A New Organ for St Philip

As promised below (see earlier post), here's a drawing of the new Paul Fritts organ currently under construction in Tacoma, WA, and due to be installed at St Philip Presbyterian here in Houston in Fall 2009. I'll have more details and pics as things progress, but wanted to give Houstonians especially a little peek at our new instrument.

The casework will include pipeshade carvings (not shown) and will likely combine some natural-finished wood with painted and/or gilded surfaces. This is just an initial rendering of the shape, using the wood color found in the church. With three manual divisions and pedal and 48 stops, this will be a major addition to the local scene.

Old reedy things...

Having fielded several questions at the "Duelling Divas" reception about the wind instruments used during that program, I thought I'd devote a few blogs to that topic this summer. I got these photos just recently, from someone in France who is trying to sell an 18th-century bassoon. It's always surprising to see a surviving wind instrument from this era, since they are prone to self-destruction on account of the humidity that eats away the interior of old oboes, bassoons, flutes et al. This one looks pretty well preserved, but I've no idea whether it's playable.

The key different between a baroque bassoon and a modern one is the lack of many keys on the baroque instrument. Notice the fairly large fingerholes, which (as on a recorder) are the means by which a bassoonist changes from one note to the next. This is a three-keyed instrument, which was typical in the 18th century. The sound of an instrument like this is both earthier and quieter than a modern bassoon, and it blends beautifully with the quirky sound of the baroque oboe and fits seemlessly with cello and bass in a continuo line of a baroque orchestra.

The case is also quite extraordinary, a beautiful piece of furniture in its own right!

Organ News

At St Philip Presbyterian Church in Houston (where I'm the organist), we're eagerly anticipating the Fall 2009 delivery of a new pipe organ from Paul Fritts of Tacoma, WA. His most recent opus is currently on its way to Sacred Heart Cathedral in Rochester, NY. You can read all about it in a wonderful article from the Tacoma paper:
www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/363703.html

The new instrument at St Philip, of approximately the same size as the Rochester instrument, will have a more contemporary case to harmonize with our more modern-looking sanctuary, which was recently renovated from top to bottom. The new acoustics and enlarged choir/organ gallery at St Philip make a perfect home for the new Fritts organ. With three manual divisions and pedal and 48 stops, it will be a major addition to the local scene -- and Paul's first instrument anywhere in Texas!

Stay tuned for images of the new instrument, which I'll be posting once we have them from the builder.

Summer's here!

Summer always brings music festivals and travels, and this year is no exception. Yours truly will be off to Turkey in a month, and can't wait to see Istanbul, the Aegean Sea, the mosques, the rugs....

Keeping track of musician friends this time of year is a special challenge, but for the intrepid, here's a quick list of some websites that will tell you where to hear your favorite singers this summer:

www.avapine.com
www.melissagivens.com
www.marielenormand.com
www.singjones.com
www.josephgaines.com

Happy surfing!

Ars Lyrica in Beaumont

Just back from Beaumont, where Ars Lyrica played an all-Italian chamber program this afternoon at First United Methodist Church. Performers included Melissa Givens (soprano), Gerrod Pagenkopf, (countertenor), Alan Austin (baroque violin), Brady Lanier (baroque cello) and yours truly on the wire machine. Check out their great sanctuary windows and the article about us at http://firstbeaumont.org/

Many thanks to Eduardo Garcia-Novelli, the church's director of music (and a former student: DMA in choral conducting from the Moores School), and to the Leland Best Council for the Arts at FUMC Beaumont for the opportunity to share some of our favorite pieces with you!

Reviews of "Duelling Divas"

Well, the divas had their duel and I'm delighted to report that there were no casualties! In fact, it was one of the more enjoyable evenings we've spent on the Zilkha Hall stage. If you haven't yet seen it, here are the links to Chas Ward's review in the Houston Chronicle and Holly Beretto's review in Arts Houston:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/arts/classicalmusic/5773659.html
http://www.artshouston.com/article.php?article_id=700

Many thanks to all who made "Duelling Divas" such a great evening!

The lowdown on Phoebus...

Just when you thought you'd heard it all...some interesting news about a Bach cantata.

Bach's "Phoebus and Pan" (on the upcoming May 11 Ars Lyrica program) has gotten some attention recently on a website that's never before dabbled in Bach criticism or research. At least one writer considers Phoebus' big aria as a rare example of homoeroticism in Bach. Here's the link: www.androphile.org/preview/Library/History/jsbach/bach.htm While the author of this article is correct as far as the old legend goes, I wonder how many of us are prepared to admit of such goings-on in Bach. Not many in the Bach industry, or so it would seem!

I'll be interested to know how this colors your hearing of the work on our "Duelling Divas" program at Zilkha Hall. See you there!