Dean's Message
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September, 2013 Chiff Chat September, 2013 Dean’s Message Greetings, Welcome back to another wonderful Guest presenter – Martin Jean, and full year of musical events. I hope Director of the Yale Institute of you were able to get away for some fun Sacred Music and relaxation during the summer season and were also able to attend January 12, 2014 - 3:00pm some concerts. It has been a pleasure DVD Presentation – “Pulling Out working with Alan Dickinson and All the Stops; Roger LaCross and I thank them for the United Congregational Church, Holyoke, MA; help they have given our Chapter while ! serving on the board. I want to Host: Donald Hooton Chapter Officers welcome our two new board members, March 1, 2014 – 10am - 12pm John Karalekas and Mary Jeanne Tash Pedals, Pipes, and Pizza: Chapter Officers and look forward to working with them Dean – Donald Hooton Introducing young students again. Sub-dean – Quentin Faulkner to the organ; Treasurer – Jim Barnes South Congregational Church, The planning committee has been busy Secretary – Charles Marshall this summer planning a variety of Amherst, MA programs for our chapter members and March 30, 2014 Board of Directors friends. The 2013/2014 year will start Scott Bailey nd Organ Recital, TBA on September 22 with a “Welcome Lori Bourret Reception and Members’ Recital” at St. May 11, 2014 – 7:00pm Elizabeth Dawson John’s Episcopal Church, Northampton, United Congregational Church, Joe Geehern MA, at 3:00pm. The host is Grant Moss. Holyoke, MA; John Karalekas I would like you to mark this opening Host: Donald Hooton; Mary Jeanne Tash event and the following dates on your Silent Movie – “It”; calendar now so you won’t miss any of Guest Organist - Peter Krasinski; them. Co-Sponsored with Experience In This Issue: Music at United Year-End-Review: October 5th, 2013 - 9am-12pm 2012-2013; Members’ Recital Choral Reading Session, June 2014 – Closing Event, TBA Info Page 2 First Congregational Church, The board members and I look West Springfield, MA; Featured Organ: forward to meeting you at our Host: James R. Maes; Johnson Op. 16, Heath, MA opening event on September 22nd, Presenter: Quentin Faulkner Page 3 and hope that you will join us for all November 5, 2013 - 6:00pm of our programs. Events Calendar Page 4 Pastor/Organist Dinner Grace Lutheran Church, - Donald Hooton, dean Pioneer Valley Substitutes West Springfield, MA; Website and Choral Host: Martha Sienkiewicz; Auditions Page 6 1 Chapter Event: Opening Year-End Review: Reception and Members’ Recital 2012-2013 The Springfield Chapter AGO will host an The 2012-2013 year for the AGO in Springfield, opening reception and members’ recital on MA has been a banner year under the leadership September 22nd at 3:00pm. This event will be held of Dean Donald Hooton. The various events and at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Northampton, activities were quite well attended by members MA, located at 48 Elm St. and the general public throughout the year. The gala reception will offer members an The year began with the Annual Installation of opportunity to catch up with old friends or meet Officers on September 30th. It was held at the new ones. It is also an opportunity to present the beautiful South Congregational Church in chapter events for the year to our members. We Springfield. Featured were the Choir of Boys and are looking for volunteers to serve as the hosting Adults from St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral crew to set up the reception hall, serve as ushers, singing the Mass in D by Dvorak. The Cathedral’s and to prepare the food and beverages. organist, Ladislav Pfeifer, was at the organ and Klaus Becker was the guest conductor. It was a After the reception, we will host a members’ glorious service with a grand procession, recital. We are looking for members who would congregational singing, beautiful organ music and like to play something…anything. It could be a a superb performance of the Dvorak Mass. Larry major organ work or it could be something from Picard was the host. The installation of the new your Sunday morning repertoire. It could be a officers was conducted by Larry Schipull, a past piece you fell in love with years ago or it could be dean, with Rev. Wallis, Chaplain, giving the something brand new that you want to share with Blessing. A reception, put on by the church, was people. It can be six or seven minutes long or it held at the conclusion of the service. can be one or two minutes long. The next event was quite “eventful” with extra If you are interested in playing for the members’ “bells and whistles and loud alarms” that were recital or if you are interested in volunteering for not part of the schedule. Quentin Faulkner was the hosting crew, please contact Scott Bailey at leading a small group