Playing the Blackstone Organ

HUNGARIAN CULTURAL GARDEN BENEFIT CONCERT on the BLACKSTONE ORGAN.

It was an honor, privilege and great joy to be invited to play this concert on the Blackstone Organ in Bratenahl, Ohio (eastern Cleveland suburb).  This mansion was specifically designed to house this 134 rank Aeolian-Skinner Pipe Organ.  The home is four floors, pipes artfully installed on the North and South Ends, acoustics perfectly calibrated for the reverberate sound of the instrument with special paints, treated glass and even “four floor sound holes” as in a stringed instrument for air flow.  You can read more about everything related to the Blackstone Organ at www.blackstoneorgan.org if you are interested.  Below is a photo journal of my experience.

 

I had three hours on Saturday to become familiar with the organ and prepare the combination pistons for Sunday’s program.  I enjoyed meeting Dr. Blackstone and greatly appreciated his personal tour of the organ.

 

 

 

Here’s a shot of me exploring the organ and getting used to the balances while discovering the tonal possibilities.  One could spend hours and hours and continue to discover amazing sounds from the artful Aeoline-Skinner organ builders.

 

 

 

 

Pictured is the Crown Trumpet playable from the Baroque Manual.  Being close to the Lake, the sailor’s cry of “THAR SHE BLOWS” would be quite appropriate!

 

 

 

 

Seeing these pipes reminds me of a bamboo forest!  Writing on the Blackstoneorgan.org web-site reads:  “the Blackstone Organ is a living aural and visual sculpture”!  This is accurate.  Listening in the middle of this instrument reminds me of Psalm 150 “let everything that has breath, PRAISE the LORD!

 

 

 

 

Here is a more traditional layout of pipe ranks.  This reminds me of the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war”.

 

 

These are several interesting reed pipes.  There are many different reeds on this instrument of all kinds, materials, shapes, Trumpets, CrookHorn, English Horn, French Horn, Orchestral Oboe, Bassoon, Trombone, and they are present both north and south in the installation.  Several times I treated the audience with echo effects.  Cheri was watching the audience from the back of the room and noted several listeners might have gone home with “whiplash” as their heads were bobbing left and right following the sounds.

 

 

 

 

Another fascinating installation feature of the contrasting wooden pipes hanging in “spread quads” while the metal copper and white pipes rise in traditional formation to meet them.

 

 

 

 

Here is a reed pipe close-up.  The pipe is sounded by this vibrating brass strip (reed).  Air under pressure is directed towards the reed, which vibrates at a specific pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some go up, some go down.  Some are copper, some are brown.  Note the tuning scrolls on the bottom of the wooden pipes.

 

 

 

These are the “ghost” principals (haha) appropriate for spooky halloween music.  They look like they are pouting with those thick lower lips!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Architect in charge of this project is the noted Richard Fleishman who was in attendance at the concert.  I appreciated his comments following that he heard even more new sounds today than he has heard at previous concerts.  I appreciate this about the organ, than any organ takes on the personality of his player and of course will sound different.  Again I feel this relates to the Psalm 150-let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.

 

 

This photo is a bit deceptive in that you can’t see all of the audience (they were on two levels) about 100 guests invited to this event.  I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss each piece and why I chose it.  I also explained a bit about “organ” performance and directed them as to key listening opportunities in each piece.  Several mentioned afterwards they appreciated the opportunity to become involved in the performance in this way.

 

 

 

Here I am pictured with Dr. Blackstone.  He is a fine organist, having served in many churches playing for worship.  Dr. Blackstone is also the Chief of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic.  He and his wife were gracious hosts to Cheri and I as well as to the Hungarian Cultural Garden Benefit Concert guests!

 

 

 

 

I’m so happy Cheri was able to travel with me for this weekend’s concert.  Here we are “not putting on a facade” but standing in front of the pipe facade before the concert!

Thanks for taking time to view this photo-blog of one of the truly GREAT ORGANS I have played in my 50 year career!