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Press Releases
New York City to Be Home to a Major New Organ
6,195 Pipes…95 Stops…111 Ranks…2 Consoles…7 Keyboards…
Three years to design and build, entirely by hand…Two months to install with scrupulous care…Five months to voice and fine-tune…
The musical landscape of New York City is about to be enriched by the arrival of its first French-built organ. This instrument, designed by master builder Pascal Quoirin, is the result of a worldwide quest for the best possible instrument to meet the unique musical requirements of the Church of the Ascension, both now and in future generations.
The Manton Organ was made possible by a grant from The Manton Foundation and is named in memory of Sir Edwin and Lady Manton, active members of the Church of the Ascension for over 50 years. The Mantons were avid lovers of music, particularly the music of Olivier Messiaen and other French composers.
The new organ will have 95 stops, 111 ranks and 6,195 pipes, and will be a highly eclectic 21st century instrument, designed to play the largest possible repertory. There will be a core instrument (Grand Orgue, Positif, Echo/Récit, and Pédale) played by a three-manual mechanical (tracker) action console, with a complement of all the timbres necessary for the French Classical literature, as well as various stops especially intended for German Baroque music. A second console, with four manuals and electric action, will control the classical core and include many other stops intended for symphonic repertory, including a large French Romantic Grand Récit Expressif. In particular, the organ was designed to play the works of Olivier Messiaen; every registration that Messiaen calls for in his music will be found in this organ.
The Rev. Andrew W. Foster III, Rector since 1999, states: “The Manton Organ can be regarded not only as a major turning point for the Church, but also as a gift to the City of New York, whose entire musical community – from exponents of early music to today’s and tomorrow’s composers – can weave this instrument into the musical fabric of the city. Just as there are organs in Europe that date back hundreds of years, we hope this instrument will be a resource far into the future.”
Why a French organ?
When Ascension’s Music Director, Dennis Keene, began the search process on behalf of the Church, he was not looking for a specific kind of instrument: “We wanted the best organ by the best maker. The organ had to be able to play the largest possible repertoire, and inspire the creation of new works. We needed an organ for our services and to work with both the Church’s choir and the concert ensemble, Voices of Ascension. After hearing countless instruments all across the U. S. and Europe, it was clear that Pascal Quoirin was the choice for us.”
The Quoirin commission will result in the first French-built organ ever to be installed in New York. For years, American organists would return from France in awe of the instruments they heard, but when selecting a French-style instrument for their churches, they hired American companies to build them. There are several “French-style” organs in New York, but not an authentic one from France.
Dr. Keene notes a profound difference between Quoirin’s organs and those of other makers. “The sounds Quoirin’s instruments make are unlike anything we currently have in the United States. They are unabashedly French, full of color and character, while at the same time completely balanced and nuanced – just like all great French art.”
The luxuriant French romantic and contemporary organ repertoire will now be heard in New York the way its composers heard it themselves. The versatility of the Manton Organ, however, will extend backwards as well, becoming a new resource for the early music community. Dr. Keene observes, “There are few organs in New York City that play Baroque music well, and there is not one organ in the U.S. that has real French Baroque sounds. With over 60 stops in the Baroque core, this will be the premier early music instrument in New York City, capable of performing both French and German repertoire to the highest standards.”
The organ will be situated in the front of the church on two sides of the chancel, flanking the famous mural by John La Farge, The Ascension of Our Lord. Four organ facades – two on each side – will include elaborate wood carvings of peacocks, inspired by the peacocks in the marble reredos, which will also refer to Messiaen’s lifelong devotion to birds and birdsong. Two trompettes en chamade (horizontally-mounted sets of trumpet pipes), one on each side of the chancel, will face each other in the manner of the historic Spanish organs. The mechanical (tracker) console will be stationary, nestled in to one of the facades, perpendicular to the altar; the electric console will be on wheels, at the top of the altar steps, where it can be positioned as needed.
This dual console arrangement is a unique design feature of the Manton Organ, one of Mr. Quoirin’s ingenious accommodations to the church’s architecture. He considers each new organ a contemporary work of art, and has a special enthusiasm for new music. Mr. Quoirin’s workshop of twelve artisans includes his wife, Babou, who executed the wood carvings that will embellish the organ facades.
The Manton Organ at Church of the Ascension – A Timeline
Sunday, 3 October 2010 – Cargo ship Meta arrives with organ in crates.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010 – Load-in of the organ at Church of the Ascension. Organ is unpacked and assembly begins.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010 – Voicing of the organ by Pascal Quoirin, pipe by pipe, begins (can take from six weeks to several months).
