Clive Driskill-Smith in Concert February 20, 2011

On Sunday, February 20, 2011, at 4 PM the Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church together with the Potomac Chapter of the AGO presented Clive Driskill-Smith in concert.

This is the 1975 instrument by Reiger of Austria, three manuals and 50 ranks.

The Ruckpositiv was redesigned in 2000 by David Storey, changing it to be smaller in profile and oak to match the chancel furnishings. When not used for concerts, the division is fronted by grille work.

Here is another picture of the Ruckpositiv, which better shows the new 4' Principal facade pipes.

Here the crowd awaits the program. Mr. Driskill-Smith played:

Two movements from the Sonata in A by Mendelssohn

Organ Concerto in F Major by Handel

Fantasia in F Minor, Mozart

Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, J.S. Bach

Salamanca, Guy Bovet

Variations on a Noel, Dupre

I enjoyed the Salamanca because it was totally new to me. It was explained that Bovet was to improvise at a concert in Salamanca Spain, and the tune was given by two members of the cleaning crew, who sang a song in Spanish about a donkey. He wove this tune throughout his improvisation and later wrote it all out.

Interior of the Positiv, showing the creative use of all available space
View from the opposite side
Console
Closer view of the console; push button stop action.
Following the concert: John Brooks, Dean of the Potomac Chapter, AGO; Clive Driskill Smith; Julie Evans, Director of Music of Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church; Len Ralston, Chair, Chevy Chase Concerts Committee.

Gerald Piercey
Editor, Heel & Toe

Allen Organ for Sale to benefit Potomac Chapter

Many of you may remember how faithful Melva Turpin was to the Potomac Chapter of the AGO. Her family has decided to sell her Allen organ, and to give the proceeds of the sale to the Potomac Chapter, for the Fund for the Education of Young Organists. Here are the details:

Organ FOR SALE –
Estate Sale; proceeds will be donated to the Potomac Chapter of the American Guild of Organists – Fund for the Education of Young Organists.
Allen Digital Computer Organ Renaissance Model R-230 purchased new from Jordan Kitt's music in 2002. 2-manual AGO console, pedalboard, walnut console and bench, MDS-Expander II/MIDI-Division II, built-in speakers, Console Controller, Protégé Chamber Series by Allen CD, manuals/Warranty Certificate, Brooks Power Systems 2-outlet surge protector, organ can be disassembled/reassembled to fit through a standard house doorway. Allen Organ Company Limited Warranty expires April 20, 2012. The organ is in very good condition.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Organ can be viewed/played by appointment. Contact Toby M Turpin by email stm_toby7@verizon.net
Disassembly/reassembly and moving expenses from the seller’s residence to buyer's destination are the responsibility of the buyer.

Sale to the highest bidder will occur at Noon April 5, 2011.
Bids should be emailed to Toby M Turpin, Per Rep by email stm_toby7@verizon.net
Certified Bank Check should be made payable to ESTATE OF MELVA RUTH TURPIN in advance of delivery.

In the attached picture the MIDI-Division II drawer is pulled out at the far right side of the organ. When it is pushed in it is out of the way. The external audio and MIDI receptacles are on the rear of the MIDI-Division II. The cables for the internal speakers need to be disconnected if external speakers are used.

Memorial Service for Otto (Bob) Guttmann, February 1, 2011

Otto Jacob (Bob) Guttmann, October 27, 1921 - November 2, 2010

The Celebration of his life was held Tuesday, February 1, 2011

at the Interfaith Chapel of Leisure World, Silver Spring, Maryland

This is from the program:

Otto Jacob Guttmann, know by everyone as "Bob", was born in Hamburg, Germany, the youngest of three. He grew up in difficult times. After Kristallnacht, he escaped from Germany to England with the Kindertransport. In England, he was taken in by the Scanlon family, who supported his study of textiles in Solford. He eventually emigrated to Brazil to join his bother Fritz. There he began a career in textiles, first working in the mills, and later as a salesman of textile machinery. The work took him all over the world, including several years in Korea.

On his first trip to the USA in 1946, he decided that he would like to someday live in New England. In 1958 he moved to New York. In 1962 he met and married Inge Rosenburg. Their three children, Robert, Edward and Lilian, were raised mostly in New England. He loved his family dearly.

Bob had many business ventures over the years, mostly involving textiles in some way. In this retirement years he became extremely interested in the possibilities of alpaca fiber, and he visited every alpaca farm that crossed his path.

Bob loved music all his life. At different points in his life he played the violin, the accordion and the organ. He was always passionate about the pipe organ. In Brazil he would use his daily lunch hour to travel several miles to a church where he could practice. In his seventies he worked part-time at the Lewis & Hitchcock organ factory and served on the board of the Potomac Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

His pastimes, other than his music, included playing chess, bridge, vegetable gardening, stamp collecting, reading and spending time with his grandsons. More than anything else, Bob was a "people person". He never referred to acquaintances, only friends. And once you were his friend, you were his friend forever.

