Stephen Schnurr

June 25–30, 2006, Saratoga Springs, New York

Frank Rippl is a graduate of Lawrence University Conservatory of Music where he studied with Miriam Clapp Duncan and Wolfgang Rübsam. He is co-founder of The Appleton Boychoir, coordinator of the Lunchtime Organ Recital Series in the Appleton, Wisconsin area, and has been organist/choirmaster at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Appleton for 35 years

In the months leading up to the Organ Historical Society’s Fiftieth Anniversary National Convention, the question on everyone’s mind was “Could it live up to the level of advance excitement it was generating?” The OHS magazine, The Tracker, had published its usual pre-convention issue with mouthwatering photos of the organs and venues—pictures by Victor Hoyt and Stephen Pinel that made one fall in love with the organ all over again. There were articles and ads in the professional journals touting the instruments to be visited, not the least of which was the historic 3-manual Odell organ from 1882, the oldest large and unaltered concert hall organ in America—an instrument not heard in decades. There was the outstanding roster of performers, the beauty of New York State, the festive banquets, the cruise on Lake George, and on it went.
By the final evening, the answer was an exultant and resounding “Yes!” Convention chairman Stephen Pinel and his committee truly outdid themselves. One of the biggest surprises was the huge, lavishly illustrated and annotated 250-page, 81⁄2" x 11" convention 2006 Organ Atlas (which replaced the traditional, smaller Organ Handbook we were accustomed to seeing each year), detailing the instruments, the venues and their cities. This major document of the organs of the Albany area will be of invaluable service to historians. It represents an extraordinary amount of painstaking research by Jonathan Ambrosino, editor; Alfred V. Fedak, Scot L. Huntington, Len Levasseur, and Stephen L. Pinel. With this distinguished book, the OHS arrives at one of those new plateaus founding member Barbara Owen spoke of in her opening address. This was an exceptional convention worthy of a fiftieth anniversary. They called it “Coming Home.”
This review includes many fine photos of the convention instruments; more photos can be seen at the OHS website , which has links to previous conventions and to the daily convention programs.

Sunday, June 25

In her opening address, founder Barbara Owen recalled the old days and highlighted milestone events along the way. She especially noted the OHS Archives—now an outstanding and unique international resource. Owen said that the OHS at fifty (“middle aged”) should, like the god Janus, look both forward and backward, but should also look inward to draw upon the strengths of each member.
The first concert took place at the 1885 Round Lake Auditorium, preceded by an outdoor dinner of chicken barbecue, a local specialty. The concert featured the famous 3-manual Davis & Ferris organ (1874), originally built for Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City, and moved to Round Lake in 1888. With its sturdy gothic case and stopknobs arranged in the shape of a cross, it sits high at the back of the stage in this large shed-like building festooned with colorful paper lanterns. Chairman Pinel presented Edna Van Duzee Walter with a plaque honoring her 40 years of volunteer service caring for and promoting this historic instrument. The 2006 Organ Atlas states that “It is the only large American-made, three-manual organ from the pre-1850 period to survive in nearly intact condition.”
Organist Antonius Bittmann and the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra led by Mark Trautman offered an evening of Rheinberger. Bittmann opened with the Sonata No. 12 in D-flat, and from the first low D-flat in the pedal, it was clear that we were in the presence of an extraordinary musical instrument. Its full, broad scale filled the room with a gentle tone from a quieter, less clamorous time. Especially effective was the second movement’s use of the sweet flute sounds. The third movement, Introduction and Fugue, featured the principals and reeds and made one long for the sounds of other large instruments from that period that no longer exist. After intermission, we were summoned back to our seats by the ringing of the auditorium’s tower bell for the Concerto in G minor for organ and orchestra. This is a splendid work with soaring French horn lines and beautiful writing. The conductor led the fine orchestra and the organ with just the right blend of sweep and precision—a wonderful beginning to a week of music.