Sunday, 1 May 2011, 4:00 p.m. – Service of dedication, a Festal Eucharist and blessing of the new organ, with the choir of Church of the Ascension. Dennis Keene will conduct as well as play works of Duruflé, J.S. Bach, and French Baroque composers.
Thursday, 5 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Gala dedicatory recital by internationally acclaimed organist Jon Gillock, with French 19th and 20th century music (Dupré, Franck, Cochereau, Vierne, Tournemire, Duruflé, Langlais, Messiaen).
Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – First inaugural organ-choral event, by Voices of Ascension Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Dennis Keene, featuring the organ in French works (Duruflé Requiem and music by Fauré, Poulenc, Boulanger, others).
Thursday, 26 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Second inaugural recital by Francis Chapelet, featuring Baroque works from France, Spain and Germany (works by Raison, DuMage, J.S. Bach, and Spanish Baroque composers).
Wednesday, 8 June 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Second inaugural organ-choral event, by Voices of Ascension Chorus conducted by Dennis Keene, in a concert entitled “Pipes and Voices” (Kodály Missa Brevis, Parry I Was Glad, and winners of the 2011 Sorel Composition Competition).
Thursday, 16 June 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Third inaugural recital by Christoph Bossert, featuring German repertory (J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Reger, and others).
Monday, 20 June – Friday, 25 June 2011 – First annual Organ Academy. For the inaugural year, the faculty and the focus of repertory will be all-French, from early Baroque through Messiaen. Dennis Keene will coach students in French Baroque repertory and the music of Maurice Duruflé. Jon Gillock will teach French repertory from the 19th and 20th centuries. Sessions may be audited by members of the public.
All events take place at Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue at 10th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tickets can be ordered by telephone (212/358-7060), or on the Voices of Ascension website: www.voicesofascension.org
About Church of the Ascension The Church of the Ascension in the City of New York was founded in 1827. Its first church building, on Canal Street just east of Broadway, was consecrated in 1829 and burned to the ground in 1839. The present edifice, the first church on Fifth Avenue, was completed in 1841 and is one of the earliest churches designed by the English-born architect Richard Upjohn.
During the years 1885-1889, the interior of the church was remodeled by McKim, Mead and White under the general direction of Stanford White. A generous gift made it possible for John La Farge, Stanford White, and David Maitland Armstrong to transform the chancel from a bleak, bare space into a composition of the highest order. Surmounted by John La Farge's great mural, The Ascension of Our Lord, the chancel is today one of the most beautiful spaces in New York. The sculptured angels over the main altar are the work of Louis St. Gaudens (1854-1913).
From its earliest days, the church has been the setting for many notable events, including the marriage of President John Tyler and Julia Gardiner in 1844. Such prominent New Yorkers as August Belmont, William B. Astor, Frederick de Peyster and William C. Rhinelander have been parishioners.
In 2006, the promise of the Manton organ accelerated a long-planned major restoration project. After extensive brownstone repair and replacement, completed with the guidance of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the church undertook an indoor restoration that would be respectful of its historical and artistic heritage. Extensive research into the paint scheme of the 1840s revealed traces of an ashlar block pattern still ingrained in the interior walls and pillars. In re-creating the blocks, a decision was made to paint in a variety of tones that would be compatible with the McKim, Mead and White redesign of the 1880s, while providing a cohesive background to highlight the church’s major artworks: the 1888 mural of the Ascension by La Farge (considered one of the most outstanding murals in the U.S.) as well as the newly refurbished stained glass windows by La Farge, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others.
The $2 million interior restoration also includes a new electrical system, a lighting redesign and a state-of-the-art sound system. The Manton Foundation contributed generously to the interior restoration project to ensure that future generations of parishioners could worship and listen to the new organ in a functional and esthetically beautiful environment.
About Voices of Ascension Voices of Ascension, one of the world’s premier professional choral ensembles, is distinctive for its artistic command of music of all periods and styles. Now in its 21st season under Artistic Director Dennis Keene, the ensemble’s concerts and recordings have received unalloyed critical acclaim.
Voices of Ascension’s nine recordings with Delos International include such best sellers as “Beyond Chant,” “The Duruflé Album,” “Prince of Music – The Greatest Choral Works of Palestrina,” and the Berlioz Te Deum. Their latest CD, released on the Naxos label, is entitled “Song of the Stars,” and features world premiere recordings of works by Granados and other Catalan composers.
