2017 C.B. Fisk organ - Christ Church Episcopal, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Рет қаралды 20,927

5 жыл бұрын

Brent Johnson talks with Parker Kitterman about the new C.B. Fisk organ in historic Christ Church Episcopal in Old City Philadelphia.
Information about the organ can be viewed at www.cbfisk.com/instruments/opu...
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Пікірлер: 34

@jdwance 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for dedicating this to Steve. He is missed.

@hautboisdamour2199 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely gorgeous 8' principal on the great. Love so many things about this organ. Thanks for the tour!

@Brent_Johnson 5 жыл бұрын

That was one of my favorite sounds on this organ as well.

@markaustin4370 2 жыл бұрын

I totally agree. The 8’ is stunning

@Tom-Lahaye 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice sounding harmonic flute, and very smooth principal on the great.

@shipsbells 5 жыл бұрын

As a change ringer I am thrilled to hear that the organ was removed from the tower. I hope that the next big project that Christ Church tackles is getting their bells restored for English Change Ringing as they were originally intended to be rung.

@parkerkitterman7816 5 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, that will never happen, as the swinging of the bells for change ringing made the tower sway to the point where it was deemed structurally unsafe (and this was over a century ago). Nowadays the 11 bells, cast from the same Whitechapel foundry as the Liberty Bell, are fixed in place and their clappers are pulled by cables attached to a carillon clavier. One positive result of the removal of the Curtis Organ chambers from the tower is that we were able to build a new platform, stair, and rail for the carillon space. Also, since the Fisk organ is now partitioned off from the tower (as were the 18th and 19th c. organs), our bell-ringers can play independently of the organ without being blasted away during a voluntary.

@elbertpeebles9509 5 жыл бұрын

Very informative interview. Although, it was distracting by the recording person adjusting the volume every time the sounds were demonstrated. I am sure it was to muffle the visitors talking downstairs. Thank you Brent for posting these wonderful interviews.

@mattnbin 5 жыл бұрын

The difference in sound is when he changes to the stereo mics better placed to hear the organ. The sound when the men are talking is likely from the iphone microphone. The editor of the vid has done a great service to mix to the better microphones when they stop talking so we can hear the organ in stereo.

@fd9987 9 ай бұрын

I attended the dedication recital performed by Alan Morrison. This is a wonderful instrument that is much more appropriate to the space than the Curtis organ. Additionally, the structural integrity of the bell tower, which had been compromised, was restored. I know there were issues with the stability of the tower and removing the organ chamber will ensure its longevity. Christ Church has a long history of alterations and “modernizations” that have been removed. The simple colonial style was updated in the 19th century with stained glass windows and more elaborate architectural details and lighting. In the 20th century, the sanctuary was restored to the original colonial appearance, much to the chagrin of some of the congregation. A comparison point nearby is St Peter’s at 3rd and Pine. The architecture is very similar to Christ Church, but the church never updated or renovated the sanctuary, mainly for financial reasons. No money! So the simple 18th century colonial style is all original.

@SanjayKashyap-vu3mf 2 жыл бұрын

video anda sangat bagus dan mempunyai mesej yang luas terima kasih

@praestant8 5 жыл бұрын

The difference between the two trumpets is a Fisk thing. The idea being that a chorus will take on either a french quality with the bright french trumpet or a more Germanic quality with the German trumpet. The shallot styles are different.

@zenasm.savage1999 5 жыл бұрын

The old organ had a choice of trumpets, an " 8' French Trumpet" drawknob for concerts and an "8' German trumpet" drawknob for Sundays.

@alancorley3675 2 жыл бұрын

Seems a shame to have had such a large instrument to be replaced by this one-lovely as it might be

@richardharrold9736 2 жыл бұрын

The old organ was far too big, it had to be crammed into chambers halfway up the tower to fit it in. It was hopeless.

@antoniboleslawowicz8095 4 жыл бұрын

Do you have specifications of this instrument?

@mattnbin 3 жыл бұрын

Wow never heard it called the su-bus before. I have heard it pronounced as it is spelled - “sub bass” as in, a very deep bass.