Carl Schwartz played during the service, which was led by Rabbi Gary Fink. Carl played the "Auf Meines Herzens Gründe" by Johann Christoph Bach, which Bob had played for us years ago in a Members in Recital program. He also played the Ernest Bloch Andante, from "Six Pieces for Organ". Besides having worked with Bob when he was on the board of the Potomac Chapter, AGO, Bob & Inge had been instrumental in arranging for Carl to present a recital on the E.M. Skinner organ for the 100th Anniversary of Temple Emanuel in Greensboro, North Carolina, in November of 2007.

After comments from the Rabbi & family, the service ended with the "Little Prelude and Fugue in D Minor" by J.S. Bach, played by Gerald Piercey, who also had worked with Bob when he was employed by Lewis & Hitchcock.

Twelfth Night Dinner, Monday, January 10, 2011

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Twelfth Night; A Hot Time in a Chilly Place.

On Monday, January 10, 2011, the Potomac Chapter of the AGO held their annual 12th Night Dinner at the Calvert House Inn in Riverdale Park, Maryland. The room was well prepared, but despite added heaters, was still a bit chilly. Whenever the front door was opened, the wind would blow right through our group.

While dishes were being cleared, one of the chafing dishes was moved, and the can of heating gel, still burning, fell on the floor and splashed right behind several women. Rosemary Piercey's dress and shawl caught on fire, and in putting them out, she was slightly burned. I had finally gotten her to attend after several years, so this was most distressing to us.

Once that was taken care of, we proceeded to the entertainment of the evening, singing Christmas Carols and then the big raffle of the gift basket. Dean John Brooks had prepared a huge basket of goodies: Coffee, tea, biscuits, candy, and several items from AGO HQ, including the DVD of "Pulling Out All the Stops".

John is displaying the various items in the basket; here he is holding up the DVD of "Pulling Out All the Stops".

And the winner is our Registrar, Judy Daffer. Here she is modeling the T-shirt that was in the basket.

Judy Daffer & John Brooks with the prize basket.

We all enjoyed chatting with one another; this is one of our events that is purely social, and it was good to catch up with one another, as well as meet some we did not know. The winner of the furthest travel award is Peggy Lacey Craig, who came from West Virginia!

Gerald Piercey

Melva Turpin Memorial Service January 8, 2011

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On Saturday, January 8, 2011, Holy Family Anglican Church had a Solemn Requiem Liturgy for Melva Turpin at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Highland, Maryland.
A picture of Melva was next to the urn. Melva was born May 18, 1918 and died on January 1, 2011.

The altar was prepared for the service. During the service many people had an opportunity to speak about Melva: members of her current church and the family. It was an impressive service with the music that Melva loved. The program and a bookmark prepared by the family featured one of her pieces based on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; To Everything There is a Season.

After the service the family had set up a big display in the church's fellowship hall. Some of the items were from Melva's 90th birthday party.

Several recent quilts and needlework pieces were displayed, including a new one that Melva had begun and was unable to finish.

Photos and albums of pictures showed scenes from the family's events.

A computer screen showed pictures; this particular picture was of Melva surrounded by those of us who had performed at her 90th birthday celebration. The unfinished quilt is in the center.

Some of the things Melva was most proud of; her honorary Dean certificate and her past Dean's pin.

Melva also had earned the Service Playing Certificate.

Here is the text of remarks I made at the service:

I first met Melva Turpin when I moved to this area in 1972. Melva was very interested in church music and the work of the Guild. She served our chapter in many different capacities. One of the most pleasant memories for me is of all the various picnics and meetings we had at her home.

I can remember working with her planning a program at St. Luke’s United Methodist in Washington. As with all of her church positions, she did a lot more than she should have or was paid to do.

I think all our chapter members remember her 90th birthday celebration back in May of 2008 at Colesville United Methodist Church. For several months I had to make up two newsletters, one to send to everyone with notice of the surprise birthday celebration, and one just for her, listing the event as members in recital. We were indeed in recital, but it was in her honor.

Ruth Jane Barth and Tom and Irma Bast helped organize the event. The printed program began “A Celebration of the 90th Birthday of Melva Turpin; AN ARTISTIC LIFE.” Ken Lowenberg, Dave McCahan, Julie Evans, Tom Bast, Carl Schwartz and I all played for her. The family had prepared the fellowship hall by decorating it with the quilts and other examples of her sewing, many still bearing the blue ribbons from the county fair.