Voices of Ascension performs and records regularly at The Church of the Ascension, where it was founded as an independent organization in 1990. In 2005, the ensemble celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a concert in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. Guest appearances have been with the San Francisco Symphony, EOS Orchestra, the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and at national conferences of major American musical organizations.
About The Manton Foundation The Manton Foundation was established by Sir Edwin and Lady Manton to support philanthropic efforts of interest to the family. The Foundation has made significant contributions in the fields of art and culture, education, equine care, health care and biomedical research, historic preservation, and land conservation.
About Dennis Keene Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor of Voices of Ascension, is an internationally renowned conductor. Through his concerts and recordings with Voices of Ascension, regular guest appearances as conductor and clinician, and his work as Artistic Director of the Dennis Keene Choral Festival, he has emerged as one of the preeminent figures in choral music today. Recognized early as an exceptional organist, he earned a doctorate at The Juilliard School and won its coveted Dethier Prize. Dr. Keene went on to study conducting at the Pierre Monteux School, as well as organ in Paris with Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, wife of the composer Maurice Duruflé. Maestro Keene’s complete retrospective of Duruflé’s works in 1989 spurred the creation of Voices of Ascension. His many recordings of choral works on Delos International have become the standard for first-ranked ensembles worldwide. He has served on the board of Chorus America, which awarded him its first Louis Botto Award for “innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal in developing a professional ensemble of exceptional artistic quality.”
About Pascal Quoirin Pascal Quoirin was born in Burgundy, France. He began his apprenticeship in organ building at the age of 15 and was in his early twenties when he received his first commission, for the Cathedral of Carpentras in Provence. For that job he set up his atelier there and has remained in the region since. His second organ, in St. Rémi de Provence, is considered one of the masterpieces of modern French organ building, and it immediately established him as one of the leading builders in Europe. Since then he has spent half his career building new organs and the other half restoring many of the great historical masterpieces, most notably the magnificent 18th century Dom Bédos organ in Bordeaux. The organ for Ascension will be his first instrument in the United States.
About Jon Gillock (recital of May 5, 2011) Jon Gillock is well known to New York audiences through his definitive performances of the complete works of Messiaen and Franck. An American living outside of Paris, Gillock is one of the most respected and honored organists in the world today. He is particularly known for his illuminating interpretations of 19th and 20th century French repertory.
About Francis Chapelet (recital of May 26, 2011) One of the preeminent organ masters of France, Francis Chapelet has developed a worldwide reputation for his knowledge of historical organs in France and Spain and for his interpretations of early organ music. This will be Mr. Chapelet’s first performance in New York.
About Christoph Bossert (recital of June 16, 2011) Professor at the University of Music in Würzburg, Germany, Bossert’s profound interpretations of Bach have gained him a devoted following in Europe and Asia, and his recordings of the works of Max Reger have been called definitive and revelatory. This will be his New York debut recital.
-- END --
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION:
For additional information, interview access and photos, please contact Nancy Shear Arts Services, National Press Representatives, at 212/496-9418, sheararts@nancyshear.com and www.nancyshear.com.
Three years to design and build, entirely by hand…Two months to install with scrupulous care…Five months to voice and fine-tune…
The musical landscape of New York City is about to be enriched by the arrival of its first French-built organ. This instrument, designed by master builder Pascal Quoirin, is the result of a worldwide quest for the best possible instrument to meet the unique musical requirements of the Church of the Ascension, both now and in future generations.
The Manton Organ was made possible by a grant from The Manton Foundation and is named in memory of Sir Edwin and Lady Manton, active members of the Church of the Ascension for over 50 years. The Mantons were avid lovers of music, particularly the music of Olivier Messiaen and other French composers.
The new organ will have 95 stops, 111 ranks and 6,195 pipes, and will be a highly eclectic 21st century instrument, designed to play the largest possible repertory. There will be a core instrument (Grand Orgue, Positif, Echo/Récit, and Pédale) played by a three-manual mechanical (tracker) action console, with a complement of all the timbres necessary for the French Classical literature, as well as various stops especially intended for German Baroque music. A second console, with four manuals and electric action, will control the classical core and include many other stops intended for symphonic repertory, including a large French Romantic Grand Récit Expressif. In particular, the organ was designed to play the works of Olivier Messiaen; every registration that Messiaen calls for in his music will be found in this organ.
