Pipe Organ Fanfare from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

[HiringAPtAdvocate]

Actually according to program notes Douglas Hunt restored the 8' State Trumpet.& Quimby did the rest of the organ and with improved acoustics of the choir area the sound of the organ is nothing like I remember from my first hearing it while Wyton was at the console. Of course the cathedral interior has been cleaned as well as the organ since the fire and it is just spectacular. On a sunny day the blue hue is stunning!

[livzdave]

@HiringAPtAdvocate Yes, Doug Hunt has done the State Trumpet restoration since the Austin restoration in 1994. Austin rebuilt the windchest, since it was in very bad shape under the Great Rose Window. Doug is still in charge of the organ, and he was project consultant for the Quimby rebuild.

[SilverlakeDehners]

The State Trumpets have been re-built and re-voiced twice since they were originally installed. First by Austin and more recently by Quimby.

[HiringAPtAdvocate]

BTW Atlantic City is in New Jersey, not New York. It would be interesting to hear about Db levels of the current sound of STD! Anyone have details?



[HiringAPtAdvocate]

it will probably be some years before that rank on 100 inches is heard again, but I do believe it is now landmarked so some day when the funds are available it may be heard once again. if I recall correctly the first division to leave for restoration is on the other side of the stage. In any case I look forward to hearing Carl Loser's work

[HiringAPtAdvocate]

I have not heard Liverpool, but was actally under the State Trumpet when the late Lee Erwin called us back to our seats at one of his summer silent movie presentations. I also hat the 'privilege' of hearing the Atlantic City Ophiclide before I had the chance to play that monster. While terribly out of tune it was so loud, in a room that sits 41K I turned away from it to protect my ears. In fact a friend's seeing eye dog jumped in my lap shivering. I covered the poor dog's ears.

[HiringAPtAdvocate]

I recall my first visit to St. John the unfinished. Alex Wyton was playing and I remember thinking how soft the organ was. WELL that is NOT the case now. With the improvements to the acoustics in the choir the organ has an extremely commanding presence in the cathedral. Those faint of heart take head. i attended two of the six re-dedication recitals. I believe the first and the last sitting in the choir for Daniel Roth. What a sonority!

[JoRoAM1]

I attended a Sunday service at St John The Devine age 18 while on a NYC visit.

I was spell bound by the organ and the long reverb time. I too bought the Dr Wyton album mentioned in these posts as one of my first ever. A second "organ" purchase was the Virtuoso Organ with Virgil Fox at Riverside, to my mind one of the best engineered recordings of a pipe organ! So 2 NYC organs and artists had a huge influence on this Canadian teen!

[Bigbearbeau]

tuba miralbilis at yorkminster

[bhigdaddymark]

The newest recording of Opus 150A (this organ at St. John the Divine) was released this month (December 2010) on the Pro-Organo label (CD 7250). It's a 2-disc CD & DVD. It features Marilyn Keiser (playing this piece), Gerre Hancock, Peter Conte, Daniel Roth, Thierry Escaich and Olivier Latry. It's called "From Ashes To Glory" and a MUST have (I listen to it everyday in car, at home). My favourite tracks are 'Fanfare' as played by Dr. Keiser, and the stunning improvisation by Daniel Roth.

[musicaorganum]

Can anyone tell me if this piece was ever published or in print? I would love to obtain a copy of it. Thanks!

[raritan1111]

I was privileged to spend 3 summers with Dr Wyton at the cathedral in the mid to late 50's. It made an impression that I never have gotten over. Played many great organs in the years after that but NOTHING compared with that organ. NOTHING

T. Harrison

[onlyoneshoe]

is there a cat in your organ

[robllanfair]

what is the name of the piece

[a55b47]

Er. um, that would be "Fanfares."

[trompettechamade1]

@a55b47 I can't tell if this or Liverpoole's Trompette Militaire is the loudest single stop, but, imho, the Liverpoole Organ would sound louder for 2 reasons. 1: it is all concentrated in the vast central space and 2) it has two 50" stops, the above-mentioned rompette and the Tuba Magna. That combination of stops (not to maention the trio of Harmoniques!) and placement would make for a louder sound. Anyone with a db meter willing to travel & take readings? :-)

[3dwurli]

@trompettechamade1 The Tuba Magna at Liverpool anglican is no longer on 50" wind, it hasnt been for a while, its on around 40" wind now as its in poor condition.

I wonder how the 4 100" ranks at Atlantic city would sound together.....the Grand Ophicliede alone produces 130dB

[wunderbarmom]

My father built pipe organs and worked on this very organ years ago as perhaps my grandfather did also.

