For its 39th Annual Convention, the OHS returned to central
Connecticut where it had held its 20th Annual Convention in 1975. There were revisits to only eight of the instruments heard in the previous meeting which lasted for only three days compared to the full week for the 1994 convention which offered 47 events (including optional choices) to the more than 435 who registered for all or part of the week. Headquarters was the Holiday Inn in Cromwell.
Sunday
Events began with a trip to New Haven to hear several
organs, which, although too new to be historical in the antiquarian sense, are landmarks of organ building in the area and are all situated on or near the famous New Haven Green.
The United Church on the Green and its 1967 3-manual
Hillebrand (as rebuilt by Kinzey-Angerstein, 1979-1981 with further mechanical
revisions by Foley-Baker) was the site for a recital by Mark Brombaugh: Toccata in d (BuxWV 140), Buxtehude; Poolsche Dans, Sweelinck; the hymn "New Songs of Celebration Render" sung by all to the tune Rendez à Dieu; and Introduzione, Aria e Passacaglia, Op. 15c, Healey. Brombaugh, the church's Director of Music, provided a vigorous start to the convention with his reliance on energetic agogic accents and appropriate plenum ensembles as well as artistic exploitation of the many colorful solo combinations available in this modified North German tonal design.
A short walk next door to Center Church (where Charles Ives
had been organist from 1894 to 1898) brought us to a short recital presented by
Kimberly Ann Hess on a 3-manual Fisk, Op. 54 (1971 and 1974): Präludium
in D Major (BuxVW 139), Buxtehude; Variations on "Puer Nobis Nascitur," Sweelinck; Chorale Prelude: "Drop, Drop, Slow Tears," Persichetti; the hymn "Drop, Drop, Slow Tears" sung to the tune Prince; and Variations on a Noël, Dupré. Ms. Hess displayed the instrument well, even though its rather thin and intense tone did seem to be a bit too much for the totally unreverberant room.
Dwight Chapel on the Yale campus was the site for a short
recital by the extremely talented Marvin Mills on the 3-manual Beckerath of
1971: Partita on Showalter (1992),
Spong; the hymn "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" sung to Showalter; Pastorale (1991), Conte; Agnus Dei
(from the Mass for Double Choir,
1992), Martin; and Maple Leaf Rag,
Joplin. All of the pieces spanned the 20th century, with the lyrically
expressive Conte work being especially attractive. Mills exhibited his usual
subtle balance between virtuosity and musicality and seemed to enjoy himself as
did the capacity audience in this lofty and acoustically sympathetic former
library. It was tempting to compare these three instruments heard in close
succession, produced, as they were, within a span of a few years of each other.
To this reviewer's ears, the Dwight Chapel Beckerath, aided no doubt by the
favorable acoustics, seemed to be the most well balanced and musically
satisfying of the three.
While many conventioneers immediately sought out the
air-conditioned comfort of the undercroft of Trinity Episcopal Church to escape
the almost tropical heat and humidity of the afternoon, others opted for a more
leisurely stroll and enjoyed a carillon recital from the famous Harkness Tower
presented by Timothy Hurd: "Allegro non presto" from Organ
Concerto No. 2, Handel; Prelude
on "Chartres," Johnson; Sonata a cimbalo solo, Op. 1, no. 4, van Noordt; "Visions" from Etudes in a New Age
style='font-style:normal'>, Courter; and Melodeon
style='font-style:normal'> (Toccata 1982-87
style='font-style:normal'>), Hurd. It was an uplifting experience for those who
took their time to listen as they wandered around the quadrangle on their way
back across the Green for a service of Evensong at Trinity.
