Pipe Organs
As I continue updating the webpage, adding resources of musical interest, I'll add things of interest about pipe organs. This has been my interest for a large part of my life. Often referred to a "dying art," I feel that people -- especially young people -- don't know about these wonderful musical instruments. So, I'll share my wealth of knowledge about them, and assure you this is still a "living art." Hover over pictures for descriptions.
I started working on pipe organs in 1962, in 8th grade, when I assisted a local organ repairman in moving a 1927 Moller organ from our old church building in Oil City, PA, to their new building under construction. During high school, I made regular trips to Erie to Tellers Organ Co. where I worked part-time during the summer. While attending college, I worked at various organ companies during the summer.
Tellers Organ Company
After college, and after serving overseas in the Naval Reserve, I started working at Tellers Organ Co. full time. Founded in 1906, with beginnings in the A.B. Felgemaker Co., Tellers Organ Co. was one of the oldest pipe organ builders in the country. I apprenticed in every department, as well as went on the road to install and maintain organs. One of my first installs was First Unitarian Society, Madison, WI; this was in an historic Frank Lloyd Wright structure. Looking like an "overturned boat," the pipes were installed behind the glass making up the "prow" -- all visible from the outside, but hidden from view inside, per the mandates of the Talliesen Society, which preserves Wright's work.
Other installations were in the Grand Rapids, MI. An all-new instrument in 1968 at Mayflower Congre-gational Church -- largest new Tellers at that time. I also installed a new console at Fountain St. Church, followed by the addition of a Bombard division. This is where I met two world-famous organists -- Virgil Fox and Carlo Curly. I was listed on Carlo's record album -- Principals Unshackled -- that was recorded at Fountain St., and went on to work with Carlo on several other projects. Stoplist.
I also had a talent for drawing -- especially charcoal renderings of organ blueprints drawn up in the factory. Soon, my renderings were sent to organ committees to illustrate what the finished instrument would look like. In an unlikely turn of events, the plant supervisor had a stroke, and I was pulled in to do the manufacturing blueprints with the supervisor -- literally being his hands -- and later designing organs on my own. This was happening during the "Neo Baroque" movement; organ designs were reverting back to the ancient organs found in Europe. I proposed the Orlando cathedral organ be placed in a gallery, which had to be built at the rear of the nave. The case was designed in collaboration with an architect who wanted it to wrap around the rose window, looking like an "eagle with out-stretched wings." I placed the trompettes-en-chamade in a group alluding to the beak of the eagle. The entire organ is encased, which focuses the sound. Stop list.
Lawrence Phelps & Associates
In 1972, Lawrence Phelps (formerly with Casavant Freres, Quebec) had recently left Allen Organ Co. and wanted to start his own company. Herman Tellers was quite elderly and the future of Tellers Organ Co. was uncertain, at best. When approached by Phelps,Tellers was quite receptive to sell his factory in Erie, PA. Employees were given the option to stay on, which is how I became head designer.
At first, we assembled some projects that Phelps had ordered parts for, notably Fort Collins, CO. This involved the casework and mechanical action. Next came Hexham Abbey, which was the first pipe organ in recent history to be exported to Europe. This was fully assembled in the Erie factory, and even though I didn't get to go to England, I got to play it in the shop. As a bonus, I got to hang out with Dame Gillian Wier, Phelps' wife, when she was in the country.
Almost a half century later, I visited the organ at St. Paul's Lutheran, Skokie, IL. Basically intact from when it was installed, this was another of my designs I got to play in the factory, but didn't see it in the church until last year.
Pipe Organ Videos
Howard Goodall CBE is one of Britain’s best-known composers of choral music, stage musicals, TV and film scores. He is also a distinguished music historian and broadcaster. In this series, he visits and demonstrates pipe organs all over Europe. This entertaining series focuses on historical organs and the stories behind them.
Programme 1 - USA, ChicagoUnionCenter: Frank Pelico (Chicago Black Hawks resident organist) improvises to ice hockey game; Howard Goodall plays Rondeau from Henry Purcell’s Abdelazar Italian-Austrian Tyrol,ChurburgCastle: HG improvises Spain, Salamanca Cathedral, Salinas Organ: HG plays Antonio de Cabezón Fabordones del septum tono IV: Glosado en el bajo, ed. Felipe Pedrell/Higinio Angles; HG plays Intonationen Terzo Tonoby Andrea Gabrieli At Manders Organ Factory: HG plays on the Salinasorgan of Salamanca Antonio de Cabezón Fabordones del octavo tono IV. Glosado en el bajo, from Collected Works for organ Volume II edited by Felipe Pedrell & Higinio Angles Austria, Innsbruck Imperial Chapel: Richard Jaudt plays Eterne rerum alias (iii) by John Blitheman, from The Mulliner Book Germany, Lüdingworth church: HG plays Toccata (Ionian) by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck; HG plays Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten by Georg Böhm
Programme 2 -- Spain, Villalon church: HG plays Herzlich lieb hab ich Dich, O Herr by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck Spain, Abarca church: Kimberley Marshall plays 18c Portugese Battle Music Germany, WartburgCastle: HG plays Ein’ feste burg, Lutheran chorale; HG plays J S Bach chorale prelude Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645) Germany, Stormthal church: Cornelia Schneider plays J S Bach Wer nur den Lieben Gott lässt walten Germany, Hamburg St Jacobi church: HG plays J S Bach ‘St Anne’ Prelude (BWV 552) Holland, Haarlem, St Bavo church: Jos van der Kooy plays W A Mozart Fantasie in F minor (KV 608) France, Paris, Basilica of St Denis: Pierre Pincemaille plays Choral no.3 in A minor by César Franck Paris, St Sulpice: Daniel Roth plays Toccata from Organ Symphony no.5 by C M Widor
Programme 4 -- USA, The Jacques Littlefield Organ, San Francisco, California: HG plays L Boëllman, Toccata from Gothic Suite, opus 25 USA, Jazz Café, CamdenTown: James Taylor Quartet Creation USA, San Diego, California, BalboaPark: Bob Plimpton plays J S Bach Toccata in D minor UK, AlexandraPalace, London: Alex Mason & Nick O’Neill play Louis Vierne, Finale, Organ Symphonie no.1, opus 14 USA, St Ignatius Loyola, New York: Kent Trytle plays Olivier Messiaen, Dieu parmi nous from La Nativité du Seigneur
