THE DIAPASON DECEMBER, 2007 The Brick Presbyterian Church New York City Cover feature on pages 30–32 Dec 07 Cover.indd 1 11/8/07 8:39:21 AM a total cleaning and releathering. Given siderably smaller than the Trinity organ the prices that have been bandied about (about 100 ranks). St. John the Divine THE DIAPASON for the “temporary” instrument, it prob- (another historic Aeolian-Skinner from A Scranton Gillette Publication ably would have cost the same or less to the 1950s, 150 ranks) is being rebuilt for Ninety-eighth Year: No. 12, Whole No. 1177 DECEMBER, 2007 restore this legendary organ with up-to- about $5 million after the disastrous gift date retrofi tting and new consoles in the shop fi re. Established in 1909 ISSN 0012-2378 Skinner tradition. My advice would be to store the his- An International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, 5) Dr. Burdick will not be at Trin- toric Aeolian-Skinner intact for many the Harpsichord, Carillon, and Church Music ity forever. Given the prestige of Trin- years, with the intention of reinstalling it ity Wall Street, when a replacement is at a later date with upgrades. It would be hired, I am sure the new director of a shame to sell it piecemeal, as the organ music will want a real pipe organ to had its own integrity and worked as an CONTENTS Editor & Publisher JEROME BUTERA [email protected] replace the current digital organ. New integrated musical unit. 847/391-1045 pipe instruments (even with some digi- I have worked with many organ com- FEATURES tal voices because of space or budgetary panies in sales, construction and consult- In celebration of the 100th birthday, concerns) are being installed around the ing for the last 35 years. There is a time October 27, of Helmut Walcha: Associate Editor JOYCE ROBINSON city for an average of $26,000 per rank. and place for digital organs. Trinity is not Artist-Teacher—Part 3 [email protected] This would put the cost of the Trinity’s one of them. by Paul Jordan 21 847/391-1044 real organ (with two consoles and chan- Regarding St. Paul’s Chapel, the The University of Michigan cel/gallery divisions) at about $4.5 mil- Schlicker organ was really never satisfac- Historic Organ Tour 54 Contributing Editors LARRY PALMER lion in today’s money. A new Casavant tory. Perhaps a new mechanical-action by Jeffrey K. Chase 24 Harpsichord at Brick Church, NYC of 118 ranks was pipe organ built in the early American recently installed at about $2.5 million; style to suit the building historically or a Stylistic Features of Frescobaldi and Froberger in St. James, Madison Ave. has a $5 million pipe organ with some digital voices could Buxtehude’s Ciacona in C minor, BuxWV 159 JAMES MCCRAY by Marijim Thoene 27 Choral Music Schoenstein under contract ($3 million be installed there. for the organ, $2 million for the case Frederick A. Tripodi BRIAN SWAGER and structural work), which will be con- Greenwich, Connecticut NEWS & DEPARTMENTS Carillon Letters to the Editor 3 Here & There 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 HERBERT L. HUESTIS OrganNet Forum Nunc Dimittis 8 Osiris Organ Archive Carillon News by Brian Swager 12 www.mdi.ca/hhuestis/osiris Here & There In the wind . by John Bishop 12 e-mail: [email protected] On Teaching by Gavin Black 14 Watch for The Diapason’s 2008 Re- Ohnstad. For information: REVIEWS Prepress Operations DAN SOLTIS source Directory, which will be mailed <www.stlouiskingoffrance.org>. Music for Voices and Organ 16 with the January issue. The only compre- hensive directory and buyer’s guide for The First Church of Christ, Book Reviews 18 THE DIAPASON (ISSN 0012-2378) is published monthly New Recordings 18 by Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., 3030 W. Salt the organ and church music fi elds, the Wethersfi eld, Connecticut, continues 3 ″ ″ New Organ Music 20 Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. Directory is printed in a 5 ⁄4 x 8 hand- its music series: December 9, Christmas Phone 847/391-1045. Fax 847/390-0408. Telex: 206041 book format, and features an alphabeti- concert (Holst, Christmas Day; Rutter, New Handbell Music 20 MSG RLY. E-mail: <[email protected]>. Subscriptions: 1 yr. $35; 2 yr. $55; 3 yr. $70 (Unit- cal listing of companies and individuals, Gloria), choirs, brass, percussion, hand- CALENDAR 33 ed States and U.S. Possessions). Foreign subscrip- with complete contact information, in- bells; January 27, Super Bell XV Concert, tions: 1 yr. $45; 2 yr. $65; 3 yr. $85. Single copies $6 cluding web and e-mail addresses, and a the fi ve handbell choirs of First Church; ORGAN RECITALS 36 (U.S.A.); $8 (foreign). product/service directory. February 17, Colonial concert, sights Back issues over one year old are available only CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 38 from The Organ Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 26811, Additional copies of the Directory are and sounds of 18th-century America. Richmond, VA 23261, which can supply information on available for $5 each. For information: For information: 860/529-1575, ext. 209; availabilities and prices. 