Many people had been looking forward to hearing Trinity's
choir of men and boys as well as the magnificent 78-rank Æolian-Skinner
(Op. 927, 1935), as recently restored by the A. Thompson-Allen Co. They were
not disappointed. The service itself was beautifully done, and the choir, in
spite of the continuing heat, performed extremely well under the direction of
Walden Moore. Organists David Chrzanowski (assistant at Trinity) and Peter
Stoltzfus (formerly assistant there also and now assistant at St. Thomas' in
New York) provided expert accompaniments and revealed the Harrison-designed
organ to be a superlative service instrument and an outstanding vehicle for
solo organ music. The Prelude was Evening Song, Bairstow, followed by the Introit, "O Thou That Hearest
Prayer," Davies. Preces and Responses as well as the Lesser Litany,
Suffrages and Collects were settings by Shepherd. Hymns were: "O Blest
Creator" (Bromley);
"God Fashioned Earth and Called it Good" (Dominus regit me); "And did Those Feet" (Jerusalem); and "For all the Saints" (Engelberg). Psalm 91 was sung to an Anglican chant setting by Parratt. The Magnificat and Nunc
Dimittis were by Howells, and the anthem
was "Lord, Thou Hast Been our Refuge," Bairstow. The service ended with Tu es Petra
style='font-style:normal'>, Mulet. Congratulations and deep gratitude are due
to those who prepared and participated in this event, especially those Trinity
parishioners who offered their hospitality to many a hot and thirsty
conventioneer.
The newly and magnificently restored Battell Chapel on the
Yale campus was the scene for an evening recital by Will Headlee on its
landmark Holtkamp (Op. 1653 of 1951) which had been restored by the A. Thompson
Allen Co. in 1985 without any alterations to the original voicing: Praeludium
in F-Sharp Minor (BuxWV 146), Buxtehude;
"Das Alte Jahr" (BWV
1091), "O Jesu, wie ist dein Gestalt"
style='font-style:normal'>(BWV 1094), "Du Friedefürst, Herr
Jesu Christ" (BWV 1102), "Alle Menschen müssen sterben" (BWV 1117), all from the Neumeister Collection, Bach, which had been premiered in Battell Chapel in 1985; Fantasia in G (BWV 572), Bach; Sonate I, Hindemith; Choralpartita: "Lobe den Herren," Ahrens; the hymn "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" sung to Lobe den Herren; "Cantilène" from Suite Brève, Langlais; and Dieu Parmi Nous, Messiaen. Like his counterpart, G. Donald Harrison, Walter Holtkamp was a tonal pioneer in seeking out greater ensemble clarity, and this instrument shows him at his most convincing with its clear but colorful and firm foundations, intense mixtures and buzzy reeds. Curiously, some of the most effective stops for subtle carrying power issued from the apse division. This location had been the site of a Hook organ of 1875. Perhaps we can indeed learn from history. Headlee, who provided well chosen verbal comments concerning some of the pieces as well as the instrument itself, received a rousing reception at the conclusion of the recital.
Monday
The day began with an illustrated talk by OHS Archivist,
Stephen Pinel, on the background, personality and work of Philadelphia and New
York organ builder, Thomas Hall. Supported by many slides of archival material,
Pinel gave a fascinating and lively account of the early years (up to the mid
1820s) of this influential builder and later partner of Henry Erben and John Labaugh.
A short bus trip to Hartford brought us to Second Church of
Christ, Scientist for a recital by Lorenz Maycher on its Skinner, Op. 793 of
1929: A Solemn Melody, Davies, arr,
Perry; the hymn "Brood o'er us With Thy Sheltering Wing" sung to the
tune Vita; A
style='font-style:normal'> Joyous March and Arioso
style='font-style:normal'>, both by Sowerby; and Sketch in B-Flat
Minor, Op. 41, Dupré. The welcome
change to bright, clear and crisp weather together with the ambience of the
immaculate and impressive edifice helped create a congenial atmosphere for rich,
warm and colorful sounds of the Skinner which was handled in the usual expert
Maycher fashion. The unassuming demeanor of this young artist belies the fire
and musical intensity that he always projects. His playing of the Dupré
Sketch in particular displayed his effortless virtuosity. It is obvious why he
has become a favorite with OHS audiences (beginning with his debut at the New
Orleans convention in 1989). Make a special effort to hear him if you have the
chance. You will be in for a musical treat.
