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

What do Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway have in common?

OAK PARK, ILLINOIS

I traveled with David to Oak Park, IL expecting to find only Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. I found out that the town was interested in architecture long before Mr. Wright. I didn't get to hear any organs, but did run into several friends who were on a day trip to the town with the Organ Historical Society Convention. I even got to have ice cream with our organ builder, John Bishop.

First United Methodist - Oak Park, IL

Across the street from the Methodist church was Hemingway's birthplace. What a thrill. Now I've been to his home in Key West, FL and to his birthplace. One of my favorite writers, of course!

Ernest Hemingway's Birthplace

And then there's the Hemingway museum. It was closed by the time we got to that part of town but what a lovely building.

Hemingway Museum

One of the gems in Oak Park is Grace Episcopal Church. The door was open so we went in. Found great literature on the church, it's organ (1920's Casavant) and the town.

Grace Episcopal Church - Oak Park, IL

Of course as sacred architecture in Oak Park goes it doesn't get any better than the Unity Temple (Frank Lloyd Wright, architect). We were treated to an informative introduction to its architecture by a knowledgeable docent. Her midwestern twang was so appropriate to the setting. I see why the midwesterners giggle when they visit our southern treasures and hear our docents! It's all part of the experience - don' cha know! (My use of that expression may be like someone from up north trying to use "bless your heart" or "ya'll.")

Unity Temple (Unitarian Universalist) - Oak Park, IL - designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Unity Temple

Unity Temple - Light Fixture

Chicago Sites

I have spent the last two days in Chicago experiencing the city. Here are a few shots of sites that I have seen so far.

Fourth Presbyterian Church

Fourth Presbyterian Chancel

Fourth Presbyterian Aeolian-Skinner Organ

Holy Name Cathedral (Catholic)

Holy Name Cathedral - Flentrop Organ

On Sunday night I got to hear Wolfgang Rubsam in recital at Holy Name Cathedral playing an organ recital. It showed this North German-inspired organ to it's full potential. I have heard about this organ by the Dutch firm "Flentrop" since it went in and it was a joy to get to experience it. In Atlanta there is a Flentrop at St. Anne's Episcopal-Buckhead. I had organ lessons on it in high school.

Here are a couple of the sites on the walk to the recital.

John Hancock Tower

Water Tower that survived the Chicago fire

Today (Tuesday) I am taking the "L" out to Oak Park to see Frank Lloyd Wright sites. Look for the pics tomorrow!

On Wednesday I will take a tour of the Peterson Electro-Musical Products, Inc. factory. They are being considered for the computer components for Opus 408D. In the evening I will take a boat tour on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan to see the city and the fireworks. We'll see how the iPhone does taking pictures at night!

From Nashville to Chicago...by car!

The last day of AGO*Con Nashville was great! We heard recitals by Atlanta's own Ahreum Han at First Presbyterian, and Jane Parker-Smith at Brentwood UMC. Ms. Han is actually now the organist at a church in Iowa, but immigrated to Atlanta from South Korea at age 16. Ms. Parker-Smith is one of England's premiere organist. That made the 3rd English organist to present a recital at the convention.

First Presbyterian Church, Nashville

Von Bekerath Organ (1974)

3 manuals, 74 ranks

Brentwood United Methodist Church, Nashville

M. P. Moeller Organ (1991)

4 manuals, 71 ranks

I left Nashville for Chicago at 9:00 a.m. We were at friend David's church, Bethlehem Lutheran, in Chicago, at 7:30 p.m. and practiced for an hour and a half for tomorrow's Postlude: Stars and Stripes Forever! We had fun playing around with the registration on his 1965 Moeller Organ, 3 manuals, 35ish ranks. At one point I went to the wrong manual for the melody and discovered a combination that sounds like a glorious Skinner French Horn! The console hasn't been updated so we had to do the old hold and set routine for piston setting but got everything worked out. Did I mention the church is not air conditioned and the organ is in the rear gallery! I lost some weight practicing.

Here's a picture of Bethlehem Lutheran's J.S. Bach window (Chicago).

It will be great to have some R&R with friends for a week in Chicago. Coincidentally the Organ Historical Society is having its annual convention here this week and we may do a daily registration for one of the days.

And as for progress on Opus 408D? The "Letter of Intent" to use the Organ Clearing House as our organ builder and the associated payments have been made! Now things will start happening fast. Stay tuned.

And for a little Church Humor...

Most of us have now learned to live with voice mail as a necessary part of our daily lives. But have you ever wondered what it would be like if God decided to install voice mail? Imagine praying and hearing this:

Thank you for calling Heaven.

 For English, Press 1

 For Spanish, Press 2

 For all other languages, Press O

Please select one of the following options:

 Press 1 for Requests

 Press 2 for Thanksgiving

 Press 3 for Complaints

 Press 4 for all other inquiries

I'm sorry. All of our angels and saints are busy helping other sinners right now. However, your prayer is important to us, and we will answer it in the order received. Please stay on the line.

If you would like to speak to God, Press 1- Jesus, Press 2- Holy Spirit, Press 3.

If you would like to hear King David sing a Psalm while you hold, Press 4.

To find a loved one that has been assigned to Heaven, Press 5, and then enter his or her social security number, followed by the # sign.

If you receive a negative response, please hang up and try area code 666.

For reservations at Heaven, please enter J-O-H-N, followed by the number 3-1-6.

For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the earth, life on other planets, and where Noah's Ark is, please wait until you arrive.

Our computers show that you have already prayed today. Please hang up and try again tomorrow.

The office is now closed for the weekend to observe a religious holiday.

Please pray again on Monday, after 9:30 a.m. If you are calling after hours and need emergency assistance, please contact your local Pastor.