Vacation Organs

[lizny]

I've taken it into my head that scoring some playtime on organs where you might be traveling is a thing organists do. Do you do that?

I just tried it in a tiny town in Vermont - Peacham, and the pastor kindly let me try out their organ ( https://pipeorgandatabase.org/organ/52993) - which looks nothing like the photo as it was rebuilt by Estey in 1954 and restored in 2002. This was my first strange organ - not mine and not my church's - which I've played, so it was tremendous fun.

If you are going someplace, and playing some new (to you) organ, can we hear about it?

[myorgan]

Lizny,

I just went to SC and back to New England, but didn't have time to try out any organs. I was going to extend my trip to visit Pease's Pump Organ Collection, but thought better of it. It was a good thing because they stopped 11 guys with camo and guns on I-95 just a few hours after I went through!

One of these years (once I really retire), I want to take a trip and stop by random churches to ask about playing their organ. At the very least, it will let them know there are people are still interested in organs in churches.

Michael

P.S. You know, it reminds me of the passage (I believe in Jude) in the New Testament that talks about being kind to strangers and thereby entertaining angels unawares.

[jbird604]

On our various trips to the UK, I marvel over the amazing organs we see, and most of them are in places where I'd never stand a chance of touching the organ -- the great cathedrals and halls. But on our last trip, in 2019, as we visited a little church, St. Mary's in Thirsk (north of York), we chatted with the little group of locals who keep the church open for visitors during the week. I noticed that the renovation of the organ, which had been planned for several years (we'd dropped a few pounds in the donation box on previous visits), was now completed. I asked how they were enjoying the restored organ, and in the conversation mentioned that I played at my church back home. They insisted that I try it out, which I did of course!

I was nervous and self-conscious, of course, and couldn't even think of a hymn to play from memory. Just played some scales and chords and fumbled around a bit, trying out the stops. It was a respectable 3m pipe organ with a couple dozen ranks, I guess. Not bad for a village church. If I get to do that again, I'll try to have more presence of mind. I can in fact play a lot of hymns from memory, I just need to think about in advance what I'm going to play!

That's the only time I've done that on vacation, though a number of years ago I actually sat on the bench at Trinity Wall Street in NYC when that famous but controversial M&O organ was in place there. I didn't dare try to play it, had no idea how to even turn it on, but I got the custodian to snap my picture on the bench!

[AllenAnalog]

Would you be willing to share that photo?

[gtc]

"I just need to think about in advance what I'm going to play!"

Amazing Grace is a good old standby for such occasions.

[gtc]

... which looks nothing like the photo as it was rebuilt by Estey in 1954 and restored in 2002.

If you are going someplace, and playing some new (to you) organ, can we hear about it?

To that I would add: With the location's permission, take photos of the current organ and pass them on to pipeorgandatabase.org -- they are always pleased to receive updated info.

[myorgan]

Great point, GTC! Thank you for suggesting it.

Michael

[Bucky]

I have had the pleasure of applying my meager organ playing talent to a number of theatre organs when traveling on business and pleasure.

The following list of venues are most of the installations that I have been able to play simply by asking ‑‑ some, multiple times.

Their owners and custodians have been most kind in taking their time and providing utilities solely at my word that I might enjoy hearing and playing the organs they are responsible for.

Paramount Center for the Arts
Bristol TN
The nearby Mapes Piano String Company was very accommodating on our spur-of-the-moment request for a tour.

Henry & Carolyn McKinney residence
Chattanooga, TN

Roy Davis residence
McMinnville, TN
Visited his Cumberland Caverns and his residence, 1993

Roger Dayton residence
Greenville, SC
Link theatre organ and Aeolian classical organ. Mason and Hamlin Ampico B, Steinway Duo-Art, and several other automatic musical instruments.