We then took a short walk virtually across the street (much
to the impatient consternation of central Hartford late morning traffic) to the
sumptuous Art Deco Horace Bushnell Memorial Auditorium to hear the magnificent
Austin of 1929 as expertly restored by the original builders in 1988-89. Like
many such civic organs, this instrument's future was uncertain until reason
prevailed, and through the generosity of the Beldings of Old Lyme, CT, Austin
Organs, Inc. undertook its thorough rehabilitation. Since they still had the
original pipe casting information as well as other engineering and tonal
specifications on file, any necessary reconstruction and voicing adjustments
were done in the manner of the 1929 installation. Thus, this was a true
restoration.
Peter Sykes utilized the organ's vast tonal resources
spectacularly as he presented the world premeiere of his transcription of
Holst's The Planets to the delight and
awe of those in attendance. What a perfect match of locale, organ and artist
for such an occasion! The ceiling decoration features planets and
constellations, the organ was in perfect condition, and Sykes astounded all
with his playing from both the technical and musical standpoints. He had begun
this monumental task just this past April and found Holst's original two-piano
score helpful as he reworked the composition into, as Sykes put it in his
program notes, " . . . an organ work that would uniquely and effectively
display the resources of the orchestral organ of the 1920s, today's best reason,
after all, for attempting such a project." His wife, Victoria Wagner (who
also played accompaniments on a small 1-manual Smith organ later in the week)
provided an additional set of hands at the console for the final movement,
"Neptune." The audience acknowledged the performance with
appropriately wild enthusiasm. Through the generosity of an endowment by the
Dexter Corporation of Windsor Locks, such concerts will continue on this
monumental instrument. The program concluded with the singing of "Star Spangled Banner" to an arrangement by Edwin H. Lemare. Convention chairman, Scot Huntington, presented an OHS Historic Organ Plaque to an official of the Auditorium as the concluding event of the morning.
After lunch, we continued with a visit to yet another Austin,
Op. 166 of 1906 in St. Mary's R.C. Church in New Britain, whose elaborately
decorated interior has recently been restored with great care. The unusual
Austin (with tubular pneumatic action) was a revelation as it erased any
assumptions of what the tone of a 1906 Austin might be. Reconditioned by
Foley-Baker in 1983, it features remarkably bright and singing diapasons and
such a well integrated chorus (up through 2') that one almost forgets that
there are no mixtures or, indeed, any off-unisons. Timothy Edward Smith
obviously enjoyed the instrument as he played both sensitively and with
dramatic flair in the following program: "Andante rustico" from Sonata Cromatica, Yon; Alpine Fantasy and Storm, Flagler; the hymn "Ye who own the Faith of Jesus" sung to the tune Daily, Daily; An Elizabethan Id
style='font-style:normal'>yll, Noble; and Toccata
style='font-style:normal'>, Fletcher. All these works came from the decade
following that in which the organ was installed, and thus revealed the sounds
and musical tastes of the time. Alan Laufman presented an OHS Historic Organ
Plaque to the curate, Fr. Carter, in recognition of the worth of this
remarkable Austin.
A trip to the scenic and historic town of Litchfield and its
United Methodist Church featured a short program by Gregory Crowell assisted by
Paul Austin (horn) on a rare 2-manual tracker built by F. J. N. Tallman in 1893
for a New York residence and later moved to Litchfield: Canone all' ottava, Boëly; Meditation, Foote; Four Aeolian Versets (1990), Woodman; Andante for Horn and Organ, Saint-Saëns; Scherzetto, Vierne; and the hymn "My Soul Gives Glory to my God" sung to the tune Morning Song. Crowell's beautiful, flexible and expressive playing coupled with the bright and musical sounds of the Tallman and Austin's expert horn playing in the Saint-Saëns piece provided us with a total musical experience. For those who might be looking for a fine ensemble piece, this duet for horn and organ is well worthwhile and will suit many different occasions. Very active trackers in the duet and a momentary cipher at the beginning of the hymn did not detract in any way from the enjoyment of the program and demonstrated once again that such things may well be expected in playing a vintage instrument. An experienced player like Crowell can simply take such occasions in stride.
