I might get to play pipes!

[Vercus]

Hello,

I just recently went to a preliminary interview for a church in New Jersey with a nice 3 manual pipe organ! For me, this is a huge occasion, as mose of the churches I have played for have had small Allen organs. It's a beautiful Jacob Gerger organ, from the early 1900s I am told. The church doesn't know the exact date. I am in the process of researching it. I have contacted the maker, and they are going to get back to me.

I am going back to play the organ tomorrow, and will try to remember to write down the exact spec, but it's pretty large.

Here's what I remember offhand: Pedal has 32' Contra Bourdon and 4 16' stops, plus 16' trumpet. Swell has 2 rank Voix Celeste. Great, Choir, and Pedal are unenclosed! This gives a unique playing experience in my opinion, but very clear and very enjoyable! Choir is off to the right side (looking towards the front of the church) which is right next to the choir seating.

Church is one level, from late 1800s. Seats 750 in 3 rows, arranged in a semi-circle. Hardwood floors and pews (no soft seats). Carpet only between aisles and around pulpit. Hard, angled ceiling- it has multiple points in it, very nice to look at, and has nice acoustic as well.

The people are very friendly, and the position seems to suit my abilities and interests as well. Bottom line, I'm very excited, and hope I get the position very much! I'll try to keep you guys updated. I'll also try to take some pics tomorrow and get them up for you to see.

-Jon

[Don Furr]

Re: I might get to play pipes!

Best of luck that that Jon!!!!![Y][Y]

[davidecasteel]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. I hope you get the job!

David

[radagast]

Re: I might get to play pipes!

[quote user="Vercus"]


Hello,

I just recently went to a preliminary interview for a church in New Jersey with a nice 3 manual pipe organ! For me, this is a huge occasion, as mose of the churches I have played for have had small Allen organs. It's a beautiful Jacob Gerger organ, from the early 1900s I am told. The church doesn't know the exact date. I am in the process of researching it. I have contacted the maker, and they are going to get back to me.

I am going back to play the organ tomorrow, and will try to remember to write down the exact spec, but it's pretty large.

Here's what I remember offhand: Pedal has 32' Contra Bourdon and 4 16' stops, plus 16' trumpet. Swell has 2 rank Voix Celeste. Great, Choir, and Pedal are unenclosed! This gives a unique playing experience in my opinion, but very clear and very enjoyable! Choir is off to the right side (looking towards the front of the church) which is right next to the choir seating.

Church is one level, from late 1800s. Seats 750 in 3 rows, arranged in a semi-circle. Hardwood floors and pews (no soft seats). Carpet only between aisles and around pulpit. Hard, angled ceiling- it has multiple points in it, very nice to look at, and has nice acoustic as well.

The people are very friendly, and the position seems to suit my abilities and interests as well. Bottom line, I'm very excited, and hope I get the position very much! I'll try to keep you guys updated. I'll also try to take some pics tomorrow and get them up for you to see.

-Jon

[/quote]

I'm confused. You said a few days ago that you were going to Allen's factory to check out the Elite series, because your church was looking for a new organ and that was one of the ones they were considering. Is this church with the pipe organ a different church?

Bill

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Hello Radagast,

Sorry for the confusion. The church that is looking to replace their organ is my parents church- East Stroudsburg United Methodist Church.. I grew up going to that church so I still have a habit of calling it my church- because of all the churches I've been to, that one still feels like home. [:)]

However, I took another path several years ago when I started playing as an organist at churches other than ESUMC. So, I have played for a few now, but with the exception of a short stint at an Episcopal church, all have been Allens. Even the Episcopal's pipe organ was very small compared with the Washington UMC organ.

So, I got to play the organ for several hours today, undisturbed. As a result, I was able to check out every stop, which was an awesome discovery. Even more enjoyable was finding ways to blend the stops across the three divisions to create a wonderful sound. My, aren't unenclosed pipe organs great!

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Here's the stoplist, with a few notes:

Pedal: (Unenclosed) Swell: (enclosed) Great: (unenclosed)

32' Acoustic Basse (Resultant of 16' Sou basse) Bourdon 16' Violone 16'

16' Contra Basse Diapason 8' - unit Open Diapason 8' -unit

16' Sou basse Bourdon 8' Dopple Flote 8'

16' Bourdon (same as choir Holz Gedackt) Salicional 8' Melodia 8'

8' Octave basse Voix Celeste II 8' Dulciana 8'

8' Violon Cello Prestant 4' - unit Octav 4' - unit

8' Sou basse Waldflote 4' Harmonic Flote 4'

8' Bourdon Prinzipal 2' - unit Quinte 2 2/3'

4' Choral Basse Plein Jeu III Super Octav 2' - unit

4' Gambe Oboe 8 ' Tierce 1 3/5'

4' Dopple Flote (Great) Tremblant - not working Fourniture IV

2' Octavin Swell 16' Trompete 8' (again a favorite)

