Sunday
The day's events began with the Annual Meeting held at the headquarters hotel with OHS President Michael Friesen presiding. Among the items of general interest was a report by Scot Huntington on the following organ preservation successes: St. Thomas, Boston; St. Casimir's, New Haven; and Nativity, Buffalo. Further items of note were as follows: a new endowment fund drive is to begin to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the OHS; Dr. Gregory Crowell is the new Director of Publications; the signing of a protocol of cooperation between the Archives in Princeton and BIOS and RCO in England, a representative of which was in attendance--thus a data base on organs is about to happen. The next OHS convention will be in southeastern Massachusetts (the Old Colony), and Rhode Island, July 12-18, 2005. Later ones are slated to be held in the Saratoga-Albany area in 2006, Indianapolis in 2007, and Seattle in 2008.
Following the meeting, Jeff Weiler delivered an illustrated historical lecture entitled "History of the Wurlitzer Organ." He featured remarks on the Wurlitzer family itself as well as the various enterprises that occupied their time and business talents. He outlined the interest in automatic musical instruments (including the "Gee, Dad, it's a Wurlitzer" jukebox) as well as pipe organ manufacture and their association with the eccentric genius, Robert Hope-Jones (see the remarks on the Ambrosino lecture given on the preceding Friday), and their production of the Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra. They built some 2,200 pipe organs from 1910 until 1943 with the largest being the instrument in Radio City Music Hall.
A short bus ride to the suburb of North Tonawanda brought us to another fine catered luncheon with ample time provided to wander up Melody Lane (!) to view the massive former complex of the Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company with its landmark central tower. The facilities are now used for diversified industrial activities, offices and storage. Even though Wurlitzer is long gone, two consoles are on display just inside the main tower entrance.
On our way to the next event, the buses drove down Melody Lane, and at its intersection with Erie Avenue, there appeared a sign proclaiming, "Wurlitzer Pizza Company—We Deliver" (tibia toppings with phonon sauce?). Further on we passed the imposing and well-maintained former home of Farny Wurlitzer, a lovely pillared neo-classical residence with a large garden area to one side.
The first recital of the day was at Ascension R.C. Church in North Tonawanda where Rhonda Sider Edgington played the following program on a lovely restored 1-manual Felgemaker (Op. 601) of 1895: "Duetto III in G" from Clavierübung III, Bach; Partita on "Herzlich tut mich verlangen," Pachelbel; the hymn, "There's a wideness in God's mercy," sung with flute accompaniment to the tune St. Helena; "Pastoral" from Organ Sonata No. 20 in F (op. 196), Rheinberger; "O Welt, ich muss dich lassen" and "Schmücke dich, o liebe seele" from Eleven Chorale Preludes (op. 122, 1897), Brahms; and "Postlude Festival" from Deux Pièces en Ré Mineur, Reuchsel. The organ, situated in the rear gallery of this intimate and neat small church, sounded its solid, yet clear and bright ensembles to great advantage under the expert hands of Ms. Edgington, who wisely chose a program to suit the resources of the instrument.
A modest-sized 3-manual Schlicker of 1966 situated in a typical 1960s building was the venue for the next recital, a program by Frederick Teardo. The church, First Trinity Lutheran in Tonawanda, was Herman Schlicker's home parish. His widow, Alice Schlicker, was in attendance for the program and received an affectionate ovation. The program: Praeludium in d (BuxWV 140), Buxtehude; "Tierce en taille" from Livre d'Orgue, DuMage; "Allegro" from Trio Sonata No. 5 in C (BWV 529), Bach; "Lullaby" from Suite No. 2, Hampton; and The Ninety-Fourth Psalm: Sonata for Organ, Reubke, followed by the singing of the hymn, "The day thou gavest" to the tune St. Clement. The organ, which has received several changes and refinements over the years, has a full-bodied, bright, intense, but never cloying sound. It is well-balanced and features relaxed, warm and singing Principals with mild and charming attack sounds in the speech of the pipes. One's first reaction might be that the Reubke Sonata would not be a good choice for this organ, but Teardo made it work through his registration choices and expansive phrasing. He is a young artist who knows how to communicate music through his elegant playing.
The final recital of the day was played by the energetic and brilliant Gail Archer who prefaced her program with both entertaining and cogent comments. The locale was the rather bleak and undecorated interior of the Kenmore Presbyterian Church, which houses another landmark Schlicker that has undergone several revisions during its lifetime. The instrument became familiar to audiophiles as the one on which Robert Noehren recorded several LPs. Its sound features the fully developed, clear, bright and cohesive sound associated with Schlicker's evolving work.