The final event of the afternoon was a short recital by Lynn
Edwards on an elegant 1-manual, 7-stop Thomas Hall organ of 1823 in Trinity
Episcopal Church, Milton. The tiny wooden combination Classic and Gothic style
building with its modified barrel vault ceiling in pastel blue contrasted with
light rose hues on the walls together with white and gray on the woodwork
provided a visually subtle setting for the elaborately carved mahogany
English-styled case with its gilded front pipes: Solo per Cembalo in E-flat
Major, C.P.E. Bach; Variations on
"Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan,"
Pachelbel; Fantasia in C Major
(G. 60), Handel; Prelude and Fugue in B Minor
style='font-style:normal'> (BWV 867), Bach; Voluntary, Op. 1, No. 5, Walond; and the hymn "Lord of all Being, Throned Afar" sung to the tune Mendon. Even though there is an electric blower available, Ms. Edwards chose to have her wind raised by hand pumping for most of the program to demonstrate the subtle difference in effect this produces on tone and phrasing. The standing-room-only audience gave her and the restored Thomas Hall organ a well deserved ovation.
Prior to the main evening recital, there was a short
pre-dinner program on a large reconstructed McManis, originally his Op. 35 of
1957, in St. John's Episcopal Church, Waterbury. The event was not on the
original schedule, but dinner in the Parish Hall was, so the convention
committee thought this would offer an opportunity to hear a major example of
the work of a distinguished veteran American organ builder. John W. Sherer played the following program: Fugue in E-Flat ("St. Anne"), Bach; Prelude on "Iam sol recidit igneus," Simonds; "Allegro" (Symphony No. VI), Widor; and the hymn "Immortal, Invisible" sung to St. Denio. Scherer's very capable playing showed off the colors and intense ensembles of this modern landmark instrument.
The evening event was a recital by Rosalind Mohnsen on the
3-manual Johnson and Son Op. 778 of 1892 in Sacred Heart of Jesus, R.C. Church
in Waterbury: Concert Overture in C Minor, Hollins; Concerto in D Minor (from "L'estro Harmonico") (BWV 596), Vivaldi-Bach; Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Reger; Méditation à Sainte Clotilde, James; the hymn "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" sung to Tregaron; St. Francis of Paola Walking on the Water
style='font-style:normal'>, Liszt; the hymn "O Jesus, in Thy Heart
Divine" sung to Jesu dulcis memoria; and Lauda Sion (from "Suite Latine
style='font-style:normal'>," Op. 86), Widor. The organ's history and
restoration had been the subject of a recent article by Susan Armstrong (see
The Tracker, Vol. 37, No. 4, 1993) and Ms. Mohnson handled it in the grand
manner by displaying its hefty but colorful ensembles and many solo colors
(including a particularly delicious Doppel Flute on the Great). The highly
decorated and wonderfully restored interior of the church with its magnificent
rear gallery Johnson combined to create an uplifting end to the day's round of
recitals and demonstrations. Opening remarks by the Pastor and the Director of
Music revealed that the parish realizes the worth of the instrument and will
continue to cherish it for both its beauty and utility.
Tuesday
The Annual Meeting of the OHS took place as the first event
of the morning with President, Kristin Farmer, attending to necessary business
matters and reports with dispatch. Among the items of general interest were the
announcement that the Hook organ recently removed from Woburn, MA will be
installed in Berlin (Germany) in a couple of years; the convention for 1995
will be headquartered in Ann Arbor, MI, with Dana Hull as chairman
(Philadelphia, the Pacific northwest area, Washington, D.C., and Boston are
sites for upcoming meetings through the end of the century); and the
announcement that the OHS Distinguished Service Award goes to John K. Ogasapian
this year. Since he was busy preparing for his recital later in the morning,
the actual presentation was done in conjunction with that event.