Monday, June 26

The day began at 8:00 a.m. in pouring rain. Rain was to be the uninvited guest at this convention; there would be some historic and heavy flooding throughout the area. However, enthusiasm and spirits were on the sunny side as we embarked on a two-hour bus ride out into the lovely countryside of the Mohawk River Valley to visit James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking region of New York state, beginning in Richfield Springs and Cooperstown, before ending the day in Albany.
My group began at Church of Christ Uniting in Richfield Springs with a recital by Michael J. Diorio on the 1896 Farrand & Votey organ. The twin cases that flank the altar, plus other sanctuary furniture, were all designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Unfortunately, they are lit nowadays with long fluorescent tubes in the ceiling, but the craftsmanship of the delicately carved casework is superb. Diorio’s recital gave a good tour of this instrument’s resources, programming that OHSers always appreciate. He is a fine and spirited player who earned his doctorate in organ just two weeks earlier. Particularly effective were the Adagio für die Orgel by Julius Reubke and Adagio espressivo from Sonata No. 2 by Rheinberger, which he performed with quiet tenderness.
At St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richfield Springs we heard the 1887 Hook & Hastings (photo p. 27) played by Donald K. Fellows, organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Pittsburgh, who announced each of his registrations. The St. John’s organ stands to the right of the altar in this intimate church. The façade pipes are painted in shades of blue, red and tan with gold trim. Each stop fills the room perfectly and confidently. Fellows used the flute stops to great effect in selections from Haydn’s charming Pieces for a Flute Clock. George Shearing’s Chorale Prelude on There Is a Happy Land showed a variety of sound including the gentle Oboe and the rich and enveloping Great chorus. There is a wonderful warmth about the building and the organ. Shades of blue dominate.
We drove to Cooperstown, along the way passing the grounds of Glimmerglass Opera and Lake Otsego. After a brief visit to the Farmer’s Museum, a collection of historic structures, we went to lunch in the Old World elegance of the Otesaga Hotel. The buffet was served on the veranda with its stunning view of Lake Otsego.
We then returned to the museum where, in a gentle rain, we toured the various buildings—avoiding puddles and observing wool spinners, blacksmiths and the like, before visiting the former Cornwallville United Methodist Church to hear the 1849 Giles Beach organ played by Eugene Roan with John Burkhalter, English flute. They presented a pleasant musicale of mostly American music from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The gentle and sweet tones of the instruments in the historic church building evoked the period of this charming literature quite nicely. We would hear several organs by Gloversville, New York builder Giles Beach at the convention—this tiny one-manual, four-stop instrument was the smallest. Beach built some 100 organs, of which only six survive.
We then drove to Albany. Following dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (we ate very well all week!), we took a magical stroll to All Saints’ Cathedral, passing some of Albany’s magnificent buildings, including the splendid State Capitol building and City Hall, both by Henry Hobson Richardson. City Hall boasts a 49-bell carillon, and carillonneur Charles Semowich provided glorious “traveling music” as we walked to the cathedral.
Dedicated in 1888, Albany’s All Saints Episcopal Cathedral is one of America’s great gothic churches. At 330 feet long and 100 feet high, it is a most impressive monument. In 1900, Austin built a fine 4-manual instrument, and the organ was enlarged in 1904 when transepts were completed for the cathedral. By all accounts it was a magnificent organ. In 1956 it was greatly altered by the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, changed to reflect the American Classic style. It was changed again by Austin in 1963, and in 1986 a gallery antiphonal was added incorporating a Trompette-en-Chamade (photo p. 27).
Joan Lippincott’s large and ambitious program began with the hymn “Ancient of Days” to the tune Albany. She then played Fanfare and Fugue by Ned Rorem, which announced itself on the powerful west end Trompette-en-Chamade. Next, Bach’s Passacaglia & Fugue gave us a tour of the principal choruses. Her playing was, as always, clean, robust, and spirited; each musical line was clearly delineated. The first half ended with a brilliant reading of Mozart’s Fantasy in F Minor, in which we heard some of the quiet and gentle sounds of the organ.
Following intermission, Miss Lippincott returned to play another fanfare: Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland. I was seated in the crossing and greatly enjoyed the surround-sound effect of trumpets at east and west ends. The grand acoustics of the cathedral added to the impact of her deeply felt and spectacular performance. She then launched into one of the 20th-century’s greatest organ works: Jehan Alain’s Trois Danses. From my seat in the crossing, I could enjoy the various reed sounds bouncing now from north to south, or triforium to triforium as she used the divisions above both sides of the choir. Lippincott projected all the spirit of the dances dovetailed with the sense of melancholy and fate that pervades all of Jehan Alain’s music. To glorious effect she had reserved the evening’s first use of the 32' reed for the middle of the second Danse—the impact was staggering. The final movement (Struggles) showed why this great performer’s muscular and riveting playing is so admired. Lippincott ended with the Liszt Prelude and Fugue on B.A.C.H., a piece made for a room like All Saints Cathedral.
And that was just the first full day!

