Our chapter will be holding an Organ Crawl in the Greater Pittston area on Saturday, May 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This tour will give organists, lovers of music and history, and those interested in learning about the organ an opportunity to tour three local historic pipe organs – both on the outside and inside!

Special thanks to our webmaster, Raphael Micca, who has agreed to serve as tour guide for this event.

Here is a the schedule for the day:

Saint Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – 9:30 a.m.
Saint Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hughestown is home to M. P. Möller’s Opus 2295, a small yet versatile instrument. Saint Peter’s organ was restored and enlarged in 1994 by Charles W. Gibson and Associates of Monroeville, New Jersey. Much of the original pipework has been replaced, but there are several ranks which date back to 1917 when the organ was first installed. The organ now has a brighter and cleaner sound, but the characteristic warmth of the original instrument has been preserved. Mike Sowa, organist and music director of Saint Peter’s, will be on hand to explain the instrument to those present and to answer any questions.

First Presbyterian Church – 11:00 a.m.
The next stop on the tour will be at First Presbyterian Church, located in downtown Pittston. This church is within a short driving distance of Saint Peter’s. First Presbyterian recently purchased a pre-owned Schantz pipe organ, built in the 1940’s, to replace its original instrument built by G. G. Hook and Hastings. The Schantz Organ Company of Orrville, Ohio has the distinction of being one of the longest-operating organ building firms in America which still manufactures many of the best pipe organs today. Schantz is also a member of an alliance of organ builders known as APOBA (Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America).

Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church – 12:00 p.m.
The final stop on the tour will be Saint John the Evangelist R.C. Church, home to the largest functioning pipe organ in the Greater Pittston Area. This unique three-manual instrument was built by the Kilgen Organ Company of Saint Louis, Missouri, during the 1930’s. Those attending the organ crawl will have an opportunity to experience the wide dynamic range of this instrument. Though comprised of only 29 pipe ranks through some effective use of unification, the organ has the power and depth of an instrument with many more ranks. Visitors on the tour will be just as equally impressed with the glorious architecture, artwork, and acoustics of Saint John’s. Joe Holden, organist and music director of Saint John’s, will be on hand to explain the instrument to those present and to answer any questions.

It is hoped that you will be able to join us this day, whether you decide to tour one, several, or all of the organs and hear pieces performed on each of them.

The organ crawl will be sure to be an enjoyable learning and musical experience for organists and non-organists alike. The tour is free and open to the public. We hope you will be able to join us and plan to invite relatives, friends, or neighbors.

Susan Jane Matthews, Organist and Choirmaster of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Burlingame, California, will present an organ recital at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, April 18th, at 3:00 PM.

Dr. Matthews, a native of Wilkes-Barre, is a graduate of Haverford College and the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester. She has studied organ with Marjorie George, Claribel Thomson, Jeffrey Brillhart, Mark Laubach, and David Higgs. A prize-winning performer, she has concertized throughout the United States and in Europe. Her compact disc recording, Chosen Tunes, was recorded during her tenure as Principal Organist at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and has been critically acclaimed.

Dr. Matthews will perform works by Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, Charles-Marie Widor, Petr Eben, Giles Swayne, Larry King, and Jeanne Demessieux.

A free-will offering will be received.

Download the publicity poster by clicking here.

Our chapter will be holding its Annual Members’ Recital, “Friday Night Pipes,” on Friday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hughestown. The organ at Saint Peter’s is a 1917 installation by M. P. Möller and was restored and enlarged in 1994. The tonal design of the rebuilt organ is best classified as Early American with English influences, and was proposed by Mr. Henry Johnson, a longtime member of our chapter. The instrument is of unit design and currently has a total of nine ranks and 23 stops played from a two-manual console.

Chapter members are encouraged to perform in the recital. Though it is a small instrument, St. Peter’s organ is versatile enough to play a wide variety of organ literature. However, please keep in mind that the organ has very few pistons, so it would probably best to select pieces that require few or no registration changes. If you are interested in playing for “Friday Night Pipes,” please respond to this post with your selections or contact Michael Sowa, host organist and chapter publicity officer no later than Friday, April 2.

Dr. Alain Truche, Dean of the Pennsylvania Northeast AGO Chapter, will present a recital on the Berghaus Organ at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, February 13 at 7:30 PM. The program will feature music of British Organist/Composer Percy Whitlock, which will include the two Fantasie Chorals and the Sonata in C Minor.

