Chiff Chat Springfield, MA Chapter

American Guild of Organists

A Message from the Dean

Dear Friends, The major event marking the Chapter’s 60th

anniversary is an Interfaith Festival Service at Trinity Methodist in Springfield on Sunday, November 12 2006 at 3pm. Peter Gomes, Chaplain of Harvard University, will speak on Reality and Joy in Making Music. More details on this service are elsewhere in this issue. Please plan to attend. As I wrote last month, I invite all former Chapter officers (Dean, Sub Dean, Treasurer, and Secretary) to march in the opening procession. Please contact me if you have any questions. Our opening event on September 29, 2006 was a very well attended organ recital by Scott Lamlein at St Mary’s Parish in Longmeadow. I send thanks from us all to Martha Sienkiewicz, Don Hooton and the others who provided the reception on behalf of the Chapter. The Chapter also participated in the joint Worcester, Hartford, and Springfield Chapters Columbus Day organ crawl. Fifty-five (!) of us explored Woolsey Hall and five magnificent churches and instruments in New Haven. The beautiful autumn day included some wonderful organ playing and a delicious lunch feast. With the great success of this event, I have already started discussions among the neighboring Deans for next years Columbus Day crawl and a possible partnership with the Eastern New York Chapter to visit the Albany/Troy area.

With this being the final issue of the year, please allow me to send everyone holiday greetings and wishes for a joyous and healthy 2007. It is easy to approach the holiday season and its stresses with routine and weariness. I like to remember that someone in the pews (often a child) will experience the power and majesty of beautiful music for the first time. The value of our role in that moment is priceless. Fondly, E Lary Grossman

November/December 2006

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Interfaith Festival Service

Trinity United Methodist Church 361 Sumner Avenue, Springfield, MA Sunday, November 12, 2006, 3:00 PM

Allan Taylor, Director

Becky Isaacson, Organist The New England Brass

Peter Gomes, Chaplain, Harvard University Featuring the Choirs of Trinity United Methodist Church, Springfield

and First Congregational Church, Westfield

Choral music by Hassler, Brahms, Dawson and Mathias

All Are Welcome! Reception following the service

About our Guest Speaker Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1942, The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes is an American Baptist minister ordained to the Christian Ministry by The First Baptist Church of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Since 1970, he has served in The Memorial Church, Harvard University; and since 1974 as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Pusey Minister in The Memorial Church.

A member of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and of the Faculty of Divinity of Harvard University, Professor Gomes holds degrees from Bates College (A.B., 1965), and from the Harvard Divinity School (S.T.B.,1968); and thirty-three honorary degrees. Widely regarded as one of America's most distinguished preachers, Professor Gomes fulfills preaching and lecturing engagements throughout America and the British Isles. His New York Times and national best-selling books include The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart, Sermons: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living, The Good Life: Truths That Last in Times of Need, Strength for the Journey: Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living, and The Backward Glance and the Forward Look. He has also published ten volumes of sermons as well as numerous articles and papers.

Join Your AGO Springfield Chapter Members

for our 60th Anniversary Celebration!

Fall Organ Crawl to New Haven! 10 members from the Springfield AGO joined members of the Worcester and Hartford AGO Chapters for our “Fall Crawl” to New Haven, CT, on Monday, October 9. The Crawl began at Woolsey Hall on the Yale University Campus with a tour and demonstration of the famous Newberry Memorial Organ (E. M. Skinner, 1928, pictured below). During the demonstration, groups were led into the basement to see the huge blower room and “Echo” organ chamber. A huge thank you to Frank Corbin and Peter Stolzfus Berton from Worcester for their coordination of the entire event! We are tentatively planning a trip to the Albany area for Fall 2007!

