St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church Lafayette, Louisiana Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders Opus 145, 2017 View the Stop List By Kevin Martin When the final plans for St. Pius X Parish’s new church building were released, it was readily apparent that the new organ would require an enlarged specification, ultimately leading to digital augmentation. While there was ample room in the organ chamber (located in the rear of the nave) for approximately 30 to 40 ranks of pipes, the transepts were located too far away from the organ chamber and, therefore, would require organ divisions of their own to support the choir and congregational singing. The search for a pipe organ builder who would incorporate digital voices with speaking … [Read more...]
May 20, 2019 Leave a Comment
Acoustics in the Age of Frescobaldi and Fantini
Shelby Lewis discusses the acoustics of an Italian villa that may have been the venue of the legendary 1634 organ-trumpet concert by Frescobaldi and Girolamo Fantini. Read on Vox Humana … [Read more...]
April 29, 2019 Leave a Comment
Historic Organ Restoration in the Americas
In this new article on Vox Humana, Susan Tattershall discusses her work restoring organs in Mexico, Bolivia, and the West Indies, and engaging local communities in the process. Read Vox Humana … [Read more...]
April 25, 2019 Leave a Comment
Organists Ponder Fate and Future of Notre Dame’s Organ
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April 25, 2019 2 Comments
NPR Interviews Olivier Latry in Wake of Notre Dame Fire
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April 16, 2019 3 Comments
Statement from Vincent DuBois on the Notre Dame Organ
Vincent Dubois, one of the three organiste titulairs at Notre Dame de Paris, released a statement that began "Contrary to rumors that have circulated, the great organ is, a priori, saved. There are a few puddles on the left and right, but nothing dramatic. " Christopher Holman at Vox Humana is also covering the story More information here. … [Read more...]
April 5, 2019 Leave a Comment
Calling All Advanced Organists Entering a High School Grade This Fall…
Do you know any advanced organists entering a high school grade this fall? Please encourage them to apply today for the 2019 Pipe Organ Encounter (Advanced) in Houston! Sponsored by the Houston (Tex.) Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the POEA will feature world-class organs, internationally recognized faculty from around the nation, and of course many unique Texas traditions! On Monday, June 24, we’ll take a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA’s Space Center Houston – this isn’t the regular public tour, folks! Tuesday afternoon will feature a class on music marketing and technology led by S. Andrew Lloyd (University of Texas at San Antonio) followed by a hymn playing and liturgical improvisation class and silent film performed by … [Read more...]
April 5, 2019 Leave a Comment
Marilyn Mason: 1925-2019
The organ world has grown smaller with the passing of legendary organist, scholar, teacher, and performer, Marilyn Mason, yesterday in Florida. Dr. Mason was the foremost champion for commissioning new music for the organ and the benefactor of the AGO/Marilyn Mason Award in Organ Composition. Marilyn Mason's performing career took her around the globe. She was the first female organist ever to perform at Westminster Abbey, the first female organist to play in Latin America, and the first American organist to perform in Egypt. She was named the International Performer of the Year by the New York City Chapter of the American Guild of Organists in 1988 and was honored at the AGO Endowment Fund Gala in 2009. She was the subject of an AGO … [Read more...]
March 5, 2019 Leave a Comment
March 2019 TAO Feature Article
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Raleigh, North Carolina Fisk Opus 147 View an enlarged cover View the Stop List by Gregory Bover In the early spring of 2014, C.B. Fisk received a request for a proposal from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, asking us to imagine an organ for the new Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, then in the middle stages of design. The planned building was enormous: 43,000 square feet of floor space with seating for 2,000 people under a barrel-vault ceiling nearly 80 feet high. Although we have built more organs in North Carolina than in any other state except Massachusetts, this would be our first new instrument in a Catholic church in 50 years. Our enthusiastic response included two … [Read more...]
March 4, 2019 Leave a Comment
New on Vox Humana: The Surviving Organs of David Tannenberg
Philip T.D. Cooper discusses the nine surviving instruments by David Tannenberg, one of America's first organ builders. Read on Vox Humana … [Read more...]