A lecture entitled, "Tonal and Mechanical Development
of Skinner and Æolian-Skinner Organs" followed the meeting and was
introduced by a sampling of the new video tape produced by The Symphonic Organ
Society on "Mr. Skinner's Home Movies." This informative and often
hilarious video was presented with background and comments by Jonathan
Ambrosino and Joe Dzeda after which Dzeda and Nicholas Thompson-Allen of the A.
Thompson-Allen firm, Curators of Organs at Yale and experienced experts in the
restoration of Skinner organs, gave advice on restoration in general and of old
pipework in particular.
The Second Congregational Church in Middle Haddam was the
location for the following short program by John Ogasapian, editor of the OHS's
quarterly, The Tracker: Pastorale in F (BWV 590), Bach; Sonata in G Minor (W 70/6), C.P.E. Bach; and the hymn "All Glory be to God on High" sung to Allein Gott in der Höh. This fine 2-manual Appleton of 1827, which had suffered from both neglect and damage, was discovered by Barbara Owen several years ago. Long thought hopeless, it received a masterful reconstruction and restoration in 1992 by Mann and Trupiano (who had restored a similar Appleton of 1830 for the Metropolitan Museum in New York). Ogasapian's sensitive playing and appropriate programming showed off the subtle colors of this delightful instrument. He was aided as page turner and stop puller by the organ's restorer, Larry Trupiano, who must have been proud of his "baby" and the way it was played. Barbara Owen presented an OHS Historic Organ Plaque to the church and gave some heartfelt remarks on the background and history of the efforts to save this musical jewel. This is a distinguished example of one of the purposes of the OHS--to engender interest in preserving worthy examples of American organ building even though the effort may take a generation to accomplish. Ogasapian and the Appleton (together with Trupiano and Owen) were given an appropriate standing ovation.
A scenic bus ride through the picturesque Connecticut
countryside brought us to the beautiful 1820 Congregational Church in
Killingworth for a recital by Kevin Birch on a 2-manual 1875 E. L. Holbrook as
restored by Richard Hamar in 1971. The organ, in a rear gallery, features a
highly decorated case with exposed Great pipework. The program: Sonata V ("Allegro di molto"), C.P.E. Bach; Cantilena in F, Op. 71, No. 1, Foote; "Prelude" (Symphony No. II), Widor; the hymn "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" sung to the tune Repton; and Carillon de Westminster, Vierne. The solid and bright Holbrook was served well by Birch's wonderfully sensitive, energetic and intelligent playing. It was refreshing to hear the Vierne Carillon played in a sane tempo which allowed the musical phrases to happen and communicate. This young artist is a player to watch--he should have a fine career.
From Killingworth we returned to New Haven for the first of
two recitals on a 3-manual E. & G.G. Hook Op. 576 of 1871 which had been
transplanted from St. Alphonsus R.C. Church in New York to St. Mary's R.C.
Church in New Haven in 1982 and restored by a group of New England organ
builders under the direction of Larry Trupiano of Brooklyn, N.Y. This reviewer
had heard the organ in its original location many years ago and had marveled at
its tone and musical effect at that time in spite of the instrument's obvious
mechanical difficulties. The church (now razed) was a somewhat higher building
than St. Mary's, but the organ now looks and sounds "at home" in its
new loft. The building sounds as large as it looks and features a recently
restored opulently decorated interior which creates an appropriate setting for
the colorful and robust tone of the Hook. Bruce Stevens played magnificently in
the following program: Sonata No. 3 in G Major, Op. 88, Rheinberger; Concert Variations on "The Star
Spangled Banner," Paine; Canon in A-Flat Major, Op. 56, No. 4, Schumann; Fantaisie in A, Franck; "Andante sostenuto" (Symphonie Gothique), Widor; Toccata and Fugue ("The Wanderer"), Parry; and the hymn "Holy Ghost, Dispel our Sadness" sung to Geneva. Throughout, Stevens exhibited his usual superlative, mature and artistic approach to communicating the music and seemed totally in command of the piquant small and vigorously-voiced large ensembles as well as the many solo colors of this important organ transplant. The recital was certainly a high point of the convention.