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The Organ in America: An Historical Sketch Organ Historical Society http://www.organsociety.org/ Spanish missions in the Southwest probably had the first pipe organs in what is now the United States, and the first documented use of an organ in the Eastern colonies occurred in 1703, at an ordination in Gloria Dei "Old Swedes'' Church in Philadelphia. Colonists in Pennsylvania established organbuilding as a craft in America in the mid-eighteenth century to supply instruments for the rich musical traditions associated with the continental European religious denominations they brought to America. David Tannenberg, a Moravian who was the first major organbuilder trained in the colonies, was preceded by several European-trained craftsmen and lesser native-trained builders. It was the nineteenth century which brought organbuilding in this country to its first full fruition as confidence in American craftsmanship rose and most churches that formerly eschewed music increasingly embraced it. Early in the century, two groups of organbuilders rose to prominence - one in New York, the other in Boston. By mid-century, advanced manufacturing capability and increased demand for organs brought a climax in the development of American organbuilding. Henry Erben, with the largest factory in the nation at mid-century, led a group of competitors in New York, including George Jardine, Ferris & Stuart, Hall & Labagh, and the Odell brothers, E. & G. G. Hook in Boston gained a substantial reputation, with major competition from William B. D. Simmons, George Stevens, William A. Johnson, and Steere & Turner. Many hundreds of fine builders were also working in all areas of the nation during the final third of the nineteenth century, including Standbridge and Knauff of Philadelphia, Pomplitz of Baltimore, Marklove of Utica, William King of Elmira, Barckhoff and Koehnken of Ohio, Pfeffer and Kilgen of St. Louis, Baker of Charleston, S. C., Lancashire & Marshall of Moline, Illinois. Pilcher of Louisville, Schuelke of Milwaukee, and Schoenstein and Murray Harris of California. The late nineteenth century produced such outstanding names as Roosevelt in New York and Hutchings in Boston, whose firms paved the way for early twentieth century work and the evolution of the orchestral organ. Colorfully orchestral organs of the first half of the twentieth century and the development of electrical and pneumatic action represented a tremendous change in the course of organbuilding. Pioneering work in symphonic organs by Steere, Estey, Skinner, Austin, Hope-Jones, Möller, Wurlitzer, Kilgen, Kimball, and Aeolian is rising in appreciation and as an area of study. Reactions to orchestral organs resulted in classical reforms of the 1930s led by G. Donald Harrison of Aeolian-Skinner and Walter Holtkamp of Cleveland, who sought to recast in an American eclectic mold the tonal characteristics of 17th and 18th century European organs which, ironically, were brought to this country by the Pennsylvania colonists. This realization sparked the creation of the Organ Historical Society in 1956, which has since led this country's organ enthusiasts in documentation of organs and organbuilders from all eras.

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NOVEMBER 2006 Friday, November 3, 8:00pm & Saturday, November 4, 2:30pm Schola Nova, under the direction of Terry Larsen. Music of Mozart, Haydn, Biebl, and Telemann including Haydn's Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo. E Lary Grossman, accompanist. Friday, November 3, 2006, 8:00pm Newman Center, UMASS Amherst. Sunday, November 4, 2005, 2:30pm, Mother of Sorrow's Chapel, Providence Place, Holyoke. Free Sunday, November 5, 2006, 3:00pm. Rod Gisick, organist; with Julia Fox Soprano. Works by Bach, Bruhns, Barber, Franck, Wolf. First Congregational Church, Main Street, Amherst. Sunday, November 5th at 4:00 PM Concert of works for organ by Bach, de Grigny, and Distler; duets for oboe/English horn and organ by J.L. Krebs, Jan Koetsier, and A. Guilmant; and arias for soprano, oboe, and organ by Bach and Handel. Thomas Pousont, organ; Hilary Philipp, oboe/English horn/oboe d'amore; and Jennifer Tyo, soprano. First Church of Deerfield (Brick Church), 71 Main St., Old Deerfield, MA. Wednesday, November 8, 2006, 7:30 PM Christ Church Cathedral, Springfield BONIFANTES Czech choir of men and boys on their premier American tour. www.bonifantes.cz/en/boyschoir.php Friday, November 10, 2006, 8:00 p.m. “Mozart, His Friends, His Enemies”, Arcadia Players, South Congregational Church, 1066 Southeast St., on Fiddler's Green, South Amherst, MA. Divertimentos #1 & 2 in B-flat major, K.Anh. 229/439b, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Trio No. 2 in E-flat major for 2 oboes & bassoon, Antonio Salieri, Sonata in A major for solo fortepiano, Marianne Martinez, Cassatio in E-flat major, Georg Lickl, attrib. Mozart, Quintet in E-flat major for fortepiano and winds, K.452, W. A. Mozart. www.arcadiaplayers.org Saturday, November 11, 2006, 8:00 p.m. “Mozart, His Friends, His Enemies”, Arcadia Players,