2' Dopple Flote Swell Unison Off Didn't write down the couplers

Mixture III Swell 4 '

Contre Trompete 16' (one of my favorites)

Trompete 8' (both Trompetes from Great)

Oboe 4'

8' and 4' couplers from all three manuals

Positiv on next post

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Positiv: (unenclosed)

Holz Gedackt 8'

Quntaton 8'

Prinzipal 4'

Nasat 2 2/3'

Octavin 2'

Tremblant (not working)

Gt Trompette 8'

Chimes (not working)

Positif 16'

Positif Unison Off

Positiv 4'

Swell to Positiv 16', 8', 4'

Great to Positiv 8'

Nave Expression Closed - closes swell shades facing Nave, leaving shades facing the choir controlled by pedal - a nice effect, allows me to blend the swell and choir (positiv) together, as the positiv is exposed and placed in front of the swell shade opening for the choir

The Blower is a large Kinetic, powered by a huge old 3/4 HP motor with a patent date of 1912. It's still going well. The motor was just rebuilt for the first time a few years ago.

Hope this wasn't too much to read, I'm just excited about this! I'm going to upload some pictures and post a link in my next post.

-Jon

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Here's some pictures

I welcome all comments!

Thanks,

Jon

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



I'm kinda surprised nobody's posted yet! [:S]

Anyway, my interview is set for June 25th, so I have a little time to get ready. I am asked to rehearse one song with the choir, and play something on the organ. I have to figure out what I'm going to do for each. I want my organ piece to sound impressive, but not be so difficult that nervousness can cause me to make mistakes. I considering maybe doing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", as that is a big full impressive piece, then using more flutes and strings and variety on "In the Garden".

As far as the choir, I am thinking of using an arrangement of Amazing Grace, as their choir is only 2 part, and it seems pretty approachable.

This will be my first time as a choir director. Are there any suggestions you guys would have? I've been in choirs before, so I have certainly been around choir directors before, but I'm sure it'll be quite different being on the other side.

-Jon

[davidecasteel]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Well, the church certainly appears to be a nice space and you have said the acoustics are very good. The organ is quite beautiful. As I said before, I hope you get the job.

I'm not a good organist and have no experience, but are you sure that just playing a hymn (even a hymn arrangement) is what they are seeking for "play something on the organ"? Could they be wanting to know how you will perform for gathering/dismissal music? How formal is the worship experience in that church? Even Bach has some organ pieces that are very interesting but not overly difficult to play, if your confidence level is not high--perhaps some Rheinberger or similar contemplative music. One does not have to bowl folks over with bombast (Karg-Elert) or virtuosity (Widor) to demonstrate competency. I think you would do well to consider music that might fit well into their worship format, since they are examining you to fill a church music position. Of course, it is possible that you have already made that effort and that hymnody is the best medium to demonstrate. I don't know what type of music is expected in that church, but I thought it was worth bringing up. The presence of such a wonderful and large instrument hints that, at least at one time, something more than hymn playing was contemplated.

David

[Austin766]

Re: I might get to play pipes!

Karg-Elert's Nun Danket (fully Nun Danket Alle Gott) isn't too hard to play, (just difficult to find on the internet, since Karg-Elert isn't too well known) you can find a score for it at music.untraveledroad.com, but, and for choir I might go with Lambscapes (fine...this piece is probably not the best choice if you want the job, but it's really funny, Mary had a Little Lamb in multiple settings, from Gregorian Chant to the Messiah to Gospel) but, a two part choir, interesting...

[Hammondlover]

Re: I might get to play pipes!

What, no Tibias?

[FrenchHorn8]

Re: I might get to play pipes!

Interesting spec. It's kind of funny having a "Super Octav" and a Melodia in the same organ, let alone on the same division!  You should hook up the trems and the chimes (if they're there!) 

The organ almost seems like it was pieced together.  Do you have any more history of the instrument? 

WHY ARE THE GREAT DIAPASONS UNIT!!!???????????  arrrgghhhhh

k. I'm done.

[Guest]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Hi Vercus, congrats on getting this wonderful chance, hope all goes well! Looks like a fine instrument!

I sort of agree with Davidecasteel on this one, they might want something more than a hymn arrangement. I may be wrong! I might advise ringing them and see what they are suits them in their style of worship. Not only will this help you to pick your piece, but will score brownie points (hopefully) as you will sound interested, and want the job very much, which im in no doubt that you do!

Whatever you do, I wish you the very best of luck, and hope you get the position!

Kind regards,

TT

[Vercus]

Re: I might get to play pipes!



Yeah, I do wish the Diapasons were separate ranks. Given the overall scale of the organ, I would have thoguht they were. I would certainly be useful when the Fourniture IV is pulled out, which dominates all. Come to think of it, I've never had the privilege of playing an organ with a full diapason chorus, which is sad. Oh well, my life isn't over yet.

-Jon