Tuesday, June 27

The day dawned sunny and clear. On this day 50 years ago, the OHS was founded, and on this day six years ago, Westminster Presbyterian Church, a red brick church on Albany’s Capitol Hill, signed a contract with the Austin Organ Company to rebuild their 3-manual 1930 E. M. Skinner organ, Opus 780. But there is a great story here. By the 1970s the Skinner needed cleaning, releathering and some renovations. Instead of doing that routine work, the church decided to spend the money on what was then a state-of-the-art electronic substitute. Thomas and Ann Older, members of the church, bought the Skinner for one dollar, and had it installed in their home where it would stay safely for the next 25 years. By 2001, the electronic was ancient and experiencing some very public embarrassing moments. The Olders graciously offered to return the Skinner to a grateful church; Austin rebuilt it, adding an antiphonal organ (in a case designed by Stephen Bicknell) with tonal finishing by Scot L. Huntington. We heard it in a very fine concert by Professor Thomas Murray of Yale University—a longtime champion of historic American organs and no stranger to the organs of Ernest Skinner.
He began with Handel’s Organ Concerto in F, op. 4, no. 4, using the antiphonal organ (which stands above the main door to the church) as the “organ,” and the main part of the instrument in the chancel as the “orchestra.” It was very effective, and the playing was clear and fine. His final piece was Duruflé’s Prelude, Adagio et Chorale varié, op. 4. I sat in the front row so that I could observe his legendary console technique—he did not disappoint. Murray’s sense of color and melodic line was a thing to behold and to hear. He made the most of the gorgeous resources of this wonderful instrument. In the final section of variations on Veni Creator (has there every been a finer harmonization of that marvelous tune?), he gradually opened the Skinner in all of its glory.
This organ exists today as a triumphant vindication of all the things for which the OHS stands: that there is great organ building in every age, and that we only need to regard current fashion as transient; we ignore the greatness of previous ages at our peril; and the lack of a clear-eyed and clear-eared vision dooms us to mediocrity. This was a great recital on a great organ!
We boarded the buses for our next event. Everyone enjoyed the architecture of this historic city as we made our way to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for a recital by Stephen Schnurr, chairman of the 2002 OHS convention in Chicago and co-author of Pipe Organs of Chicago. St. Paul’s was established in 1827, but worships in a new church completed in 1966—a white building with windows in a “sawtooth” pattern, à la the new Coventry Cathedral, which throws light upon the altar. The 3-manual Casavant organ stands behind the altar on a high platform. A delicate and stunning metal screen separates it from the altar. The sound is clear and fine in the church’s resonant acoustic, and it is an elegant example of the best organ building from its period.
The concert featured mostly Baroque music. In the Bruhns Praeludium in E Minor and the Sweelinck Variations on Mein Junges Leben hat ein End’ we heard the sparkling flues and the Dulzian, Krumhorn, Ranket and Schalmei stops—so popular in the 1960s—as well as the trumpets. In Bach’s Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 720, we heard the Sesquialtera against the Dulzian 16'—a fine OHS demonstration of an organ’s tonal variety! Schnurr next played the Bach/Vivaldi Concerto in D Minor, and I especially enjoyed the lovely flute stops in the slow movement. He closed with Gustav Merkel’s Sonata in D Minor, a four-hand piece in which he was joined on the bench by Derek Nickels. We heard the fine strings in the Adagio and enjoyed full organ at the end. A thoroughly satisfying program and performance!
We were served a box lunch at Peebles Island State Park located at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, from which we could observe a lock on the Erie Canal. The OHS 2006 Organ Atlas reminded us on page 60 that “Many organs built by Erben, Hall & Labagh, Ferris and others were sent to their destinations in New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and to the rest of the Western Reserve through these locks . . . [making] New York State the organ building center of the U.S. until well after the Civil War.”
A short ride took us to United Church of Cohoes and our annual meeting, where we were introduced to the new executive director of the OHS, Daniel N. Colburn. Among other things, we learned of upcoming conventions: 2007 Indianapolis; 2008 Seattle; 2009 Cleveland. Sounds good to me! Daniel Schwandt, chairman of the Distinguished Service Award Committee, presented this year’s award to Edna Van Duzee Walter for her 40 years of significant and distinguished service to the Round Lake Auditorium organ and its concert series.
Following the meeting, Peter Edwin Krasinski, 2002 first prize winner of the AGO National Competition in Improvisation, demonstrated the 2-manual Giles Beach organ from 1866 with an improvisation in four movements on the hymn we sang: “Holy, Holy, Holy!” (Nicaea). I always enjoy hearing musical styles contemporary to our time played on historic instruments—thereby bringing the instruments out of the museum-type treatments we often give them. Krasinski is a gifted and versatile musician. His improvised tour of this fine and historic organ was most effective.
Our “free” evening began with an elegant cocktail reception sponsored by several organ builders in the gorgeous 1870 Canfield Casino in Saratoga’s Congress Park. The deliciously extravagant Victorian building is now a museum. Kelvin Hastie, secretary of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia, gave a lecture on Australian and New Zealand organs. It was a fascinating tour of those countries’ organ cultures complete with slides and sound samples.