of AGO members in a [email protected] or (413) 522-4745. workshop entitled “Introduction to the Service Playing Exam.” It was held at St. Andrew’s Deadline for signing up to play is September 15th. (Continued on page 7) Memorial Concert for Arlene Howes Calvary Presbyterian Church in Enfield, CT is The church would like you to be a part of this hosting a concert in memory of Arlene Howes on celebration. Springfield Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 4:00pm. Arlene served Chapter members are as the organist and choir director for Calvary invited to perform a short Presbyterian Church for 38 years and also directed piece of music that would the Second Baptist Church Handbell Choir in Suffield, best suit this special event. CT. Arlene performed with the Springfield If you are interested in Symphony Chorus for over 40 years and with the St. performing, please contact Michael's Players of East Longmeadow, MA. She was Lori Bourret at a longtime member and former treasurer of the [email protected] and let her Springfield Chapter of the American Guild of know what you intend to Organists. play. Arlene Howes: 1935 - 2013 2 September, 2013 Featured Organ Heath Union Evangelical Church Heath, MA Wm. A. Johnson, Westfield, Massachusetts, Opus 16, 1850 14 stops, 12 ranks demonstrate the colorful combinations available on this Stoplist uniquely American instrument. I. Great – 54 notes This was an historically rare (unenclosed) event in western Massachusetts. Open Diapson 8’ Dulciana 8’ By now, the name Nathan Laube Heath is the third home of this Stopped Diapason 8’ should be familiar to all members landmark pipe organ, the oldest Stopped Diapason Bass 8’ Principal 4’ of the AGO and OHS, since this surviving instrument built by one of New England’s foremost organ Flute 4’ peerless young star has played Twelfth 2-2/3’ for numerous conventions of each builders, William A. Johnson of Westfield, Massachusetts. Only Fifteenth 2’ organization, always with the second two-manual profound insight to the II. Swell – 37 notes repertoire, compelling rhythms, instrument attempted by the (expressive) and scrupulous preparation of then-fledgling builder, Opus 16 Open Diapason 8’ registrations – usually all from was begun on speculation in Stopped Diapason 8’ memory. This autumn, he will 1849, to a G-compass design, and Principal 4’ begin his appointment as purchased unfinished by Joel Hautboy 8’ Stopped Diapason Bass 8’ Assistant Professor of Organ at Hayden, Sr. for the Haydenville Congregational Church, then also the prestigious Eastman School of III. Pedal – 17 notes Music. under construction. Hayden was founder of the village bearing his (unenclosed) Double Open Diapason 16’ name, owner of the large brass On Sunday, July 21st, residents of western New England had an works established there, and later IV. Couplers and Accessories unusually rare and unique Lieutenant Governor of Swell to Great Manual opportunity to experience Massachusetts. Great to Pedal Nathan Laube in the intimate setting of the Union Evangelical The organ was modified Swell Expression Hitch-down Church in Heath, MA, where he considerably prior to its late-1850 Toe Lever for horizontal installation in the unfinished shades (by gravity) inaugurated the restored 1850 Wm. A. Johnson organ. Mr. church, including conversion to C-compass. It was pumped from Hand-pumping bellows and Laube’s superlative talents were mechanisms restored to use 1850-1854 by a youth named not lost on this simple early under the double-rise wind American organ, but exemplified Cyrus Burnett Smith, whose reservoir New Laukhuff the style, music, and sweetness of numerous signatures were blower applied to the wind tone that were typical of the pivotal in the process of dating system, 2013 period – both in musical and solving puzzling questions composition and organ building associated with the organ’s early style. His intuitive approach to history. His later life as a noted memorialize the recently the instrument defined the surgeon in the Civil War is a deceased Hayden; and, the program, drawing upon story unto itself. Opus 16 was church narrowly escaped appropriate repertoire, including replaced in 1874 by a larger Johnson instrument purchased to English and American, to (Continued on page 5) 3 Calendar of Events September Events October Events College. Also music by Bach, Vivaldi, and more. 15 Sun. at 3:00pm 4 Sat. at 9:00am Larry Schipull will present a Chapter Event November Events recital at South Congregational Anthem Reading Session at the Church, 1066 S. East St., Amherst, First Congregational Church of 3 Sun. at 10:00am MA on the recently installed West Springfield, MA. St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Casavant Op. 76 (1896). Music of Presented by Quentin Faulkner. Hanover, NH presents Duruflé’s Bach, Bonnet, Pierné and Alain. Requiem with Dr.