metropolitan United Church, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, Timothy Eaton Memorial United Church, and St. Clement’s Anglican Church.

On April 27, 2013, a lovely Saturday morning, one bus and twelve cars (approximately 80 people) set out for our second annual tour of Waterdown, Dundas, and Hamilton. This was made possible by the terrific support of members of the Hamilton RCCO who played in these churches. 

The School Sisters of Notre Dame Chapel (built in 1956) is in Waterdown, in a beautiful countryside setting hidden away. The Yvonne Willliams stained glass windows were beautiful as the morning sunlight came through. Organists and organ students had an opportunity to play the fine Casavant organ (Opus 2507—three manuals, 30 stops, 29 ranks, installed in 1959) in the gallery.

We then arrived at St. James’ Anglican Church in Dundas. Our hosts were Chris Dawes, Alan and Dorothy Gregson, and Richard Birney-Smith. The new Leslie Smith pipe organ was demonstrated by Richard—indeed a wonderful sound in this worship space. St. James was built in 1925 and the cornerstone was laid by the Bishop of Niagara at that time. The church was totally destroyed by fire in January 1978 and re-opened and dedicated in April 1980. An electronic organ had served the congregation up to the time of the arrival of the new organ. The new Leslie Smith organ (Opus 6) was installed at the front of the church in 2008, consisting of three manuals, 31 stops, and a total of 2,297 pipes. This organ originated as a 1913 Karn-Warren in the sanctuary of the now closed Church of St. James-the-Apostle in Hamilton. Although eleven of its voices are authentic to the original organ, and its matching Arts and Crafts style cases now house the Great and Solo divisions at the baptistery end of the church, with the exception of one pedal chest the entire mechanism is new and custom built for St. James. The pre-existing Karn voices have been augmented by the addition of both new and vintage pipework, including a rare free-reed Cor Anglais. The unusual characteristic of the organ, inspired by St. James’ famous acoustics, is its placement in four cases around the sanctuary: two at the baptistery (south end) and two at the chancel (north end).

Our next stop was the Cathedral of Christ the King, where our group was welcomed by Robert Corso, director of music, who gave us a guided tour. We were given an extensive and most interesting tour of the cathedral to appreciate the architecture and windows, and also a demonstration and short recital at the great Steinmeyer organ in the gallery. This organ (Opus 1570) was installed after the cathedral was completed in 1933. Built in Öttingen, Bavaria, it contains 85 ranks, 67 stops, and approximately 5,000 pipes. In 1990, a new four-manual console was installed by R. A. Denton & Son of Hamilton, Ontario, built by R. A. Colby, Johnson City, Tennessee (temporarily used by the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah during their organ console rebuild in the late 1980s).

Central Presbyterian Church in downtown Hamilton is the largest Presbyterian church in the region. The church was built in 1908, and on June 14 that year, when it opened, Casavant Opus 321 organ was already installed. The Echo division was added by Casavant in 1917, a new console in 1950, and the organ was tonally revised and overhauled in 1982 and 1999 by Alan T. Jackson, Toronto, for Casavant Frères. In 2008, the console underwent solid-state conversion by Robert Hiller for Alan T. Jackson. In 2010, the Echo division was revised and cleaned by Robert Hiller for Alan T. Jackson. Paul Grimwood, director of music at Central, was  host for our lunch break, followed by a mini-recital and organ demonstration.

Our tour group marveled at the array of beautiful stained glass windows at Melrose United Church. Rev. Liz Mackenzie welcomed everyone warmly. After a brief talk about the history of the church, some of the organists had a chance to play the fine Casavant organ (Opus 1360) in the chancel. This instrument consists of 38 stops, 42 ranks and 3,017 pipes. There were some alterations to the organ in 1978 by the Keates Organ Company of Acton, Ontario. At this point, our group sang that wonderful evening hymn, “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended,” with Andrew Adair at the organ. We thank David Buckley, director of music at Melrose, for allowing us the chance to see and play the organ.

Our day ended at Christ’s Church Cathedral, with Michael Bloss as host. A thrilling performance of Bach’s “Jig Fugue” filled the chancel and nave from the console of this fine Casavant organ (Opus 1048).

Originally a Johnson organ, this Casavant was installed in 1924 with three manuals. It was rebuilt by the Dubay Organ Company of Burlington, Ontario, in 1962, and again in 1998 by Alan T. Jackson of Toronto. At that time a new principal chorus and mixtures were added to the Choir division. The organ now has 59 stops, 65 ranks, with 3,898 pipes. One of the members of the cathedral staff spoke about the history of the cathedral and the stained glass windows. We thank them both for their time and warm welcome.  

