July 20 & 21 - New Hampshire & Maine

The final stops on my July Organ Tour were to actually see Opus 408D. The organ is so massive that it is stored in several locations in New Hampshire and Maine. Pictured here is the Organ Clearing House's shop in New Hampshire. They are relocating to Boston toward the end of 2012 or beginning of 2013 to a more modern facility! 

Shop in New Hampshire where Organ Clearing House Works

 In the shop were row after row of organ parts from our instrument and others. The pipes in the picture below are for an instrument they are installing currently in New Jersey. The toe boards and other parts on the left are from Opus 408D.

Parts of Opus 408D in New Hampshire OCH Shop

 Here we see a toe board where the pipes of the 8' Gedeckt stand. Notice it is marked Opus 408A which means it is from an earlier rebuild of the organ.

Toe Board of Opus 408A, gedeckt 8'

 You never know what you'll find in a roadside storage barn! These organ parts are in a storage locker with a two-story garage door in Maine.

Parts of Opus 408D in storage in Maine

And finally... I get to see the control center! The Opus 408D console will have significant updates to make it state of the art.

Opus 408D Console in storage at John Bishop's home shop, Maine

While in Maine I was treated to a lobster dinner on the water. What great fun! Notice that I'm wearing 3 shirts! It was breezy and cool that night.

On the water in Maine

Randy Elkins eating Maine Lobster and Clams!

July 19 - Boston and Cambridge, MA

The day began with a visit at The First Church of Christ, Scientist, also known as "The Mother Church." The iconic 1952 Aeolian-Skinner organ was the brain child of tonal director Larry Phelps. It is the largest organ built by Aeolian-Skinner at 237 ranks. It is a fine example of the "eclectic" organ being built at that time.

Console of Mother Church

Facade of Mother Church

View from top of Mother Church facade back into the auditorium.

 Across the street from the Mother Church is Boston's Symphony Hall. It is home to the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops Orchestras. The organ is Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1134 and was renovated by the Foley-Baker firm in 2004. Mike Foley was our tour guide for The Mother Church and Symphony Hall. One of the features of this organ is the restoration to it of an open wood rank in the pedal division. Mike was especially proud of how quickly the pitch was produced in the lowest ranges. It is said that the BSO gets a thrill out of the sound when these low 32' pipes are engaged!

Organ in Boston Symphony Hall

The Church of the Advent, also in Boston, is home to a landmark Aeolian-Skinner of modest size. This Anglo-Catholic parish  has a long tradition of superior music accompanied by this delightful organ.

High Altar of Church of the Advent, Boston

Facade of Aeolian-Skinner at Church of the Advent, Boston

The next stop was a pilgrimage for me. Housed in Busch Hall at Harvard University is the Flentrop organ on which E. Power Biggs recorded many times. These recordings were the first pipe organ recordings I ever heard and we wore out the vinyl. I felt Biggs' presence as I played a little Mozart piece for organ flutes that is the first piece in the "Biggs Organ Book." Click here for the video. Randy Elkins at Busch Hall

Busch Hall, Harvard University

Flentrop Organ in Busch Hall

Key desks of Flentrop in Busch Hall

Heading to Boston

On Wednesday we travelled to the shop of pipe organ reed voicer, Chris Broome who is going to be on the team to bring Opus 408D back to life. He has a great shop attached to his home and had several current projects to show his handy work. He was the reed voicer for Church of the Resurrection in NYC as well as many other fine organs around the country.

From the Broome Shop we travelled through severe thunderstorms to Boston. Below is a picture I took from the roof of my host's condo in Boston. Known as "The Mother Church" of Christian Scientists, it houses an extremely large Aeolian-Skinner of great renown. On Thursday I get to see, hear and play it. 

The First Church of Christ Scientist, Boston

July 18 - Providence, RI

In Providence, RI we visited the Central Congregational Church. Here we played and heard the 1965 Aeolian-Skinner. This is one of the finest examples of A-S's ideal eclectic church organ. Wonderfully developed principal choruses on all Manuals and Pedal, several lovely, contrasting flutes, and several lovely reeds that work as chorus and solo. 

