THE DIAPASON MARCH, 2008 St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church Nyack, New York Cover feature on pages 34–35 Mar 08 Cover.indd 1 2/11/08 10:19:43 AM WWW.TOWERHILL-RECORDINGS.COM LATEST RELEASE NORTH AMERICAN Christopher Houlihan SOURCE FOR CDS BY Louis Vierne, Second Symphony for Organ ensemble amarcord also includes Vierne: Carillon de Westminster Widor: Allegro from Sixth Symphony in G minor, op. 42, no. 2 Andante sostenuto from Gothic Symphony in c minor, op. 70 And so it goes Rel#: RK ap 10102 Introducing Christopher Houlihan, a young American organist on his way to becoming an important talent who will make a significant contribution to the organ performance scene in this Rel#: TH-72018 The Book of Madrigals country. Rel#: RK ap 10106 ORGAN CDS FROM TOWERHILL French Symphonic Organ Works Stewart Wayne Foster Pierre de la Rue - Incessament at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church Rel#: RK ap 10105 Charleston, South Carolina Rel#: TH-71988 The French Romantics John Rose at Cathedral of St. Joseph Hartford, Connecticut Rel#: TH-900101 Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland Rel#: RK ap 10205 Festive and Fun Stephen Z. Cook at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church Williamsburg, Virginia Rel#: TH-72012 Star Wars John Rose In Adventu Domini at Cathedral of St. Joseph Rel#: RK ap 10101 Hartford, Connecticut Rel#: TH-1008 also available: This Son So Young Hear the Voice Rel#: apc 10201 John Rose, Organ Liesl Odenweller, Soprano Primavera Rebecca Flannery, Harp Bach, Grieg, Elgar, Poulenc et al. Rel#: TH-71986 Rel#: AMP 5114-2 WWW.TOWERHILL-RECORDINGS.COM For those who may not be aware of the some justifi able pride on the church’s source, this fl owery description is ex- website (www.fi shchurch.org), which THE DIAPASON cerpted from a much longer article that however makes no mention of what went A Scranton Gillette Publication Dr. Holmes wrote back in 1863, in praise before it. Unfortunately, that early “vir- Ninety-ninth Year: No. 3, Whole No. 1180 MARCH, 2008 of the then-new 4-manual Walcker organ tual” example did convince a few other that had just been installed (with much larger urban churches to go the same Established in 1909 ISSN 0012-2378 fanfare) in Boston Music Hall. True, that route, including the First Presbyterian An International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, organ subsequently had a checkered his- Church of Syracuse, which, also in 1991, the Harpsichord, Carillon, and Church Music tory, but a substantial portion of it still replaced its (by then) long nonfunctional exists in regular use in Methuen Memo- non-pipe instrument with a 3-manual rial Music Hall (check out <www.mmmh. tracker-action organ from Karl Wilhelm. org> for its history). Of course, we all Now, I will not doubt that the “virtual” CONTENTS Editor & Publisher JEROME BUTERA [email protected] know of many “real” organs even much instrument under discussion is indeed 847/391-1045 older than this, which are still making “state-of-the-art” by current standards, FEATURES joyful noises everywhere. and will even concede that a few (but Mendelssohn’s Sonata III I will conclude with a cautionary “fi sh hardly all) organists seem to be satisfi ed A Composer’s View Associate Editor JOYCE ROBINSON tale.” Some may recall that in 1958 the with it at present. But by its very nature by Margaret Vardell Sandresky 22 [email protected] First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, it is temporary, doomed like its predeces- 847/391-1044 The Origins of Seewen’s Connecticut—otherwise known as the sors to deterioration and obsolescence Welte-Philharmonie “Fish Church” from the unique design of within a relatively brief time span. Noth- by David Rumsey and Christoph E. Hänggi 24 Contributing Editors LARRY PALMER its then-new building—installed a large ing is permanent, of course, but barring Harpsichord and costly instrument that was at the war, fi re or terrorism, the traditional true Thomas Ekundayo Phillips: time, with much ballyhoo and fanfare, organ has a rather enviable reputation Pioneer in Nigerian Church Hymn Composition JAMES MCCRAY touted as a state-of-the-art product of for longevity. It has inspired great com- by Godwin Sadoh 29 Choral Music one of the major electronic instrument posers and aspiring young musicians, manufacturers. [See: The Diapason, and it speaks to us—sometimes newly NEWS & DEPARTMENTS BRIAN SWAGER May 1958] While many organists were built, sometimes from a distance of cen- Letters to the Editor 3 Carillon unimpressed with it, it worked pretty turies—of dedication, creativity, beauty, Here & There 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 nicely for a while, but eventually it be- permanence, and even hope. Today, in HERBERT L. HUESTIS gan to malfunction, and as deterioration these troubled times, we need this mes- Appointments 5 OrganNet Forum Osiris Organ Archive set in, so