Upcoming Events

Caswell Library, Main School Building, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA. www.arcadiaplayers.org Saturday, November 11, 2006, 7:30pm Bonifantes Boy Choir. All Saints Church, 10 Irving Street, Worcester. $12 adults/$10 students and seniors/$25 for family (up to 6). Info: 508/752-3766x17 or www.allsaintsw.org Saturday, November 11, 2006, 8:00pm Assabet Valley Mastersingers with The Sterling Consort. Cathedral Music: short works and motets of Bruckner, Gabrieli, Schutz, Biebl, Mendelssohn, Gorécki. St. Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury. $12 Sr. Citizen/Student, $15 Adult. Info: 978/562-9838, info@avmsingers.org or www.avmsingers.org Sunday, November 12, 2006, 3:00pm AGO Springfield Chapter 60th Anniversary Interfaith Festival Service, Trinity United Methodist Church, Springfield. Reception to follow. Sunday, November 19, 2006, 2:30pm Theatre organist Lew Williams with vocalist Jan Peters: "The Big Band Sound". Shanklin Music Hall, Groton, MA. Tickets: $20. Info: 508/674-0276 or www.emcatos.com December 2006

Saturday, December 2, 3:30pm, Novi Cantori, First Congregational Church, 18 Broad Street, Westfield, MA. Family Carol Festival, with the New England Brass Quartet. Traditional carols from around the world, with audience participation.

Sunday, December 3, 4:00pm, Novi Cantori, Saint Stanislaus Church, 566 Front Street, Chicopee, MA. Novi's traditional fine arts choral concert, with John Anderson, organ, featuring the finest in Christmas music from the Renaissance to the present Sunday, December 10, 2006 – 3:00pm James David Christie, Organist. Holy Cross Chapel Artists Series, St. Joseph Memorial Chapel, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. The complete organ works of the great 17th century North German organist-composer, Dieterich Buxtehude are presented in a cycle of eight concerts to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the composer’s death. They will be performed on the

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late 17th century North German inspired Taylor & Boody organ throughout the 2006-2007 concert season by Professor James David Christie, the Holy Cross Distinguished Artist in Residence and College Organist. Free. Info: 508/793-3528 or www.holycross.edu Monday, December 11, 1:00pm, Novi Cantori, Granville Meetinghouse, Route 57, Granville, MA. Novi's fine arts program in a beautiful New England meetinghouse, with harpsichord. Saturday, December 16, 7:30pm, Novi Cantori, Grace Church, 55 New Park Avenue, Hartford, CT. Novi's fine arts program. Saturday, December 16, 7:30 p.m. Handel's Messiah, Arcadia Players Baroque Orchestra and Chorus, Ian Watson, Conductor, St. Mary's Catholic Church, 3 Elm St., Northampton MA. www.arcadiaplayers.org Saturday, December 16, 7:30pm, Sixth Annual Service of Lessons and Carols for the season of Advent &Christmas, The Cathedral Choir of Boys and Adults on Saturday, December 16th, at 7:30 pm. The choir will be accompanied by The Cathedral Strings, hand bells, harpsichord, and organ under the direction of Ladislaw Pfeifer. Reception to follow. Cathedral of St. Michael The Archangel, 260 State Street, Springfield, MA. For more information please call the office of worship at 413 - 452 – 0839 or email at worship@diospringfield.org December 17, 3:00pm, Novi Cantori, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 335 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow MA. Christmas Carol Festival, with the New England Brass Quartet. Sunday, December 24, 4:00pm, Lessons & Carols Service, Charles Page, Acting Music Director, South Congregational Church, 45 Maple Street, Springfield. January 2007 January 5, 12:15pm, Amanda Mole, Organ, Trinity Church at Copley Square, Boston.

And More Events!

Sunday, January 7, 2007 – 12:15pm Amanda Mole, Organist. Half-hour recital on the IV/73 Skinner Organ. Pipes Alive! Organ Series, Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 Main Street, Worcester. Free, donations accepted. Info: 508/799-4191 x107 or www.wesleychurchworcester.org Friday, January 12, 2007, 8:00 p.m. Music Ho! English Madrigals and Lute Songs, Arcadia Players, South Congregational Church, 1066 Southeast St., on Fiddler's Green, South Amherst, MA. From the fertile musical ground of Elizabethan England, an evening of madrigals and lute songs by John Dowland, Thomas Morley, Thomas Campion and others who set poems pastoral, amorous and philosophical, to which Ian Watson will add choice contemporary readings. www.arcadiaplayers.org Saturday, January 13, 2007, 8:00 p.m. Music Ho! English Madrigals and Lute Songs, Arcadia Players, Caswell Library, Main School Building, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA. Sunday, January 14, 2007, 2:30 p.m. Music Ho! English Madrigals and Lute Songs, Arcadia Players, Music Room, Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot St, Holyoke MA. Save the dates:

Monday, February 26, 2007, 6:00pm, Chapter Event, Pastor/Organist Dinner, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Easthampton.