Wednesday, June 28

The day began with heavy rain and ominous flood warnings. We went ahead with a full day in the country, even crossing over to Vermont. One of the great and endearing charms of an OHS convention is a day spent in little rural churches listening to small historic organs. A friend called it “Melodia and Dulciana day.”
My group went first to United Presbyterian Church in Shushan, New York, where Thomas Dressler demonstrated a lovely unaltered 1891 2-manual by Woodberry & Harris, Opus 92. As the now gentle rain fell outside and a passing train joined in with its own bells and whistles, we were enchanted by the organ’s lovely tone. The Melodia was especially good, but I really liked the fine Oboe. The Stopped Diapason on the Swell had a full, room-filling quality. Dressler played Percy Whitlock’s Folk Tune from Five Short Pieces showing many of the warm soft sounds of this treasure of an organ, and ended with a stirring performance of Jacques Lemmens’s Fanfare for Concert Use.
The bus I was on got lost (!) so I missed Grant Moss’s demonstration of the Johnson & Sons Opus 843 from 1896 at First Baptist Church, Manchester Center, Vermont. My apologies to Dr. Moss and to the First Baptist Church. I was told that it went very well. He performed Albert Bigollet’s Douze pièces pour orgue.
We went to lunch at the palatial Equinox Hotel in Manchester, Vermont—another yummy feast in historic Old World elegance. I remember well the OHS meals in the good old days served in church basements. The OHS has come a long way!
My group then went to the United Methodist Church, Rupert, Vermont, to hear their historic 2-manual Johnson & Son organ, Opus 629, built in 1884, demonstrated by Robert Barney. The church has wooden theatrical seats with elaborate wrought iron framing. The Johnson organ stands in a corner to the right of the altar. Barney provided a handout detailing his registrations. He began with Pilgrim’s Chorus by Richard Wagner, which allowed us to hear a build-up of sounds as he layered stop upon stop. It is always so enlightening to hear how much these marvelous old instruments, limited in the number of stops (13), can do. The tonal properties of a single open 8' stop in this period of organ building are amazing! Next, we heard an Andante by Henry Stephen Cutler on the 4' flutes—a lovely effect. In James Woodman’s Variations on “Fairest Lord Jesus” (St. Elizabeth), Barney made fine choices of stops, ending with the Open Diapason 8' (one of the best stops of the convention!). He concluded the program with Bach’s Sinfonia to Cantata 29.
The day’s final recital was in the attractive little Episcopal Church of St. Paul in Salem, New York. Paul Tegels, assistant professor of music and university organist at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, demonstrated the E. & G. G. Hook, Opus 189, from 1855. (Is it really fair for one church to have a Hook organ AND Tiffany windows? This one does. Bless them!) While we did not get to hear much in the way of individual stops, we did hear various combinations of sounds on this sweet-toned and genteel Hook. It had the unusual feature of an attractive balustrade across the front, which supported the façade pipes. Tegels performed the Passacaglia in D minor by Buxtehude as well as music by Vaughan Williams, Haydn, and a jolly march in F major by Guilmant.
The evening weather was perfect for cocktails and a delicious dinner aboard the large riverboat Le Lac du Sacrément, as we cruised the beautiful waters of Lake George. All 450 of us fit very comfortably on this fine ship where we celebrated Michael Barone’s birthday in style!

Thursday, June 29

The day dawned with word of severe flooding in many areas. Our buses had to make a few detours to avoid bridges that were out. At one point I saw a school with water up to the middle of the first floor windows.
My group went first to Christ Episcopal Church in Duanesburg, New York, to enjoy Derek E. Nickels’ brilliant recital on a tiny 3-stop organ by Augustus Backus from ca. 1850. This charming church, which resembles a New England meeting house, is the oldest ecclesiastical structure in the Diocese of Albany. The organ is quite soft spoken, but Nickels made the most of its extraordinary sweet tone. I especially admired his performance of Pachelbel’s partita on Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan.
We next visited Kingsboro Assembly of God in Gloversville, New York, to hear Sebastian Glück demonstrate the 1857 2-manual Giles Beach organ—the earliest known two-manual organ from the Beach shop. Before the concert Stephen Schnurr, chair of the OHS Historic Organ Citations Committee, presented the church’s minister with a Historic Organ Citation for its stewardship of the Beach organ. These citations are given in recognition of instruments of exceptional historic merit. Giles Beach, his father, and his grandfather were all members of this church, making this citation even more meaningful. As well as being a fine organ scholar and writer, Sebastian Glück is artistic and tonal director of Glück New York Pipe Organ Restorers and Builders, who prepared the Beach organ for this recital as it had become unplayable. It has a lovely, delicate quality we hear in so many instruments of this period. Glück’s program was well chosen for the instrument, which, unfortunately, must speak into a very dead acoustic. Especially good were three selections from Twelve Short Pieces by Samuel Wesley. We also heard some Bach, Mozart, Lefébure-Wély, and the third movement from Sonata in D Major by João de Sousa Carvalho.
There is very little to prepare one for St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Schenectady, New York. I confess that the picture I saw of this church in The Tracker played a huge role in my decision to come to the convention. Its style, which I named ‘Richardsonian Gothic’, is striking. The exterior of the 1904 building is all red stone with a tower on each of the four corners and a large dome/lantern tower over the crossing. The vast interior space boasts all-white walls covered in plaster carvings. There are images of 38 saints and 536 images of angels inside the building! The peak of the dome rises 230 feet above the floor. The seating is in a semicircle with a horseshoe balcony. The main floor is raked toward the altar, which stands beneath an enormous gothic arch. The 3-manual organ, also from 1904, by Hutchings-Votey, Opus 1510, stands in the balcony on the left side of the room. It is an intriguing instrument possessing a Saxophone 4' on the Choir. I was told that the organ needed quite a bit of work, so we did not hear very much of it. It had the usual solid sound one expects from Hutchings-Votey instruments, and what we did hear was quite fine. The demonstration was given by organist/composer Alfred V. Fedak, who did a very fine job showing us what was available. He played his own Variations on Pange Lingua as well as pieces by Litaize and Boëllmann. Our visit was all too brief; we left with the sincere hope that this organ will be restored.
A few blocks away found us at Proctor’s Theater and Arcade, which opened in 1927—one of those grand old 2700-seat movie palaces. The original Wurlitzer 3/15 Style F, Opus 1469, was sold in 1957. The present 3-manual instrument, another Wurlitzer, Opus 2157 (“Goldie”) from 1931, was originally built for the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, Illinois, and installed in Proctor’s in 1984. It has been much enlarged over the years, and is lovingly tended to by members of the American Theatre Organ Society. We had the great good fortune to hear the brilliant young American theatre organist Jelani Eddington perform a concert and accompany a silent movie. It was one of the major treats of the convention. He amazed us with his extraordinary skills, split-second stop changes, and color and shading in places most would never imagine. After playing several great American songs and pieces by Leroy Anderson (including a previously unpublished work for organ), he accompanied the Laurel and Hardy 1928 classic Liberty. Eddington’s playing was marvelously understated, which allowed the movie itself to shine, yet he followed each nuance and facial expression of the famous duo, always deferring to them and underlining their zany mayhem in continuous musical motion. He closed his program with Tchaikovsky’s Waltz from Swan Lake. A thundering ovation brought him back for a delightful encore, The Root Beer Rag by Billy Joel—firmly fixing the art of the theatre organ in the present and the future. An amazed audience made its happy way back to the buses.
The evening saw us back in Albany for another major recital: Diane Meredith Belcher on the 1931, 4-manual Casavant organ, Opus 1420, which stands in the rear gallery of St. James’ Catholic Church. St. James’ was completed in 1929. The organ is a glorious instrument, and except for a new Great mixture that Casavant installed in 1983, it is unaltered. Because of the flooding in the area, we did not arrive at the church until after dark. The church is famous for its many large stained glass windows. I hope to return there someday to see them.
Ms. Belcher possesses a formidable technique, and plays with great passion. Torrents of sound came cascading down upon us from the lofty balcony of this acoustically live church. She opened with an expansive and powerful performance of Brahms’s Praeludium und Fuge in a-moll; next, her own transcription of Bach’s Konzert für zwei Violinen in d-moll, BWV 1043, which I found to be quite successful. The pedal part of the Vivace is not for the faint of heart; however, she tossed it off with total control. The elegant Largo was a study in grace, while the Allegro was pure virtuosic dazzle! Belcher followed with Calvin Hampton’s spellbinding Lullaby from Suite No. 2. We heard the lush strings, flutes and soft reeds of this beautiful organ. She ended the first half with Dupré’s Prélude et fugue en sol mineur, op. 7, no. 3. The subdued prelude was followed by a truly thrilling and lightning-fast performance of the famous fugue culminating in full organ.
The second half began with the audience singing Tantum Ergo in Latin—a classy touch! Then followed Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique, op. 17. I confess that I’ve never been fond of this particular work—it seems to outstay its welcome—but I did appreciate that here room, organ, and player were well matched in a very good performance. Belcher then played her own transcription of Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte. We heard from the abundant variety of solo stops on this organ including a terrific and bold French Horn. For her final selection, she turned to George T. Thalben-Ball for his Variations on a theme of Paganini for pedals in a brilliant performance that received a long and clamorous standing ovation. (CONTINUE TO PART 2)

Princeton, New Jersey, April 23-27, 2003

Stephen Leist holds degrees in history from Furman University, where he studied organ with W. Lindsay Smith, Jr., and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has served on the faculties of Furman University and Georgetown College, and is currently on the library staff of Transylvania University.

The second symposium to be held at the American Organ
Archives attracted organists, organ builders and organ historians from across
the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and Australia. Organized
by Stephen L. Pinel, Director of the American Organ Archives, and James L.
Wallmann, the five-day gathering of lectures, papers and panel discussions with
generous time to explore the archives was sponsored jointly by Westminster
Choir College of Rider University and the Organ Historical Society.

Thursday

Those who arrived early to the symposium were rewarded with
extra time to browse the American Organ Archives, the world's largest
repository of organ research materials, or to conduct research on individual
projects. The real opening of the symposium began with a marvelous afternoon
reception in the archive reading room on Thursday, April 24. The reception was
a great opportunity to see old acquaintances and to make new contacts. After
the reception and dinner, participants were transported to Christ Church, New
Brunswick, to hear a recital by Lynn Edwards Butler on the 2001 Richards,
Fowkes & Co. organ of two manuals and 24 ranks. The all-Bach program,
perfectly suited for this organ, was entitled "Hymns for the Seasons"
and featured chorale preludes for the Easter season through Trinity. This
outstanding performance was framed by Bach's Fantasia in c
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Friday morning

Lectures and panel discussions for the symposium were held
at Christ Congregation Church located across the street from the Westminster
campus. The commodious meeting space was ideal, both for location and
acoustics, as no amplification was needed, and speakers did not need to
significantly raise their voices to be heard. Friday morning, April 25, began
with a brief welcome by Allison Alcorn-Oppedahl, Chair of the Governing Board
of the American Organ Archives. The Keynote Address, delivered by Uwe Pape of
Berlin, followed with the topic, "Research on North German Organs and
Organbuilding--History and Current Perspectives." Prof. Dr. Pape, who
manages Pape Verlag and the Organ Databank, gave a detailed presentation on the
beginnings of organ history research in the 1920s and its progress to date,
making thorough mention of a variety of scholars and their work. He also
outlined his own work over the last forty years and his efforts to document
organs in northern Germany and make the information available through his
publications and those of others. The abstract provided in the symposium
handbook is a wealth of information regarding these themes, as well as the
mention of various archives in Germany that serve as necessary finding aids.
One of the continuing problems cited by Prof. Dr. Pape regarding organ research
was the shortage of funds for scholarly work. Much of this has to be done out
of one's own pocket during free time. An additional problem is that fewer
younger scholars in Germany are taking up an interest in the organ. Despite
these trends, the six states of eastern Germany are fertile ground for organ research.

