Virgil Fox 1970 Masterclass Bach Toccata in F Major With Commentary

“I decided to open my vault during these dark days of the virus and post a recording which may be of interest to Virgil Fox fans. Many of you know that Virgil’s 1969 masterclass was recorded by Doug Marshall and is available online. I also brought my tape recorder and recorded the final day of the class. (The Thursday afternoon session at the then Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark was recorded by John O’Hara, who is now a bishop in New York.)
To the best of my recollection, Doug did not attend the 1970 class (June 22-26). For some reason, I recorded only June 23rd that year. There is some great material on the tape, and I’ve extracted an excerpt here. The tape was running at 1 7/8 IPS, so there are several dropouts in the audio. I used audio restoration software to reconstruct the sound from the 50-year-old tape.
I’ve included Virgil’s comments about a recital he had given earlier in the year. By doing so I in no way mean to demean any person, company or institution. I have edited out specific names, even though Virgil knew the tape was running and was fine with it. Later in the session I stopped recording at his request.
The microphone was very close to the console, and during the quiet a minor section at 4:55 you can hear some serious leather slapping on wood.
At 9:13 I asked him a question about his recording of the Toccata (Command Classics LP, 1963), where he brings on the big reed at Riverside near the end of the piece. I wanted to know if he hit a toe stud (most likely), or a manual piston (less likely), or switched manuals (least likely). I think he misunderstood my question and before I could clarify, we were off to another topic.
I offer his commentary as a testimony to his virtuosity as a raconteur. (Years later, my brother spent several hours with a few other organists listening to Virgil at the Sheraton Waikiki, when Virgil was on his way back from Japan. My brother said that by the time he left Virgil’s room his mind was blown.)
In addition to a great talking-while-playing demo, Virgil delivers some funny lines. You can hear Carlo Curley cracking up several times.
Enjoy a small window into a lone-gone era.
Cheers,
Don M
PS - FYI you can find my performances of the Bach D Major and the Gigue fugue on this channel.”

[@petermacander5039]

VINTAGE VIRGIL FOX! Prior to its leaving the Kenmore, N.Y. shop, I had the opportunity to see and play that Schlicker organ during an open house at the Schlicker factory, where it was set up in the erecting room with its enormous 32' Principal gallery facade. I even wrote Virgil Fox a letter at that time (at age 15) to tell him all about the experience! I believe it was Herman Schlicker's largest opus. The original 1969 four manual and pedal Schlicker dual (chancel and gallery) consoles for the L.A. First Congregational Church had typical Schlicker rocker tablet stop switches arranged in horizontal rows up and down both right and left jambs [reminiscent of the old AEolian residence organ consoles] and only a handful of pistons under each manual keyboard; nowhere near as many as the AE-S Riverside organ had. Toe studs were 3" typical Schlicker rounded bevelled wooden blocks placed almost vertically along the lower front kick panel just above the pedal sharps in horizontal rows. Judging by the number of ranks in this enormous organ, there were significantly fewer mechanicals on those consoles than there should have been. Schlicker had not built organs of this enormous size before, and it might have been advisable to have had a consultant like Virgil assist with the design of the console mechanicals to consolidate both instruments into one. I wonder whose idea it was to pair up Herman Schlicker as a builder/rebuilder with the E.M. Skinner, since the tonal philosophies, design, scaling and voicing of these two organ builders were as vastly dissimilar as night and day. Herman Schlicker built small to moderate sized electropneumatic and tracker organs with slider chests in the German (Bavarian) organ tradition. They were essentially Americanized West German organs even down to the console appointments and pipe scales, design, construction and voicing. He imported his reeds from Germany and Holland. He did not build theatre, symphonic, or American Classic organs. In 1968, Schlicker would have been able to complete this vast project faster than AEolian-Skinner could have, and at a substantially lower cost. I agree with Virgil, it is hell trying to play (especially his repertory) with a watch or rings on one's fingers! I don't know how Liberace or Diane Bish ever managed to do it but, then again, neither one of them was Virgil Fox! Thank-you for posting, Don.

[@Leon-eu5mr]

Wow! This is neat! Wish I was alive then and could have gone to his classes! Thanks for sharing! I am enjoying listening!

[@JSB1983]

I love listening to musicians talk shop like this.

[@SternDrive]

Thanks for this!

[@rzmyers1096]

One of my most favorite organists.... I, like he, believe in allowing personal freedoms, lyrical freedoms, stop freedoms, and interpretational and style freedoms when playing.. Bach would be utterly Amazed at today's organs and their capabilities... His playing would sound MUCH different at modern instruments...

[@chrisridgeway9790]

I just love to hear Virgil speak about the insanity of what the 'organ reform movement' produced.

[@antoniboleslawowicz8095]

Thanks so much for posting this! Virgil was unique. I only met him once, in 1973. I wish you would give us more. Could you please tell me if T. Ernest Nichols’ “The Innermost Secrets” is worth reading and, if so, where could I get a copy?

[@richardmaryman3494]

The T. Ernest Nichols book is an interesting read. I got my copy thru the Organ Historical Society bookstore. It is likely out of print altho perhaps a "copy-on-demand" copy could be made. It deals mainly with playing technique. There was to be a (never published) second volume that dealt with the registrational tools and techniques.

[@GlamRockCowboy]

Why did he use Black Beauty in this case, I wonder?

[@TheOrgan1st]

He sounds like Indiana Jones

[@Leon-eu5mr]

Also, Don, I believe you played a piece you wrote at one of those masterclasses? Did you ever publish it? I love the beautiful sound of it!

[@ronyjaya3611]

Asowmg c'm

[@Leon-eu5mr]

Rony Jaya Could you translate, please?

[@aldermanenterpriseinc]

THIS was NOT black Beauty ladies and gentlemen. THIs was most likely his home organ he had installed at his mansion at Englewood Cliffs in New jersey. OK! MY mistake. THE organ you HEAR is Black beauty, The organ you SEE is at his mansion in Englewood Cliffs.

[@mitchweisiger5904]

That Rodgers pedalboard is very clunky and noisy.

[@Engineer9736]

@@Willorga1708bux you are the one introducing trolls. There is nothing wrong with Mitch's statement.

[@TheJakeman789]

He rambled a lot, and got of subject.