THE DIAPASON MAY, 2006 Principia College, Elsah, Illinois Cover feature on pages 30–32 October 2006 The Choir of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Timothy Byram-Wigfield, director Honoring HM Queen Elizabeth II in the year of her 80th birthday. St. George’s Chapel, within the precincts of Windsor Castle, is the scene of many royal occasions during the course of a year, including recently the Service of Blessing for the wedding of HRH The Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. The choir of men and boys has been in existence since 1348 and maintains a school for the choristers. March 2007 The Choir of Eton College Ralph Allwood, director Just across the Thames from Windsor Castle sits England’s most famous “public school,” founded by King Henry VI in 1440. This choir of men and boys has captivated American audiences on four previous tours since 1995. “A staggeringly good choir, beautifully balanced, alert, intelligent, well-tuned, passionate, and sensitive.” (The Times, London) “Excellent by all standards...sheer perfection.” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) “A special choral concert...purely heavenly sounds.” (Green Bay Press-Gazette, Wisconsin) Chanson six-voice male a cappella vocal ensemble “Simply splendid...It was a moment to cherish.” (The Courier-Journal, Louisville) “In the upper echelon of today’s male ensembles.” (Robert Sieving, president, American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota) “Gifted young men who sing with elegant ensemble, sincere expression, and sensitive musicianship.” (René Clausen, director, The Concordia Choir) “One of the best groups I have ever heard.” (Donald W. Crouch, Associated Male Choruses of America) “Bravo! Chanson surpassed our expectations.... a terrific evening.” (Karen Tindall, Fort Walton Beach FL, presenter) concertartists.com [email protected] • towerhill-recordings.com toll-free (888) 999-0644 US/Canada • phone (860) 560-7800 • fax (860) 560-7788 1 Gold Street #R, Hartford CT 06103-2914 A Spiritual Pair, Voyage, and Sonata da we go about scientifically or mechani- chiesa [for flute and organ] and Phoenix cally analyzing the influence of “pluck” THE DIAPASON Processional (for solo organ) continue to on the control of tracker action, I’ve had A Scranton Gillette Publication be published by my earlier primary pub- many experiences with sensitive actions Ninety-seventh Year: No. 5, Whole No. 1158 MAY, 2006 lisher, E. C. Kerby, Ltd./Ricordi (Hal where I could control the sound of the Established in 1909 ISSN 0012-2378 Leonard, distr.). Though Ricordi pub- attack of the pipes absolutely, reliably, lishes the organ version to Phoenix Pro- and predictably by my approach to the An International Monthly Devoted to the Organ, cessional, the full organ, brass, percus- keys. I’ve demonstrated this effectively the Harpsichord, the Carillon and Church Music sion Phoenix Fanfare and Processional is to lay people, especially those serving published by Subito in a split-publishing on organ committees with the responsi- arrangement. bility to make an educated decision for Dan Locklair their church: “Here it is with chiff, here CONTENTS Editor & Publisher JEROME BUTERA [email protected] Winston-Salem, North Carolina it is without.” Maybe this is a place 847/391-1045 where the practical outweighs the FEATURES In the wind . explanation. You can analyze and The 45th Conference on Organ Music In his January 2006 column, “We’re describe Monet’s waterlilies or the The University of Michigan, Associate Editor JOYCE ROBINSON going in circles,” John Bishop raises sparkles of light on Rembrandt’s helmet October 9–12, 2005 [email protected] some interesting points about how far until you’re blue in the face, but the by Marcia Van Oyen 20 847/391-1044 we should go in altering old organs, but point is to see them and decide for he does not go far enough. yourself. I have also played on tracker The Williams Family of New Orleans: Pictures represent the thoughts of the organs on which this was not possible Installing and Maintaining Aeolian-Skinner Contributing Editors LARRY PALMER painter at a fixed point in time. We can- because of wobbly actions, too much Organs An Interview with Nora Williams Harpsichord not say, 200 years later, that the artist pluck, poor voicing, and the like. by Lorenz Maycher 24 should have said something different. But more important, Mr. Woolley JAMES McCRAY He did, however, probably paint it by draws me into controversial ground Choral Music candlelight, and it was initially viewed with his analogy about viewing paint- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 3 by the same means. The artist did, nev- ings under electric lights. In the August BRIAN SWAGER ertheless, paint it as if it could be seen in 2005 installment of “In the wind . .” I NEWS Carillon its full glory. We are now able to use commented on the recent book Stradi- electric light to allow viewers to see vari’s Genius by Toby Faber (Random Here & There 