OCTOBER, 2008 Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe La Crosse, Wisconsin
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THE DIAPASON OCTOBER, 2008 Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe La Crosse, Wisconsin Cover feature on pages 30–31 Oct 08 COVER-ALT 2-B.indd 1 9/10/08 11:20:26 AM Alexander Fiseisky’s article, “A His- have been replaced. The original valves tory of the Organ in Estonia” (July) tells looked as they had been made out of THE DIAPASON of the Kriisa family of organbuilders. An- highly compressed paper. Morel had not A Scranton Gillette Publication other member of the family, Harry Kriisa, seen that type of construction before. Ninety-ninth Year: No. 10, Whole No. 1187 OCTOBER, 2008 was not mentioned. Shortly after World New wire has been run where needed, War II, Harry Kriisa was brought to the all contacts have been cleaned and pol- Established in 1909 ISSN 0012-2378 United States as a refugee to rebuild the ished. The keyboards have had the ivory An International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, organ at First Lutheran Church in De- restored and all of the felts replaced and the Harpsichord, Carillon, and Church Music catur, Illinois. This accomplished, Kriisa spring tension set according to A.G.O. established his own organ building and specifi cations. The keyboards alone took service business in Decatur. His clients about four weeks to complete. Morel and included many regional churches as well Associates are currently restoring the CONTENTS Editor & Publisher JEROME BUTERA [email protected] as Millikin University. pedalboard, replacing the natural tops 847/391-1045 Harry Kriisa also rebuilt the three- and the sharps (ebony) with new wood. FEATURES manual Kimball organ from the early The pedalboard has second touch, which Floods Damage Organs 20th century in Decatur’s First Method- hasn’t worked for a very long time. The in Eastern Iowa Associate Editor JOYCE ROBINSON ist Church. In 1953 that organ was sold springs for that system are interesting. by David C. Kelzenberg 21 [email protected] to a church-related school in Indiana and The fi nish will be changed slightly. 847/391-1044 replaced by a new instrument by Fritz The keyboard endblocks, stop rails, and A Concert Organ for the Béla Bartók Hall in Budapest Noack. When First Lutheran Church some of the case parts close by have been by Burkhard Goethe 24 Contributing Editors LARRY PALMER built a new and larger building, Harry cleaned and polished. Most of the case Harpsichord Kriisa built and donated a new three- will be done in a high quality ebonized Celebrating Hugo Distler: manual organ to the church. fi nish. There is a tremendous amount 100 Year Anniversary JAMES MCCRAY His assistant and partner in his service of damage on the console, where large of the Birth of a Genius Choral Music business was his wife. As they worked chunks and major portions of veneer are by David L. McKinney 26 on organs they could be heard calling to missing. Both the Denver and St. Louis BRIAN SWAGER each other in their native language. Har- organ consoles are basically the same NEWS & DEPARTMENTS Carillon ry Kriisa was meticulous in his work and color. When the console is reinstalled in Letters to the Editor 3 very frugal, frequently reworking older the building, it will be placed where it HERBERT L. HUESTIS Here & There 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 OrganNet Forum material and parts. His sudden death was originally installed in 1925. Appointments 6 Osiris Organ Archive came as he was working in the organ From June 28 to July 3 of this year, Nunc Dimittis 10 www.wu-wien.ac.at/earlym-l/organs/local.html chamber of a Decatur church, the result I attended the Imperial Session of the e-mail: [email protected] of a heart attack. His work is his legacy. Shrine, which was held in St. Louis. I Carillon News by Brian Swager 14 Theodore W. Ripper arranged to go to the St. Louis Scottish In the wind . by John Bishop 14 Carlsbad, New Mexico Rite Cathedral and play the Kimball or- On Teaching by Gavin Black 17 Prepress Operations DAN SOLTIS gan there. I was shocked to fi nd that a The Masonic Lodge Pipe Organ great deal of the instrument is not play- REVIEWS I received my August issue of The able. They have done some restoration THE DIAPASON (ISSN 0012-2378) is published monthly Music for Voices and Organ 18 by Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., 3030 W. Salt Diapason, and must say that R. E. Cole- on the instrument, and the secretary New Organ Music 19 Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. berd’s article on the Masonic Lodge Pipe told me that they had spent a consider- Phone 