Gateway Theater (Copernicus Center)
Chicago, IL

North Avenue Rollerway
Chicago, IL
Wooden floor skating rink. Pipe organ.
Skated and played it early-1990s through August, 1998 when they closed.
I was the youngest skater there on adult night (when I was between 40 and 48 years old).
Organists Paul Grosnick, Freddy Arnish

Aragon Ballroom
Chicago, IL
3/10 WurliTzer
Brian Doreck was building lighting tech and organist.
There was also an unenclosed organ in the basement that Mr. Doreck had assembled mostly from discarded church organ pipes. The art-case grand piano from the ballroom was in the basement also, and he had rigged up an organ pedalboard to play the bass notes using piano wire between the pedals and the piano action.
Played it 1994 and 1998.

Rialto Square
Joliet, IL

Stephen Edward Brittain residence
Fort Myers, FL
3/25 Wurlitzer
Played it 2019.

Detroit Theater Organ Club
Detroit, MI
Played it mid-1970s.
At another time, I heard Rex Koury accompanying Peck's Bad Boy.

Grays Armory
Cleveland, OH

Paul VanDerMolen residiece “Wheaton Fox”
Wheaton, IL
I did not play this organ, but asked Mr. VanDerMolen if I could attend one of their concerts. He readily agreed.
The organ was housed in a much-enlarged garage space in what appeared to be the newest house in the neighborhood. Very upscale installation and venue.

Patio Theatre
Chicago, IL
3/18 Barton
Played it 1995.

[Pipeorganbuilder]

Roy Davis home burned to the ground taking out his pipe organ, Steinway Duo-Art grand piano and all of his theater collectables. Roy died a few years back. Henry and Carolyn passed away and their little two manual Wuli. was removed and not sure what happened to it.

Michael

[Philip Powell]

I'll be in Charleston this week and I will get to play the organ at the cathedral and I will share something. That's if I ever get there... 6 hour layover + 2 hour delay.

Philip

[myorgan]

Charleston, South Carolina-Maine-West Virginia? Not sure which State you're talking about, but I hope you get to play the pipe organ anyway!

Michael

[Philip Powell]

Oops, SC. Not from around there at all so I didn't know how many y'all had!

[ChristopherDB113]

When I visit family in central Illinois I can usually get two hours of practice time at a Catholic church that has an Austin pipe organ with two manuals. I sort of have a connection there since my Mom sang in the choir for many years, and though she no longer sings, still knows the right people to contact. Here are a few pics, though not the best quality. Never tried to get practice time in a place where I had no connections.

[gtc]

Those tabs are kind of tombstone shaped.

[tbeck]

Yes, they do look a little like tombstones, but even at that I find them more attractive than the Allen stop tabs.

[myorgan]

Amen to that, Tbeck! I've always preferred the "tombstone" tabs to Allen's tabs.

Michael

[davidecasteel]

I'm not much or an organist, but the Lutheran Church in Sitka, Alaska allowed me to play their instrument.

David

[tbeck]

What kind of instrument was it?

[davidecasteel]

1844 Kessler https://live.staticflickr.com/5604/1...250560f4ff.jpgDSC_9605.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr
more photos follow it. And this one https://live.staticflickr.com/3956/1...c03fd32632.jpgDSC_9474.jpg by David Casteel, on Flickr

[andijah]

When travelling for non-music business, I usually don't have a lot of extra time so don't make any organ visiting plans beforehand. Some hotels have a piano that guests are allowed to use. Sometimes I play, sometimes I don't.
When on holiday, it depends where we're going. I don't actively seek out organ playing opportunities, but if I get to play somewhere, I always snap a photo or two.

[myorgan]

Problem is when I go on vacation, I seek but never find organs! Also, I'm so busy going from place to place, I generally don't have time to play unless a church asks me to play when I go to the service. I try to attend the smaller churches while on vacation.

Sometimes I'm tempted to volunteer, but I don't. Some services are just painful-I listen to a person who has had a few piano lessons struggle through, and I have to keep telling myself they're doing the best they can, and that's all anyone can ask. Sadly, that's been true of some larger churches I've attended recently.

