Christmas Hymns on a 104 year old pipe organ

[Alkmini80]

hmmmm I really prefer Byzantine music and Hymns....

[interstateruler]

I wonder what is that on the third song. I know the first two

[crustylion321]

I think you shouldnt clean the pipes, it sounds like it did from 104 years ago which is good you get that vintage feel. Thats just my opinion ;)

[jprt1990]

@crustylion321 But 107 years ago (not 104, 2011 - 1904 = 107) the pipes would have been new and clean anyway. So a cleanup would actually bring the sound closer to its original state.

[oofahman]

What a beautiful facade! What church is it located?

[jdcc061]

This is a very sweet video...of a beautifully ornate chapel with a sweet and quaint organ....I don't care that the organist is the greatest...the truth is shes doing her best with what she has and she is praising God with it....although, I do like to sing on tune, thoughl....but, I like this video...no matter if other people can't get past the organist...

[falaqdad15]

Which church is that and where? beautiful

[davbear221]

what a beautiful church and its sad to see the instrument in such shape. Its a part of American Organ history thats being left to rot!

[Andrewcarey87]

sounds good for over 104 years organ.

[jjac888077]

a beautiful church!!!  i hope the organ can be taken of.

[bcharville]

Very nice! Thanks for sharing.

[flobtheblob]

very nice

[steelersfanhawaii]

Very sweet sounding instrument, its warmth is reminscent of E. M. Skinner organs

[iliepop30]

Cântare de Crăciun care se cântă şi în Birericile din România.

[iliepop30]

Cântare de Crăciun care se cântă şi în Birericile din România

[emmanueljeba]

its bad to hear that nothing is done for the beautiful instrument,

we have to wait and hope for the best

thanks for posting and GOD BLESS U †

[StrangeWizzard]

this organ really is beautiful!

[CantorNikolaos]

Those are sweet diapasons!

[05Forenza]

I think more impressive than the organ, is the church! What a beautiful building

[Diapason16ft]

A visually stunning room. The instrument within is well-worth restoration. Those glorious tones are such a tease!

[UHC4LYFE]

Where is this Church?

[derail14]

Builders can not make a electronic organ sound like a real pipe organ, they never will as to the nature of the instrument, Its like trying to get a electric bass to sound like a real wooden upright acostic bass, They can,t do it no matter how much electronics they use, A old phrase, THE REAL McCOY still stands.

[Georgiaorganist]

Yes, it is a beautiful organ. I wonder why the builders of the electronic organs can't produce something close to this sound for their instruments.

[speedstick77]

The charming silvery tone of older instruments has not been retained by modern organ builders. I'm not sure why. This instrument is priceless. Thank you for sharing!

[godsfiddler]

But then again it may not be the organ, but the recording equipment.  The more I listen, the more it's the recording equipment. But it's absolutely beautiful.

[cromorne]

@godsfiddler It is the recording equipment, just a little Kodak camera. This organ sounds much, much better in person. And without the coughing!

[godsfiddler]

I think this is quite beautiful. Ignore the insults. It being 104 years old..of course will need *some* fixing up. But still very beautiful. Not many instruments around today from 100 years ago.

[gurdyflowers]

They look like they have plenty of money to fix this.

[cromorne]

Actually, quite the opposite. The diocese is currently in financial trouble, there is only one priest adminstering to three churches.

[elton1981]

@cromorne Luxury! Some Churches in England share a preist with 5 others.

[deesies]

@cromorne What does he do on Sundays? :|

[WereWolfDan1991]

@cromorne I'm sorry to hear that your diocese is in financial trouble. I hope that times get better there.

[theaterpipe1]

Must be restored! Do you know what the console looks like? I would like to know if you can find out!

Thanks!

[HawkeyeNJ]

WOW CLEAN THAT BAD BABY! and it will sound oh so sweet !

[Cipher1928]

Wow, talk about yer clam chowder!! Lay off the Christmas eggnog before playing. Very nice old organ though. I can tell it needs some attention, a little tuning at least. Great musette. What a sweet old instrument, & beautiful church.

[brb21592]

it makes ME SICK! TO SEE OLD ORGANS TRASHED FOR DIGITAL PIECES OF TRASH! I AGREE WITH SKA8ER1979!

my organ is old and its amazing!

[SeattleOrganMan]

Hey Nigel (sk8er1979). . .you're right. The organ facade contains pipes from the Great 16' Open Diapason; 8' First Open Diapason, and 8' Second Open Diapason, though a few might be mute dummies.

[PinanoManGulbransen]

This organ is Wonderful. And the Acoustics in the Building is Awesome

[Zachp333]

You kept this organ well maintained, it sounds just like new! You'd never know it was 104. How often do you get it tunned up?