Cathedral organist and AGO Pennsylvania Northeast chapter member Robert Wech, a graduate of the Oberlin Music Conservatory, Oberlin, OH, and a church organist with 49 years of experience, will present “A Celebration of the Casavant Pipe Organ,” on Friday, October 9, 8:00 p.m. at St. Peter’s Cathedral, 315 Wyoming Ave., Scranton. The concert commemorates the 30th anniversary of the installation of the Casavant pipe organ at the Cathedral. Mr. Wech will feature works of Clerambault, Bach, Mendelssohn, and Franck. A free will offering will be received to support St. Peter’s Cathedral. This organ replicates those built in the 1700’s. The blower that provides the air for the pipes is the only electrically-powered device on the organ, everything else is mechanical, making it unusual. For information please call the Cathedral at 570-344-7231.

All around the mulberry bush… No, this POP isn’t about monkey chased weasels – or soda, for that matter. It’s all about the pipe organ! Join the Pennsylvania Northeast Chapter for a Pipe Organ Party on Saturday, October 3 at First Presbyterian Church in Clarks Summit. The party begins at 10:00 AM and is geared toward children and teens interested in learning more about the king of instruments. No previous organ experience is necessary. Hope to see you there! For directions, click here.

I am pleased to announce that arrangements have been made for us to tour yet another organ during our November 7 Philadelphia trip: the 1937 Aeolian-Skinner instrument in Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church on Locust Street.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church was founded in 1848. The church building was begun that year, dedicated in 1850, and finished in 1851 when the tower was completed. The architect was John Notman, also responsible for the Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square and the Athenaeum. The church, an example of Gothic Revival, has long been one of Philadelphia’s most fashionable. A strikingly beautiful chapel within the church has a silver altar. The parish buildings and the garden create an effect not unlike that of an English church. The organ, built in 1937 by the famous Aeolian-Skinner Company, incorporates earlier pipework by Austin/Carleton Michell, the Wanamaker Shop (string organ), and recent additions by Cornel Zimmer.

Here is the revised itinerary for the day:

8:30 AM • Bus departs from Park and Ride in Pittston (located at the intersection of Rte. 315 and Oak St.)
11:30 AM • Approximate arrival time in Philadelphia
12:00 PM • Organ Recital in Macy’s
12:45 PM • Lunch (on your own; there are many good restaurants in the area)
2:00 PM • Approximate start time for tour, which will include the Wanamaker Grand Court organ and newly restored Wurlitzer theater organ
3:00 PM • Approximate time to ride to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

The time of departure will be determined by the length of the tour. We will leave Philadelphia around 4:30 PM and the ride home will be roughly two hours. There are restroom facilities on the bus and light refreshments will be provided for the ride home. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

The Pennsylvania Northeast AGO Chapter will be sponsoring a bus trip on Saturday, November 7 to tour the Wanamaker Organ located in Macy’s Department Store in downtown Philadelphia. As many of you already know, this instrument is the largest functioning pipe organ in the world. It has 461 ranks, over 28,000 pipes, and is controlled by a massive six-manual console! Please mark your calendars and try to make it if you can – this is really a unique opportunity.

The fee for the trip is $35. It is non-refundable and may be mailed to Bob Reynolds, our chapter sub Dean, at the following address by October 15. Please make checks payable to “Pennsylvania Northeast Chapter AGO.”

Here is the itinerary for the day:

8:30 AM Bus departs from Park and Ride in Pittston (located at the intersection of Rte. 315 and Oak Street)

11:30 AM Approximate arrival time in Philadelphia

12:00 PM Organ Recital

12:45 PM Lunch (on your own; there are many good restaurants in the area)

2:00 PM Approximate start time for tour, which will include the Wanamaker Grand Court organ and newly restored Wurlitzer theater organ

The time of departure will be determined by the length of the tour. We will leave Philadelphia no later than 4:00 PM. The ride home will be roughly two hours.

If you would like to learn more about this instrument, including its history, stoplist, program schedule, etc., you may visit the following website: www.wanamakerorgan.com. Questions? Contact us.

Join the Pennsylvania Northeast Chapter for a Welcoming Dinner on Monday, August 31 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania. The dinner will begin at 6:00 PM; a general meeting will follow and the evening will conclude with sung Compline in the church. Please plan to attend as we kick off a year of AGO programs and events. It’s a potluck dinner, so please bring a covered dish or dessert to share. If you would like, you can reply to this post with what you are planning to bring to the dinner. If you need directions, click here.

The Pennsylvania Northeast Chapter is sponsoring a “A Cornucopia of Preludes and Postludes” on Monday, March 9 at the First Presbyterian Church of Clarks Summit. Members are encouraged to bring accessible organ literature suitable for a liturgical prelude or postlude to share. The event begins at 7:30 PM and is open to the public. First Presbyterian is located at 300 School Street in Clarks Summit.