Instead of a grand evening recital, there was a very enjoyable dinner cruise on portions of the Niagara River and Lake Erie. The continually threatening weather moderated and provided a pleasant backdrop for both good dining and convivial conversation.
Monday
The day's events began with one group going to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and another proceeding to the beautiful, park-like and enormous Forest Lawn Cemetery to hear Justin Hartz perform on a gem of a four-rank unified Wurlitzer, Op. 2182 of 1933. Located in an intimate and acoustically superb stone chapel, this fine organ speaks through a wonderfully painted scrim which, at first glance, appears to be a stained glass window. The instrument has a carefully balanced sound and is well-maintained. Hartz entitled his short program &"Going out in Style&": Fountain Reverie, Fletcher; Twilight Musings, Kinder (featuring the Flute, Oboe Horn and Diapason); &"When Day Is Done&" (arr. Hartz) (played in &"Mighty Wurlitzer&" theatre style with reminiscences of both Jesse Crawford and Ethel Smith); Festival Prelude (introducing Palestrina's tune, &"The Strife Is O'er&"), Buck; and the hymn, &"Just a closer walk with Thee.&"
We then exchanged places with the group that had already visited the Historical Society Museum. This marble building is the only surviving one of many that were constructed for the 1901 Pan American Exposition, a World's Fair remembered, among other things, as the place where President William McKinley was shot. The museum houses many fascinating exhibits of Buffalo-area industrial products, and conventioneers had ample time to wander among the displays as a cozily installed Aeolian (Op. 1183 of 1911) demonstrated its voice by means of an automatic playing mechanism. Of interest also in the small auditorium, home of the Aeolian, were a 1-manual Derrick & Felgemaker of 1868 and an anonymous small English cabinet organ. We had a box lunch at the museum as the other group returned from Forest Lawn.
Since more than ample time was allotted for a trip to Middleport to hear two nearly identical Barckhoffs, the group spent some time wandering around the pretty town, which is situated on a working portion of the historic Erie Canal. A local sweet shop, close to the bridge, did an extraordinary business selling soft-serve cones to scores of conventioneers. The owners may have made their year's profit from the visitors during just this one afternoon. Because of limited seating in the two churches, we again split into two groups and were within comfortable walking distance for each repeated program. Former Biggs Scholar J. R. Daniels played a short recital on the 1902 2-manual Barckhoff tracker in the First Universalist Church: Prelude, Harris; Canon, Salomé; the hymn, &"Those who love and those who labor&" sung to the tune Domhnach Trionoide; Prelude on &"Beach Spring&" and Processional in E-flat, Wood. Daniels handled the instrument well and chose his pieces to show the various colors available on the small but solidly distinguished and well-maintained instrument.
Jason Alden performed on Barckhoff's 2-manual tracker of 1906 in the former Trinity Episcopal Church now occupied by the Middleport Fundamental Baptist Church. The organ, although visually quite different from that in the Universalist church, is identical in stoplist except that this instrument has a 2' Flautino in the Swell. The acoustics are certainly a challenge with a totally carpeted interior and a treated ceiling. Alden, always a reliably fine and sensitive player, presented the following program: Echoes of Spring, Friml (arr. Barnes); La Romanesca, Valente; &"Lied&" from Vingt-Quatre Pièces en Style Libre (op. 31), Vierne; A Joyous Postlude, Mallard; and the hymn, &"Shepherd, show me how to go,&" sung to the tune Feed My Sheep.
Following another bus ride through scenic western New York farm lands, we arrived at the charming small community of Wolcottsville where Mary Ann Cruger Balduf exhibited her usual musical creativity and apt programming sense on the second 1-manual organ heard in the convention, an 1897 Hinners and Albertsen in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. Prior to the program, the pastor gave enthusiastic welcoming remarks and noted that the instrument has been played every Sunday since its installation in 1897. The intimate church was filled by the large assembly of conventioneers; many parishioners assembled outside, furnished with a sound system that allowed them to hear the music. The same hospitable and appreciative people had set up tables with refreshments that were eagerly consumed following the recital. Balduf played the following program: Processional Fanfare, Rawsthorne; Verset, Lefébure-Wély; &"Improvisation&" from Suite Médiévale, Vierne; Fantaisie in A, Bach; Voluntary in A, Taylor; &"Interlude&" and &"Cantique&" from Sixty Short Pieces, Peeters; &"Chorale&" and &"Ground&" from Fifteen Pieces for Organ, Ridout; the hymn, &"For all the saints,&" sung with great gusto to the tune Sine Nomine; and Festival Postlude, (op. 32), Seifert. Balduf treated this dandy little organ with both verve and expertise, making the most of the keyboard division into treble and bass registers for solo and accompaniment effects. Brian Buehler acted as console assistant.