Following the Keynote Address, Stephen L. Pinel presented a
brief report on "Current Developments at the Archives." This report
made mention of the three goals of the American Organ Archives and its
Governing Board, which are acquisitions, processing and maintenance, and
outreach, and what the archive is doing to meet these goals. The archive is
regularly in touch with scholars around the world to acquire publications, and
the use of Internet search engines and the production of a want list have greatly
added to the archive's holdings. Recent acquisitions include Hallens' 1779
treatise Die Kunst des Orgelbaues and
the archives of the Virgil Fox Society (summer 2003). Much of the processing
and maintenance is done by volunteers, but cataloging has been greatly
facilitated by outsourcing to Joni Cassidy of Cassidy Catologing, Inc. Outreach
has been improved with the website and online catalog, the use of Interlibrary
Loan, and frequent reports of activities and news. Stephen Pinel stressed the
importance of protection and stewardship of this collection for future
generations of scholars. 

The final presentation of the morning before breaking for
lunch was a panel discussion on "Current Trends in Organ
Scholarship." Chaired by James Wallmann, the panel featured Prof. Dr. Uwe
Pape, Paul Peeters of the Göteborg Organ Art Center in Göteborg,
Sweden, Rollin Smith, and Andrew Unsworth. This discussion focused on research
activities in the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia, France and the United States.
Bibliographies of important monographs and other resources were provided in the
handbook, thereby making the handbook a valuable tool to take away from the
symposium. All agreed that the degree of quality was uneven, due in large part
to funding and the organization of societies for investigating and documenting
organs. The most consistent work is probably being done in the Netherlands,
where organists in general seem to be well-educated about the instrument beyond
the repertoire, and government support for restorations includes reports which
are often published. This has served to maintain an active interest in the
organ in society at large, despite very low church attendance. Andrew Unsworth
pointed out that organ scholarship in the United States is steady, but slow,
with the most significant work being done by Orpha Ochse and Barbara Owen. Paul
Peeters explained the interdisciplinary nature of the GOArt Academy by pointing
out their goal of not separating the organ building, research, and music.
Rollin Smith demonstrated that scholarship in France has been predominantly on
French classicism to offset German influence in Baroque music, but that French
scholars are beginning to show new interest in the 19th century. Societies have
been instrumental in producing local and regional inventories of historic
instruments. Much work on the French organ, however, continues to be done by
scholars from other countries.

Friday afternoon

The afternoon session began with a paper presentation by
John Buschman, Acting Dean of University Libraries, Rider University, on
"The Changing Roles of Libraries and Archives in the New Millennium, Or,
Why Is It So Hard to Get Money These Days?" Likening libraries and
archives to museums and symphony orchestras, Buschman pointed out that these institutions
share a commonality in that they can trace their beginnings and support for
acting in the common good by educating society in individual and democratic
values. In recent years, this has changed as these institutions have become
more market driven to educate individuals for a workforce in an increasingly
technological age. Combined with the new emphasis on technology is a desire for
lower taxes and public spending. The impact on libraries and archives is that
they have had to move away from public funding to other sources of support.
Collection development has been cut with funds being redirected toward
technology. Even proposals for federal funding must emphasize technological
projects. Technological resources have redefined the library as a place of
study. Buschman believes that libraries and archives have inappropriately
followed the marketing model by viewing patrons as customers, with web traffic
becoming justification for more support. Buschman stated that it is essential
for librarians to emphasize public services and service to scholarship, as a
library's effects cannot be quantified, in order to recapture the original
purpose of libraries and reduce suspicion of public motives.

The second session of the afternoon was taken up with the
topic, "Organ Libraries Around the World," featuring Paul Peeters of
GOArt, David Baker of the Royal College of Organists/British Institute of Organ
Studies, and Barbara Owen of the AGO Organ Library at Boston University. Each
panelist explained the particular structure of their institutions and along
with recent activities and needs. Paul Peeters presented a diagram of GOArt's
interdisciplinary approach to research as exemplified by their recent North
German Organ Research Project. He further explained that their current library
needs are primarily books on materials and tools. David Baker's presentation
focused on the RCO/BIOS move to a new home in Birmingham, England, in
partnership with the University of Central England. The new library is tied to
inner-city regeneration by refitting an early 19th-century railroad station and
the "out-of-London" initiative. We were treated to a comprehensive
presentation on collection development policies, accessibility to services and
outreach programs. Barbara Owen explained the origins of the AGO Organ Library
as starting with the gift of a personal library. The collection has since been
expanded by more donations, although its collection has more to do with
organists than organ building. Much of the work is done by volunteers and
work-study students, and the library is currently unable to handle Interlibrary
Loan due to lack of staff. Boston University provides space and Internet
access, which has enabled the library to provide worldwide service. The library
is now occupied with developing an online catalog.