The Rev. Andrew W. Foster III, Rector since 1999, states: “The Manton Organ can be regarded not only as a major turning point for the Church, but also as a gift to the City of New York, whose entire musical community – from exponents of early music to today’s and tomorrow’s composers – can weave this instrument into the musical fabric of the city. Just as there are organs in Europe that date back hundreds of years, we hope this instrument will be a resource far into the future.”
Why a French organ?
When Ascension’s Music Director, Dennis Keene, began the search process on behalf of the Church, he was not looking for a specific kind of instrument: “We wanted the best organ by the best maker. The organ had to be able to play the largest possible repertoire, and inspire the creation of new works. We needed an organ for our services and to work with both the Church’s choir and the concert ensemble, Voices of Ascension. After hearing countless instruments all across the U. S. and Europe, it was clear that Pascal Quoirin was the choice for us.”
The Quoirin commission will result in the first French-built organ ever to be installed in New York. For years, American organists would return from France in awe of the instruments they heard, but when selecting a French-style instrument for their churches, they hired American companies to build them. There are several “French-style” organs in New York, but not an authentic one from France.
Dr. Keene notes a profound difference between Quoirin’s organs and those of other makers. “The sounds Quoirin’s instruments make are unlike anything we currently have in the United States. They are unabashedly French, full of color and character, while at the same time completely balanced and nuanced – just like all great French art.”
The luxuriant French romantic and contemporary organ repertoire will now be heard in New York the way its composers heard it themselves. The versatility of the Manton Organ, however, will extend backwards as well, becoming a new resource for the early music community. Dr. Keene observes, “There are few organs in New York City that play Baroque music well, and there is not one organ in the U.S. that has real French Baroque sounds. With over 60 stops in the Baroque core, this will be the premier early music instrument in New York City, capable of performing both French and German repertoire to the highest standards.”
The organ will be situated in the front of the church on two sides of the chancel, flanking the famous mural by John La Farge, The Ascension of Our Lord. Four organ facades – two on each side – will include elaborate wood carvings of peacocks, inspired by the peacocks in the marble reredos, which will also refer to Messiaen’s lifelong devotion to birds and birdsong. Two trompettes en chamade (horizontally-mounted sets of trumpet pipes), one on each side of the chancel, will face each other in the manner of the historic Spanish organs. The mechanical (tracker) console will be stationary, nestled in to one of the facades, perpendicular to the altar; the electric console will be on wheels, at the top of the altar steps, where it can be positioned as needed.
This dual console arrangement is a unique design feature of the Manton Organ, one of Mr. Quoirin’s ingenious accommodations to the church’s architecture. He considers each new organ a contemporary work of art, and has a special enthusiasm for new music. Mr. Quoirin’s workshop of twelve artisans includes his wife, Babou, who executed the wood carvings that will embellish the organ facades.
The Manton Organ at Church of the Ascension – A Timeline
Sunday, 3 October 2010 – Cargo ship Meta arrives with organ in crates.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010 – Load-in of the organ at Church of the Ascension. Organ is unpacked and assembly begins.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010 – Voicing of the organ by Pascal Quoirin, pipe by pipe, begins (can take from six weeks to several months).
Sunday, 1 May 2011, 4:00 p.m. – Service of dedication, a Festal Eucharist and blessing of the new organ, with the choir of Church of the Ascension. Dennis Keene will conduct as well as play works of Duruflé, J.S. Bach, and French Baroque composers.
Thursday, 5 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Gala dedicatory recital by internationally acclaimed organist Jon Gillock, with French 19th and 20th century music (Dupré, Franck, Cochereau, Vierne, Tournemire, Duruflé, Langlais, Messiaen).
Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – First inaugural organ-choral event, by Voices of Ascension Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Dennis Keene, featuring the organ in French works (Duruflé Requiem and music by Fauré, Poulenc, Boulanger, others).
Thursday, 26 May 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Second inaugural recital by Francis Chapelet, featuring Baroque works from France, Spain and Germany (works by Raison, DuMage, J.S. Bach, and Spanish Baroque composers).
Wednesday, 8 June 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Second inaugural organ-choral event, by Voices of Ascension Chorus conducted by Dennis Keene, in a concert entitled “Pipes and Voices” (Kodály Missa Brevis, Parry I Was Glad, and winners of the 2011 Sorel Composition Competition).
Thursday, 16 June 2011, 8:00 p.m. – Third inaugural recital by Christoph Bossert, featuring German repertory (J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Reger, and others).
