Concert Hall (Zhongshan Park)

Xicheng, , People’s Republic of

ORGAN ARCHITECTS & BUILDERS 156 WOODLAND STREET HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06105-1284 opus 2779 — 1999 TEL: (860)522-8293 ~ FAX: (860) 524-9828 WWW.AUSTINORGANS.COM ~ [email protected] GREAT ORGAN CHOIR - ORCHESTRAL ORGAN he Forbidden City Concert Hall is peared to be especially mesmerized by Miss Double Diapason 16' (Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Doppel Flute 8' 61 Pipes T situated inside the walls of the Forbid- Williams’ rendition of “The Washington den City, among the well-manicured gardens Post March”. Diapason I 8' 61 Pipes Gamba 8' 61 Pipes of Zhongshan Park, and directly adjacent to Diapason II 8' 61 Pipes Gamba Celeste 8' T.C. 49 Pipes Square. The old hall was gutted, Harmonic Flute 8' 61 Pipes Prestant 4' 61 Pipes save for some large stone pillars; the rebuilt ccording to Carol Williams, “My very Bourdon 8' 61 Pipes Concert Flute 4' 61 Pipes hall was built by raw manpower, crews A first visit to China was memorable for a Flute 4'(Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Nasard 2-2/3' 61 Pipes working 24 hours a day. The finished prod- number of reasons. First, there was the ex- uct is breathtaking; thick marble columns perience of the completely different culture Twelfth 2-2/3' 61 Pipes Harmonic Piccolo 2' 61 Pipes with matching floors, sparkling chandeliers, and the opportunity to perform in Beijing’s Super Octave 2' 61 Pipes Tierce 1-3/5' 61 Pipes state of the art audio/video equipment. The Forbidden City Concert Hall. Further, there Mixture IV 244 Pipes Cymbal III 183 Pipes décor is on the modern side; more simple and was the honor of walking on to the stage to Double Trumpet 16'(Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Tuba Mirabilis 8' (15" wind) 61 Pipes elegant than ornate. The acoustics are quite bring to life a brand new organ, which re- Trumpet 8' 61 Pipes French Horn 8' (15" wind) 61 Pipes good in spite of the padded seats and aisle sponded superbly to the most subtle of regis- carpeting. There is an abundance of new, trations and produced truly magnificent Clarion 4' (Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Corno di Bassetto 8' 61 Pipes shiny, hard surfaces. The organ is in front sounds. Yet, due to the lack of organ tradi- Tremulant English Horn 8' 61 Pipes and center-stage on a platform 12’ above tion in China, it was difficult to draw up pro- Tuba Mirabilis 8' (Choir-Orchestral) Tremulant stage level. A moveable console was pro- grams that were suitable for such an historic vided, finished in gleaming Steinway black. occasion, and which would be acceptable to PEDAL ORGAN The organ case, designed entirely by Austin an audience that had not previously savored SWELL ORGAN Organs Inc., was built of beechwood by the music played on the King of Instruments. Double Diapason 32' (Digital) -- Violone 16' (Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Beijing Fine Furniture Company. The choice ultimately became a selection of Contra Bourdon 32' (Digital) -- popular works by Widor, Bach, Jeremiah Bourdon 16' (Ext. 8') 12 Pipes Diapason I 16' 32 Pipes he client, The Beijing Culture Bureau, Clarke and Franck together with a lighter Geigen Diapason 8' 61 Pipes Diapason II 16' (Great) -- T was without opinion regarding size or element in the form of music by Sousa and Cor de Nuit 8' 61 Pipes Subbass 16' 32 Pipes specification. We knew little except that, Joplin. Throughout the visit, there was much Cor de Nuit Celeste 8' T.C. 49 Pipes when complete, this would be the main per- filming plus numerous photographs and Violone 16' (Swell) -- Viola Pomposa 8' 61 Pipes forming venue for the Beijing Symphony many interviews with magazines and televi- Bourdon 16' (Swell) -- Orchestra, htianence, an eclectic stoplist with sion. Certainly a great honour was the oppor- Viola Celeste 8' 61 Pipes Octave 8' 32 Pipes symphonic leanings was offered, and ac- tunity to work with the Beijing Symphony Geigen Octave 4' 61 Pipes Subbass 8' (Ext. 16') 12 Pipes cepted without change. Crated for ocean Orchestra under the expert conducting of the Flute 4' 61 Pipes Viola 8' (Swell) -- transit, the three 40’ containers containing much beloved Tan Lihua to present a fine Doublette 2' 61 Pipes the organ left the Hartford loading dock on performance of the Saint-Saens Symphony Choral Bass 4' 32 Pipes Mixture III 183 Pipes July 24, 1999. No III in C minor, a composition that high- Spill Flute 4' 32 Pipes lighted the excellence of the Austin organ Bassoon 16' 61 Pipes Octave 2' (Ext. 4') 12 Pipes wo inaugural events were planned, one and of its installation.” Trompette 8' 61 Pipes Flute 2' (Ext. 4') 12 Pipes T with symphony and one solo recital Oboe 8' (Ext. 16') 12 Pipes Ophecleide 32' (Digital) -- featuring organist Carol Williams. Both con- Clairon 4' 61 Pipes certs were very well attended, and the varied ith the increasing popularity of Bombarde 16' (On 10" Wind) 32 Pipes Vox Humana 8' 61 Pipes program proved quite popular with the audi- W western music and culture in Bei- Bassoon 16' (Swell) -- ence. It is safe to say that well over half of jing, it is a most satisfying feeling to know Vox Humana Tremulant Bombarde 8' (Ext. Bombarde) 12 Pipes the people attending had never seen or heard that the pipe organ will no longer be a joy Tremulant Bombarde 4' (Ext. 8') 12 Pipes a pipe organ before. Many of the audience unknown to the citizens of the People’s Re-

English Horn 4' (Choir-Orchestral) -- members were children of all ages, who ap- public of China.