Friday evening

Following the mid-afternoon break, the final panel
discussion of the day was held on the subject of "What Organbuilders Learn
(and Don't Learn) in the Library." Moderated by Jonathan Ambrosino, the
panel featured Jack Bethards (Schoenstein), Bruce Fowkes (Richards, Fowkes
& Co.), Paul Fritts (Paul Fritts & Co.), and Scot L. Huntington (S. L.
Huntington & Co.). The panelists largely agreed that a library does not
teach one how to build an organ, that much still depends on experience.
Documentation helps answer questions about approach and resolve problems with
informed decisions. Printed materials and recordings are a start, but
ultimately, one has to visit the instrument. Printed information can also provide
important technical details. 

We were once again treated in the evening to a fine recital,
this time Joan Lippincott performing on the Joe R. Engle Organ, built by Paul
Fritts & Co. (Op. 20, 2001), in the Miller Chapel at Princeton Theological
Seminary. Another all-Bach program, this recital featured the catechism
chorales of the Clavierübung, Part
III framed by the Prelude and Fugue in E-flat. A stunning program from start to
finish, the Fritts organ was ideally suited to the music and space of the chapel.
Opening remarks were made by Martin Tel, the chapel organist, and Paul Fritts.
At Joan Lippincott's request, Martin Tel finished the evening accompanying a
setting of Vater unser im Himmelreich found in the Presbyterian
hymnal, which was rousingly sung by the assembled audience
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Saturday morning

The final day, Saturday, April 26, began with a paper
presented by Kelvin Hastie, Secretary of the Organ Historical Trust of
Australia, on "Organ Research, Documentation and Conservation in
Australia: An Overview of the Work of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia,
1977-2003." Dr. Hastie began his talk with a brief history of the organ
culture of Australia, explaining the influence of the 19th-century English
organ builders and their influence on the first Australian builders. Most of
the historic organs in Australia represent this period and style and are modest
instruments, with a few rare examples of large organs among the town halls,
most notably the 1890 William Hill organ in the Sydney Town Hall. Very few
organs came from continental Europe. Dr. Hastie further pointed out that the
first stylistic shift away from the English late Romantic organ came after 1945
when the influence of the organ reform movement appeared in Australia,
particularly represented by the work of Robert Sharp. More imports were coming
from Europe as well. The historic preservation movement came to Australia in
the 1960s, and the following decade saw the establishment of local societies
and a national trust. The OHTA was also established at this time and began a
Gazetteer project to raise awareness of historic organs. Today, about 50% of
19th-century organs survive in Australia, and the percentage is higher in rural
areas. The joining of congregations and church closures continue to threaten
the loss of instruments, but the rate has been low due to successful
relocation. Current documentation projects of the OHTA are the acquisition of
the shop records of Hill, Norman & Beard of Australia and Whitehouse
Brothers, in addition to notebooks and letter collections. A database is being
prepared with the goal of making it available on CD-ROM, though there is no
central holding library. The OHTA has established guidelines for conservation
standards and issues, and conservation and documentation projects now receive
government grants, as organs are classified as cultural monuments. Despite
this, Hastie pointed out, the saving of historic organs "still requires
constant energy and vigilance."

Scot Huntington, a member of the OHS publications committee,
made a brief report on "Current Publishing Activities of the OHS." He
announced that the committee was in the process of hiring a Director of
Publications and an oversight committee has been formed. In the meantime, book
proposals have been received. The goal of the publications committee is better
documentation of American organs through an opus series, a monograph series,
and American works on other organ traditions. Publications currently in
preparation are works on Hinners, Lawrence Phelps, Murray Harris, and Susan
Tattershall's work on Spanish organs. A special 50th Anniversary edition of The
Tracker is being planned along with a history of the OHS. An ongoing project is
the Möller opus list, and a reprint of Eugene Thayer's Organist's
Quarterly Review is almost at the printers.

Closing panel

The closing panel of the symposium was moderated by Laurence
Libin, Curator of Musical Instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The panel was made up of all previous panelists and speakers. Libin began by
observing that there was general agreement that documentation of instruments is
a great concern, but there had not been much discussion about what kinds of
information should be preserved and how. One example he mentioned was the
importance of oral histories. Kelvin Hastie stated that the problem in the
United States in terms of documentation was the absence of a methodology. Jack
Bethards raised the issue of going beyond academic work and doing organ
research simply for the fun of it, that there is a joy by itself in reading
older documents. Barbara Owen asked the question, "What does the
instrument itself tell?" The approach of visiting the instrument and then
following the paper trail in her view is a mutually supportive research
process. Paul Peeters and David Baker stressed the interdisciplinary nature of
organ research and the importance of research networks. Peeters specifically
drew the example of the North German Research Project, in which archival
information was very important to understanding the issues of sandcasting pipe
metal and winding systems. Libin suggested the importance of economic and
social issues, such as the function of guilds in stifling or encouraging
development. Baker also added the need for continuous vigilance to protect
archival assets. Scot Huntington added to this theme his own experience in
working with the Möller records, which represented a great deal of
technological change and invention. Jonathan Ambrosino also agreed with the
need to share information, stating that "not to share is to die." The
discussion was then opened to the floor, with symposium participants given an
opportunity to ask questions and raise additional issues. Among the topics
covered were conservation/preservation issues, professionalizing organ
research, and more effective means of disseminating information.