Future tours are planned for the Niagara area in 2014, as well as tours to London, Buffalo, New York, Guelph-Elora, and Rochester, New York. 

Nunc Dimittis

Margaret Smith McAlister died September 11, 2017. Born November 20, 1923, she was a lifelong resident of Tampa, Florida. McAlister’s early organ study began at the age of 13 with Nella Crandall, organist of First Christian Church, Tampa. At age 14, McAlister became organist at Highland Avenue Methodist Church. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music education and a certificate in organ studies from Florida State College for Women (now Florida State University), where she studied with Margaret Whitney Dow and Ramona Beard. Her organ studies continued as a graduate student at The Juilliard School in New York City with Vernon de Tar.

In 1947, McAlister became organist at First Presbyterian Church, Tampa, where she served faithfully until her retirement in 2012. During her 65-year tenure at the church, she also served as music director at various times. She served two terms as dean of the Tampa Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and several terms as AGO district convener for Florida. Each year, the Tampa Chapter of the AGO provides a scholarship in McAlister’s name to a local organ student. 

McAlister was a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, national music honorary, and was a member of the music faculties at University of Tampa and Clearwater Christian College. She served as music department accompanist for 25 years at Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus, Tampa. McAlister served as state chairman and member of the national executive board of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians, and was a Certified Associate Church Musician in that organization. McAlister also served as a member of the worship subcommittee of the Presbytery of Tampa Bay.

Margaret Smith McAlister is survived by a sister, six children, seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. A funeral service was held September 23 at First Presbyterian Church, Tampa. The choir, which she had accompanied for 65 years, performed her favorite anthem, My Eternal King, by Jane Marshall, as well as two responses composed by McAlister.

Hugh John McLean, organist, choirmaster, and musicologist, died July 30, 2017, in Naples, Florida. He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on January 5, 1930. McLean began organ study as a teenager with Hugh Bancroft in Vancouver. At age 15, he was appointed organist to St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Winnipeg, and at 17, presented his first broadcast organ recital on CBC. Attending the Royal College of Music, England, on an organ scholarship in 1949, studying with Arthur Benjamin (piano), William Harris (organ), and W. S. Lloyd Webber (composition), McLean was the first Canadian to be named Mann Organ Scholar at King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, under Boris Ord, 1951–1956. He made his London debut in 1955 at the Royal Festival Hall with Adrian Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere of Malcolm Arnold’s Organ Concerto, a command performance in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. Returning to Vancouver, Hugh served as organist and choirmaster at Ryerson United Church (1957–1973). He founded and conducted the Vancouver Cantata Singers, the Hugh McLean Consort, and the CBC Vancouver Singers. He taught at the universities of Victoria (1967–1969) and British Columbia (1969–1973) before joining the faculty of music at the University of Western Ontario, London. While at Western (1973–1995) he served as dean (1973–1980) and taught organ, harpsichord, and music history. During his tenure as organist at St. John the Evangelist, London, he collaborated with organbuilder Gabriel Kney on the installation of an organ for the church, and again for the Roy Thompson Hall organ, Toronto, performing at the instrument’s inaugural gala concert in 1985.

McLean retired from University of Western Ontario to assume the post of organist and choirmaster at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Winter Park, Florida (1995–2010). The parish Senior Choir undertook four summer sojourns as guest choir in residence in Anglican cathedrals of the UK and Ireland. In addition to broadcasts on the CBC, McLean also broadcast with the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Swiss Radio, and NHK Japan. The first Canadian organist to tour the USSR, he also performed in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and two of Bach’s churches (Muhlhausen and Leipzig’s Thomaskirche). He gave many Canadian premieres including Hindemith’s Organ Concertos No. 1 and No. 2, Vancouver (1970–1972) and appeared as organ soloist with the Toronto Symphony in 1979, 1982, and 1985. Specializing in 17th- and 18th-century musicology studies and awarded Canada Council grants to research at archives in Japan, Poland, and the the former East Germany, he served on the editorial board of the new C. P. E. Bach edition and wrote 19 articles for the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

Hugh John McLean is survived by his wife, Florence Anne, and their children, Ross Alan and Olivia Anne, his sons Robert Andreas, John Stuart, and Hugh Dundas (by his late wife, Gunlaug Julie Gaberg), nine grandchildren, two sisters, and several nieces and nephews.