ZION
MUSIC:
ZION MUSIC DIRECTOR
JOHN HEIZER'S UPDATE ON THE CHURCH ORGAN
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ZION
MUSIC: |
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| HOME | MUSIC | DIRECTOR | CHOIR | ||||
Proposed Changes to Organ Loft
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February 2006 – an organ update: Patrick
J. Murphy & Associates have been selected to build the new organ for
Zion. They have just completed their first installation in Baltimore for
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. The church council has set the year 2006 to
develop the necessary funding for this project. The Gala Chamber Music
concert on December 22, 2005 raised $55,000 for the organ project. With
what was already in the fund, we can show that the project is under way
and now inquire about the interest of any individual[s] to be a major
donor. We need $750,000 for the new encased instrument. In addition, there
will be construction costs for making the gallery ready for the new organ. The
current instrument continues to deteriorate at an increasing rate after 50
years of constant use. The organist never knows what to expect from Sunday
to Sunday. The
specifications for the new instrument follows. Some of the best pipework
from the old instrument will be reused in the new instrument. GREAT 16
Bourdon 8
Principal 8
Bourdon 8
Violone 8
Harmonic Flute 4
Octave 4
Koppelflute 2 2/3
Nazard 2
Fifteenth 1 3/5
Tierce 1 1/3 Mixture IV 8
Trumpet 4
Clarion SWELL 16
Rohrgedackt 8
Geigen 8
Rohrflute 8
Viole de gambe 8
Viole Celeste 4
Principal 4
Flauto Traverso 2
Open Flute 2
Mixture III-IV 16
Trompette 8
Trompette 8
Oboe CHOIR 8
Gemshorn 8
Stopped Diapason 8
Erzähler 8
Erzähler Celeste 4
Geigen Octave 4
Chimney Flute 2
Super Octave 1 1/3
Larigot 1
Mixture III 8
Clarinet 8
Tuba PEDAL 32
Subbass 16
Contrebasse 16
Subbass 16
Bourdon 8
Principal 8
Octave 8
Subbass 4
Octave 4
Harmonic Flute 2
Mixture 32
Trombone 16
Trombone 16
Trompette 8
Trumpet 4 Clarion ******************************************************
The Music at Zion It has been thirty years that I have been Organist/Choir Director at Zion Church. And of course, a lot has changed during this time. Not only have I gotten older and become the senior staff member, but so has my surroundings here at Zion moved along in age. I was asked to give some reflections of this time and here you have it. The organ was 15 years old when I arrived, now it is 45 years old. Just try and imagine all the notes that have been played during the past 30 years. In preparing for the organ crawls/demonstrations as part of the restoration meetings, I counted the number of mechanical movements required of the organ just to play one verse of A Mighty Fortress. For this I am using the version in the SBH which has 64 chords, or 256 notes. Not counting turning the organ on, to play one verse on one ‘stop’ [one sound on one keyboard] requires 513 movements [1 to turn the ‘stop’ on; .256 note channel actions for the pipe chest, and an additional 256 leather pouch movements to make the sound]. To play four verses on one sound on one keyboard would require 2049 movements. As anyone that attends the services here at Zion can probably tell, I just don’t use one sound for the hymns. There are as many as 20 different stops [sounds] that are combined together to make that majestic sound to lead hymn singing. So, can you tally the number of actions required? How about for a whole service? How about for a whole year? And remember, these actions must respond like lightening and without failure. Now, can you tally the total number of actions after 45 years? Wouldn’t you agree then, that without question, the organ deserves to be tired and in need of restoration? That there is a good reason for dead notes and failing actions? As for the choir, there have also been many changes there over the years. We started with a sizable volunteer choir. Over the years, most of the then younger members have married and moved on. [Yes, I remember that large group of young people in the mid and late 70’s. They certainly were enthusiastic – and one even was a fairly good tenor although he was a choir member for a short period. And how about some of those parties?] And some, for what ever the reason, have transferred to other parishes; and some have retired. We have had a new younger volunteer member for the past several years – Karyn Chisholm [she is also chair of the Worship and Music Committee]. But then again, she now has a young child that requires ‘mommy time.’ There is that word – time. Being a choir member requires time. A set time to attend rehearsals. A set time to attend services. In other words a commitment of time is required to learn music and then perform it. It really is just like going to work. You have to be there in order to accomplish the task. And like most any office, if the personnel is not there, the office will not be able to function properly. Just try and think of the times you received slow or no service at any given business. I can only think that you would not be happy with that business. That is why that since we have fewer volunteers, we must hire singers in order to conduct the business of the choir. While the word time is on mind, we even had difficulty in trying to schedule a Christmas party and the annual picnic this past year! We have fewer volunteer members for what I think is several reasons. One, time – everyone seems so busy, work seems to consume us. Second, appreciation – that is, for good music. There is a great lack of music appreciation in our schools. Most all of the volunteer members experienced a good music education as a child, and even had music lessons as a child. Sadly, this is not so today. My parents always said nothing will ever stay the same. Even though we maybe don’t want to, we must realize that things do indeed change over the years. And while it is nice, even comforting to remember ‘the-good-old-days,’ it does not relieve us of our responsibilities for today. It does nothing to help with rebuilding the organ so that it gives another 50 years of service, or to help the choir to continue providing music for our services. Without your continued financial support and appreciation, it really is likely that the music will just fade away. And once gone, it will be very difficult to reclaim it. As I don’t want to end on such a dreary note, I have to say that it was wonderful to see the people of Zion rally to match the challenge gift to the St. Cecilia Fund. So I know that you are there, and do indeed care about the music at Zion. I have faith that we will accomplish the task of rebuilding the organ, and that we will continue to receive gifts to the St. Cecilia Fund. Let’s hope that I am able to play a new organ and still have a choir to conduct before I retire. Sincerely, John Heizer |
