A Brief Glimpse of Organs and Churches in Warsaw, Białystok, Białowieza, and Kraków
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Organs in Poland A Brief Glimpse of Organs and Churches in Warsaw, Białystok, Białowieza, and Kraków By Marijim Thoene 1. Józef Kotowicz recital announcement f Józef Kotowicz asks you if you would an interior world. We heard organist Jan 4′ Principal Virgin dates from 1671. The present like to play in his recital series in Brögger from Germany. 4′ Rohrflöte organ was built between 1751–1752, I 2 Białystok, Poland, say “YES!” I did say The next morning we exited the front 2 ⁄3′ Sesquialter II and includes some elements from the 2′ Principal “Yes” and in July of 2012 had an expe- door of the dormitory and turned right 2′ Blockflöte older organ. 1 rience of a lifetime; but I confess I had on Krakowskie Przedmiescie and found 1 ⁄3′ Quint I was able to meet Richard Onopa, some sleepless nights wondering what St. Anne’s Church just outside the 1′ Scharff III who has been organist of the Baroque 8′ Krummhorn was in store for me, especially knowing Castle Square. In front of the church was Glockenspiel Chapel of the Assumption for 57 years that the large organ in the Basilica Cathe- a poster advertising the upcoming recit- Tremulant (see photo 4). His playing demonstrated dral of Our Lady of the Assumption was als, one of which was by Józef Kotowicz the beauty and clarity of the flute stops an early 20th-century tubular pneumatic (see photo 1). How like my host, not to Pedal C–f′ and the power of the full organ—an 16′ Principalbass with three general pistons. Having played have told me he would be playing here. 16′ Subbass elegant sound for a royal space, where weekly on a cumbersome and psychotic I was beginning to see evidence of his 8′ Octavbass many of the kings of Poland worshipped, 1923 tubular-pneumatic Möller with whirlwind schedule as a recitalist. He 8′ Gedacktbass including the last king of Poland, 4′ Choralbass three undependable general pistons and later told me he plays between 12 to 2 Stanislaw II August, who ruled from 2 ⁄3′ Mixtur IV a cipher that habitually showed up unan- 15 concerts between May and Septem- 16′ Posaune 1764–1795. The pedalboard consists of nounced and unstoppable, I feared the ber, throughout Poland, Italy, Finland, 8′ Trompete an octave (see photo 5) and the stops are worst. However, my fears were allayed Sweden, and Norway. As I stood in the literally projecting from the wall above when I heard Józef Kotowicz’s CD of the entrance of the church I was touched at Couplers the keyboard. organ in the basilica. And who would not witnessing people kissing the feet of the II/I I/P II/P want to play in Białowieza’s St. Teresa statue of the crucified Christ as they left Chapel of the Assumption, Białystok Church on the edge of the oldest prime- the church. Here I began to see part of On July 11, Józef—who had just played Manual val forest in Europe and in Białystok’s St. the history unfold of a country of which two recitals in southeastern Poland at the 8′ Pryncypal Casimir Church, where the sound of the I knew very little. St. Anne’s Church Cathedral in Lubaczow and a church in 16′ Bourdon organ, also heard on Kotowicz’s CD, was was built in the 15th century but was Krasnobrod—and his lovely wife Ewa 8′ Major flet kaleidoscopic in color and bloomed in destroyed in the 1650s by Swedish and picked us up and drove us to Białystok. 8′ Amabilis 4′ Spielflet the huge sacred space? German troops. It was rebuilt between In the old city square the towering 2′ Oktawa I write about my experience in hopes 1740–60 and the present Neoclassical spires of the Cathedral Basilica of the 8′ Gedackt that readers will take heart in know- façade was built in 1788. During World Assumption of the Blessed Virgin 4′ Oktawa ing that there are cities, e.g., Warsaw, War II the roof was destroyed by the Mary dominate the skyline; to the left, 4′ Minor flet 2′ Piccolo Białystok, Białowieza, and Kraków, Nazis. The organ was built by Pflüger connected to the Cathedral Basilica, 1 3 ⁄5′ Tercja 2 where people fill the churches to wor- Orgelbau in 1992. The organ case (see is a small Baroque chapel, bearing the 2 ⁄3′ Kwinta ship and listen to organ music; they photo 2 ) and the interior of the church same name, with an intriguing history V Mixtura are as passionate to listen as we are to are in Baroque style. (see photo 3). The history of these III Cymbel play. From my bird’s eye view, I saw a The rich colors of this organ are appar- two buildings reflects the remarkable Pedal coupler F–f reverence for organ music that was both ent on YouTube: Diane Bish performs