Nearby St. Paul's Episcopal Church hosted a late afternoon
recital by John Cummins on a relocated 2-manual 1876 Jardin & Son tracker
which had been renovated by Brunner and Heller in 1982-1985. The facade pipes
had been decorated by Kristin Farmer within a couple of weeks of the beginning
of the convention. Her expert work, featuring a bright cardinal red in the
mouth area of the pipes led one wag (who shall remain nameless for her own
protection) to affectionately dub the organ, "Hot Lips." Cummins gave
good verbal explanations on the music and registrations for his program: Sonata II in C, Mendelssohn; "The Peace may be Exchanged" (from Rubrics), Locklair; the hymn "Praise the Lord, ye Heavens Adore Him" sung to the tune Faben, written by former St. Paul's organist, the renowned J. R. Willcox; and Concert Variations on "Old Hundredth," Paine. Cummins is an excellent player who displayed both virtuoso pedal technique in the Paine and expert hymn playing as he and the gutsy Jardine led the large audience in vigorous singing. Following a catered pizza party in St. Paul's Parish Hall, we took a welcome post-prandial stroll through a portion of the Wooster Square area of New Haven to St. Casimir's R.C. Church for an evening recital by David Dahl on the church's large 2-manual E. & G.G. Hook and Hastings, Op. 750 of 1874 as restored by Richard Hamar in 1970. Unlike the Jardine in St. Paul's, this Hook was originally installed in this building which at that time was the home of Davenport Congregational Church. The program: Praeludium in d, Lubeck; Four Organ Chorales, ("Wo soil ich fliehen hin," "Schmücke dich," "Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut," "Christ lag in Todesbanden"), Homilius; Sonata IV in A Minor, Op. 98, Rheinberger; Four Pieces ("Canon in the 5th," Op. 68, No. 1, "Romanza," Op. 13, No. 3, "Novelette," Op. 68, No. 3, "Fugue" Op. 36, No. 3), Parker; the hymn "We will extol You, ever-blessed Lord," sung to the tune Old 124th; Nordic Lament, Dahl; and Fantaisie in G (BWV 572), Bach. Tim Smith presented an OHS Historic Organ plaque to the church during the intermission. Dahl handled the instrument both musically and brilliantly with his solid, sensitive and dramatic playing displaying the tonal features of the organs to great advantage. His Nordic Lament was a particularly colorful and attractive work. Dahl and the finely restored Hook received a well deserved standing ovation.
Wednesday
A morning illustrated lecture by The Reverend Nicholas
Thistlethwaite on "The Tonal Development of 19th Century British
Organs" exposed us to the differences and similarities in character of
organ building trends vis-à-vis the U.S. and Britain presented from the
perspective of the British Institute of Organ Studies, a younger sister
organization of the OHS.
Glenn Kime gave the first recital of the day on a magnificent
late Johnson, Op. 788 of 1893 in the Unitarian Universalist Church in Meriden: Trumpet Tune, Phillips; Canzonetta, Op. 71, No. 4, Foote; "Allegretto" (from Sonata in E-flat Minor, Op. 65), Parker; Amazing Grace, arr. Held; Variations on "America," Ives; and the hymn "Sing out Praises for the Journey" sung to Westminster Abbey. Prior to the program, Dana Hull presented the church with an OHS Historic Organ plaque. The handsome restored Romanesque structure with its pristine Johnson singing out from its corner installation, its beautifully balanced sound elicited by the expert playing of this young artist with his refined and relaxed technique which let the music really speak, formed a wonderful beginning for an equally wonderful day--the almost tropical humidity having given way to another example of crisp New England early summer weather.
