THE BOSTON ORGA!'l CLUB NEWSLETTER Vol. 16, No. 1, Whole No. 126 Spring & Summer 1980 The next Club meeting will be a joint 11 organ crawl" with the Merr.i.maok Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists on Saturday afternoon and evening, Octo­ ber n. Five old Massachusetts tra.oker organs northwest of Boston are to be demon­ strated. If you plan to a.rrive after the tour starts, and desire a din.1'ler reserv-a­ tion or details, call David or Permelia Sears in advance at ( 617) 649-93 79. The schedule is below. 2a00 - Congregational Church, Dunstable, on Route ll3 in the oenter of the town; 2-9 1913 Geo. w. Reed organ, rebuilt and en.J..arged to 13 ranks by the Andover Organ Company in 1973 • 3a00 - Sears residence Hi Street Dunstable, on the right side, 9/lO of a mile from the center of town; -10 1 Hook & Hastings organ, Opus 1394, built for Trinity Episcopal Ohurch, Marlborough, Mass., and ~ntly being set up in the former garage .. 4a30 - Baptist Church, West Townsend, on Route 119 i.."l the village; 1-9 c.l860 George stevens organ • .5t30 - Dinner at the Groton Inn Restaurant, behind the former inn on Route 119 in the center of Groton. 7s30 - St. James Roman Catholic Church, West Groton, a field stone building off Route 22.5; 2-17 col847 George Stevens organ, said to have been moved from the Congregational Church in Groton in 1932. 8:30 .. First Parish Church, Unitarian, Groto:q, on Route 119, next to the Inn; 2-J2 l876 E. & G. G. Hook & Hastings, Opus 822, built for the Church of the Ad:V'ent, Boston, when it occupied the Bowdoin street buiJding now the Church of st. John the Evangelist • Plan to attend and also enjoy the fall foliage. Permelia Sears, Harold Knight, and Jolm K. Ogasapia.n are among the demonstrators. *** Our well-knoNn and va.J.ued .:f'riend Thomas Murray has issued two excellent and unique recordings of interest to every Club member. E. & G. G. HOOK? The Recorded Documentary of a Great .Ameriean. Organbuilder, has been selling well or several months, and one may order the records for $b.98 each or $12.98 far the set, post paid, from BKM Associates, P.o. Box 22, Wilmington, Mass., 01887. A fiyer is sent with this issue of the Newsletter. In Volume I, The First Twenty-five Years, Barbara Owen, Ed Boadway, Robert Newton, and Robert Lahaise describe four organs stop-by-stop as they are demonstrated by Mr. Murrccy-. The instruments chosen are the 1827 one-manua.J. i:n the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.J the 1842 two-ma.nual in the First Parish Church, Unitarian, Northfield, 1rass.; the large 1849 two-manual in the Congregational Church~ Hinsdale, N.H.; and the famous 18.54 three-manual in the First Parish Church-9 Unitarian, Jamaica Plain, Mass. Pieces by Moller, Zeuner, Camidge, Thorley, Boyo~, Mendelssohn, and Bach are The Newsletter is published by The Boston Organ Club, 33 Bowdoin street, Boston, Massachusetts, O~J.Jl+. Editor: E. A. Boadway, Box 863, Claremont, New Hampshire, 03 743 o Treasurer and Membership Secretary: Alan M. La.ufma.n, Box 104, Harrisville, New Hampshire, 034.50; telelphone Area 603, 827-30.55. Meetings are occasionally arranged by Club members, and those wishing to do so must contact Mr. Boadway or Mr. La.ufma.n. The Club is also the Boston Organ Club Chapter of The Organ Historical Society, Inc • ., Box 209, Wilmington, Ohio, 4.5177 • The Club dues are $.5oOO per year, and $6.00 if you wish to receive the Newsletter by first-class mail. Spring & Summer 1980 Page 2 performed amid the stop demonstrations .. Vol'I.UliB II, The Boston Masterpieces, shows the magnificenoe of the 1863 instrument in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, one of the finest 19th century organs in the world. Mr. ~ay plays Rheinberger•s Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp minor, Opus 111. Every stop in the glorious and large-scaled 1875 opus in the Cathedral o£ the Holy Cross is demonstrated, and laborious special maintenance was done in the monumental and seldom-heard organ to assure a proper recording. Our profound thanks to Mre Murray and the recording engineers for a job well done l *** Boston Organ Club members are cordiallY invited to attend a recital to be played by Mr. Murray on the 1827 George G. Hook organ in the Essex Institute, 132 Essex St., Salem, Mass., at 8:00 p.m., Monday, September 15.. The event will commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the death of George Go Hook and introduce the record- ings. Refreshments and a reception will i'oll01v the program.. · Mr .. Murray has resigned his position as organist and choirmaster at the cathedral Church of st. Paul, Boston, The change is deeply regretted by ma.:ny who thus witness the dissolution of the splendid choir of men and boys, considered too "sexist" and too expensive by the C'W:'I"ent cathedral authorities.. The cho:ir staJ.J.s have been re­ moved .from the chancel and sam Walter has been appointed the interim organist and choirmaster, directing a paid mi.xed adult choir in the rear gallery. However, Mr. · Murray is enjoying his freedom from the shackles of declining tastes among the Episcopal hierarchy, and has published the fo~lowing list of his fall recitals: Sept,. 