CHRISTMAS JOURNEY 2019-The Harrah Symphonic Organ

What can be said after playing thirteen concerts on the Harrah Symphonic Organ at Forrest Burdette UMC in Hurricane, WV since 2008?  Other than “I’m running out of good Christmas songs”, what can be said is:  the organ is beyond any organ of its type, I have experienced.  Each year, I spend three days at the console in preparation, the first hours just “balancing” and getting used to the massive expanse of space and options of sounds.  Some are so unique and beautiful I usually “get misty-eyed”.  I always try and find a new twist or new stop or new combination I’ve never used before, and I will never run out of these on this instrument.  “Symphonic” is a wonderful description of the reality of this instrument, as registering piece goes way beyond the usual Principal 8,4,2, Mixture basic registration.  To use the analogy of color, you don’t just have “red”.  You have sight, sound, smell, taste and touch of tomato red, cherry red, fire truck red, strawberry red, cinnamon candy red, red velvet, hot sauce red, warning light red, and so forth.  Just in the string family alone, there are the normal quiet Erzahlers on the Choir, the Viole de Gambas on the Swell, the Gemshorn on the Great, plus the entire Dulciana division, the entire String Division in Wanamaker style with flat, unison and sharp celestes.  The spectrum-range of this instrument is simply incredible—I think over 78 String and Celeste ranks alone!

This year we went on a CHRISTMAS JOURNEY, and I explained and demonstrated how I could select stops and show how the organs were built differently in various countries and in their own unique period of time.  We heard:  North German-JSBach-In Dulci Jubilo; English Cathedral-O Come All Ye Faithful; French Baroque-Daquin-Noel Etranger; Italian Romantic-Yon-Gesu Bambino; Russian Ballet Transcription-Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Russian Dance; Poland-Infant Holy; France—Carillon de Westminster.  It was exciting to make the organ sound so different on each piece and I am certain the audience was able to clearly discern the differences as I described them.  So many just think all organs sound alike and like “organs” and my mission is to help listeners identify and recognize the differences and appreciate the heritage and history of this wonderful instrument called an organ!  I so much appreciate the invitation, the privilege and the responsibility of playing this instrument for the good folks of  Forrest Burdette UMC in Hurricane, and will always look forward to any opportunity to play it!