[kentingtonallen]

I was fortunate to be a student under Alec Wyton, (circa 1973), after the deat of my great and first professor Dr. Clarence Mader. Soli Deo Gloria

[brisw28]

What is going on with the audio? The quality keeps making the pitch change and I know that is not that gorgeous instrument

[a55b47]

Can't say that I can hear it, but my wife says my hearing is suspect ;-). If it's there, it's probably due to the fact that I copied this recording onto CD from a 50-year-old LP that had survived many moves & considerable abuse -- & could have been slightly warped.

[philomela100]

@a55b47

You have the same disc that I have. The album is "The Cathedral Organ",

with Alec Wyton's picture on the back. For your information, Mary Wyton

lives in Ridgefield, CT and once in a while gets to the Cathedral!

[a55b47]

@philomela100 That album is one of the very first organ albums (or albums of any kind, for that matter) that I ever bought, waaaaay back in the early 60's. There was almost no recorded organ music available in those black LP days, & this was one of my treasures. I wish Wyton had recorded more. For that matter, I wish a whole lot of organists had recorded more. It just wasn't feasible in those days --- quite a switch from the current situation.

[philomela100]

@a55b47

The only Wyton recording I don't have is the one showing the choir in procession

on the cover.

I'm visiting New York soon and will have my second "go" on the organ (the

first was last year). Quimby improved the placement of the Great upperwork

in the re-installation (late 2008). This new placement allows for greater

tuning stability and better tonal cohesion of the Great. When were you last

at the Cathedral? How far are you from New York?

[robllanfair]

Can you get the manuscript any where

[horndiapason]

Apocalyptic. Scripture references/images flash across one's mind, not the least of which is: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised." (Psalm 48:1)

Thank you for a post that has jump-started my day for me!

[bombarde1701]

I hope this piece ends up on a new recording on the Great Organ. Its great it's finally restored.

[philomela100]

Marilyn Keiser very likely will be playing the

Fanfare on her October 20th recital. It will be

at 7:30 in the evening.

[sheepfokker1]

Kudos. And kudos to Doug Hunt. It sounds marvelous. I turned pages for Frederick Geoghegan (1921-1982) in '68 for his first public recital of Introduction, Variations and Fugue on an Original Theme, Opus 73 by Max Reger. It was such a thrilling sound and I am happy that the sound of the organ hasn't been messed up. Hey I even got to play it. I will never forget it. Although the recording of Reger was accidentally erased I have one of his improvisation on reeds and state trumpets. I'll post.

[KCMDButcher42]

Good news. I spoke with Mike Quimby of Quimby Organs who restored this organ. The organ is in place at St. John the Divine and breathing again! They even replaced the console with a new one!

[theblackhand2]

Awesome to hear that. Hopefully there will be a recording of the restored organ soon.

[a55b47]

Great news. Any word on when/if they're going to have the dedicatory recital?

[livzdave]

The first official rededication service is on Sunday, November 30th at 11AM, when the organ will be heard in public for the first time since before the 2001 fire. This is the first service celebrating the reopening of the fully restored Cathedral after the 3+ year cleaning project. Then there will be a series of rededication concerts over the next few years which will lead up to the 100th anniversary of AS Op. 150 in 2010...

[a55b47]

Thanks for the info. I've sort of been trying to keep up with progress on the St.JtheD web site, but it's not very informative.

[livzdave]

I just added my first YouTube video, so please be kind... It was an unforgettable rededication service today, 11/30/2008. The organ sounds beyond amazing, and I spent a few minutes with curator and friend Doug Hunt. Doug gave me a few details of the new tonal additions to the organ - all very minor but none of them detract from the overall character of Op. 150B. Much more to come!!

[a55b47]

Absolutely magnificent & spectacular !! LD, you're a prince !! I hope to make it up to NYC in the near future, & my first stop will be St J the D.

[livzdave]

I've just posted my 2nd video of the Rededication Service. I think you'll really like the new one. Bruce Neswick puts the trumpets through their paces - Enjoy!

[philomela8]

tonal additions to an already huge organ!!

what a waste of effort and it's a breach

of artistic integrity, too.

[livzdave]

Why are you rushing to condemn the additions when you don't even know what they are? I spent almost 2 hours with Doug Hunt 2 days ago, and all the additions are minor. They are all in the spirit of GDH's vision in 1953, but due to a tight budget they couldn't be added at that time...Again, nothing major, and nothing added for pure 'effect'.

[KCMDButcher42]

What did they add? I didn't ask Quimby about the additions.

[livzdave]

Doug Hunt is working up a comprehensive summary and new organ specification of the tonal changes/additions. He has been too busy with the Quimby technicians and all the work required to re-install the organ to take a break to write up the new specification....

[theblackhand2]

Great composition. I heard that the organ is included in a five million dollar restoration project aimed at undoing the damage done by a fire that gutted the north transept and silenced the organ. Hope to hear it action soon.

[KCMDButcher42]

Good news. I spoke with Mike Quimby of Quimby Organs who restored this organ today at and AGO recital in Kansas City. The organ is in place at St. John the Divine and breathing again! They even replaced the console with a new one!

[stanmugs]

I have often listened to the Winter Solstice program from there over public radio, and it was just after one of those programs that the darn cathedral caught fire and that was that for the organ! Anyway, it's due back later this year, right? Hope so!

[a55b47]

In November, so I understand. I went to a couple of the Winter Solstice concerts back in the early 80's, with Paul Winter (appropriately named, wasn't he? ;-) on the english horn & Paul Halley doing his marvelous improvisations. Those guys really knew how to use the reverberant acoustics.

[LynolsOffice]

That organ was amazing! So sad about the fire. I had the privilege to hear the real deal late one night back in 1995. I was with my sunday school class, and other kids from about 10 other churches. The organist played "Toccata and Fugue in D minor" All the lights were dimmed, and it was absolutely chilling!!

[JamesLiverpool76]

ps. the last bit about Liverpool was just my humour, in case I am miscontrued as being facetious!

[a55b47]

New York, New York. The town so nice they named it twice ;-). I sort of figured you had your tongue firmly planted in cheek.

But you can never take from Liverpool the fact that it produced the most influential musicians of the 20th Century (That would be a thesis worthy of a few papers.)

[JamesLiverpool76]

Thank you for your kind words. As I said, I will return to NYC soon. I was even tempted, after reading a post on here regarding the re-dedication, to book a flight to attend the service, but sadly, commitments call. I also hope to visit Washington, DC and its own mighty National Cathedral. I suspect a cathedral and organ vulture like myself will be in for a real treat.

[dsindc]

If you're in Washington, I'd also suggest you visit St. Paul's K street. It is very Anglo Catholic, very alive, with a spectacular very large organ and a choir that has been recorded several times. One other, The Church of the Ascension & St. Agnes on Massachusetts Ave. Again Anglo Catholic, large, with a huge new organ and excellent music. However (ahem again).. It is high church as in higher than the angels. The Pope himself would say "what the f..?". Tons of Brits in our diocese.

[JamesLiverpool76]

Many thanks for the information about the church in Washington, DC, and also for providing the official name of the Cathedral. I shall be sure to seek both out when I visit.

[JamesLiverpool76]

I went to New York in 2004, and St. John the Divine was top of my list to visit. I was awestruck on entering, and fell in love with the place. I went back three times in as many days! Sadly, the organ was out of use then, and I wish that I could be there for the re-dedication service. The recording sounds amazing, especially the State Trumpets! I know that I will be back to that great building in that great city one day soon. The greatest city on earth (after Liverpool, of course!) :o)

[dsindc]

JamesLiverpool, you are most welcome to visit Washington, my home. I am Anglican and my parish is just down the street from the (ahem) Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, AKA Washington "National Cathedral". I have to say though, having been to SJTD in NYC, as absolutely gigantic as the nave is, if you wear a toupee, the pontifical trumpet pipes over the entrance will blow it right off your head. I have never heard such a sound with such strength. (cont)

[BayAreaBiker2001]

When the State Trumpets were first tested, they were blown out of their holes. Later, they were strapped or bolted down, as is the Grand Ophicleide in Atlantic City,necessary due to the extremely high wind pressures used.

[MayadaJeffery]

BayBiker,

I always heard that story in context of the en chamade pipes at Riverside Church. Are you sure? I heard Riverside was on 100 inches of wind and the pipes were blown over the balconey...

[bhigdaddymark]

@MayadaJeffery The State Trumpet in The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (world's largest GOTHIC cathedral) is on 50" wind pressure and the pipes are strapped in place. The chamade at Riverside Church is on either 21-1/2 or 22" of wind pressure. There isn't an organ in NYC or NY State with a stop on 100" wind pressure.