A bus trip back to Buffalo and the campus of the State University of New York at Buffalo brought us to one of the campus dining halls for dinner. We then took a short and unhurried stroll to Slee Hall for the evening presentation, a concert by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with associate conductor Ronald Spiegelman on the podium and David Schrader the featured soloist on the 1990 3-manual Fisk (Op. 95) in three major works: Symphony No. 1 for Organ and Orchestra, Guilmant; Snow Walker (1990), Colgrass; and Concerto No. 1 for Organ and Orchestra in E-flat (op. 55, 1902), Parker. The organ is located in its own alcove above and to the rear of the stage. Though possessing a commanding sound, the instrument was never overpowering and blended with and conversed amicably with the sound of the orchestra. The avant-garde Colgrass Snow Walker was a tour de force for both organist and orchestra, but Schrader, Spiegelman and the Buffalo Philharmonic played the work admirably. The hall, though not very reverberant, is acoustically quite sympathetic, and even with a near-capacity crowd, the organ and orchestral colors bloomed and enveloped the listeners.
Tuesday
The final day of the convention began with an expertly played recital by Bruce Stevens on the historic Garret House 2-manual tracker of 1860 housed in St. Stephen R.C. Church, Shrine of St. Jude, Buffalo. The organ, the largest surviving example by the Buffalo builder House, was originally installed in First Presbyterian's former church building. Stevens's program: two settings of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659 and BWV 661), Bach; two versions of Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen, one by Heiller and one by Brahms; Introduction et Variations sur un ancient noël polonaise, Guilmant; Prelude on &"The Holly and the Ivy,&" Sumsion; Five noëls from L'Organiste, Franck; Grand-choeur varié sur un noël breton, Marty; Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, Gade; and the singing of the hymn, &"O Morning Star, how fair and bright,&" sung to the tune Wie schön leuchtet. The program was organized to include music suitable for the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. The organ, with its elaborately decorated Italianate case, sits grandly in the rear gallery (sharing space with a Hammond) and adds a complementary visual interest to the high-ceilinged and reverberant Gothic church. Stevens handled the instrument masterfully in spite of the fact that it obviously needs (and deserves) a complete restoration. Larry Pruett and Tony Marchesano had worked many hours prior to the recital to provide as much tonal and mechanical ministration as was possible so that one could get more than a hint of the organ's potentially dignified grandeur.
A bus tour to the south of Buffalo offered yet another occasion for viewing some of the varied scenery of this part of western New York. This time we went through rolling hills to the delightful small town of Boston and St. John the Baptist R.C. Church to hear a transplanted 2-manual Felgemaker tracker of 1901. The organ, originally installed in Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church on Main Street, Buffalo, was restored in 1991 by Tenerowicz Pipe Organ Service and replaced an electronic in the gallery of the Boston church. After a welcome by the pastor, Tim Socha played the following program and gave helpful comments on his registrations: the chorale, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, sung by all and followed by the Bach chorale-prelude, BWV 661; Sonata in g for flute (op. 16, no. 10), Vivaldi (with fine flute playing by Melissa Stewart); the chorale, Schmücke dich, sung by all and alternating with the variations by Walther (a very effective procedure); Concerto in F for Flute (op. 10, no. 5), Vivaldi (again with Melissa Stewart on the flute); and the chorale, In dir ist Freude, sung by all and followed by Bach's setting, BWV 615. The early 20th-century organ seemed quite content in its 1967 locale and sang out proudly under Tim Socha's expert playing. In spite of wall-to-wall carpet and acoustical tiles in the ceiling of the side aisles, the organ sound carried well and supported the vigorous hymn singing well.
After a wonderful barbeque lunch topped off with several choices of home-made ice cream (the black cherry was particularly delicious!), we reboarded the buses for a scenic trip to East Aurora (which, curiously, is many miles west of the town of Aurora) and Baker Memorial United Methodist Church for a recital by Peter Stoltzfus on a 2-manual, 18-rank 1928 Skinner, Op. 727. His program: Passacaglia per organo, Frescobaldi (transcribed for piano by Respighi and arranged for organ by Sowerby); &"Allegro&" from Sonata III in F (Wq70, 3), C.P.E. Bach; &"Clair de lune&" from Pièces de Fantaisie, Deuxième Suite (op. 31, 1913) and &"Divertissement&" from 24 Pièces en Style Libre, both by Vierne; Stoltzfus's own Prelude and Fugue (op. 12); and the hymn, &"Christ, whose glory fills the skies,&" sung to the tune Ratisbon. As usual, Stoltzfus displayed his distinguished and elegant musicianship. He was aided at the console by Jonathan Ambrosino. The organ benefits from an ideal central location, thus speaking directly down the central axis of the room. Its big, yet bright and cohesive and clear sound is enhanced by hard reflective surfaces on the walls and ceiling vaults.