Michael

[eventhorizon5]

Playing pipe organs on vacation can be very fun. Sometimes I got to simply sit at notable instruments. Some of the ones I've played:

Third Baptist of St Louis, I think that was a 4-manual 72-rank, various builders, it even had a unified tibia. I saw inside the chambers and the chests looked newly rebuilt, they were very clean. I was playing that before I had permission to play at my church, which has a pipe organ a little larger than that (4-manual 80-rank Austin). The organist there is one of the main people involved with the OrganLive internet radio station.

I live in the Chicago area, and regularly go to Joliet to the Rialto which is about an hour away, they have monthly socials there usually with open console time. It's a 4/27 (4-manual 27-rank) Barton, which is very big for a theater organ. I haven't played that in a while but used to frequently. If you're in the area, check out the group that holds the socials, you can try playing it. Another theater organ is one I've played in Lansing, IL (also about an hour away), which is Beggars Pizza, they have a 3/17 Barton that has percussions and other things in the dining room area, they light up when you play them, and show red LEDs for each note as you play. I saw that as a kid (in 1988) and thought that it looked like a giant computer-like music machine and it was mind-blowing to me. Originally the place had been called Pipes and Pizza. They used to play it Tuesdays and Friday nights, they might do it again soon if they're open. A friend of mine is the organist there and he also maintains the instrument, he also maintains the Rialto instrument. There's only 3 pizza restaurants in the country with live theater organ performances, Beggars Lansing is one of them. Some of the music I've written sounds pretty incredible on the theater organ, due to the ranks having an orchestral quality to them.

In Arizona I got to sit at and help tune part of the Organ Stop Pizza organ in Mesa, also got a chamber tour. I didn't get to play music on it though. It's apparently a 4/82 theater organ, which is massive.

For a similar organ, in 2015 I had been visiting the Sanfilippo mansion in Barrington, IL, which has a 5/80 theater organ, in addition to many orchestrions (music machines, such as player violins). The organ is in the music room of the house. Dave Wickerham (who had played at Pipes and Pizza when I was a kid that I mentioned above) had been playing a concert there. I was too captivated by the orchestrions (those just come across as scary to me, it's hard to explain, I think it has a spiritual meaning) and was the last one to leave, the owner Jasper Sanfilippo (who has since died) invited me to dinner, and I ate along with Dave, Jasper, and the organization crew. That was pretty surreal to me. Jasper had wanted me to try out the instrument, but there wasn't enough time that night.

I posted about this one elsewhere on here (I'll describe it more here), but in 2014 I was on vacation in Los Angeles and scheduled my trip around an organ crawl and chamber tour of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles organ, which is a church organ with twin 5-manual consoles, 346 ranks (over 20,000 pipes), and is technically 4 instruments in one, the 4th largest instrument in the world. They just happened to be having that event at the same time I was scheduling my trip. I got a chance to play it which was thrilling and also pretty scary for me, it happened mostly because I had come all the way from Chicago and could play the organ. The guys walking me up to the gargantuan console was pretty incredible. I took an audio recording of myself playing it, but I thought there was too much reverb in it and the pedals didn't sound that good. I forgot to get a photo of me sitting at it though, but I did manage to take photos of my registration, it was too long to write down so I just took photos instead. I remember prominently using the 8' Tromba in the Great for the reed part of my music, I had forgotten to register the Gallery properly though. Being in the sanctuary (even in the pews) was a surreal experience for me. They had half-hour concerts before each church service on Sunday, maybe they still have those. I contributed some photos to the OHS Pipe Organ Database that I took there, the stop jamb photos, console photo, and also one of the SSL (Solid State Logic) relay boards for the Chancel. That organ experience inspired this virtual organ that I made with GrandOrgue.

I went to the 2015 ATOS (theater organ) convention mostly because they were going to be seeing the largest instruments ever built (Philadelphia and Atlantic City), and, even though I didn't get to play it, got a photo of me sitting at the Wanamaker Organ. Here's also a video I took of an organist playing something beautiful on it.

[tamakotanaka]

Wow! Trying out different organs with their unique sounds and setups must be so much fun. But the thing is that when traveling to new places, it's also good to think about safety.

