Greetings!

* OrganFocus News:

** Sometime within the last two weeks I inadvertently broke the event
submission form, http://www.organfocus.com/entry_form.php3 . If you
entered any events and have not seen them live on the site or not
received the email notification, please enter them again. Apologies for
the inconvenience.

** Travel Log: Estey Organ Museum in Brattleboro, VT.

Upon closer examination of the Estey Organ Museum homepage,
http://www.esteyorganmuseum.org
I saw that visits "can be arranged upon request" (red link toward the
botom of the page). Ah-ha! I emailed John Carnahan at
carnahan@... , and two deays later we arrived to a personal tour
of the museum by a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. The
museum is located in one of the old Estey Organ Factory buildings, and
is essentially one large room packed with all sorts of reed organs--
from very ornate exhibition models, to regular-issue home units which
the factory churned out at absolutely mind-boggling numbers, in days
before electricity. Children's organs, a grand piano, and even some
electronic Esteys which I had no idea existed. The host kindly let us
play the models that worked. I tried my hand at one model with the foot
pump pedals and found that it's a skill all its own - playing with the
hands while alternating a steady pumping rhythm with the feet to keep
the air going. The 19th-century sound come alive was somewhat
reminiscent of an accordion, but much more cultured. Without practice,
I couldn't keep going with the alternating feet and the organ wheezed
and sighed. But then I was invited to try the Style T with 2 manuals,
full pedalboard, and crank-operated bellows. In the first photo that's
me playing "Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme" BWV645. It was a lot of
fun for me and a lot of work for our guide! Eventually my husband took
over operating the crank. Style T has great sound and would make an
excellent practice organ. One thing I found uncomfortable was the
proportions. The manuals seemed too high--you can see it in the
picture. Turns out Style T's were built with almost 5 inches more
height between the pedals and the lower manual than the AGO standard.
You can read about the history and specifications of the Style T here:
http://www.reedsoc.org/ArticleArchive/gibson.htm
Aside from the strange proportions, I really enjoyed playing it. These
models are commonly fitted with blowers nowadays and thus have great
potential as practice or even small church organs.

And now, pictures:
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom1.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom2.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom3.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom4.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom5.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom6.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom7.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/eom8.jpg

There is an Estey Style T available in South Orange, New Jersey. Here
is the info:

==ADVERTISEMENT=============================
Estey Type T reed organ, 2 manuals, pedal, self-
contained quiet vacuum motor. 10 stops plus full
couplers. Recently repaired and restored.
Beautiful oak case and bench. Best offer.
Buyer to pay for shipping. Call 973-761-4540 or
email at wayne_frank@....
=============================================
Wayne Bradford, the owner, also informed me that they will sell the
Estey or donate it to an institution that may want it. Please contact
him at the above coordinates.
--------------------------------------------

** David Moran is going to produce more of the "Heiller at Harvard" CD
set, and will update the big booklet with notes. A link to OrganFocus
page with Heiller student reminiscences by by George Klump, Franklin E.
Perkins, Marian Ruhl Metson, Yuko Hayashi, Stephen Roberts and Christa
Rakich will be included in the booklet.
http://www.organfocus.com/music/heilleratharvard.php3

I own this set (Mr. Moran kindly sent it to me for publishing the
student memories on the site) and Heiller's musicianship on the
recordings is magnificent. To me, there is no better rendition of
Bach's "Wedge" fugue than Anton Heiller's version.


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ADVERTISEMENTS

In no particular order, here are the ads received for publication since
the last newsletter.

*** Scott Lamlein Releases "The Organ At Worship" CD ***

Scott Lamlein announces the release of "The Organ At Worship," his
second solo CD, on the North Forty Road Music Productions label.
Recorded on the IV/73 1927 E.M. Skinner Organ at Wesley United
Methodist Church, in Worcester, MA, the disc includes organ works by
Bach, Brahms, Durufle, Shearing and Innes, in addition to Mr.
Lamlein's signature piece--the seldom-recorded "Organoedia ad missam
lectam" of Zoltan Kodaly (precursor of the "Missa Brevis").

To order, or for additional information, please visit
www.scottlamlein.com.

Scott Lamlein is represented as a concert artist by TIngrassia
Entertainment (www.tingentertainment.com; 508-277-6022).

submitted by:

Tom Ingrassia
thomasingrassia@...

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*** Vermont Organ Academy releases new CD ***

Or new CD is here and in our bookstore. "The Aeolian-Skinner Legacy,
Vol. 3: Charles Callahan, George Markey, and William Watkins Play
Three Great Organs in Washington, D.C." is a 2-disc set with these
three great organists playing the Aeolian-Skinners at Church of The
Epiphany, Georgetown Presbyterian Church, and National Presbyterian
Church in live recordings made 1960-1985.

The set offers over two hours of that unmistakably wonderful Aeolian-
Skinner sound, played by three masters, with works by Jongen, Vierne,
Sowerby, Roger-Ducasse, Callahan, Lefebure-Wely, Willan, Handel, Bach,
Kodaly, Simonds and others. A 16-page booklet accompanies the CD, and
includes complete stoplists, photos, bios, and program notes by Charles
Callahan, one of the leading authorities on Aeolian-Skinner organs.
This CD is a real knockout, and is a must for all interested in great
organ playing and Aeolian-Skinner organs! Visit our website at
www.vermontorganacademy.com for more details. The site has been
recently updated, our store is now fully operational, and, three
recent Diapason interviews with William Teague (appearing here in its
original, unabridged version), Thomas Richner, and Nora Williams are
now on our "newsletter and articles" page (thanks to Jerome Butera and
The Diapason).

Lorenz Maycher
www.vermontorganacademy.com

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*** Hard to Find Organ Music ***

Hello, members of Organ Focus.

Folks who are on the other organ lists know me, but I'm new to this one.

I've been living in Japan for 58 years teaching organ in the University
of Japan and acting as Curator and Staff Organist of the 1932 Wurlitzer
Organ in the Tokyo Mitsukoshi Department Store.

In 2002 my career was ended by a drunken motorcyclist, and I was
completely paralyzed. But thanks to God and a wonderful therapist I am
now able to perform again, although I'll never be able to handle the
big literature anymore.

I'm now permanently settled in a nursing-home, still rehabilitating.
But to while away the boring hours, I have been transcribing into new
editions, over 250 organ compositions. Many are of service music which
I played in church for years, but I have also made new editions of many
organ works which are no longer in print or are only available in
expensive collections. A Barenreiter or Peters volume costs $88 here
in Tokyo, and for students who want just to learn a fugue or toccata or
two, that's a lot of money.

In addition I have made many transcriptions of orchestral and band
music, along with lighter works which have been popular with the
customers of the department store, such as Sousa marches, the Can-Can
of Offenbach, Joplin rags etc, and some very well-received Japanese
melodies, unknown in the West, but beautiful music.

I am hoping to be able to make this music available at very reasonable
prices. All are engraved with the latest music-writing software and
are printed on extra-heavy paper for long life.

I have put my catalogue into pdf form and will be glad to email it to
any organists are interested.

If you wish a copy, just send an e-mail to:

vcsorgan@...

I apologize for this blatant advertising, but not only will my catalog
provide many interesting works that can no longer be obtained
commercially, it will make life a bit easier financially for me.

I know organists are always seeking new repertoire, and I hope my
project will prove valuable to you.

Sincerely,

Victor C. Searle, M.Mus
University of Japan (retired)

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