Our next stop was in Lancaster, New York, and Our Lady of Pompeii R.C. Church for a program on its 3-manual 1920 Möller, Op. 2959. It had been transplanted to the 1953 vintage church by organist Joe Momot and a group of dedicated and hard-working volunteers. They began the project in 1996 and carried it through its dedication in 2001. For a demonstration, Mark DiGiampaolo, director of music for St. Joseph's Cathedral, Buffalo, played An Organ Mass from the music of Alexandre Guilmant. He had chosen various sections from Guilmant's op. 90, op. 41, op. 49, op. 39, op. 55 and op. 46, organized according to the liturgical sections of a low mass. The building with its barrel vault ceiling helped give a good acoustical home for the organ, which is centrally located behind the free-standing altar with an Echo division in the rear gallery. The organ (originally in the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Cortland, NY) has the typical 1920s somewhat heavy, yet dignified sound of many Möllers of the time.
After a festive closing banquet back at the Adam's Mark, we walked to the huge St. Joseph R.C. Cathedral, where we joined many parishioners and other guests to hear one of the outstanding events of the convention--a recital played by Ken Cowan on the cathedral's monumental 4-manual E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings organ, Op. 828 of 1876. After some enthusiastic welcoming remarks by Mark DiGiampaolo, Cowan played the following program: Prelude and Fugue in B-flat, Conte; the hymn, &"Dear Lord and Father of Mankind,&" sung to the tune Repton; &"Scherzo&" from Symphony No. 6 (op. 59), Vierne; &"Clair de lune&" from Pièces de Fantaisie, Deuxième Suite (op. 53), Vierne; &"Prelude to Die Meistersinger,&" Wagner (arr. Warren/Lemare); Ciaccona in c (BuxWV 159), Buxtehude (using the organ's original stops); and The Ninety-Fourth Psalm, Reubke. For encores, he played a transcription of a Scherzo in B-flat, Poulenc, and the &"Final&" from Symphony No. 6 (op. 59), Vierne. As usual, Cowan played magnificently. His unassuming demeanor complements the dual nature of his playing--a combination of technical virtuosity and great musical understanding and sensitivity. For this performance on an extremely hot night in a sweltering catherdral, he was aided at the console by his father, organist David Cowan. The organ, originally built by Hook for the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876, was brought to St. Joseph's in 1877 and somewhat modified at that time so as to fit in the gallery. Over the years, it has received further rebuildings, the most recent being by the Andover Organ Company in 2001. Its new console was built by Robert M. Turner. The latest tonal additions were made in a style consistent with the heroic sound of the organ and the vast dimensions of the building. As an interesting historical demonstration, Cowan wisely included the Ciaccona of Buxtehude (see the program, above) to highlight some of the stops that were original to the organ. For more information on this important instrument, see Barbara Owen's article in the Bicentennial Tracker of 1976 (pp. 128-135) and Joseph McCabe's in The Tracker, Volume 48, No. 1 (Winter, 2004), pp. 24-27.
Historic organ citations were presented throughout the week to the following instruments and their churches: the Schlicker in St. Francis Xavier R.C. Church, the Kimball in the Church of the Ascension, Episcopal, the Skinner in Central Park United Methodist Church, the Schlicker in Trinity Episcopal Church, the Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling in Jordan River Missionary Baptist Church, the Wurlitzer in the Chapel of Forest Lawn Cemetery, and the Hinners & Albertsen in Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. These citations are given to the churches as an acknowledgement of the importance of their instruments and to encourage their use and preservation.
Another important continuing function of the OHS is the awarding of E. Power Biggs Fellowship grants to help subsidize attendance at OHS convention by specially nominated candidates. This year's recipients, announced by Derek Nickels, Chair of the Fellowship, prior to the Scanlon recital at St. Paul's Cathedral, were Michael Diorio, a student at Boston University, and Nathan Lemahieu, a student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
All OHS conventions are both educational and enjoyable. They allow people with similar collegial interest in the history of North American organ building to gather for several days for live performances on a variety of worthy instruments. This year's convention committee, chaired by the tireless Joe McCabe, spent several years organizing the Buffalo area events, and all involved deserve our sincere gratitude for a successful convention. Buffalo may be New York State's second city, but the gathering was first rate.
The 2005 OHS Convention takes place July 12-18 in southeastern Massachusetts. For information:
