Roy Kersey writes (Fri, 6 Jul 2007 22:40:30 -0500)
". . . I remember the organ as being in that vein, bright and light, but
not overly shrill.
It seems I remember thinking it was a bit underpowered for the space."
Dear Roy and LIST!
I think that Roy's recollection is a very accurate one. The organ was
not especially large,
34 ranks on two manuals and pedal, mechanical playing action, EP stop
action. And, a
determining factor in its size was that it was to be restricted to the
confines of the John Geib
case of 1802. It was intended to be a gentler kind of sound.
Remember that its immediate predecessor was Aeolian-Skinner's 768-A of
58 ranks with
birdhouse-like swell box protruding out of the top of Mr Geib's
formality, and with much roar
and carrying on. That organ was moved and reinstalled and messed with
by Schlicker at the
Chapel of the Intercession, hiding behind Bertram Grover Goodhue's
immense and totally mute
Austin casework. The organ even had a 32' skinny Violone (Skinner
Contra Skinnylone)
That was a rebuild in 1950 of Ernest Skinner's # 768 of 41 ranks
installed in St. Paul's in 1929.
Now,
It is neither my purpose nor right to embroil myself in any controversy
over the eventual
disposition of the present Chapel organ. But two things do occur to me,
partly from my
sentimental attachment to the instrument (The finishing of that organ
was my FIRST ever
trip to the Big Apple - what a "Doppel-richtiges Erlebnis" for me) and
partly from my concerns
for what I consider an historical matter:
a. I should think that no matter what organ replaces the Schlicker, if
replacement there must be,
that it MUST allow for the retention of the John Geib/Odell Casework.
Perhaps only as a broom
closet for the gallery, or a hidey-hole for all those 'puders, but . . .
b. I am confused about this: If the organ was playable enough to
provide comforting music to
the injured from the 9/11 Tragedy who were brought to St. Paul's Chapel
fairly immediately after
the towers collapsed, why has it rather oddly become unplayable (if that
is what is being said)
when the most dust- and debris-laden time would have been that first 24
hours? Was the organ
turned on and pumping air through the innards of the chests et al during
the collapse? Who can
say for certain? I could understand great 'surface' dust - but. .. ..
.. .. ..
I am but a humble retired organbuilder, of simple mind and imagination,
but I am confused.
And saddened.
Ken in Wooster
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