JANUARY, 2010 Cathedral Church of St. Peter Regensburg, Germany
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THE DIAPASON JANUARY, 2010 photo credit: Michael Vogl, Regensburg Cathedral Church of St. Peter Regensburg, Germany Cover feature on pages 28–29 Jan 2010 Cover.indd 1 12/14/09 7:25:20 AM Jan 2010 pp. 2-18.indd 2 12/14/09 7:27:04 AM THE DIAPASON Letters to the Editor A Scranton Gillette Publication One Hundred First Year: No. 1, Whole No. 1202 JANUARY, 2010 Gavin Black: On Teaching the fi fties to hear Myra Hess, Burt Lan- Established in 1909 ISSN 0012-2378 I’ve been enjoying Gavin Black’s col- caster walked right past my wife and me, An International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, umn “On Teaching” in The Diapason. big deal! the Harpsichord, Carillon, and Church Music Although I don’t have organ students, And Bovard Auditorium (I am a USC I’m learning a lot from the articles. Be- alumnus, grad school, as well as UCLA sides being an organist, I’m also a piano grad)—what memories! I remember the technician. The article about tuning original console well, and Mr. Lewis has CONTENTS Editor & Publisher JEROME BUTERA jbutera@sgcmail.com systems (September) is, by far, the best it all correct. This was a major loss, which 847/391-1045 description of tuning and tuning systems should not have happened, and I am not FEATURES that I’ve ever read! I’m going to save this alone in my opinion. It was a powerful Poulenc and Durufl é ‘premieres’ in Woolsey Hall Associate Editor JOYCE ROBINSON issue in case I have to give a talk about and impressive instrument. at Yale University and the Polignac organ jrobinson@sgcmail.com tuning history to the piano studio class at And Poly-Technic High School: My by Ronald Ebrecht 19 847/391-1044 the university where I work (I’ll give you dad was on the science faculty, and I full credit). was in the organ class for three years. Three wonderful organs Contributing Editors LARRY PALMER in Le Marche, Italy I was fascinated by the experiment On graduation night in February 1938, Harpsichord mentioned, where one tone at A-440 is I played a solo: Cyril Jenkins’s “Dawn.” by Bill Halsey 22 JAMES MCCRAY played through the left channel of head- I was able to use that wonderful solo la- Organbuilders and research: Choral Music phones, and one tone at A-442 is played bial reed, very convincing at least above Two points of view through the right channel. I would think middle C, extremely powerful. The grille by Francesco Ruffatti and Judit Angster 24 BRIAN SWAGER that one would hear beats, but I’ll have shown in the article picture hides the Carillon to try this sometime! The description of choir and swell, all the rest was on the NEWS & DEPARTMENTS the physics behind this makes sense. other side. I have rambled all through JOHN BISHOP I’ve always been interested in key that organ so often, and once stayed up Editor’s Notebook 3 In the wind . characteristics associated with well tem- in the Solo while someone played on the Letters to the Editor 3 peraments, and I have to say that I’m Tuba. In the 1960s, one Holy Week my Here & There 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 GAVIN BLACK On Teaching actually distracted by the beating and family and I were in the auditorium and Appointments 8 varying sizes of the intervals (especially I played the organ for the last time. Poly- Nunc Dimittis 8 Reviewers John L. Speller half-steps) in well temperaments when Technic High School is now Los Angeles Looking Back 12 Charles Huddleston Heaton played on organ or piano. This may be Trade Tech College. The automatic play- In the wind . by John Bishop 12 John Collins from my constant exposure to equal tem- er was on the right side stage steps. Yes, On Teaching by Gavin Black 13 Steven Young perament as a piano tuner. I do agree Mr. Lewis is right again: that luminous Sarah Mahler Kraaz that harpsichords sound great in well console was a real pain. Half the time REVIEWS temperaments. many of the lights were burned out and Music for Voices and Organ 15 THE DIAPASON (ISSN 0012-2378) is published monthly One thing that puzzles me, and I fi nd you had to memorize which ones. by Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., 3030 W. Salt fascinating, is that I still experience “key And Barker Brothers: Often after Book Reviews 16 Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. New Recordings 17 Phone 847/391-1045. Fax 847/390-0408. Telex: 206041 color” when playing an organ or piano school I would go there to hear the or- New Organ Music 17 MSG RLY. E-mail: <jbutera@sgcmail.com>. tuned in equal temperament. This might gan. One time someone put a large vase Subscriptions: 1 yr. $35; 2 yr. $55; 3 yr. $70 (Unit- have something to do with the fact that of fl owers on the console. The wire of the ed States and U.S. Possessions). Foreign subscrip- NEW ORGANS 30 tions: 1 yr. $45; 2 yr. $65; 3 yr. $85. Single copies $6 I have absolute pitch. Other musicians frame of an overhanging painting broke CALENDAR 31 (U.S.A.); $8 (foreign). with absolute pitch have told me of simi- and the vase was broken, allowing water Back issues over one year old are available only lar experiences. to invade the console. That was a mess. I ORGAN RECITALS 34 from The Organ Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 26811, As you can see, tuning is one of my fa- confess that I do not remember any gold Richmond, VA 23261, which can supply information on CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 36 availabilities and prices. vorite topics and I could go on at length! display pipes, just grilles. The pipework 2009 IN REVIEW—An Index 38 Periodical postage paid at Rochelle, IL and additional Thanks again for your excellent series in went to the San Fernando Mission, and mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes The Diapason. the console to the home in Toluca Lake to THE DIAPASON, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, Matt Dickerson of Dick Simonton of Muzak. Cover: Rieger-Orgelbau, Schwarzach, Austria; Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Routine items for publication must be received six Organist, St. Michael’s Catholic The long-time Barker Brothers organ- Regensburg, Germany 28 weeks in advance of the month of issue. For advertising Church, Indianapolis, Indiana ist was Mr. Harry Q. Mills. There was copy, the closing date is the 1st. Prospective contribu- Piano Technician, Butler University always a sign by the console telling when tors of articles should request a style sheet. Unsolicited Indianapolis, Indiana Mr. Mills’s next performance would be. www.TheDiapason.com reviews cannot be accepted. This journal is indexed in the The Music Index, an- Just across from the organ grilles was a notated in Music Article Guide, and abstracted in RILM Secular organs in Los Angeles balcony where at Christmas a boy’s choir Abstracts. Send subscriptions, inquiries, and ad- Copyright ©2010. Printed in the U.S.A. First, many thanks for Wilbur Held’s would sing carols. The Christmas tree dress changes to THE DIAPASON, birthday item in the October issue. It was two stories high and had immense 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, THE DIAPASON accepts no responsibility or liability was perfect, and his siblings were happy glass decorations. It really was quite a Arlington Heights, IL 60005. for the validity of information supplied by contributors, to be included, too. Your write-up in- place, and when I drive by the building vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies. spired me to get out my own copy of his now and see the tall entrance doors I feel Nativity Suite and have him autograph very sad and nostalgic. No portion of the contents of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the specifi c written permission it, which I did right away! Simonton had a basement auditorium 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 And in the November issue, I enjoyed too with a Wurlitzer, I think the last one other courses or for the same course offered subsequently. the article by James Lewis on secular or- Jesse Crawford played or recorded on. I gans in Los Angeles. First, Temple Bap- will be very glad to see Mr. Lewis’s OHS tist Church: one of my high school girl book when it comes out. friends was a member there and knew Thanks to The Diapason and anoth- the organist, Ray Hastings, well. As a er fi ne important article. Editor’s Notebook child, I attended L.A. Philharmonic con- Malcolm Benson certs there. The last time I was there in San Bernardino, California The next hundred years umn, click on “Subscribe to our newslet- Now that we have celebrated The ter.” Each month, the newsletter offers Diapason’s 100th anniversary in the short news stories, some too late to ap- December 2009 issue, we begin our pear in print. Classifi ed ads now receive Here & There second century. One wonders what lies their own newsletter, sent one week later ahead for the pipe organ and church than the main newsletter. music. The Diapason will continue to All Saints Church, Worcester, Mas- February 7, Bach, Widerstehe doch der report on the organ culture in our coun- Artist Spotlights sachusetts, continues its music series: Sünde, BWV 54; March 14, Wolfgang try and abroad, fulfi lling its mission as Featured artists appear on our web- January 3, Lessons & Carols; 1/31, Cho- Zerer; March 28, 30, and April 2, Bach, established in December 1909: “ .