Canon Mark Laubach, organist and choirmaster of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre, will be playing a dedicatory recital on Sunday, March 29, showcasing the new solo division of the parish’s magnificent Berghaus pipe organ. The new Solo division includes six new ranks of pipes that imitate orchestral sounds – strings (Gamba and Gamba Celeste), flute (Doppelflöte), English horn, French horn, and English Tuba – and one old rank, the Clarinet (the pipes are 100+ years old!). The division also boasts a new set of Deagan tubular chimes and a Harp stop.

Here’s what else you can look forward to hearing on the program…

Eugène Gigout, Grand Choeur Dialogue – highlighting the new Solo English Tuba and French horn in dialogue with the full main organ.

Herbert Howells, Psalm Prelude, Set Two, #1 (Psalm 130, v. 1 – De profundis) – a deeply moving tone poem in the great Anglican tradition, showcasing this instrument’s noticeable “English accent!”

G. F. Handel, Water Music Suite (arr. by Carl McKinley, adapted by M. Laubach) – transcriptions of five tuneful movements from Handel’s beloved suite of dances written for the riparian entertainment of England’s King George I.

Leo Sowerby, Carillon – this lush and touching piece will give us a unique chance to hear the new chimes and harp.

Three hymn preludes will offer us a chance to sing the hymns, each followed by these exciting settings for organ.

Fantasy on “Praise to the Lord, (Lobe den Herren) by Neils Gade (19th century Danish composer)

Gospel Prelude on “What a friend we have in Jesus” by William Bolcom (a unique blend of black gospel, jazz, and contemporary classic organ composition by one of America’s most gifted living composers)

Toccata on “Now thank we all our God” by Egil Hovland (living Norwegian organist, choral conductor, and composer)

The dramatic conclusion of the program will be a single featured work, a spectacular masterpiece rarely performed live – Franz Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on “Ad nos, ad salutarem undam”. This is a truly “orchestral” work that will show off the full tonal and dynamic scope of our instrument. With plenty of virtuosic fireworks, this piece is sure to rivet the attention of all present, despite its length (just shy of 30 minutes long)!

The recital will begin at 4:00 PM on Sunday, March 29, 2009. The event is free and open to all, although attendees are encourages to make a free-will offering in support of the NEW HOPE CAMPAIGN of the Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem. NEW HOPE is providing vital support to our companion diocese of Kajo Keji in the Sudan, as well as to social outreach ministries here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, including St. Stephen’s Reach Ministry to those in need in our community.

Since the 1920’s, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre, has hosted an annual series of weekly Lenten Services for the Community, led by clergy from participating Wilkes-Barre churches of various denominations, both Catholic and Protestant. Over the years, this series has grown in popularity and now includes organ recitals (at 11:30 a.m.) the service (at 12 p.m.), and a soup and sandwich lunch (immediately after the service) for $4.00 in the Auditorium of St. Stephen’s Parish House.

The featured organ recitalists this year represent a splendid group of both local and regional performers. The list follows here ….

Wednesday, March 4
Jane Bourdow
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Alexandria VA

Wednesday, March 11
Victor Fields
Trinity United Church of Christ, York PA

Wednesday, March 18
Stephen Buzard
Trinity Episcopal Church, Princeton NJ

Wednesday, March 25
Stephen Williams
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Allentown PA

Wednesday, April 1
Kevin O’Malia
First United Methodist Church of Germantown, PA

Wednesday, April 8
Alain Truche
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton PA

The series of ecumenical services this year will feature the theme, “The Beatitudes”. Officiants and homilists will include clergy from participating Wilkes-Barre churches, including Central United Methodist, Christ United Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, Good Shepherd Lutheran, St. Clement’s & St. Peter’s Episcopal, St. Nicholas’ Roman Catholic, St. Stephen’s, Unity, and Westminster Presbyterian. The organist and music coordinator for these services is Mark Laubach, organist and choirmaster of St. Stephen’s. The noon services will also feature special music presented by gifted individuals and ensembles from our community. These will include the Marywood University Chamber Singers, the Wyoming Seminary Madrigal Singers, mezzo-soprano Carol Tome, oboist Thomas Heinze, the Misericordia University Chamber Singers, soprano Judy Ann Curtis, and pianist John Curtis.

The lunches that follow each Wednesday’s service are provided by volunteers from the various participating churches. A donation of $4.00 per person is requested for lunch.

Proceeds from offerings received at this series are given to many organizations and institutions that provide food, clothing, and other forms of assistance to those in need in our community. St. Stephen’s Church is located on South Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

Our chapter will be presenting an “Organ Spectacular” at 4:00 PM on Sunday, October 19 at Elm Park United Methodist Church in Scranton. Members of the guild will present organ works in celebration of the International Year of the Organ. Please join us for this very special afternoon of music!