The punch was “Mrs. Turpin’s Recital Punch”, something Jan and Lois had been taught to make for the annual piano recital by Melva’s students. The quilt at the end of the serving table was “Toby’s Ties”, made from his old ties, as a gift to Toby upon his retirement.

Here’s part of a thank you note from Melva to me: “I guess I should also thank you for being such a sneaky guy! I was truly upset that I had to miss the concert by my friends, and didn’t catch on until Toby turned into the Colesville UMC parking lot. There is nothing in this world that would have given me greater pleasure.”

Melva had a wonderful time that day, enjoying the fellowship of her friends and family. Let’s remember her as she was that day, full of life and energy and excited to be with her friends at church.

Gerald Piercey

Robert McCormick Hymn Workshop, November 16, 2010

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On Tuesday, November 16, 2010, the Potomac Chapter of the AGO had a Hymn Workshop at St. Paul's Parish, K Street, Washington, DC, presented by Robert McCormick.

This is the facade of the Shoenstein organ.
This is the Festival Trumpet at the rear of the nave.

This is the console of the organ, which is located on the right side, opposite the facade.

Closer view of the console.

Couplers, including the tabs that modify the Utility shoe, so it may control several functions.

Pedalboard, expression shoes, toe studs and spoons.

Robert McCormick explained some of his techniques as we began the workshop.

For most of the workshop Mr. McCormick was at the organ console, so he could demonstrate what he described. He demonstrated many techniques that he uses to modify the basic organ accompaniment of hymns, adding variety and interest. For the last verses he changes the harmony; for the bulk of the verses he simply rearranges the existing harmony.

Following the workshop there was a reception in the atrium, which featured a birthday cake honoring Ken Lowenberg's and David McCahan's birthdays.

The Potomac Chapter wishes to thank Mr. McCormick and St. Paul's Parish for this wonderful event, which was enjoyed by members of the DC Chapter, as well as the Potomac Chapter.

PipeSpectacular XI, October 24, 2010

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On Sunday, October 24, the TriChapter Committee, representing the three AGO Chapters in the Washington DC area (District of Columbia, Northern Virginia and Potomac) presented PipeSpectacular XI, this year featuring two prize winning organists, Dongho Lee and David Baskeyfield, at the Washington National Cathedral.

Dongho Lee and David Baskeyfield. (photo by Margo Truslow)

"PipeSpectacular returned to Washington Cathedral on October 24th, and in his welcoming remarks, Cathedral Organist Scott Dettra said that it was a pleasure for the Cathedral to host this event again, especially in the context of the revived weekly recital series. Due to budgetary constraints and other factors, the Cathedral suspended its weekly series for three years, but it seems it is back on track now, thankfully! An audience of over 650 heard Dongho Lee, the winner of the repertoire competition, and David Baskeyfield, the winner of the improvisation competition from last summer's national convention, in a stunning display of musicianship and virtuosity. Playing such as was heard that day will go a long way towards winning new friends for the art of the organist, as will our continuing efforts at providing stimulating programs and other events for our chapter members and friends." John Brooks, Dean, Potomac Chapter

Scott Matthias, Dean of the Northern Virginia Chapter, Charles Miller, Dean of the DC Chapter, Dongho Lee, David Baskeyfield, John Brooks, Dean of the Potomac Chapter and Clarice Snyder, SubDean of the Potomac Chapter. (photo by Margo Truslow)

"Recitalists Dongho Lee and David Baskeyfield played an inspired concert at Washington National Cathedral for the 11th annual PipeSpectacular program. The Oct. 24 event was sponsored by the TriChapter of the AGO. The program on the four-manual, 189 rank Skinner organ featured pieces by Elgar, Durufle, Manari and Vierne. Baskeyfield also played an improvisation on two seasonal themes: the signature song from the 1960's TV show "The Munsters" and Sine Nomine. Both recitalists won prizes at the 2010 National Convention in Washington, DC. Lee, a doctoral student at Indiana University, won first prize and the audience prize in the National Young Artist Competition in Organ Performance. Baskeyfield, a doctoral student at the Eastman School of Music, won first prize and the audience prize in the National competition in Organ Improvisation." From THE COUPLER, the DC Chapter newsletter

"An event that I never miss during this season is PipeSpectacular. This year's concert was particularly special for two reasons: National Cathedral was able to host us again because of delays in their organ project, and the recital featured the two winners of AGO national competitions. The Cathedral ushers counted 562 ateendees in the audience, which is an astounding number for a pipe ogan event. Dongho Lee and David Baskeyfield brought new life to works by Elgar, Durufle, Manari and Vierne. Mr. Baskeyfield enhanced his repertoire selections with a delightfully wild improvisation on submitted themes, which turned out to be Sine Nomine (For All the Saints) and the theme from The Munsters television show." Scott Matthias, Dean, Northern VA Chapter.