[livzdave]

I also cannot wait for the 'real deal' to be placed back into service, with the grand re-dedication of the Cathedral scheduled for 11/30/2008. I am good friends with Dorothy Papadakos and Tim Brumfield, and hearing the recent announcement of Bruce Neswick as Organist and Director of Music is welcome news! The East end of the Cathedral is scheduled to be closed at the end of June, with the repairs of the Apse roof needed to plug the very devastating water leaks of the last 20+ years.

[a55b47]

Bruce Neswick was very popular when he was here in DC @ National Cathedral.  This couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[heartattackmn]

Bruce will be returning in July to St. John The Divine, N.Y.C. after 8 years at St. Philip's, Cathedral, Atlanta. We'll miss him.

[Gball223]

a55b47- (between your great Natl Cathedral posts and this, I have many comments/questions)

Any idea what the huge 16' pedal reed is in this piece? I've always (just via several digital 1980's era recordings of this instrument that I've basically 'worn out') assumed that the huge 16 foot pedal reed that dominates on some pieces on CDs is the Skinner original Ophechliede 16' on the pedal. Can anyone comment on this? Friend of mine played Yale Skinner & says Oph16 there had similar/awesome tone.

[a55b47]

I've got a stoplist of the 1954 Aeolian Skinner/Donald Harrison restoration/expansion: there are 3 16' reeds listed: Ophicleide,Bombarde,& Contra Fagotto. Given that this recording was made just a few years after Harrison got his hands on the organ, I expect we're hearing the Oph. But Harrison did extensive work on these 3 reeds, because he thought the original Willis-inspired reeds had a lower end that was "ponderous" in tone. So, whatever it is, we're hearing a bastardized Skinner reed.

[stevebournias]

u havent been there to play it...u r 100% in error ...the gdh pedal reeds r dynamite

[stevebournias]

the pedal reed is the rebuilt 16' euphone of wood and was an extension downward of the solo tuba mirabilis originally also on 25'' wind. now the a-s gdh rebuild made it a fiery stop on 17'' wind. it is also at 8 and 4 as trumpet and clarion of metal pipes. the original 32 wood bombarde is still there but in 1953 gdh put in a new mwtal one as an extension of the bombarde 16 in the bomb division.

[Gball223]

Those tubas around 1:50 are just awesome. Harrison (and Aeolian-Skinner) built a masterpiece here.

I second an earlier question posted here; anyone know how the renovation is going? The rededication still planned for '09?

Gball

[a55b47]

Well, the StJ website says "restoration of the cathedral & great organ will be complet in November 2008." If that's the case, I'm planning a Christmastime trip to NYC. If I were forced to pick my favorite combination of instrument & building in the Western Hemisphere, this might well be it. I just hope they didn't mess with it too much during restoration.

[2468HOTROD]

Are there any more up to date videos from St. John the Devine?

[a55b47]

Well,there are quite a few recordings made in the CD era(80's & 90's)--Dorothy Papadakos,Marsha Heather Long,Jonathan Dimmock,Paul Halley,etc.But I take my videos from old LP's, & there were almost no recordings of the instrument in the LP era.But that can be said of almost every great organ:it was economically unjustifiable, given the great cost of recording/limited demand. I take the pix off the internet: not many of them around, unfortunately. And no pix OR recordings since the 2001 fire.

[CamelotShadow]

Wow, sort of phantom of the opera meets Shadow.,...

Cool minor keys!]]

LUV it!!!!

[eelgar1857]

Anyone know how the renovation of the organ is going?

[StuC777]

Someone who should know told me earlier this week it should be done by November.

[lonya53]

The Cathedral organ was a wondrous instrument. I sang there as a schoolboy under Mr. Wyton. Mr. Hancock was his associate. One day and Mr.Hancock walked in to the choir room with Ray Charles. Ray had just taken a tour of the Cathedral and played the organ. He asked whether we knew "Hit the Road Jack" (this was late 63 or early 64). We said yes of course, Well step on up to the piano and sing along. He taught us the chorus and there we were singing it with Jack with Ray Charles. Awesome.

[StuC777]

I used to turn pages for Mr. Wyton during his Sunday-afternoon recitals. Once, when no one was in the Cathedral, he let me play... ONE stop, ONE hymn. As you say, awesome!

[reedchorus]

I first heard this piece on a record (about 1963) and first visited the Cathedral in 1965 ( Eugene Hancock was the recitalist) . I recall him playing a piece by Fela Sowande (Joshua fit' the battle of Jericho). He did use the State Trumpet.I have been there on many occasions As others have commented the sound is magnificent. The last time I visited was before the fire and Felix Hell was the recitalist. I just hope that the cleanup does not change the sound.

