Fanfare for the Common Man from St. John the Divine, NYC

[TheMysticalOrgan]

Golly, when that thing's out of tune it sounds like the horn on the Devil's ship!

[osclarkos]

Very enjoyable thank you

[gramps2matt]

I'm impressed that there is an organ transcription for this piece. A number of years ago when I had access to a church organ the best I could find was a reduction for piano. So blessings to the woman who did this transcription. I hope she publishes it 'cause if I ever have access to a pipe organ again I'll buy a copy.

[a55b47]

@gramps2matt Dorothy Papadakos was, until around 2002, the organist at St. John the Divine. I'm not aware of any publication of this particular transcription; I do know that she recorded several CD's (still available) featuring her compositions & improvisations. Last I heard, she was living & working in Wilmington, NC.

[BigDaddyOldDude]

It would be awesome to hear this magnificent tune when Christ splits the skies at the final call!

[BigDaddyOldDude]

The most majestic of instruments!

[Chesterbarnes1]

Listen to the POWERFUL of this ORGAN. Wow! Bravo! They must have put a ORGAN BLOWER as large as the Empire State Building! POWERFUL...Yes!

Mighty! Awesome!!!!!!

[eliotcantsing]

I don't think its possible to keep these things in tune. But what a cool job regardless :) I would do it as volunteer work, just going there every few weeks and tuning those monsters. I'd end up going deaf after a while even with protection I shouldn't wonder...

[sailormann1]

Are those Tubas really that powerful at 1:18 (relative to the 50" wind pressure State Trumpet), or is the mic just alot closer to the Tubas/the main organ than it is to the State Trumpets?

This recording is actually distorting my speakers... see Dorothy Papadakos' recording of this piece on the CD series "The Great Pipe Organs of NYC" for a slightly more balanced recording of this. Glad you posted this -- but the balance on the tubas is waaaay overpowering, at least on my lil sound system.

[a55b47]

@sailormann1 I'm not an audiophile, just an organ-lover with a Zoom H2 digital recorder about the size of a cigarette pack. Yes, I was sitting (with my recorder) in the choir stalls, right under the main organ, so the tubas would, quite naturally, be closer to the recording source, given that the State Trumpets are a city block away from the main organ.

[dmph3]

@a55b47 use audacity (free) and a nyquist fileter called clipfix (free). it will likely fix this.

[accousticdecay]

ethereal!! Stunning! Speechless!

[trompettechamade1]

Overall, a very exciting rendition quite well recorded considering the situation, up to your usual very high standards. Thank you very much. BTW, the quoted 601' length is west rose window to east apse window; I would estimate that the State Trumpet is about 500' away from the rest of the organ, still a very considerable distance; and none of my comments are meant to detract from the size of the edifice, or the majesty of the sound. Thanks again!

[MsContessina]

You just made a masterpiece!!!!! I really love it!

Congrats Robert!!!!

[DSM1G90]

Looked into Amazon on this recording device ... definitely quite the instrument to capture on location performances...! Bet one could take this unit at St. Sulpice and really do some capturing..!

[DSM1G90]

I bet recording in the size of this venue is like recording the Midmer-Loch at Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City Convention Center) in Atl. City (when that organ was fully functioning ) - so much magnitude to capture within the sheer limitations of the recording devices that it's really impossible to capture the complete aura of dynamics. The ear just has to be there personally to get the full experience. Congrats on the capture - it was fantastic!

[a55b47]

@DSM1G90 All thanks due to my little Zoom H2. It's the size of a cigarette pack, but packs quite a recording punch (They're not paying me for this testimonial, BTW ;-)

[railroadjay1]

Anyway I can down load this on Itunes or MP3?



[a55b47]

@railroadjay1 I use TubeSock -- download-able for 15 bucks. You can then download audio & video -- or just audio.

[zbaf6]

I would LOVE to hear this instrument in person!

[tylergig]

even though the audio is distorted, I know it's because of the sheer power of this instrument, so I don't mind it.

[3dwurli]

Trumpets need abit more weight behind them!

[Bigu47]

@livzdave:

Superb video/photos of both a Great Cathedral featuring that Trumpet Organ and a Classic American Composer Aaron Copland!

Visited Saint Johns about five years ago, stunned by it's sheer size and beauty.

[Bigu47]

Amazing power demonstrated by the great Trumpet Organ of a classic song by the renowned American Composer Aaron Copland.

[oofahman]

Amazing in that the State Trumpet is almost 601 feet from the main organ...love it!

[SnoozeButton57]

When the final trumpets blow announcing the coming of our Lord, watch as the atheists fall to their knees not a moment after we who crave His return! The spiritual tsunami will have its intended effect.

[AMGBenzS65]

The sound of the State Trumpet never fails to make my eyes fill with water... its breath-taking. Absolutely breath-taking.

[wpiv926]

Got to hear this in person in July. I had gosebumps the whole time.  That 6 second reverbaration is simply amazing.

[tamiasthechipmunk]

I can never get enough of that awesome State Trumpet stop and the incredible reverberation of the vast acoustics. Absolutely spin tingling

[lechanavarro]

Muy buena esta interpretación.

Un saludo.

[organblower]

Excellent! Really nice pictures as well.

[SuperElBorba]

You captured "it" . . I was there last summer, and it was 115 on the front steps . . Anyone who has been around the big east coast organs knows that Summertime tuning is "unique"

[engelbertschoormans]

Its not tuning :-(

[silverstartrucker]

Terrific....

[Coandar]

"Awe-inspiring" just hits it right! If only the recording was a little less distorted...

[a55b47]

@Coandar It's extremely difficult to adjust my recorder to deal with the big sound close-up & pick up the State Trumpets. In addition, I'm not a recording engineer -- just an organ nut.

[bombarde1701a]

@a55b47 I know the feeling...but the recordings I made at the AGO convention a week or so ago came out great

[livzdave]

@a55b47 Before the recent Quimby rebuild, the recording 'sweet spot' in St. John was about 20 feet west of the Choir steps in the Crossing. This allowed the State Trumpet and the main instrument to be balanced fairly well. Now that the rebuilt instrument has more 'presence' in the room (due to a variety of factors), the sweet spot is farther west - closer to the State Trumpet.. During the recent recital series in Oct. of 2009 and Apr. of 2010, I found this was the best listening location..

[a55b47]

@livzdave Thanks for the info. This was my first visit to St. J the D since the re-installation, & I sat in the choir so I could hear Bill Randolph give his spiel during the Monday organ demonstration. My daughter's looking seriously at Columbia as a college possibility, so I may be making more frequent visits to Morningside Heights ;-)

[irkibby]

It's glorious despite the distortion! I long for proper equipment for my videos!

[gzaenker]

@a55b47 the best device to replay a good recording of this is a Class A triode without a transformer in the output.