Pipe Organs in California

[amont1]

Does anyone know of any pipe organs in California. Maybe a list?

[Muza]

I will do my best to find some - are you looking for some specific area or vicinity?

[amont1]

Hello Muza. Maybe SF/Bay Area.

[Krummhorn]

Grace Cathedral - San Fran ... This is a "must see" organ
The late Richard Purvis was organist there for many years ...

[Muza]

I know that I have asked you for a precise location, but I will also mention the organs all over California (just in case you ever visit those places or just happen to be there ) The numbers next to the name correspond to the ranking of size (1 being the worlds biggest)

3.First Congregational ChurchLos Angeles, California, USA

6.Crystal CathedralGarden Grove, California, USA

7.Auditorio NacionalMexico City, Mexico (obviously not in CA, but close )

35.Davies Symphony HallSan Francisco, California, USA

44.First Baptist ChurchBakersfield, California, USA

50.Grace CathedralSan Francisco, California, USA

53.Lake Avenue Congregational ChurchPasadena, California, USA

64.Civic AuditoriumSan Francisco, California, USA

For more information, check out this site that I just found: http://www.theatreorgans.com/laird/top.pipe.organs.html

[Contratrombone64]

There is a splendid modern example of American organ building in the weird but wonderful Walt Disney Concert Hall. I've seen this building from the street but didn't venture inside except to look at the gift shop. At that time, I didn't realise it held a magnificent pipe organ ...

[Krummhorn]

Muza,

Los Angeles 1st Congregational ... indeed a splendid installation. When I lived in So Cal (Orange County) I attended lots of organ recitals in and about LA County. I got to attend E. Power Biggs' concert at 1st Congregational ... the morning following, we were treated to an organ crawl - that was when it was 'just' 214 rks (Lloyd Holztgraf was the organist then). Since that time (late 60's) many additions/modifications have been made to that organ - it's on my list to see the next time I'm in that area.

[smilingvox]

I know this thread is kind of old, but, amont1, I see you're from Calif., so I might not be too late.

St. Mary's RC Cathedral, corner of Geary Bd. and Gough St., has a 4/89 Ruffatti from around 1970. When I was in the Navy, sometimes I would attend mass to listen to it.

A few blocks away is Trinity Episcopal. California and Franklin, I think. A Skinner from 1921, I believe. As of the 80s, when I was there, the only change made was Skinner adding the Echo a few years later.

The Presbyterian Church on Broadway, in Oakland, has a big Rosales which replaced a large Kimball. Only heard a recording of that.

[Mush]

I remember going to see Biggs at 1st Congo LA. It was his "Heroic" tour which featured brass and organ. As far as crawls at 1st congo go, I've spent more than enough time in that machine. That pipework goes on and on forever. I think I'm the only one who ever tuned the whole thing. But do miss always getting to play it.

The Rosales at Oakland Pres used some of the Kimbal pipework. There are pictures around of me down inside the big 32s as I rebuilt them. That instrument is unique because it's a tracker and it has some pretty big scale pipework

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha amont1,

Do pay a visit to<www.die-orgelseite.de> There you can pay a small one-time fee and get lots of info and beautiful photographs of organs from almost all over the world.

Cheerio,

CD

[Contratrombone64]

San Francisco has an amazing array of historic instruments, here are some on CD "Historic Organs of San Francisco" (there are twenty in all and I can't be bothered writing them all out, sorry!).

St. Boniface Parish
St. Joseph's Hospital Chapel (Æolian-Skinner)
Trinity Episcopal Church
Notre Dame des Victoires
First Church of the Scientist
Grace Cathedral (a monster)
First Congregational Church
California Street Episcopal Church (now Seventh Day Adventist from what I can tell)
First Sacred Heart Church
Our Lady of Guadalupe RC Church
First Presbyterian, Marysville
Holy Cross Parish
Philadelphian Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Temple Sherith Israel (yep, a wonderful organ inside)
Memorial Church, Stanford University

[smilingvox]

Hi there, CT64.
No sweat. I, for one, have that CD set you mentioned and, obviously, the list comes with it.

One organ I forgot about is another fine Boston product. A 1909 Woodberry at St. Dominic's near the Mission Dist. and Fillmore Dist. A real workhorse. Damn shame OHS didn't include a photo of it in the booklet.


Oops. Wrong neighborhood. I guess I went to church there not realizing I got lost that morning. (heeheehee) It's closer to the east end of Golden Gate Park.

[dll927]

At the time the Schlicker organ was put in at First Cong. L.A., I had season tickets for the concert series for a couple of years. That was in about 1969 to early 70's. At the time the console was a four-manual with tilting tablet stop controls. I can remember Virgil Fox, Alexander Schreiner, Flor Pieters, among others.

In effect, there are really two organs, plus what they have added since. The original chancel organ is a Skinner of about 1932, but it has been added to. The Schlicker is in the west balcony, which had previously been exactly that - a balcony.

I no longer live in the L.A. area, so haven't been to the church in some years. But I gather they have removed the seats from the crossing balconies and added more pipework in those.

The church itself is cruciform and is something of an architectural masterpiece in itself. It is supposed to be modeled after a British cathedral.

You can get information at www.fccla.org or by putting the name of the church into Flickr, and probably other photo sites.

The Crystal Cathedral is somewhat the same situation - two organs, front and back. There are some suspended reed stops up there in the air, too. Both churches have two consoles, which supposedly can play any part of the organ(s).

The L. A. area has quite a number of fairly large organs, so there is quite a bit to listen to. As for California in total, I'm a native and life-longer, but I can't claim to know about all the organs there are. With the number of large cities, it figures there must be a lot of them, but as all of you know, organs can have all sorts of pedigrees, so what is good or indifferent might take some study!!

[dll927]

The Disney concert hall appeared after I left L.A. (actually, West Covina), so I'm no longer close enough to go visit it. It's a four-manual manufactured by a German firm and put in by the Manuel Rosales outfit. Rosales seems to be involved as much in restorations and installing organs from other manufacturers. That organ has become somewhat famous due to its "crooked" 32's installed in such a way that they look like they have nothing holding them up. But I understand it's hard to get into the place, due to rehearsal schedules, etc.

There is a new cathedral in downtown L.A. - Our Lady of the Angels, as if that were a new name around the city. It's already been called Mahoney's palace, after the current bishop, who was behind its construction (with help from the pockets of all the parishioners, of course). It's right near the Hollywood Freeway as you go through downtown. It has a four-manual organ, but I have not been there to see the place or hear the organ. You can see the whole production on Flickr.

[Corno Dolce]

Aloha dll927,

Yes, that monstrosity at the *Disney* is also known as the *French Fry Organ* - In case anyone wonders why: http://z.about.com/d/golosangeles/1/...llTour_008.jpg

Cheerio,

CD