Dome of Central Congregational, Providence, RI

Facade of 1965 Aeolian-Skinner, Providence, RI

Pulpit, Central Congregational, Providence, RI

Central Congregational

July 17 - New York City

Stops in New York City included the Organ Clearing House's latest work, the reworked Casavant (1916) Organ at Church of the Resurrection on the Upper East Side. This is Opus408D's sister organ in the Organ Clearing House family!

Casavant Organ - Reworked by Organ Clearing House

 We visited the wonderful Shoenstein Organ at St. James' Church on Madison Avenue to get ideas about layout of the console. Notice all the expression pedals (the 5 ones in the middle above the pedal notes).

St. James Madison Ave., NYC

 On Tuesday night there was an installment in the Riverside Church Summer Organ Series. This is a tremendous Aeolian-Skinner famously played by my teacher, Marilyn Keiser who was assistant to Fred Swann. Fred was assistant to Virgil Fox prior to becoming the main organist. (Doesn't this sound like the "begats" in the Bible? It's very important to know who's who in the organ world.)

Tower of Riverside Church, NYC

 One of the most famous Aeolian-Skinners in NYC lives at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin (Smokey Mary's) near Times Square. We were allowed to play the organ but it was hard to hear because the doors were open and there was construction going on across the street. The extreme heat had effected the intonation. It was a wonderful opportunity however, to experience one of NYC's legendary organs.

High Altar - St. Mary the Virgin, NYC

Console, St. Mary the Virgin, Randy Elkins

July 16 - Philadelphia - Wanamaker Organ at Macy's

In the Macy's Department Store, downtown Philadelphia, lives one of the greatest organs the world knows. Lovingly cared for by Curt Mangell and his staff and lovingly played daily by Court Organist Peter Conte and his staff, this monumental instrument is a site to behold. After hearing the daily 5:30 p.m. recital we were treated to a tour of the console and some divisions of the pipe work.

Randy Elkins at console of Wanamaker Organ at Macy's, Philadelphia

Wanamaker Organ Facade

Inside the String Division of Wanamaker Organ

This organ has no relationship to Opus408D but it was a great way to break up the 11 hour trip from Indianapolis to NYC!

July 15 - Indianapolis-Second Presbyterian Church

War Memorial - Indianapolis Circle

We were early for our appointment at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis so we drove south on N. Meridian Street and enjoyed the sites of Indy. Here is a picture of the grand war memorial in the center of downtown Indy.

Ever wonder how we're traveling? Not in my little car! We're in John Bishop's big 'ol SUV! Lots of room, good AC, leather seats. It's better than an airline!

Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN

On Sunday at 2:00 we visited Second Pres in Indy. It had been 25 or so years since I had been there and the organ had recently been releathered and some voicing was improved. It is a fine example of late 1960's Aeolian-Skinner. This was the site, while I was in school, of Ryan White's funeral. Elton John, Barbara Bush, Michael Jackson, and many others attended. My friend Carl played the organ. He has great stories about it.

Chancel Division of 2nd Pres. Organ

Gallery Division of 2nd Pres Organ

Console 2nd Pres, John Bishop

John and I found beautifully balanced principal choruses, a variety of flute stops and exciting reeds on this organ.

July 14 - Columbus, Indiana and College Memories

First Christian Church, Columbus, IN, Eliel Saarinen, architect

Our memories often deceive us. I remember the excitement of playing a "nooner" recital at First Christian when I was a student at Indiana University. I've decided that what made the organ exciting to play was the four manual console and the lovely acoustic. After playing it today I found it missing many things that will be present on the Johns Creek Aeolian-Skinner - Opus 408-D. Well balanced mixtures, lovely character reed stops, and a clean console. They even had thumb tacks all over it. Memories fade though, and the picture left from college was of fun trips through the Brown County State Park to get over to Columbus and a good excuse for skipping a few classes to practice and play a recital for a day!

