As the construction of the Lange Memorial Organ has progressed throughout the summer, I have been continually awed by the scope of the project, the multiple skills of builders John and Steve Tite and our faithful volunteer crew of St Mark assistants, and the determination over the months by a number of our St Mark women that all the workers be fed royally every day.
I have been playing pipe organs since I was a teenager--until this project, though, I really had no idea what goes into the making of these astoundingly complex beasts.
But now that the organ is almost ready to play, my thoughts are turning toward my comfort zone-- making the instrument sing.
I am gathering a small chant choir of men to lead Lutheran Evening Prayer on All Saints Sunday, November 3, at 4pm. We will be chanting as much of the liturgy (a combination of Vespers and Compline) as we can manage, and the congregation will be digging into some grand old hymns.
My special contribution will be three organ pieces in the middle of the service, all of them by the late Healey Willan of Toronto and based on famous Gregorian chant melodies that are proper to the All Saints festival. Each is dramatic in its own way, and will demonstrate the Memorial Organ's remarkable array of tone colour.
There will be two more special afternoon services featuring the new organ-- the first on Sunday, January 5, during which we'll sing Christmas music galore; the second on Sunday, March 30-- before its official gala opening the first Saturday evening in June. And in the meantime, our organist Ted Filsinger will be offering tours and demonstrations of the instrument for both children and adults.
All of which makes me acknowledge, powerfully and humbly: Our new pipe organ is a truly magnificent blessing from God, not just to St Mark's, but to Chesley and everywhere around it.
Thanks over and over to Him, the Master of Music and Loveliness!
I have been playing pipe organs since I was a teenager--until this project, though, I really had no idea what goes into the making of these astoundingly complex beasts.
But now that the organ is almost ready to play, my thoughts are turning toward my comfort zone-- making the instrument sing.
I am gathering a small chant choir of men to lead Lutheran Evening Prayer on All Saints Sunday, November 3, at 4pm. We will be chanting as much of the liturgy (a combination of Vespers and Compline) as we can manage, and the congregation will be digging into some grand old hymns.
My special contribution will be three organ pieces in the middle of the service, all of them by the late Healey Willan of Toronto and based on famous Gregorian chant melodies that are proper to the All Saints festival. Each is dramatic in its own way, and will demonstrate the Memorial Organ's remarkable array of tone colour.
There will be two more special afternoon services featuring the new organ-- the first on Sunday, January 5, during which we'll sing Christmas music galore; the second on Sunday, March 30-- before its official gala opening the first Saturday evening in June. And in the meantime, our organist Ted Filsinger will be offering tours and demonstrations of the instrument for both children and adults.
All of which makes me acknowledge, powerfully and humbly: Our new pipe organ is a truly magnificent blessing from God, not just to St Mark's, but to Chesley and everywhere around it.
Thanks over and over to Him, the Master of Music and Loveliness!
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