[CaptainMoroni]

I've never played any pipe organs while on vacation, but the ones I have played are not terribly close.The closest pipe organ to where I live is a 2 manual, 5 rank Reuter organ that I found through Pipe Organ Database. I don't even know if it is still extant. The Pipe Organ Database looks like they hardly know anything about it (they only identified it through the Reuter opus list.)
With the previous facts in mind, I have been looking for organs nearby, and, finding only one other in a location I can't find, have decided that 40 minutes away is "close" enough. I recently found a 4 manual, 5 division, 123 rank organ in Lawrence, KS, which is about an hour away. I called them and set up a date to try it out in about two weeks. I found it through the Greater Kansas City AGO organ list. I am really looking forward to playing it!

[Coenraads]

Of course you can make the point of your vacation the visiting of organs. During the 1980s and 1990s I want on six organ tours of Europe where the deal was that each participant got to play every organ for three minutes. Usually suitable stops were drawn by the organist or other assistants which would otherwise have been too daunting. After playing many outstanding organs, two stand out in my mind particularly: the Hinz organ in Kampen and the Christian Müller organ in the St. Bavo Kerk in Haarlem. What a thrill it was to play my "variations" on the Dutch national anthem while Willem Hendrik Zwart (son of Jan Zwart) kept pulling stops on the Hinz so that at the end of three minutes I could end with full organ.

I've also had unexpected organ encounters, including the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Spokane where the door happened to be open and where a very nice gentleman, hearing that I played the organ, invited me to play the Aeolian-Skinner Organ there. But I've also been to churches where it was very clear that no one but the organist gets to touch the instrument. Short sighted in my opinion.

[Mark M]

That's awesome! I guess I almost got to play both of the same organs as you did!

[Mark M]

When I went to the Netherlands last year with my Dad, I definitely made it a point to play as many organs as possible, lol.

At the church we went to the first week, the Hervormde Kerk in Kesteren, the koster (for those unfamiliar, he's basically like a usher, security guard, janitor, and general church caretaker all in one) was kind enough to let us come back later in the week so I could play their nice little pipe organ. It was really quite nice, not a huge stop selection, but perfect for their church. The tone and acoustics were also really quite nice. There is a video on my YouTube channel, so if anyone wants to see it, I can link it later.

After that, I met a friend of my Dad's, Dick Sanderman, who is an organist and organ teacher in Zwolle, I believe. I forget what church it was, but he let me play another nice (smaller) organ. Unfortunately I don't have a recording, but he gave me some invaluable advice.

Now, for the highlight: before we came, I had arranged with the caretaker of the organs of the Bovenkerk in Kampen, to have a chance to play the Hinsz Organ. That truly was a magnificent instrument, and was definitely a dream come true. The tone, acoustic, and feel of the mechanical keyboard was amazing. It is, of course, also quite an old organ, built in the 17th century, so I was urged to be extremely careful, as it was a bit fragile, and naturally, such a beautiful piece of history must be preserved. I did record my playing, but I'm not allowed to share it except with family. Instead, once I built my VPO, I got the Hauptwerk soundest, so now I can play and publish whatever I want!

Lastly, we went to the St Bavo Kerk in Haarlem, which of course holds the Muller organ, played by both Handel and Mozart. Unfortunately, it was under repairs, so I wasn't able to play it (I would have been allowed to otherwise), but the organist did take me up to see the console.

So that was my experience with organs on vacation!

[myorgan]

Mark,

Thank you for sharing your experiences playing other organs while on vacation.

I've found those who are the most open with their consoles tend to be some of the most popular organs. Others who won't let you play their 2-manual 5-stop organ because they're afraid you might damage it–well, it's their loss! It'll just sit there–redundant and aging from lack of use.

Michael

[Coenraads]

The Dutch are justifiably proud of their organs many of which escaped the "beeldenstorm" of 1566 when the interiors of many Catholic churches were ransacked. But the organs belonged to the city or municipality and not the church and were therefore not touched. Other organs in Europe were not so lucky. Also it is not uncommon to be invited to play these wonderful instruments should the organist or "koster" be in attendance. A very enlightened view in my opinion.