847/391-1045. Fax 847/390-0408. Telex: 206041 Organ is great! I also wanted to let you able amount of money on it. From what I New Recordings 20 MSG RLY. E-mail: <[email protected]>. Subscriptions: 1 yr. $35; 2 yr. $55; 3 yr. $70 (Unit- know that the restoration of the Denver could determine, the only thing that had NEW ORGANS 32 ed States and U.S. Possessions). Foreign subscrip- Consistory Kimball organ is progress- been done was to replace all of the pneu- tions: 1 yr. $45; 2 yr. $65; 3 yr. $85. Single copies $6 ing nicely. Morel and Associates pulled matic switching and valves in the console CALENDAR 32 (U.S.A.); $8 (foreign). all of the percussion instruments last fall with a solid state system. They have yet Back issues over one year old are available only ORGAN RECITALS 37 from The Organ Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 26811, and they have been completely rebuilt. to releather and restore everything else. Richmond, VA 23261, which can supply information on When they were working on the snare That would be an amazing instrument if CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 38 availabilities and prices. drum, apparently the snare wasn’t work- ever it were restored. There is a draw- Periodical postage paid at Rochelle, IL and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes ing properly. The organ installer took a knob for a “Piano” but it doesn’t work. to THE DIAPASON, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, small corner of a blueprint of the organ Again, I wanted to tell you how much Cover: Noack Organ Co., Inc., Georgetown, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. and folded it several times and used it I enjoyed the article. I’m sure that it will Massachusetts; Shrine of Our Lady of Routine items for publication must be received six to put between the snare and the snare enlighten and inform many organists who Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wisconsin 30 weeks in advance of the month of issue. For advertising copy, the closing date is the 1st. Prospective contribu- head. Rick Morel has saved that for us. have no idea of this segment of pipe or- tors of articles should request a style sheet. Unsolicited The console was removed from the gans in the U.S. Thank you to Mr. Cole- www.TheDiapason.com reviews cannot be accepted. building in February and it is still in berd for his work. I truly appreciate it. This journal is indexed in the The Music Index, an- notated in Music Article Guide, and abstracted in RILM the process of restoration. All pneu- Charles F. Shaeffer Abstracts. matics have been releathered, all valves Lakewood, Colorado Send subscriptions, inquiries, and ad- Copyright ©2008. Printed in the U.S.A. dress changes to THE DIAPASON, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, THE DIAPASON accepts no responsibility or liability Arlington Heights, IL 60005. for the validity of information supplied by contributors, vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies. Here & There No portion of the contents of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the specifi c written permission 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 It’s time to reserve advertising space in semble; 10/26, Gillian Weir; 10/29, Jane other courses or for the same course offered subsequently. The Diapason 2009 Resource Direc- Smith; December 19, Polyphony: Voices tory. Be sure your company is included of New Mexico. For information: <www. in the only comprehensive directory and stjohnsabq.org>. buyer’s guide for the organ and church music fi elds. The directory is printed in American Public Media’s Pipedreams 3 Letters to the Editor a 5 ⁄4″ x 8″ handbook format and mailed program, in conjunction with several lo- with the January issue of The Diapa- cal Twin Cities presenters, announces son. It features an alphabetical listing another Piping Hot! celebration in the The Organ in Estonia her Kyrie and Gloria for organ, and in of companies and individuals, with com- Minneapolis-St. Paul area this month. I much enjoyed reading Alexander particular her very fi ne Dialog: Pre- plete contact information, including web In cooperation with the Twin Cities Fiseisky’s excellent article in the July lude with Choral, a piece reminiscent and e-mail addresses, and a product/ser- AGO chapter and as part of the AGO’s issue of The Diapason, “A History of of Franck’s Prelude, Fugue and Varia- vice directory. Advertising deadline is “International Year of the Organ,” the the Organ in Estonia,” a subject that has tion, though composed in a rather more November 1, 2008. Contact the editor, Piping Hot! festival features four guest fascinated me for some years.