The final morning event was a recital by Mark Bighley on
what may be the only remaining 3-manual Ryder, Op. 156 of 1890 in St. Francis
R.C. Church in Naugatuck. His program: "Wir treten zum Beten vor Gott
den Herren," Reger; the hymn
"Once He Came in Blessing" sung to the tune Gottes Sohn ist
kommen with settings by Pepping as organ
interludes between the stanzas; "Christus der ist mein
Leben," Rinck; and Four Short
Pieces, Pinkham. The organ, a tracker,
features an unusual reversed console and an almost "see-through"
facade. Since most of the pipework is situated low in the case, the west window
is visible through the pipe front. Bighley demonstrated the colorful organ well
and registered the Pepping settings to show off the transparent and light
colors as a contrast to the fuller ensembles during the sung verses.
Unfortunately, the subtle registrations in the quiet Pinkham pieces were
punctuated with the sounds of happy children being released from a neighboring
school.
Wednesday afternoon was devoted to a variety of options: a
tour of the Austin organ factory in Hartford; a visit to the Trolley Museum in
East Haven; a trip to the Hitchcock Chair Museum in Riverton with a program on
its diminutive 1-manual organ of unknown manufacture followed by a trip to
Otis, MA for a short recital on the 1-manual Whiting in St. Paul's Episcopal
Church; a trip to the famous seaside resort of Watch Hill, RI; or a few hours
of free time for rest and relaxation back at Cromwell. Since one could not be
in all of these places, this reviewer chose the tour of the Austin factory
which was open for all with printed floor plan maps to help in locating the
various departments, from pipe casting and fabrication, chest making, and small
parts manufacture to console constructions and the design and voicing rooms.
Our hosts were very helpful and courteous in explaining the various operations
and fielding questions posed by the visitors. Of particular interest was the
important display of historical documents that had been set up for our perusal.
In addition, we were able to see bits and pieces of Austin's Op. 500 of 1915, a
large instrument built for the Panama-Pacific Exposition that had been severely
damaged in the recent California earthquake and had been returned to Austin's
for restoration. One can only imagine the immense amount of work involved in
shipping this vast organ across the country for rehabilitation by its original
builders. We shall await the news of its reinstallation.
For those who wished, there was time to visit the former
residence of Mark Twain on nearby Farmington Avenue We then traveled to
Rockville for Ezequiel Menendez's recital on a 2-manual Johnson & Son
tracker, Op. 830 of 1895, formerly in the Masonic Hall in Hartford, and
successfully relocated to the First Lutheran Church in Rockville. His program: "Komm Gott, Schopfer, heiliger Geist" (BWV 667), Bach; Pastorale in G, Whitney; Toccata, Villancico, Ginastera; the hymn "Who Trusts in God, a Strong Abode" sung to Was mein Gott will; and Sonata I, Mendelssohn (which contains the hymn tune just sung). Menendez's sensitive, bold, brilliant and musical playing delighted all those in attendance. This young Argentinian is undoubtedly an artist of major talent, and we should expect to hear of his great international success in the near future The performer seemed totally at home at the Johnson, another example of a successful transplant of an instrument which had been slated for destruction. Relocation and reassembly was accomplished in 1992 under the direction of Thad Outerbridge.
After dinner back in Cromwell, we bused to Hartford again
for a recital by Christa Rakich on an extraordinarily fine 3-manual Kilgen, Op.
4828 of 1932, in St. Justin's R.C. C The Pastor, Fr. Devito, accepted the OHS
Historic Organ plaque from Lois Regestein and made moving and appropriate
remarks prior to the recital. The program: "Liebestod" from Tristan
und Isolde, Wagner; Prelude and
Fugue in D Minor, Clara Schumann; Variations on "Wondrous Love," Barber; "Sweet Story," "All Things Bright and Beautiful," "Wonderful Words of Life," and "Praise our Father," all from Folk Hymn Sketches, Diemer; the hymn "Amazing Grace" sung to New Britain; Sweet Sixteenths (A Concert Rag), Albright; and Prelude & Passacaglia in festo Pentecostes, Woodman. An encore was in order, and that was the Sicilienne of Paradis. The wonderful Art Deco vastness of the marble interior with its alabaster rererdos and elaborate decorations was the perfect milieu for the truly distinguished sounds of the Kilgen which had been designed and overseen by Charles Courboin who also had played the "Liebestod" at the dedication of this instrument in 1932. Ms. Rakich, who is Director of Music at St. Justin's, obviously was much at home on this instrument and displayed its sumptuous, bold and luxuriant colors with expertise. There is always an extra dimension of success to the effective use of the organ when the incumbent musician is at the console. Fr. Devito and the parishioners of St. Justin's deserve our plaudits for seeing that the organ received a sensitive restoration by Michael Foley.