847/391-1045; <[email protected]>. <www.fi rstchurch.org>. Periodical postage paid at Rockford, IL and additional Cover: Casavant Frères, Saint-Hyacinthe, mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes Quebec, Canada; The Brick Church, to THE DIAPASON, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, St. Paul’s Church, Doylestown, Camp Hill Presbyterian Church, New York, New York 30 Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. Pennsylvania, presents its series of Ad- Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, has announced Routine items for publication must be received six vent recitals on Tuesdays at 12:30 pm: its music events: December 9, Advent weeks in advance of the month of issue. For advertising copy, the closing date is the 1st. Prospective contribu- December 4, Richard Spotts; 12/11, Lee Lessons & Carols; 12/24, Lessons & tors of articles should request a style sheet. Unsolicited Milhous; 12/18, Lee Milhous, with so- Carols; April 13, 2008, Anthony Leach www.TheDiapason.com reviews cannot be accepted. prano. The music series continues: 12/16, and Christyan Seay. For information: This journal is indexed in the The Music Index, an- notated in Music Article Guide, and abstracted in RILM Lessons & Carols; January 5, Schola Can- 717/737-0488; <www.thechpc.org>. Abstracts. torum. For information: 215/348-5511; Send subscriptions, inquiries, and ad- Copyright ©2007. Printed in the U.S.A. <www.stpaulsdoylestown.org>. Music of the Baroque presents its dress changes to THE DIAPASON, holiday brass and choral concerts: De- 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, THE DIAPASON accepts no responsibility or liability St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, Cin- cember 13, Grace Lutheran Church, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. for the validity of information supplied by contributors, cinnati, Ohio, continues its music series: River Forest, Illinois; 12/14, St. Michael’s vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies. December 2, Advent Lessons & Carols; Church, Chicago; 12/22 and 23, Divine 12/9, Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati, Word Chapel, Techny. For information: No portion of the contents of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the specifi c written permission Canterbury Brass Quintet, Jubilate and <www.baroque.org>. of the Editor, except that libraries are authorized to make photocopies of the material contained herein for the purpose of course reserve reading at the rate of one copy for every fi fteen students. Such copies may be reused for Lyric Choirs of the Cincinnati Children’s other courses or for the same course offered subsequently. Choir. For information: 513/421-2222; Trinity Wall Street presents early <www.stpeterinchainscathedral.org>. music with the Trinity Choir and the Rebel Baroque Orchestra: December The Cathedral Church of St. John, 16 and 18, Handel, Messiah; January 29, Albuquerque, New Mexico, continues its Monteverdi, Vespers of 1610. For infor- Letters to the Editor music series: December 2, Advent Les- mation: <www.trinitywallstreet.org>. sons & Carols; 12/21, Polyphony–Voices of New Mexico; 12/23, Christmas Les- Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Virtual organ 1) The four-manual Aeolian-Skinner sons & Carols; January 6, Choral Even- Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, continues its After reading John Bishop’s column was a rebuild, with many new pipe addi- song. For information: music series: December 16, Christmas in the September issue, along with the tions, and one of the largest pipe organs <www.stjohnsabq.org>. concert, Bryn Mawr Chamber Singers announcements in the “Here & There” in New York. The rebuild even incor- and Youth Chorale. For information: section about the fate of the historic porated some pipework from the origi- Trinity Episcopal Church, Santa 610/525-2821 ext. 836; Aeolian-Skinner organ at Trinity Church nal Henry Erben instrument in the late Barbara, California, presents Advent <www.bmpc.org/fi nearts>. Wall Street, I felt compelled to respond. 1800s and some unique stops from the organ recitals: December 2, Mahlon Please note that I have no vested interest E. M. Skinner rebuild, which in my mind Balderston; 12/9, Charles Talmadge; The Friends of the Kotzschmar fi nancially or in my reputation concern- have never been replicated. 12/16, Emma Lou Diemer; 12/23, David Organ (FOKO) continue their concerts ing this matter. 2) The 1970s rebuild included a new Gell; also on December 14, Christmas in Portland, Maine’s Merrill Auditorium: I worked on the design (both tonal deluxe console in the gallery (the chancel carol sing-along and wassail party. For December 18, Ray Cornils, with brass; and placement) and assisted in voicing console had already been replaced when information: <www.trinitysb.org>.