[falaqdad15]

my church has a 1861 Simmons and Wilcox, in the early 1900s it was revised by William Schulke(?), and made electro-pneumatic later on. it isnt very loud since it is leaky. but if i can get permission to film a hymn or two ill send it to you

[edolch]

What a gorgeous space! Where is it exactly? I'd love to play there.

[christusvincit]

I believe it's St. John the Evangelist (RC) in Schenectady, NY. The only reason I know this is there are other videos from this church on YouTube.

BMP

[SeattleOrganMan]

christusvincit...you are correct. It is the Church of St. John the Evangelist, R. C. in Schectady, NY. Cornerstone placed in 1900; completed in 1903. Dedicated Feb. 14, 1904

[invention13]

Yes, it is. I grew up in Schenectady and used to stop in at that church every now and again.

Pretty nice church.

[costasimpson]

@invention13

Did you "stop" in?

Haha...

[cromorne]

@costasimpson

I sure hope he looked "sharp" at the organ...

[TheClassicalKid]

Well its nothing compared to my piano, its 146! ^_^ mad in like 1860's, and passed down from my great grandmom i think(Or just my grandmom :) )

[CarsonTheMartian]

The facade is quite nice in my opinion. It fits nicely into the corner of that room.

[54spiritedwill54]

so sweet and so wonderful....

[cromorne]

I think their dummy pipes, although the next time I go I'll ask the organist. That organ has a beautiful Diapason chorus. It also has the world's first known 4' Saxophone. Neat stuff.

[dscats19]

What a beautiful diapason! It's too bad 1. that the organist can't play and 2. that the church isn't taking care of their instrument.

[cromorne]

As to number 1, she's usually better. As to number 2, I agree wholeheartedly and hope that they restore that organ properly.

[EccentricRichard]

Please forgive MaxCavaleraFan's dishonesty: he is my brother, and I can tell you he's only 10 and doesn't even sing, never mind play a musical instrument, and the Father Willis hasn't been a part of my mother's life for two years now. Shame the organ here is in the state it's in, and you could also do with removing those side galleries to improve the acoustic of the building. I don't suppose the church would be willing to sell the HV organ? My mother's church needs a bigger organ that it has...

[MaxCavaleraFan]

I and my mother are both organists (I am about 17) and thats a nice instrument being neglected. I play a large 1800 something father willis with three manuals. I hate every kind of "toaster" as electronics are known as in the professional world so does my mother.

[MaxCavaleraFan]

shame about the coughing

[cntckl]

man this Christmas medley really soothes the soul

[Streetcar1743]

You don't see many of these nice historic organs around anymore.

[violinistx100]

I know, I only know of one down in Milledgeville, GA it was almost destroyed during the Civil War.

[emtgregg]

wow, a beautiful set of pipes on that organ. Shame that some organs are hidden from view. The pipes are the best part of an organ and should never be hidden away behind curtains or a false front.

[whizkidforte]

I wish I could have a vacation in Schenectady, just to go to St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church just to hear THIS!!!

[anielloefrancesca]

oh so sweet...so wonderful....

[davbear221]

Love the sound in that gorgeous room!!! Toss out that hideous Allen and get someone who knows how to play use the Votey-Hutchins!!!

[MJVeach]

I actually did some volunteer work on this organ back in 1987 or 88, and it was in playable shape but really needed some love. Some guys who were theater organ "enthusiasts" tried to restore it, and one wanted to "re-pitch" it to a cifferent frequency for middle C! Anyway, they didn't let him. From what I understand, they've got an organ company working on restoring it now, so it probably plays even better than in this video!

[cromorne]

Thats great! Do you happen to now the company restoring the organ? And those theater guys did a fairly nice job on Goldie (The Proctors Wurli), but I can understand they're inability to restore a classic pipe organ.

[cromorne]

The church brought in a nasty Allen in the 70's and you can see it in the video. It's the brown mass in front of the Hutchings-Votey console.

[1995fordf150]

One church I went to had an allen, and to say the least I would rather have the " Votley-hutchins ".

[BayAreaBiker2001]

The church I went to has an excellent Allen Digital organ, which sounds surprisingly like the Harris organ at Stanford Memorial Church.

[Reesman95]

It really does give such a rich pure sound that warms your heart.

[danielwh1881]

that organ warms the heart:-)

[cromorne]

It certainly does! If the only made them this way today!

[cromorne]

Schenectady, New York. St. John the Evangelist Church. Fantastic organ.

[fluteceleste]

Not only does it have a beautiful facade, but the sound has all the richness and warmth you can imagine. where is it located?

[RyanDoMu]

Yeah, NO kidding! Listening to that instrument was like audio hot chocolate!

Hope they plan to restore it!