@HenrikBergpianorganist 2 жыл бұрын

It could be a French Soubasse rather than a Subbass?

@m.weisiger2267 2 жыл бұрын

Lovely organ but I find it disappointing that there’s not a real 32 on the organ.

@tomw335 5 жыл бұрын

What happened to the old organ? I'm guessing that various organ builders and/or individuals acquired pipework and other parts. I doubt that the Fisk company decided to take them.

@zenasm.savage1999 5 жыл бұрын

Its a shame. They had a 100 rank Aeolian Skinner. It had two real 32's, a 16' enchamade under expression affectionately known as "The Buick" four manuals, an antiphonal made from the previous 1903 organ, and cornets all the way around the horn . The instrument probably needed a rebuild as it was from the thirties... instead they got this. The chamber was a little wonky on the old instrument but it was one of a kind. Some people should have there key privileges revoked.

@parkerkitterman7816 5 жыл бұрын

@@zenasm.savage1999The previous instrument, known as the Curtis Organ, was originally a turn-of-the-century ballroom organ donated to Christ Church in the 1930s, and installed (reluctantly, if one reads his letters to the church) by Ernest Skinner for Aeolian Skinner. It was rebuilt or added to several times, most notably by Austin in the early 1970s. By the 80s, there was pipework--much of it stylistically incoherent or of inferior quality--from at least 8 different builders, very little of which was unaltered Skinner or Aeolian-Skinner work. By the turn of the 21st c. the Curtis Organ was in pretty bad shape, so I admittedly never got to hear or play it in its glory years. Faced with an expensive rebuild which could never hope to address its tonal imbalances (too much loud upper-work, very little foundation or color), and blessed with a legacy gift from the late Esther Wideman and other heroic gifts, we pivoted in a new direction, and wound up with this glorious instrument. Fisk's work here is breathtaking in its skill and artistry, and the proof is in seeing and hearing it in person. Come check it out any time.

@zenasm.savage1999 5 жыл бұрын

I've come to listen to both organs. I like the old one although I knew it was in poor condition. Our church decided to go through the expensive rebuild instead of scrapping our mismatched pipework. Christ Church was actually a model for our instrument. I find it hard to support claim an organ of 100 ranks can have weak foundation but I will admit that the uppers were rather loud and Austin rebuilds in general have wonky voicing-- but it made for unique, one of a kind instrument, I can't say the same about the Fisk. I can listen to a recording of the old instrument and identify it 100% of the time. I'm a little surprised, if you are who I think you are, I would've thought you would've liked a ballroom instrument!

@thebog11 4 жыл бұрын

@@zenasm.savage1999 I am also surprised, as I've never heard of anyone who's been disappointed by Fisk. Since their inception, they've been one of the premier organ builders in the US. Additionally, this is not a tremendously large space - 100 ranks seems like overkill. When you consider the fact that this organ is out in the room instead of being chambered, I can't imagine how this wouldn't be an improvement.

@HiringAPtAdvocate 4 жыл бұрын

@@zenasm.savage1999 I recall being on two organ crawls to Christ Church. I recall being impressed by the size of the instrument in a modest building but not by the instrument. Perhaps its location. Perhaps having so many cooks in the stew. St. Thomas, NYC is another example of an organ with many hands in the stew. They too decided to not keep much of the previous instrument quite logically because one main reason for the new organ was because what Adams did to the instrument left little for accompanying their superb choral program. I believe out of the 160 ranks they kept 10, mostly in the pedal and more as mutations rather than unison. THAT organ is loud a homage to it's predecessor but I find it to be louder. THIS organ seems sweeter.

@jimmorgan5612 5 жыл бұрын

No full organ?

@OrganMediaFoundation 5 жыл бұрын

You can hear the organ demonstrated on a couple of live performances we recorded: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGK9pYCNm8iIabM, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHqpq6mklMiFabM

@richardharrold9736 2 жыл бұрын

@@OrganMediaFoundation what was that rather chromatic piece playing during the latter part of the walk-round inside the organ? Sounded like it could be Widor...