28, 4:00 p.m. Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind .. ; with a. master class the previous da.y a.t 1:00 p.m .. ; Schlicker organ. Oct .. 12, 7s.30 p.m. Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H.; dedicatory recital on the 1935 .AEolian...Sld.nner organ, enlarged by John Wessel, 1980. Oct .. 19, 8:00 porno Calvary Church, Pittsburgh, Pa .. ; with a master class for the A. .. G.. o. the .foJJ.owing da.y at 8:00 p.m.; Casavant organ. Oct. 26, 4:00 p.m.. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Taunton, Mass .. ; dedicatory recitaJ. on the rebuilt three-manual 1899 Jardine organ. Nov., 7, 8:00 p.m. First Congregational Church, Los Angeles, Calif .. ; large Schlicker organ in gallery; Skinner organ in chancel .. Nov. 16, 4:00 p.m.. Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Warwick, R .. I.J dedicatory recital on Andover Organ Co. rebuild of Geo. s. Ifutchings, Opus 503, 1900, moved .from St,. Johnts Episcopal Church, East Boston, Mass. Nov. 23, 5sOO p.m.. First Presbyterian Church, Da.llas Texas; .four-manual Sipe tracker organ .. *** David & Charles, Inc., Box 57G1 North Pomfret, Vt .. , 05053, have a nice selection of British books about music. A flyer describing Jonathan Rennert's George Thalben­ Ball will be sent to all Club members (postage permitting, with this Newsletter), and you are invited to take advantage of the discount made available t"o us, Those who have heard Thalben-Ball play will know the value o.f this interesting addition to any library of boolr..s about the organ. *** Bozeman - Gibson & Co .• of Deerfield, N.H., recently signed two contracts for new mechanical-a.ction organs., A large two-manual is to be built for st. Paul•s Episco­ pal Church, Brookline, Mass.,, in 1982, replacing the instrument that burned a few years ago. Christ Lutheran Church in Charlotte, N.c .. , will receive a two-manual instrument in 1981. Spring & Summer 1980 Page 3 The Boston organ Club New members: .Armstrong, Susan Box 291, Mal.taville Rd • Round Lake, N.Y. 12151 Frisiello, Stephen 91 Central Avenue Everett, Mass. 02149 Langord1 AJ.J.en 15 OVerlook Drive Southborough, Mass. 01772 Lien, Mrs. R. J .. 1010 Nashville Avenue New Orleans 1 La. 70J.JS Mitchell, Walter J. 131 stewart Street Fall River, Mass. 02720 Peterson, Stephen K. 166 Jay Street Albany, N.Y. 12210 Stephens, Julie E. 7919 West Cermak Road North Riverside, Ill. 60546 Szabo, Julius T. Quality Woodcraft co., New York, N.Y. 10021 ,328 E. 78th Street Thompson, Charles w. 2616 N .E • 30th Portland, Ore. 97212 Traugott, Mrs. E. L. 5351 St. Anthony Avenue New orleans 1 La. 70122 Watters, Rev. Timotey J. Box 818 Charleston, s.c. 29h02 Wells, Robert C. 8 Tanners Lane, RD 2 Rensselaer, N.Y. 12144 'liJ 1 i ams, Keith B • 341 Second Street Troy, N.Y .. 12180 Changes o£ address: Adair, Rev • Ralph H. 577 Carew Street Springfield, Mass • 01104 Baird, James R. Box 69 Bealton, va. 22712 Bell, Nancy J. 51 Moore Road WayJ.a.nd, Mass. 01778 Brzezinski, James 4110 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, Ca.J.ir. 90807 Apt. 4 Calkins, Grosvenor Jr. 51 Pembroke St., Apt. 2 Newton, Mass. 02158 Carver1 Ralph E. 1 R .N . RFD 2 1 Box 41, Mashpee, Mass. 02649 BucoaneerWay Coleberd, Robert E. 8112 Bleriot Avenue Los Angeles, Calif'. 90045 Gammons, Edward B. 19 Beall s COV'e Road, Hingham, Mass. 0204.3 ApteH Hassman, Carrol W. 54 Lincoln Street Newton, :Mass. 02J.61 Kowalyshyn1 Stephen Paul First Presbyterian Ch.a.rleston, W.va. 25301 Church, l6 Broad st. La.y1 Gilbert H. l3 Cleveland Avenue Worcester, Mass. 01603 Rosenfield, Jack 131 State st., ~01 Boston, Mass. 02109 Walter, Samuel 21 Va:l.lle Avenue Laxington, Mass. 02173 Whitmore, Jonathan F. RFD 4, Box 98 .A:uburn1 Me. 04210 Wright, Gary 11 Oak street Newburyport, Mass. 01950 Addresses unknomu Clacy, Rebecca. Davis' 0. La.ne Pinel, Stephen L. *** Obituaries Two well-lmown and well-liked founders of' the Boston Organ Club died recently. Both men contributed much to the knowledge and appreciation of' organs in areas far larger than the region around Boston, and both are greatly missed by their I!l&1'V friends.