Tweet
Does anyone have information on the Grace Cathedral organ. How does it sound?
-
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
glorious it had been altered by a local restored to gdh specs 1934/1952 plus new hi pressure tuba
32 bombarde is to kill-a magnificent tonality ems sold the job BUT
client demanded gdh to supervise ems was sullen gdh did a great job in 1952 he removed gt diap 8 III and put in a gemshorn 8
the sound has the best of the ems soft and orch tones and a gdh backbone of clean diapason tone and fiery reeds -
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
I haven't heard it live for about 5 years (it sounded glorious!), but a recent Gothic CD (49206) "Chosen Tunes" with Susan Matthews will provide a good example. One of the highlites is Paul Halley's Outer Hebrides, a work that deserves to be in the repertoire. (Not to reign over Ms. Matthews's parade, but the composer's recording is a tad bit better.)
Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Please forgive me, Jason, for having a bit of fun at your expense:
Not to reign over Ms. Matthews's parade, . . .
Do you mean rule over her parade or to drop precipitation upon her parade? LOL!
(Sorry!)
[:$][;)]
Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Her arrangement of the Howels is wonderfull. I need to write her to see it if it published.Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
[quote user="sesquialtera16"]
glorious it had been altered by a local restored to gdh specs 1934/1952 plus new hi pressure tuba
32 bombarde is to kill-a magnificent tonality ems sold the job BUT
client demanded gdh to supervise ems was sullen gdh did a great job in 1952 he removed gt diap 8 III and put in a gemshorn 8
the sound has the best of the ems soft and orch tones and a gdh backbone of clean diapason tone and fiery reeds
[/quote]
I don't understand what "32bombarde is to kill a magnificent tonality ems sold the job" means. What is GDH and EMS?Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
[quote user="schoenstein-organist"]
What is GDH and EMS?
[/quote]
G Donald Harrison
Ernest M SkinnerComment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
And bombarde is to kill?Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
The Bombarde 32 is to die for (so to speak).Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Alright, if I got a chance to play it, what should I play. Maybe something of the Later Romantics? Or is it good for all styles?[^o)]Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
[quote user="schoenstein-organist"]Alright, if I got a chance to play it, what should I play. Maybe something of the Later Romantics? Or is it good for all styles?[^o)][/quote]
can safely play any music composed after the year 1400Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
[quote user="schoenstein-organist"]Does anyone have information on the Grace Cathedral organ. How does it sound?[/quote]
What sort of information are you seeking, exactly?
The organis indeedquite nice with a wealth of lovely voices - it issuch a luxuryto be able to choose betweentwo or three8' diapasons, flutes, strings/celestes, and chorus reeds on nearly every manual! The acoustic is difficult however.The cathedral isconstructed of concrete, which makes for a different effect than you might find in a stone edifice.Sound wallows around andunless you articulate carefully theeffect will bevery muddy, with a preponderance of bass.The majority of organists in this country will not have experience playing in such ahugely reverberantacoustic.
The organ is eclectic and plays everything well, and is at its most thrilling when heard from the quire. Itdoes a beautiful job withEnglishcathedral music (somewhat of a rarity for organs in this country), and itis convincingwith French romantic music. Because it is such a refined instrument it lacksa bit of the fire and raw bombast you might find in a French organ; no doubt this is one of the reasons the Bombarde division was added. However, the Casavant Bombarde wasa bit tooraucouscompared to the A-S, and there was littleblend. The Bombarde is now silent but the Casavant Antiphonal is still functional (and effective).
The organ was built before the cathedral was finished, and I believe GDH intended to add a large Diapason chorus to help fill the completed edifice. The chambers are unbelievably deep.
The new console is considerably more solidand ergonomic than what preceded it.
Is there a real possibility youwill betaking it for a spin?Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Yes, I'm scheduling a private demonstration with the organist. I'm not sure if he'll let me play it though. I'm really looking forward to it. What English music should I play if I get a chance? I have never heard the organ but I've seen the console. I don't believe I saw an antphonal divison. Or would that be the same as a gallery division?Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Yes, it is the Gallery division,which speaks antiphonally. [:D]
Rather than telling you what to learn for the occasion, I would imagine it would be worlds better if you could play something you already know well. Whenever you get such an opportunity, you really want to make the best of it and play as proficiently and musically as you are able.
If you happen to have some Howells or Whitlock under your fingers, then you are in luck!
A flashy French work (that you play well [^o)])would be exciting too, and Bach is always appropriate.Comment
-
Re: Grace Cathedral San Francisco
Maybe Pachelbel's Toccatain e minor, someFranck, and the first and last bits of Widor's 6th symphony(1st mvt.)
If you happen to have some Howells or Whitlock under your fingers, then you are in luck!
I don't know what that means.Comment
Comment