Thursday
The day began with a short trip to Storrs and the University
of Connecticut's St. Thomas Aquinas R.C. Chapel for program by Richard Hill on
a gutsy Steer & Turner 2-manual tracker, Op. 8, of 1868 which had
originally been built for the Baptist Church in Rondout, NY and moved to Storrs
under the supervision of the Organ Clearing House and installed by A. David
Moore in 1973. The program: the hymn "Now Shall my Head be Lifted
High" sung to the tune Victory; Grand Centennial March, Zeuner; Chorale-Prelude on "Jewels," Bitgood; Rondo-Caprice
style='font-style:normal'>, Op. 35, Buck; Berceuse
style='font-style:normal'>, Shelley; and Sortie in D Major,
style='font-style:normal'> Rogers. Most of the pieces chosen had a connection
with Connecticut, a nice touch in programming. The contemporary and modest
sized chapel features a narrow and long barrel vault ceiling, which is not only
visually attractive, but also helps give the room acoustics. The organ, with
its natural chestnut case, fits in with the architecture well. Its sound is
robust, with a firm and bright tone. Hill demonstrated the colorful single
registers persuasively and gave the larger ensembles an appropriately vigorous
touch. Some out-of-tune ranks and a rather violently aggressive tremolo were
the only jarring factors.
The next stop was in Willimantic for a superlative recital
by Leo Abbott on a later Steer & Turner, Op. 86 of 1874, in St. Joseph's
R.C. Church. The 2-manual tracker is in the rear gallery and filled the
recently restored church interior with its dignified, bright and bold sounds
which led one to think that the organ was much larger than it is. The program: Festival Voluntary, Op. 87, Peeters;
"Incantation," "Pastorale," "Antienne,"
"Hymne," and "Danse" from Mariales pour Orgue, Hakim; the hymn "Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail" sung to Maritus; Menuet-Scherzo, Op. 54, No. 2, Jongen; and "Allegro con moto" from Grand Sonata, Op. 25, Whiting. The instrument, restored by Charles Aitken in 1989, fairly danced at the expert virtuosity and artistic playing by Leo Abbott who demonstrated his talents in improvisation by supplying appropriate interludes between the verses of the hymn. After such a musical treat, we all needed some time to absorb what we had just heard, and we were able to do so, as well as to absorb a wonderful catered luncheon held in St. Joseph's Parish Hall.
After lunch, Ray Cornils presented a short recital on the
last of a series of the three Steere organs of the day, a 2-manual tracker, Op.
340 of 1892 in First Baptist Church, Willimantic. His program: "Mein
junges Leben hat ein End," Sweelinck; Fuga IV, Zeunner; the hymn "All Hail the Power" sung to Diadem; Scherzo, Buck; Pastorale and Aviary, Roberts; and Variations de Concert, Op. 1, Bonnet. It was instructive to hear these three Steeres, one after the other, and thus to compare them. This instrument, the mildest of the three, also featured a bright and well balanced principal chorus, characteristic of Steeres of this era, with an extremely quiet Great Dulciana and Swell Salicional. A recessed front location for the organ and the dead acoustics may have had a bearing on the understated effect. Cornils demonstrated the various subtle and colorful combinations to great effect and proved once again that he is a well disciplined and thoroughgoing musician. The capacity audience showed their appreciation with an appropriate ovation.