Interior of First Christian

North Christian Church, Columbus, IN - Eero Saarinen, architect

One of my favorite churches of all time. I have fond memories of getting to accompany a concert of English Cathedral Anthems there (on a Holtkamp no less - organists will wonder at that one), and of my time as interim organist/choirmaster. At that time I was Chapel Organist at Indiana University as well. I had a weekly recital series to manage and play, 4 or 5 weddings a weekend, full-time class load and the church job (adults, children and handbells!). No one ever told me I couldn't do it so I just pushed ahead. Not always the best plan but things turned out well.

Interior of North Christian Church

Beck Chapel, Indiana University

The position of Chapel Organist at a major university sounds high and exalted. Well here are pictures of the chapel. It seats about 50!

Beck Chapel Interior, IU

That's the back of the Van Daalen Pipe Organ in Beck Chapel on the left. You can see the mitered (bent) wooden pipes. It was a definite improvement over the Baldwin spinet in the chapel when I matriculated at IU!

July 14 - On the Road Again

In front of Trinity Wall Street about 5 years ago!

Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m., CST, I will hit the road with John Bishop for our Aeolian-Skinner study tour! Here's an outline of the places we'll see:

1. North Christian Church, Columbus, IN
2. St. Paul's Episcopal, Indianapolis, IN (Newer Casavant)
3. Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN
4. The Wannamaker Organ, Philadelphia, PA (not an A-S but what the heck!)
5. Saint Mary the Virgin (Smokey Mary's), Times Square/NYC
6. Church of the Resurrection, NYC (Casavant rebuilt/redesigned by John Bishop and Co.)
7. Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, NYC
8. St. James Episcopal, Madison Avenue, NYC
9. Broome and Company, Windsor, CT (reed pipe voicers for our organ)
10. Central Congregational, Providence, RI
11. The Mother Church, Boston, MA
12. Symphony Hall, Boston, MA
13. Episcopal Church of the Advent, Boston, MA
14. Melrose Highlands Congregational Church, MA
15. Organ Clearing House!

All of that will happen by next Friday. I'll post pictures and videos as often as possible. 

Churches Fountains and Fireworks!

I came across the Chicago Temple United Methodist Church in downtown Chicago. A beautifully decorated sanctuary tucked away among office buildings and high rises. We got to see the organ console but the pipes were out being restored.

Chicago Temple United Methodist Church

Altar, Chicago Temple UMC

I took this picture while we were "strolling" (David doesn't know how to stroll) by the Chicago River. I didn't notice the girl in it until I got home. She's taking off her shoes to dip her feet.

Fountain at River Esplanade Park

We visited the "Taste" on Thursday. It seemed like all of Chicago was out for the revamped version of one of its favorite festivals. We visited food booths, heard a jazz group and the crazy marching band/punk group "Mucca Pazza." (They're worth looking up on the internet!) The Taste of Chicago is held in Grant Park. This fountain is a lovely feature of the park.

Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain - in Grant Park

On Wednesday night we saw FIREWORKS!!! They are seen every Wednesday and Saturday during the summer. David, Joe and I took a boat cruise on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan to get to the right vantage point. In the first photo you can see the ferris wheel at Navy Pier on the bottom right.

Here's a 25 second video of the fireworks. Aren't phones amazing!!!

On Wednesday I visited Peterson Electro-Musical Products with John Bishop. We will have Peterson's latest and greatest computer components controlling our organ. Fascinating work at an unassuming shop in an industrial park.

Coupler rail

The inside control components for organ console

Bottom right is all that you will see on organ.

 I have been staying with my good friends David and Joe in their 24th floor condo overlooking downtown Chicago, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago River. The view doesn't get any better!

View from roof top of Montgomery Building at night.

One big surprise was the huge display of stained glass windows at the Navy Pier. Here is one by Lewis Comfort Tiffany.

Tiffany Window