determination, ingenuity, and spiritual inspiring and humbling. I also wish to not the Sortie by Denis Bédard (http://www. commitment of the people of Białystok. Upon entering the Cathedral Basilica only describe the richness and beauty of youtube.com/watch?v=8KGb3BZItKU). Construction of the chapel was begun of the Assumption of Our Lady, one the instruments I saw and heard, but Here is the specification of the organ: in 1611; it was consecrated in 1626 and feels transported in time by the soaring, also to describe a kind of miraculous later rebuilt in 1751. In the 19th century graceful arches and the large sober faces phenomenon, much like the rebirth of St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw the congregation wished to expand the of the church patriarchs in the stained- the phoenix, in the city of Białystok. Pflüger Orgelbau, 1992 church. Since at that time the land was glass windows. Here I first encountered The following is a brief account of part of Russia, the people had to get the image of the Polish saint and mystic, Manual I (Hauptwerk) C–a′′′ organs experienced during my journey. 16′ Gedackt permission from the Czar to rebuild the Saint Faustina (d. 1938), and the paint- After settling in our dorm room at the 8′ Principal church. After many years of saying “No,” ing of Christ that she inspired. University of Warsaw, my husband Jess 8′ Gamba the Czar relented only on the condition The construction of the organ was and I walked out of the front gate, turned 8′ Voce umana that no new church would be built; only begun in 1903 by Józef Rudowicz and left on Krakowskie Przedmiescie, and 8′ Spitzflöte the present one could be enlarged. The completed in 1908 by Antoni Szyman- 4′ Octav discovered the Warsaw Procathedral 4′ Flöte neo-Gothic Cathedral Basilica was built ski of Warsaw. The stoplist reflects 2 Seminar Church, where there would 2 ⁄3′ Quint as an addition to the chapel. Its construc- the romantic style of early twentieth- 2′ Superoctav be an organ recital that night, July 10, at 1 tion lasted up to World War I. Unlike century instruments. 1 ⁄3′ Mixture IV 7 pm. By happy chance we were about 8′ Cornett V most of the city of Białystok, the build- to hear the second recital of the Inter- 8′ Trompete ings were not destroyed by the bombings national Bach Organ Festival. When we in World War II. arrived at 7:05 all the programs were Manual II (Positive) C–a′′′ The earliest document that mentions 8′ Gemshorn gone and the church was packed. People 8′ Holzgedackt the existence of an organ in the Baroque listened in rapt attention, caught up in chapel of the Assumption of the Blessed 2. Organ case, St. Anne’s Church, Warsaw 6. Console of organ, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of 3. Baroque Chapel, Cathedral, Białystok St. Mary, Białystok 22 n THE DIAPASON n JUNE 2013 WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM Every stop of the organ, from flute to Espanordica by Stefan Lindblad. trumpet, spoke with great clarity and The specifications: brightness. The specification: St. Casimir Church, Białystok Church of St. Theresa, Białowieza Wolfgang Scherpf, 1965–77 Walcker Hauptwerk (C–g3) I. Manuał Hauptwerk (II Manual C–g′′′) 16′ Principal 8′ Prinzipal 16′ Quintade 8′ Gemshorn 8′ Principal 4′ Oktave 8′ Holzprincipal 2′ Schwiegel 8′ Weitgedackt 1 4′ Principal 4’ 7. Music rack at Church of St. Theresa in Białowieza 1 ⁄3′ Mixtur IV–VI 8′ Trompete 4′ Oktave 4′ Gedackt 1 Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Rückpositiv (I Manual C–g′′′) 5 ⁄3′ Quinte The pedalboard is straight and flat. 1 5 Our Lady, Białystok 8′ Holzgedackt 3 ⁄ ′ Terz Three general pistons are set by push- 2 2 ⁄3′ Quinte Rudowicz and Szymanski, 1903–08 ing in a red, blue, or green button and 4′ Nachthorn 2′ Prinzipal 2′ Oktave 1 pulling out red, blue, or green toggles Sesquialtera II 1 ⁄3′ Mixture VI–VIII 1 I Manual 1 ⁄2′ Zimbel IV ′ (see photo 6). Fortunately for me, there 1 ⁄3′ Quinte 16 Pryncypal 1′ Scharff 8′ Kornett V 16′ Bourdon was an “organ master” or “organ main- 8′ Horizontalbombarde 8′ Pryncypal tenance” person there the whole time I Pedal (C–f′′′) 16′ Horizontalbombarde 8′ Gamba practiced and was helpful when I had 4′ Horizontalclarine ′ 16′ Subass 8 Gemshorn questions. The organ has a command- 8′ Oktavbass 8′ Salicet Bombardwerk (C–g3) ′ ing and dramatic presence as well as a 4′ Pommer 8 Holflet 16′ Posaune IV. Manuał 8′ Kwintaton rich palette of delicate, subtle colors. 16′ Bourdon ′ 8 Gedekt Organists know a cipher can happen, Couplers: II/I, I/P, II/P 8′ Principal 4′ Rurflet 8′ Flöte harmonique 4′ Flet kryty and try to believe that when it does, it isn’t the end of the world.