The first truckload of organ parts has arrived and they're beginning the installation. So far scaffolding has been assembled, I see some open woods on the chancel floor perhaps getting ready to go in, and they're off and running.
You can watch the work in real time at this link. Johns Creek UMC installation link. This is a live stream that will be available 6 days a week. Details are on the page. Enjoy!!!
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
This link will take you to the Johns Creek Methodist Church Music Facebook page where you'll find out about the latest progress in preparation for the arrival of Aeolian-Skinner Opus 408D later this month.
An interesting connection to the project will occur through a meeting of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and I'm not sure anyone realizes this yet! David Enlow, Organist & Choirmaster of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in New York City will be performing for the chapter and guests at their September 13, 2016 program.
When I began investigating the possibility of acquiring a used pipe organ for Johns Creek, John Bishop of the Organ Clearing House suggested that I visit NYC for the dedication of the newly renovated Casavant Organ that OCH had installed in Church of the Resurrection. So I went, enjoyed the program and met David. I hope he takes the opportunity to run up to Johns Creek and check out the project. His warm hospitality certainly made this southerner visiting the north feel comfortable.
He will be performing at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Briarcliff Road in Atlanta. This is presented by the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO). Go here for information. Anyone may attend either opportunity but notice that the Saturday part is a workshop (intended for organists to learn how to better improvise), the concert on the 13th is a full organ concert. Tickets are only required for the meal part of each event.
An interesting connection to the project will occur through a meeting of the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and I'm not sure anyone realizes this yet! David Enlow, Organist & Choirmaster of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in New York City will be performing for the chapter and guests at their September 13, 2016 program.
When I began investigating the possibility of acquiring a used pipe organ for Johns Creek, John Bishop of the Organ Clearing House suggested that I visit NYC for the dedication of the newly renovated Casavant Organ that OCH had installed in Church of the Resurrection. So I went, enjoyed the program and met David. I hope he takes the opportunity to run up to Johns Creek and check out the project. His warm hospitality certainly made this southerner visiting the north feel comfortable.
He will be performing at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church on Briarcliff Road in Atlanta. This is presented by the Atlanta Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO). Go here for information. Anyone may attend either opportunity but notice that the Saturday part is a workshop (intended for organists to learn how to better improvise), the concert on the 13th is a full organ concert. Tickets are only required for the meal part of each event.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
A photo from Canada
Simon Coture, vice president of Casavant Organs and project coordinator for the rebuild of Opus 408D at the Casavant shop is in town this week. He and Ken Axelson (organist at Johns Creek UMC) and Jeremy Rush (music staff at JCUMC) worked on preparations for the organ's arrival. These pictures were taken by Ken on February 24 and posted on his Facebook page.
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| The console is beginning to take shape in the Casavant shop. |
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| This is console in storage in New England. |
And remember to "measure twice and cut once?"
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| Simon on left, Jeremy on right. |
I'm not sure what they're measuring but I assume it's details for the facade. I'll find out today if they are still using the design, or something like it, that we came up while I was still at JCUMC. Whatever it's going to be, it will be grand!!!
August 26, 2016 plan for organ to start arriving (several tractor-trailers full) at Johns Creek UMC
November 20, 2016 plan to start using the organ in services the Sunday before Thanksgiving
2017? Dedication celebrations
Here are some important dates for your calendar
August 26, 2016 plan for organ to start arriving (several tractor-trailers full) at Johns Creek UMC
November 20, 2016 plan to start using the organ in services the Sunday before Thanksgiving
2017? Dedication celebrations
Monday, February 1, 2016
The latest news!!!
A new date for installation has been announced. In a letter from Nathan Frank to the donors of the organ fund he announced installation to begin August 23, 2016 and the first Sunday of use to be "Thanksgiving" Sunday 2016.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Delay...typical on a project this big!
I recently learned from Dr. Nathan Frank, director of music at Johns Creek UMC, that Casavant has let him know that there will be a six-week delay on installation of the organ.
Never fear...this is to be expected in a large project like this. Can you imagine having to propose a contract on the reconstruction of an existing piece of equipment/art this size, stored for over 10 years in unconfirmed condition?
Any time-line agreed upon in the contract for rebuilding between the church and the organ company was an educated guess at best. And my leaving the organist position put a kink in things for a while. So bravo to Casavant for their work on this monumental project, a feather in everyone's cap!
Once this organ is complete and in it's new home it can stay forever. It's surely worth the wait.
Never fear...this is to be expected in a large project like this. Can you imagine having to propose a contract on the reconstruction of an existing piece of equipment/art this size, stored for over 10 years in unconfirmed condition?
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| Parts! |
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| Storage!!! |
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| Read the marking. It's the real deal!!! |
Any time-line agreed upon in the contract for rebuilding between the church and the organ company was an educated guess at best. And my leaving the organist position put a kink in things for a while. So bravo to Casavant for their work on this monumental project, a feather in everyone's cap!
