June 2014

Here is the brief history of a truly remarkable pipe organ, one of the most famous in the entire world, from America and Europe to the Far East and Australia. It is the massive instrument in the former Crystal Cathedral, now Christ Cathedral, of Garden Grove, California. 

 

 

 

It all began in 1970, when Richard Unfried, organist of the Garden Grove Community Church, headed by Dr. Robert H.

An interview with Stephen Tharp appeared a decade ago in The Diapason (“A conversation with Stephen Tharp: Catching up with a well-traveled recitalist,” January 2004). At that time, Tharp’s discography included six recordings, and he had made over twenty intercontinental tours. Among the topics discussed were Tharp’s many concert tours, his advocacy of new music, and interest in transcriptions. In the decade since, Tharp has continued his travels and performances, and received many accolades.

The rest of the discussion about manual changes—as found in this month’s column—is the last segment of the practical part of this method. As I mentioned in the introduction to last month’s column, it seems clear that a method cannot and should not aspire to include detailed instruction about every facet of organ playing. Since I consider it important for this method to discuss in some detail each of the fundamental skills that it is trying to teach—more prose and fewer examples than some method books—I must limit the scope.

 

Massimo Nosetti was one of the busiest organists in Italy. Born in Alessandria, Italy, on January 5, 1960, he studied organ, composition, and choral conducting at the conservatories of Torino (Turin) and Milan. He then studied in Switzerland with Pierre Pidoux and in France with Jean Langlais. He was a professor of organ and composition at Cuneo Conservatory from 1981 till his death, and was titular organist of the cathedral in Torino (home of the famous shroud).

 

My colleague Amory Atkins and I have just returned from a second trip to Coolin, Idaho, where we completed the installation of a Möller Double Artiste in a lakefront r

Ruth Ann Hofstad Ferguson died March 23 in Northfield, Minnesota, after a prolonged struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 71. She attended Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, majoring in music education, with a minor in religion. While at Concordia, she studied organ and served churches as a substitute organist. Upon graduation, she taught elementary music in Hawley, Minnesota, and in summers continued her organ studies with Arthur Poister at Syracuse University.