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 what the artist intended and not what he House, 2004), in which I read that vir- Appointments 6 HERBERT L. HUESTIS OrganNet Report was constrained to showing when he tually all of the instruments built by Nunc Dimittis 12 Osiris Organ Archive painted it. It would be wrong to view an Stradivari that are still in use have been In the wind . www.mdi.ca/hhuestis/osiris old master by candlelight simply modified. Some of these changes are by John Bishop 14 e-mail: [email protected] because that was the way it was viewed considerable and fundamental, espe- when painted. If the painting is actually cially the introduction of longer finger- REVIEWS Prepress Operations DAN SOLTIS deteriorating, then modern technology boards, which presumably means is used to restore damaged paintings longer strings. Those changes allow the Music for Voices and Organ 16 THE DIAPASON (ISSN 0012-2378) is published monthly by when appropriate—it would be wrong Strad to produce the gorgeous and pow- Book Reviews 17 Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., 380 E. Northwest to repeat something that has already erful tone that we revere in our modern New Recordings 18 Highway, Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282. Phone been shown to be ineffective unless 2500-seat halls. New Organ Music 19 847/391-1045. Fax (847) 390-0408. Telex: 206041 MSG RLY Email: [email protected] web: TheDiapason.com there is no alternative. Again this simply When I became executive director of Subscriptions: 1 yr. $35; 2 yr. $50; 3 yr. $65 (United returns the image in the painting to its the Organ Clearing House I assumed States and U.S. Possessions). Foreign subscriptions: NEW ORGANS 32 intended state. that I would be a champion of historic 1 yr. $45; 2 yr. $60; 3 yr. $80. Single copies $6 Organs are fundamentally different. preservation, guiding our clients to pre- CALENDAR 33 (U.S.A.); $8 (foreign). Back issues over one year old are available only from Yes, they are works of art in their own serve the historicity of the organs they ORGAN RECITALS 36 The Organ Historical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 26811, Rich- right, but, above all, they are tools for purchased from us. But again, the prac- mond, VA 23261, which can supply information on avail- the interpretation of music by others. If, tical outweighs the explanation. What I CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 37 abilities and prices. Periodical postage paid at Des Plaines, IL and addi- for whatever reason, they are unable to find is a long list of inquiries from musi- tional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address do this, then they fail to meet their cur- cians who “love the Hook sound, but Cover: Casavant Frères, Saint-Hyacinthe, changes to THE DIAPASON, 380 E. Northwest Highway, rent purpose, and consideration must really want to have electric action and Quebec, Canada; Principia College, Suite 200, Des Plaines, IL 60016-2282. Routine items for publication must be received six be given as to how or whether an instru- pistons.” So I face a dilemma—should I Elsah, Illinois 30 weeks in advance of the month of issue. For advertising ment should be improved. Perhaps an hold out for a client who promises copy, the closing date is the 1st. Prospective contributors obvious example is the choice of action. authenticity or sell the instrument to an www.TheDiapason.com of articles should request a style sheet. Unsolicited The old master organbuilders built institution that will love it only after reviews cannot be accepted. This journal is indexed in the The Music Index, annotat- tracker actions because they had no making a few changes? One fabulous ed in Music Article Guide, and abstracted in RILM choice, not because they believed them unaltered 19th-century tracker organ Send subscriptions, inquiries, and Abstracts. to be superior to anything else—there has spent an extra four years sitting in address changes to THE DIAPASON, 380 Copyright ©2006. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. was nothing else. While we can now our warehouse and is still unsold E. Northwest Hwy., Suite 200, Des THE DIAPASON accepts no responsibility or liability for build lower inertia and lower pluck because I encouraged such a client to Plaines, IL 60016-2282. the validity of information supplied by contributors, ven- tracker actions, they are still too “heavy” buy something else. Am I an effective dors, advertisers or advertising agencies. on larger organs and constrain the play- protector of authenticity if the instru- ing of music. I suspect that the builders ments in my care go into storage to die? No portion of the contents of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the Editor, except that libraries are authorized to make photocopies of the material contained herein for the pur- of some of these old instruments des- Another related dilemma that comes pose of course reserve reading at the rate of one copy for every fifteen students.