Once this organ is complete and in it's new home it can stay forever. It's surely worth the wait.
Monday, December 14, 2015
It's time for more information on my beloved Opus408d.
Since I left the post of organist at Johns Creek United Methodist Church to be Director of Music at Virginia Highland Church in midtown Atlanta, I've not had day-to-day contact on the organ project. Graciously the music staff has kept me in the loop.
The contract for rebuild of Opus 408d that was signed with Casavant Organs of Canada calls for installation to begin in the summer of 2016 with completion in September. The Johns Creek UMC music department hopes to have the dedication concert in September and has invited me to perform.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the transition following my departure from Johns Creek Church is who they have hired as organist.
Ken Axelson was the interim director of music at Johns Creek UMC while we completed the search for a new music director. The new music director hired was Dr. Nathan Frank. Nate was a chorister in Ken's choir when Ken was director of music at First United Methodist Church in Houston, TX!
As Ken's "retirement job" he has accepted the post of organist at this Johns Creek United Methodist Church.
Ken is a graduate of the famous School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary in NYC. At Union Ken studied organ with Robert Baker and thoroughly absorbed the tremendously vibrant church music scene in NYC. When he speaks of grad school the characters he speaks of are a who's who of sacred music.
Ken went to under grad at Illinois Wesleyan where Marilyn Keiser was a student as well. Dr. Keiser was my undergrad organ teacher and a major influence on my career and vocation. They both went on to Union following their undergrad degrees and continue to be close friends.
Ken has taken the lead on the Opus 408d organ project and has made some exciting revisions to the specification as it stood when I left.
As I left Johns Creek, the organ was being moved to Casavant's shop in Canada for evaluation and rebuilding. Casavant found that several of the chests and other parts required significant repair that wasn't in the budget. This meant back to the drawing board for the specs to make everything come in at about $1.3 million for the chancel organ.
It was further discovered that the console had been the secondary console. The secondary console worked off of the primary console and it's stop action was less complicated and smaller. This meant that the amount of space required for draw knobs within the workings of the console was less.
At Johns Creek the console will be the primary console requiring new draw knob mechanisms which are larger. With space already at a premium, creativity is required.
Also, the console has only 3 swell shoes - one for Swell expression, one for Choir expression and the "gas" pedal (crescendo pedal).
With the separation of the Solo division into its own expressive enclosure another expression pedal was required.
At this point I should mention the interim organist who served before Ken could start the JCUMC job...the ever-talented Jeremy Rush. A former assistant organist at Peachtree Presbyterian, Jeremy had a previous connection with Ken Axelson. Since Ken's arrival back at JCUMC to be organist, Jeremy has remained in the employ of the church in several ways including consulting on the organ project - especially mechanically.
Back to the problem of the expression pedals. Casavant's position was that there isn't enough room for an additional expression pedal meaning no separate Choir enclosure. Jeremy developed a solution for the pedals and negotiated with Casavant to use it. Now there will be Swell, Choir and Solo under expression, each having it's own expression pedal. This really is important for the organ to be the best accompanying church organ it can. It won't hurt it for being the best orchestral, classical and theatre organ as well.
The stoplist has been tweaked, redone, etc. Even the nomenclature has been "argued out." (I don't have the stoplist in my possession to share.) When I get the stoplist and it's ok to make it public, you will see it here!
There have also been plans to address
Since I left the post of organist at Johns Creek United Methodist Church to be Director of Music at Virginia Highland Church in midtown Atlanta, I've not had day-to-day contact on the organ project. Graciously the music staff has kept me in the loop.
The contract for rebuild of Opus 408d that was signed with Casavant Organs of Canada calls for installation to begin in the summer of 2016 with completion in September. The Johns Creek UMC music department hopes to have the dedication concert in September and has invited me to perform.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the transition following my departure from Johns Creek Church is who they have hired as organist.
Ken Axelson was the interim director of music at Johns Creek UMC while we completed the search for a new music director. The new music director hired was Dr. Nathan Frank. Nate was a chorister in Ken's choir when Ken was director of music at First United Methodist Church in Houston, TX!
As Ken's "retirement job" he has accepted the post of organist at this Johns Creek United Methodist Church.
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| Ken Axelson, organist Johns Creek United Methodist Church 2015-present |
Ken is a graduate of the famous School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary in NYC. At Union Ken studied organ with Robert Baker and thoroughly absorbed the tremendously vibrant church music scene in NYC. When he speaks of grad school the characters he speaks of are a who's who of sacred music.
Ken went to under grad at Illinois Wesleyan where Marilyn Keiser was a student as well. Dr. Keiser was my undergrad organ teacher and a major influence on my career and vocation. They both went on to Union following their undergrad degrees and continue to be close friends.
