CREATING THE STRADIVARIUS OF ORGANS (TRAILER)

"Creating the Stradivarius of Organs" is a behind-the-scenes look at the remarkable collaboration between dozens of artists and artisans on the journey of designing, building and installing the largest tracker organ in New York City since the 19th Century, the N.P. Mander Pipe Organ at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola.

In 1993, this monumental instrument was completed in England and shipped to North America for the painstaking task of installing it into its new home. Standing over 45 feet high, weighing over 30 tons and comprised of 5000 pipes, the organ quickly became a musical icon, drawing renowned musicians from all over the world for an opportunity to perform on this magnificent "Stradivarius of Organs."

"Creating the Stradivarius of Organs" Produced and directed by independent filmmaker Bert Shapiro (Pheasants Eye Productions), this 23-minute film contains archival footage and stills from the Mander workshop in London and the installation in New York, as well as interviews with organ builder John Mander, St. Ignatius Loyola organists Kent Tritle, Nancianne Parrella and Renée Anne Louprette; radio personality Michael Barone -- host of the NPR Program "Pipedreams," and organist David Higgs, who performed the inaugural concert of the organ in April 1993.

"Unlike other instruments, the organ is designed, built and voiced for a specific space. This film beautifully highlights the unique symbiosis between the instrument and the building and the instrument and the performer. I salute this inspiring tribute to the King of Instruments at St. Ignatius Loyola."
Joseph Colaneri, Staff Conductor, Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, NYC Director, Opera Program, Mannes College of Music, NYC

Category:

Music

Tags:

• organs
• pipe
• organists
• organ
• music
• stradivarius

[Christopher81]

I remember when Renée used to accompany CONCORA and when she was attending The Hartt School.  What an amazing organist she is.

[chevithorne]

Thanks Christopher,

I agree about Renee. If you have seen the complete film, I would be interested in any comments.

Can you suggest ways to speak the owrd about the film, I am tring to reach organ lovers anywhere.

Best wishes

bert

[jerrygpp]

Tracker organs were made that way long ago because there was no other way to do it. Modern organs are made any way the builder pleases, since the trackers all by themselves don't guarantee good sound. The voicing of the pipes, and the pleasing resonance of the soundboards, and the placement of the organ are the real deciding factors. This organ sounds marvelous, if earphones on YouTube can be any indication.

[1401JSC]

This is truly a wonderful instrument. John Mander and his team are geniuses.

But why praise the size of the instrument and its being tracker action? It is eminently suited to its acoustic and architectural environment, the stops are magnificently voiced to be beautiful , individual colours and a homogenous mass.

The CD produced for Mander gives a very 'French' timbre to the instrument, but I suppose that depends on how you use it.

Bravo to church authorities that approved this initiative.

[paulj0557]

Am posting today - Valentines Day2011

Please listen to 'Organ Moods, John Winters at the Mighty Wurlitzer'.

Would you please make comments so that we can narrow down the exact organ/model. Someone at Artisan maybe? If the organ has already been digitized and offered as a product I'd really like to know. It being a Wurlitzer should mean that it wasn't a special build opus, correct?

[paulj0557]

Please listen to 'Organ Moods, John Winters at the Mighty Wurlitzer'.

The record is most majestic. Mr. Winter's playing and song selection are outstanding and the organ deserves special attention because of it's amazing tone. What is this Wurlitzer model? Someone can tell us. Someone involved in the recording, someone who plays or has played such an organ, or even the organ itself?

[Silverdaddy101]

Truly breathtaking. This instrument is one of the best of the best.

Iprefer mechanical action too, but have heard several electric actions that were quite convincing. It depends on the skill of the voicer.

One can make mistakes in scaling, but still correct it with a good voicer, so making hardfast rules is silly. There are always exceptions.

[smorris231]

it makes a good sound too

[aihoschema]

Awesome! I am not 100% familiar with the types of pneumatic action on pipe organs - but I am definitely not a European baroque purist (=no Theatre organ style electro mechanics - why?). I love Wurlitzers - with their typical tremulants, vox humana and throaty tibia clausa ranks - and even (non-pipe) Hammonds with their harmonic foldbacks, all thir "flaws" (=character?) and leslie cabs. Of course nothing beats the power of a huge pipe organ, custom built for a hall or church.

[KE5RHD]

Forgot to mention that one of the issues on a tracker organ is the design of the linkages. Some of the current builders like to use diamond shaped links instead of circular or round. This helps reduce the clicking sound when a key or pedal is depressed.

[KE5RHD]

Mass produced organs? All I know is what they do now. A lot of audio engineering with some rather expensive equipment. Then the type, size, diameter, chemistry of each pipe is engineered for a particular space. They take everything into consideration. The only thing mass produced are not part of the final sound output.