new church life: september/october 2016
frequency, often in the same service. Perhaps the best example was on Good
Friday 2015, when the Choral Vespers music was a mass that Louis Vierne had
written for his large cathedral in Paris that has two organs that are sometimes
played at the same time.
Thanks to the generosity of Tom and Charlene Cooper, we have the
greatest that digital organ technology has to offer: a 2011 Q410 made by the
Allen Organ Company that contains within it seven “suites” of organ samples
from different types of pipe organs around the world. Our Assistant Organist
Kenneth Coy also uses his emulator to add high-quality samples of orchestral
instruments into the mix.
In keeping with the historic nature of the building, we also have a pipe
organ installed by the Kegg Pipe Organ Company in 2014. (See New Church
Life, Sept/Oct 2014, 469-470) Many of its 46 ranks are comprised of pipes built
by the masterful E. M. Skinner, an organ builder whom Raymond Pitcairn had
selected to create an instrument for Bryn Athyn prior to those plans being put
on hold. This organ was donated to the Cathedral by the Wyncote Foundation
and organist Frederick Haas in memory of his mother, Chara Aurora Cooper
Haas.
Our regular Cathedral congregation is fortunate to enjoy our two
instruments on a weekly basis as they serve as musical workhorses to support
our many services, but the organs have also acted as an unexpected form of
outreach, bringing visitors interested in the sacred arts from near and far.
This summer we had three large groups visit the organs, in addition to many
individuals.
In early May, the Allen Organ Company held their annual conference
in Philadelphia. To break up sessions on new models and technology, their
tradition is to choose a field trip to see one of their organs in action. They
chose Bryn Athyn Cathedral and about six dozen Allen Organ dealers came
to listen to both instruments and learn a bit about our building and history.
The Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition takes place
in mid-June, and seeks field trips to enrich the experience for families of
competitors and attendees. About 100 people visited the Cathedral to hear
Terry Schnarr and Leah Martin play. Unexpectedly, three of the competitors
took time out of their busy competition schedules to come along. Two of the
young gentlemen hailed from Australia and New Zealand, but the highlight
was the Frenchman, an expert in his national tradition of sacred improvisation
during church services.
We invited him to the bench and he improvised such peaceful and uplifting
music inspired by the organ and the building that I wish the congregation
could have been there.
Finally, at the end of June the Organ Historical Society (OHS) descended
on Philadelphia. Visiting more than 30 significant area organs in a week, their
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