Ed Brown

[a55b47]

I'm with you on that, Ed. The organ -- one of the great instruments of the world in one of the great buildings of the world -- was in deplorable condition for a long time; I hope they get everything right when they re-install it. And take better care of it.

[theblackhand2]

I have a Telarc CD of Micheal Murray playing a trumpet voluntary and making good use of the fabulous and very distinctive sounding trumpete enchamade stops located just below the great rose window. The reverberant acoustics in St. John is absolutely stellar and gives the organ a very open and airy sound, a quality sadly not found in most organs installed modern day churches. Hope the organ gets back to working order soon.

[sykobeachparty]

St. John the Divine is my dream job. I'm friends with Dorothy Papadakos, who was the organist there for Tim Brumfield, who's there' now. I LOVE this Cathedral, it's a marvelous space, and an even more marvelous organ.

[a55b47]

Where is Dorothy these days? The last I saw of her was her wedding announcement in the NYtimes a few years back, to an artist from North Carolina.

[StuC777]

Last I heard she was still in North Carolina. She's a friend of mine too, dating back to before her job at Big John's. What a great organist!

[fthiggins]

Thanks for posting these videos. I hope you have the Paul Halley Nightwatch album also. This is a spectacular recording of the instrument and the improvs are also very good.

I agree that this is one of the finest instruments in the world - a totally unique organ and setting.

[a55b47]

I do indeed have Nightwatch, & every other recording of this instrument I can lay my hands on. I had the pleasure of attending one of the cathedral's Winter Solstice concerts during Halley's tenure, & his improvisations were absolutely stunning. He really knew how to put that organ through its paces.

[bhigdaddymark]

My all time favorite space, my kid brother went to the Cathedral school and sang in the choir under Dr. Wyton. We lived not far (Amsterdam @ 133rd St.) I knew Dr. Wyton and have played this organ many times even for a graduation and evensong (1999). It's the best organ/acoustic ever!

[a55b47]

I'm looking forward to visiting the place after they re-install the old Skinner (supposedly late htis year). I hope they don't mess around with it too much; it's one of my all-time favorites.

[wheidelberg]

Was the fire a result of the 911 attack? I am not familiar with the City.

[a55b47]

No, but it happened only 2 or 3 weeks later, as I recall. I think it was the result of some faulty wiring in the Gift Shop, which is in the North Transept. The organ was not directly damaged by the fire, but was smothered by soot & smoke.

[2468HOTROD]

I never heard of this place until I heard a radio program called Pipedreams, hosted by Michael Barone in 1989 or 1990, where I recorded it on a small casset recorder. I wore the tape out playing it so much. But I know about it now and I never get tired of listening to this organ. It is GRAND! Thank you for this video.

[a55b47]

nd I thought I was the only one who recorded old Pipedreams programs ;-). They're available online now, you know. Which is good, because my local PBS/NPR station doesn't carry it any more.

[jmeister321684]

You have a VERY good turntable, whose needle never jumps on old LP's use! Thanks!

[a55b47]

Bang & Olufsen, bought in 1982 ;-)  Tough finding needles for them now, though. Thank goodness for the Internet.

[jmeister321684]

Oh! That's not a Realistic! I have my father's 1970 Dual 1218 with a Grado needle I put on some 10 years ago. Thanks

[2468HOTROD]

We lived in Los Angeles when I recorded the cassette and received Pipedreams, but live in Austin now so we don't have it either. I love the loud full organ and I've gotta push 3 CDs off on everybody. 1. 'Organ Showpieces From St. Paul's Cathedral'-Naxos cd# 8.550955 2. JAV Recordings cd# 158 'The Widor Mass, Op. 36 recorded at St. Sulpice, Paris 3. JAV Recordings cd# 130 'St. Sulpice' Stephen Tharp, organist.........3 beautiful and grand recordings........Peace

[sykobeachparty]

I LOVE this Cathedral and this organ deeply.

[a55b47]

I'm with you. I hope they don't mess it up too much when they re-install it. It's a masterpiece, when you combine the instrument with that awesome accoustic.

[stevebournias]

mess it up? u r something else. u dont know doug hunt...every pipe will be exactly as gdh left it in 1953

[philomela8]

can we trust Doug Hunt? nothing on this

organ should be changed

[livzdave]

Yes, we can trust Doug Hunt and Michael Quimby. I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Quimby, and he supports Doug's tonal decisions with this refurbishment.