Archive

After lunch, the American Organ Archive was open for
participants to browse the collection or conduct research. Interest in the
archive was such that it was difficult to find a seat, and Stephen Pinel was
cheerfully busy providing assistance. I had the opportunity to conduct a little
research of my own, locating some photos for a forthcoming article, and then do
some browsing to while away the afternoon. The archive was again open on Sunday
for those who remained. I came away from this conference excited and refreshed,
not to mention with a host of more questions than when I arrived, which is the
kind of activity a quality conference stimulates. We will all be eagerly
awaiting the next symposium offering.

In closing, it should be mentioned that the American Organ
Archive is a wonderful resource for conducting research, not only on American
organs and builders, but traditions in other countries, due to the
comprehensive nature of the collection. It is significant also for music
history research not necessarily restricted to the organ, as many of the great
composers worked with other media besides the organ. Stephen Pinel and James
Wallmann are to be congratulated for brilliantly organizing a successful
symposium. Hearty thanks are also due to the members of the archive Governing
Board, the sponsors, and all those who assisted with the reception and break
time refreshments, especially Mary Jane Kress and James S. Palmer.
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The Diapason is pleased to partner with the Chicago and Fox Valley Chapters of the American Guild of Organists and the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Organ Historical Society in presenting a Midwinter Pipe Organ Conclave, Sunday and Monday, January 18–19, 2015. The event will be held in La Grange, Illinois, a near suburb of Chicago. La Grange is conveniently located to Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway International Airports, usually a twenty- to thirty-minute drive. La Grange is conveniently close to Interstate 294, with easy connections to Interstates 55, 57, 65, 80, 88, 90, 94, 290, and 355. There are several hotels less than three miles from the conference.

The conclave opens Sunday evening with a recital by David Schrader in First Presbyterian Church. Termed a “Chicago favorite,” by the Chicago Tribune, Schrader performs frequently not only on organ, but also harpsichord, piano, and fortepiano. In addition to solo performances, Schrader has made frequent appearances with the likes of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and Chicago’s Grant Park Symphony. At First Presbyterian Church, he will perform on the 1962 Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1390, a three-manual, forty-rank organ from the period of Joseph Whiteford as tonal director.

Monday morning opens with a lecture by Stephen Schnurr at First Presbyterian Church. Editor-at-large for The Diapason and director of music for St. Paul Catholic Church of Valparaiso, Indiana, Schnurr will discuss interesting organs, past and present, of La Grange and nearby suburbs of Chicago.

From First Church, we will travel a short distance to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where Jonathan Rudy will perform on Berghaus Organ Company Opus 215, finished in 2003. The exquisite building in the Italian Renaissance style was built to the designs of Chicago’s Joe W. McCarthy in 1930 and 1931. Originally home to a Geo. Kilgen & Son organ, the present 34-rank Berghaus organ has a commanding position in a free-standing case in the rear gallery. Rudy, the first prize and audience prize winner of the American Guild of Organists 2014 National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance (NYACOP), is a doctoral student in organ and sacred music at Indiana University.

Returning to First Presbyterian for a catered luncheon, we will then hear a presentation by Phillip Kloeckner, lecturer in the department of music and associate university organist of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago. He will speak about organs in post-colonial South America. Many of these instruments were imported from builders such as Cavaillé-Coll, Tamburini, and Walcker. Kloeckner will also discuss the Italian immigrant to Peru, Innocente Foglia, apparently the only person to attempt to establish an organ building tradition in that country in that period. Foglia’s organs present a unique blend of European tonal traditions.

Karen Brunssen, co-chair of the department of music performance, Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University, Evanston, will then present “Tried, True, and Teachable Vocal Techniques.” Brunssen will focus on quick fixes that make the point, stick with the singer, and improve vocal and choral quality for those who have little time in rehearsal to stress vocal technique.

The final event will occur across the street in Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Scott Montgomery will present a recital on the church’s 1970 Casavant Frères, Limiteé Opus 3062, a three-manual, 63-rank organ from the late period of tonal director Lawrence Phelps. Montgomery has also performed for national conventions of the AGO and OHS, and, like Rudy, was first prize and audience prize winner of the (2006) AGO NYACOP. Director of music ministries and organist for Holy Cross Catholic Church, Champaign, Illinois, he has several compact disc recordings to his credit, as well.

Registration for the entire conference, including luncheon, is only $50. We are sure you will want to join us for this winter respite and refreshment! Visit midwinterconclave.org to register.