June 24-27, 20, The AGO Region I Convention, hosted by the Rhode Island Chapter.

July 22 – 27, 2007, Springfield AGO Pipe Organ Encounter, Smith College. We need volunteers! If you are interested in helping out, please contact one of the board members. Stay tuned for more information!

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First Congregational Church, UCC, 43 Silver St, Greenfield, MA 01301 Position Title: Director of Music/Organist Description: Organist and choir director for both an adult choir and children’s choir. Collaborates with minister on music for Sunday worship and special services. Additional music events include a fall community-wide gospel festival and a Christmas or Easter Cantata. Degree/Experience: BA in Music or equivalent church experience Hours: 10-15 hours; 1 service and 2 rehearsals a week Organ: 1960’s Estey, 2 manuals; 2 pianos: Yamaha upright and Kimball upright Salary: $12,000 (negotiable) with 4 paid vacation days and 1 paid sick day. Additional income from weddings and funerals. Position Available: January 14th, 2007. Contact: Judith Kinley, 413-774-3449. kinley@firstchurchgreenfield.org kinley@sover.net www.firstchurchgreenfield.org Keyboardist, Praise Band forming for worship leadership. Must be able to play hymns and service music. Beginning December 2006, part time. For more details, call Pastor John Rodkey at: (413) 532-6983. Leave message. Organist/Choir Director St. Stephen's Episcopal Church - 3 John Street Westborough, MA 01581 Organ: George S. Hutchings #492, approx. 100 years old, rebuilt 1978 and Piano Responsibilities: 8 - 10 hours per week, 9:30 a.m. worship with adult choir, 9 a.m. in summer (no choir). Choir rehearsal is 7:45 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Thursday. Special music for liturgical holidays. First priority for marriages and, if possible, funerals. Must have a willingness to play and teach contemporary as well as traditional music. Salary: $12,500 - $14,500, 2 weeks paid vacation after one year Contact: Rev. William Martin Telephone: 508-366-4134 Fax: 508-616-0820 frbilmrtn@aol.com Organist/Music Associate, Asylum Hill Congregational Church is a vital, mainline, inclusive UCC congregation of about 1800 with a strong endowment and distinguished worship music and sacred/secular concert traditions seeks collaborative team player to be “instrumental” in developing a model music and fine arts program. 3 weekly services, 1 rehearsal. The Organist/Music Associate will work with and be responsible to the Minister of Music & Arts as they plan, coordinate and execute the music ministry of the church. Candidates should have earned at least a bachelor of music degree in church/sacred music with a major in organ and should have experience accompanying choirs and soloists as well as leading congregational song from the organ. Organ: Four manual Aeolian Skinner with 82 ranks and 4200+ pipes. Built in 1962, the organ is fully designed to perform pipe organ music from all major periods. New (2004) Austin console. Annual Salary: $28,000 - $32,000, 2 weeks paid vacation, Health Insurance, Book/Music Allowance, Continuing Education. Position Available: 01-Jan-2007 Response Deadline: 15-Jan-2007. Send resume and references to Steve Mitchell, Minister of Music & Arts or email mitchell@ahcc.org. For a more detailed job description, visit www.ahcc.

Positions Available

To submit information regarding positions, upcoming concerts, recitals, or area events, please email newsletter@springfieldago.org. Submissions for the January issue are due by December 15, 2006.

If you prefer to receive an electronic copy of Chiff Chat newsletters, please let us know! Visit us on the web at www.springfieldago.org.

Celebrating 60 Years as a Chapter!

Chiff Chat Newsletter

CHIFF CHAT

American Guild of Organists

Springfield, MA Chapter

R. Trunzo, Newsletter Editor

81 Briar Way

Greenfield, MA 01301

Springfield Chapter,

American Guild of Organists