Ken has taken the lead on the Opus 408d organ project and has made some exciting revisions to the specification as it stood when I left.
As I left Johns Creek, the organ was being moved to Casavant's shop in Canada for evaluation and rebuilding. Casavant found that several of the chests and other parts required significant repair that wasn't in the budget. This meant back to the drawing board for the specs to make everything come in at about $1.3 million for the chancel organ.
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| Opus 408d Console |
It was further discovered that the console had been the secondary console. The secondary console worked off of the primary console and it's stop action was less complicated and smaller. This meant that the amount of space required for draw knobs within the workings of the console was less.
At Johns Creek the console will be the primary console requiring new draw knob mechanisms which are larger. With space already at a premium, creativity is required.
Also, the console has only 3 swell shoes - one for Swell expression, one for Choir expression and the "gas" pedal (crescendo pedal).
With the separation of the Solo division into its own expressive enclosure another expression pedal was required.
At this point I should mention the interim organist who served before Ken could start the JCUMC job...the ever-talented Jeremy Rush. A former assistant organist at Peachtree Presbyterian, Jeremy had a previous connection with Ken Axelson. Since Ken's arrival back at JCUMC to be organist, Jeremy has remained in the employ of the church in several ways including consulting on the organ project - especially mechanically.
Back to the problem of the expression pedals. Casavant's position was that there isn't enough room for an additional expression pedal meaning no separate Choir enclosure. Jeremy developed a solution for the pedals and negotiated with Casavant to use it. Now there will be Swell, Choir and Solo under expression, each having it's own expression pedal. This really is important for the organ to be the best accompanying church organ it can. It won't hurt it for being the best orchestral, classical and theatre organ as well.
The stoplist has been tweaked, redone, etc. Even the nomenclature has been "argued out." (I don't have the stoplist in my possession to share.) When I get the stoplist and it's ok to make it public, you will see it here!
As I have lived with this project over the years I have come to the realization that the tradition at Trinity Wall Street was to remake their organ as their worship needs evolved. Reading the information on the New York City AGO chapter's site was very helpful for arriving at this conclusion. Starting with E.M. Skinner's initial involvement with the Trinity Church, we can trace the remaking of whatever organ Trinity had in 1923, 1928, 1958, and 1968. Following the closing of the Aeolian-Skinner shop in 1972 there were still more changes. Now, 50 years after the last Aeolian-Skinner rebuild, there will be a new version - in an Aeolian-Skinner tradition accomplished by Casavant.
The big changes to the organ are:
Combining best stops from Trinity Church gallery and chancel organs to create the JCUMC chancel organ
Changing name of Bombarde division to Solo division and putting all of the appropriate solo stops in one expressive chamber
There have also been plans to address
Replacing the 32' and 16' stops retained by TWS
Adding a few vintage solo color stops to round out the Solo division
I am requesting photos and the specification from the church to update and will post when I get them.
I am requesting photos and the specification from the church to update and will post when I get them.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Moving an enormous pipe organ in mud season
The next step in this organ project is moving Opus408D from storage in New England to the Casavant Bros. shop in Saint-Hycinthe, Quebec, Canada.
I've heard from John Bishop that the components would fill 3 53' semi trailers. That's not how it's been moved in the past due to limitations of truck use in lower Manhattan and limitations getting into the organ shop in New Hampshire where part of the organ is stored.
To get the organ out of Trinity Wall Street's storage space in lower Manhattan the Organ Clearing House crew had to use box trucks, work during the overnight hours and I believe it took about 4 days.
A committee from Casavant will travel to the current storage sites after Easter to determine how this will be done. I (Randy Elkins) will go to represent Johns Creek UMC. I have been told to go prepared for mud...lots of mud. We will look at everything, take pictures and videos and then a plan will be made.
I've heard from John Bishop that the components would fill 3 53' semi trailers. That's not how it's been moved in the past due to limitations of truck use in lower Manhattan and limitations getting into the organ shop in New Hampshire where part of the organ is stored.
To get the organ out of Trinity Wall Street's storage space in lower Manhattan the Organ Clearing House crew had to use box trucks, work during the overnight hours and I believe it took about 4 days.
A committee from Casavant will travel to the current storage sites after Easter to determine how this will be done. I (Randy Elkins) will go to represent Johns Creek UMC. I have been told to go prepared for mud...lots of mud. We will look at everything, take pictures and videos and then a plan will be made.
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| Organ Clearing House workshop in New Hampshire. The driveway is dirt/mud. |
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| Parts of the organ stored in a self-storage unit in Maine. |
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| Pipes stored in trays on the left in New Hampshire. I believe the tall pipes are new ones from another project that was in the shop when I visited. |
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| The markings that will help Casavant know which parts belong to Opus 408D. Notice this was from an earlier time, when it was just 408A. |
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