Fiftieth anniversaries are big events, whether
a golden wedding anniversary or the commemoration of a pipe organ. Changing
fashions and the tides of time often obscure the work of past masters of organ
building, but in the case of G. Donald Harrison and the Aeolian-Skinner Organ
Company, these glories remain undiminished. It seems that the time span between
fifty and one hundred years is particularly difficult for the survival of many
organs. In the case of the First United Methodist Church of Tacoma, Washington,
the original organ, a Hook and Hastings, survived only 59 years, nine years
longer than the present organ! One hopes that the organists of our time are
less inclined to replace worthy instruments than in days past. If the fervor of
this celebration is any indication, there may be a good chance this organ will
reach its 100th birthday in 2053.
The event took place on October 25, 2003, and was
co-sponsored by the Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle chapters of the AGO in
Washington State, and a large turnout represented all three cities. An
exceptionally well-planned program featured Jonathan Young, a senior organ
performance major at Pacific Lutheran University and student of Dr. Paul
Tegels. He currently serves as the organist of First United Methodist Church
and knows the organ well. His program of works by Buxtehude, Bach, Schumann,
Widor and Mendelssohn fully explored the tonal palette of the organ. It struck
this writer that the sounds of the organ were archetypical of a good many other
Skinner organs, and that a better example could not have been chosen for commendation.
Members of the audience had the opportunity to immerse themselves in sounds
they might not have heard for more years than they would care to admit.< p>
The architecture of the church is perfect for this type of
organ and is a typical Methodist structure of the "Akron" type. It
was most inviting to be there, bathed in the soft light admitted through
impressive stained glass windows on the sides of the sanctuary and in the dome
of the building. The acoustics are warm and mellow in this well-preserved edifice.
A not insignificant item was the fact that the organ had been prepared with a
flawless tuning. One can be enormously thankful for good tuning and regulation
of any organ, and in this case it was a major contribution to the success of
the recitals presented.
After this eye- and ear-opening recital, the audience made
its way a few blocks to Christ Episcopal Church (home of a fine John Brombaugh
organ) and there heard an insightful presentation by Jonathan Ambrosino on the
history and career of G. Donald Harrison. As an editor and writer on tonal
design, Ambrosino skillfully put together an audio-lecture on the influences of
Harrison's life and work, and Skinner's tonal palette as it developed under the
direction of Harrison.
The afternoon proceeded with a visit to the Mason United
Methodist Church, amazingly the home of a second Aeolian-Skinner organ of the
same period. Alas, this organ has been moved and altered since its original
installation, and perhaps something was lost in the translation. It was a
thoroughly pleasant instrument, but did not seem typical of the Skinner style,
and for this writer made something of a diversion. Seattle AGO chapter
president David Lines provided a thorough demonstration of the stops of the
Mason Methodist organ.
Once back to the untouched Harrison organ, we all realized
how important it is to respect every last detail of an important builder's
work. With that appreciation at the forefront, organist Douglas Cleveland gave
an outstanding recital which drew its content from previous recitals given on
the same organ at the dedication and by recitalists of the era: David Craighead
in 1958, Catharine Crozier in 1955, Alexander Schreiner in 1959, and Virgil Fox
in 1961. What a lineup! Cleveland wove the repertoire of these recitalists into
a seamless program, including such pieces as Middelschulte's Perpetuum Mobile
(Fox) and Dillon's Woodland Flute Call (Schreiner). Cleveland's performance was
flawless, enthusiastic and inspiring. He is a huge credit to his home AGO
chapter of Olympia, Washington.
One must laud the efforts of the organizer of the planning
committee, David Dahl, Dean of the Tacoma AGO Chapter. Dahl is a tireless
performer and promoter of fine organs in the whole region of the Pacific
Northwest. This symposium, including a beautifully crafted brochure by Arthur
Hixon, put these Skinner organs and the work of G. Donald Harrison in
perspective. It was a "must-do" event that brought a sense of pride
to all present. This enthusiastic audience did a very great deal to ensure that
these organs might reach their centenary birthdays.
Aeolian-Skinner, Opus 1216, 1953
GREAT (3-1/2" w.p.)
16'
Quintaton, 61 pipes
8'
Montre, 61 pipes
8'
Bourdon, 61 pipes
4'
Principal, 61 pipes
4'
Fl?ªte Harmonique, 61 pipes
2'
Fifteenth, 61 pipes
III-V
Fourniture, 244 pipes
Chimes,
20 bells
Carillon,
25 bells
SWELL (4-1/2" w.p.)
8'
Rohrgedeckt, 68 pipes
8'
Viola Pomposa, 68 pipes
8'
Viola Celeste, 68 pipes
4'
Spitzfl??te, 68 pipes
2'
Octavin, 61 pipes
III
Plein Jeu, 183 pipes
16'
Fagotto, 68 pipes
8'
Trompette, 68 pipes
4'
Hautbois, 68 pipes
Tremulant
CHOIR (4-1/2" w.p.)
8'
Spitzgamba, 68 pipes
8'
Cor-de-Nuit, 68 pipes
8'
Kleine Erz?§hler (II), 124 pipes
4'
Koppelfl??te, 68 pipes
2-2/3'
Nazat, 61 pipes
2'
Blockfl??te, 61 pipes
8'
English Horn, 61 pipes
Tremulant
Harp
PEDAL (5" w.p.)
16'
Contre Bass, 32 pipes
16'
Quintaton (Gt)
16'
Rohrbordun (Sw ext), 12 pipes
8'
Principal, 32 pipes
8'
Rohrgedeckt (Sw)
4'
Choral Bass, 32 pipes
III
Mixtur, 96 pipes
16'
Posaune, 32 pipes
16'
Fagotto (Sw)
8'
Trumpet (ext), 12 pipes
4'
Clarion (ext), 12 pipes
The organ is installed in an area 35 feet wide,
11 feet deep and 25 feet high at the front of the sanctuary. The grill
separating the organ loft from the choir loft is of oak, and the openings are
covered with a plastic grill cloth. The swell and choir divisions are enclosed
and each under 16-point expression. The organ was installed by Stanley W.
Williams, Los Angeles, west coast representative, and Thomas L. Gagen, west coast
installer, Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company. The choir loft organ screen was
designed by Mock and Morrison, Architects, and constructed under the
supervision of P.I. Hansen.
A Harp stop of 51 notes was added in 1994 by Homer Johnson.