did frustration and costly main- sage more than ever. It cannot be con- Nunc Dimittis 10 www.wu-wien.ac.at/earlym-l/organs/local.html tenance. Eventually it became entirely veyed by ephemeral things, but rather Carillon News by Brian Swager 12 e-mail: [email protected] unplayable, and by 1980 a committee by those that are enduring and timeless. In the wind . by John Bishop 14 had been formed to investigate better Only such things can, in a tangible way, On Teaching by Gavin Black 16 options; another committee formed in demonstrate faith in the future. Prepress Operations DAN SOLTIS 1983, having decided not to repeat a I look forward to the day when the nat- mistake, began investigating builders of ural voice of real organ pipes will again REVIEWS pipe organs. The result was a sizable 3- resound within the durable and historic Music for Voices and Organ 16 THE DIAPASON (ISSN 0012-2378) is published monthly by Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., 3030 W. Salt manual Visser-Rowland organ, complet- walls of Trinity Church in New York. Book Reviews 18 Creek Lane, Suite 201, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. ed in 1991. [See: The American Organ- Barbara Owen New Recordings 19 Phone 847/391-1045. Fax 847/390-0408. Telex: 206041 ist, February 1992] This is featured with Newburyport, Massachusetts MSG RLY. E-mail: <[email protected]>. New Organ Music 20 Subscriptions: 1 yr. $35; 2 yr. $55; 3 yr. $70 (Unit- ed States and U.S. Possessions). Foreign subscrip- tions: 1 yr. $45; 2 yr. $65; 3 yr. $85. Single copies $6 NEW ORGANS 36 (U.S.A.); $8 (foreign). Back issues over one year old are available only CALENDAR 37 from The Organ Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 26811, Here & There Richmond, VA 23261, which can supply information on ORGAN RECITALS 38 availabilities and prices. Periodical postage paid at Rockford, IL and additional CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 39 mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes All Saints Church, Worcester, Mas- Diamond; May 6, Tom Ferry; 5/13, Jef- to THE DIAPASON, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, sachusetts, continues its music series: frey Patry; 5/20, Brian Carson. For infor- Cover: J.H. & C.S. Odell, East Hampton, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-5025. March 2, Choral Evensong; 3/9, Daniel mation: <www.stlouiskingoffrance.org>. Connecticut; St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, Routine items for publication must be received six Stipe; 3/21, Lessons and Carols for Good weeks in advance of the month of issue. For advertising Nyack, New York 34 copy, the closing date is the 1st. Prospective contribu- Friday; April 6, Choral Evensong; 4/20, The Cathedral Basilica of the tors of articles should request a style sheet. Unsolicited Choral Evensong; May 9, spring concert, Sacred Heart, Newark, New Jersey, reviews cannot be accepted. including Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb continues its noontime recital series on www.TheDiapason.com This journal is indexed in the The Music Index, an- notated in Music Article Guide, and abstracted in RILM and Mozart’s Coronation Mass; June Wednesdays: March 12, Andrew Kotylo; Abstracts. 8, Choral Evensong. For information: 3/26, Stephen Powers; April 2, Woo-sug Send subscriptions, inquiries, and ad- Copyright ©2008. Printed in the U.S.A. 508/752-3766 x17; Kang; 4/9, Frank Fano; 4/16, Jessica dress changes to THE DIAPASON, <www.allsaintschurchworc.org>. French; 4/23, Donald Meineke; 4/30, 3030 W. Salt Creek Lane, Suite 201, THE DIAPASON accepts no responsibility or liability Aaron Goen. For information: <www. Arlington Heights, IL 60005. for the validity of information supplied by contributors, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, cathedralbasilica.org>. vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies. Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, continues its music series: March 2, Nathan Laube; The Cathedral Church of St. No portion of the contents of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the specifi c written permission 3/15, 35th anniversary concert featur- John, Albuquerque, New Mexico, con- 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 ing the Senior Choir with the Cham- tinues its music series: March 12, Max- other courses or for the same course offered subsequently. ber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Jeffrey ine Thevenot; 3/21, Maxine Thevenot Brillhart, conductor; April 20, piano and (Messiaen, Les Corps glorieux); April trumpet. For information: <www.bmpc. 6, Choral Evensong; 4/20, Robert Huw org/fi nearts>. Morgan; May 2, UNM Las Cantantes and Concert Choir; 5/4, Choral Even- Letters to the Editor Glenview Community Church, song; June 1, Premieres! concert (new Glenview, Illinois, continues its organ music); 6/21, Polyphony—Voices of New recital series: March 2, Zvonimir Nagy; Mexico.