Monday, 20 June – Friday, 25 June 2011 – First annual Organ Academy. For the inaugural year, the faculty and the focus of repertory will be all-French, from early Baroque through Messiaen. Dennis Keene will coach students in French Baroque repertory and the music of Maurice Duruflé. Jon Gillock will teach French repertory from the 19th and 20th centuries. Sessions may be audited by members of the public.
All events take place at Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue at 10th Street, New York, NY 10011
Tickets can be ordered by telephone (212/358-7060), or on the Voices of Ascension website: www.voicesofascension.org
About Church of the Ascension The Church of the Ascension in the City of New York was founded in 1827. Its first church building, on Canal Street just east of Broadway, was consecrated in 1829 and burned to the ground in 1839. The present edifice, the first church on Fifth Avenue, was completed in 1841 and is one of the earliest churches designed by the English-born architect Richard Upjohn.
During the years 1885-1889, the interior of the church was remodeled by McKim, Mead and White under the general direction of Stanford White. A generous gift made it possible for John La Farge, Stanford White, and David Maitland Armstrong to transform the chancel from a bleak, bare space into a composition of the highest order. Surmounted by John La Farge's great mural, The Ascension of Our Lord, the chancel is today one of the most beautiful spaces in New York. The sculptured angels over the main altar are the work of Louis St. Gaudens (1854-1913).
From its earliest days, the church has been the setting for many notable events, including the marriage of President John Tyler and Julia Gardiner in 1844. Such prominent New Yorkers as August Belmont, William B. Astor, Frederick de Peyster and William C. Rhinelander have been parishioners.
In 2006, the promise of the Manton organ accelerated a long-planned major restoration project. After extensive brownstone repair and replacement, completed with the guidance of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the church undertook an indoor restoration that would be respectful of its historical and artistic heritage. Extensive research into the paint scheme of the 1840s revealed traces of an ashlar block pattern still ingrained in the interior walls and pillars. In re-creating the blocks, a decision was made to paint in a variety of tones that would be compatible with the McKim, Mead and White redesign of the 1880s, while providing a cohesive background to highlight the church’s major artworks: the 1888 mural of the Ascension by La Farge (considered one of the most outstanding murals in the U.S.) as well as the newly refurbished stained glass windows by La Farge, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others.
The $2 million interior restoration also includes a new electrical system, a lighting redesign and a state-of-the-art sound system. The Manton Foundation contributed generously to the interior restoration project to ensure that future generations of parishioners could worship and listen to the new organ in a functional and esthetically beautiful environment.
About Voices of Ascension Voices of Ascension, one of the world’s premier professional choral ensembles, is distinctive for its artistic command of music of all periods and styles. Now in its 21st season under Artistic Director Dennis Keene, the ensemble’s concerts and recordings have received unalloyed critical acclaim.
Voices of Ascension’s nine recordings with Delos International include such best sellers as “Beyond Chant,” “The Duruflé Album,” “Prince of Music – The Greatest Choral Works of Palestrina,” and the Berlioz Te Deum. Their latest CD, released on the Naxos label, is entitled “Song of the Stars,” and features world premiere recordings of works by Granados and other Catalan composers.
Voices of Ascension performs and records regularly at The Church of the Ascension, where it was founded as an independent organization in 1990. In 2005, the ensemble celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a concert in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center. Guest appearances have been with the San Francisco Symphony, EOS Orchestra, the Mark Morris Dance Group, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and at national conferences of major American musical organizations.
About The Manton Foundation The Manton Foundation was established by Sir Edwin and Lady Manton to support philanthropic efforts of interest to the family. The Foundation has made significant contributions in the fields of art and culture, education, equine care, health care and biomedical research, historic preservation, and land conservation.
About Dennis Keene Dennis Keene, Artistic Director and Conductor of Voices of Ascension, is an internationally renowned conductor. Through his concerts and recordings with Voices of Ascension, regular guest appearances as conductor and clinician, and his work as Artistic Director of the Dennis Keene Choral Festival, he has emerged as one of the preeminent figures in choral music today. Recognized early as an exceptional organist, he earned a doctorate at The Juilliard School and won its coveted Dethier Prize. Dr. Keene went on to study conducting at the Pierre Monteux School, as well as organ in Paris with Marie-Madeleine Duruflé, wife of the composer Maurice Duruflé. Maestro Keene’s complete retrospective of Duruflé’s works in 1989 spurred the creation of Voices of Ascension. His many recordings of choral works on Delos International have become the standard for first-ranked ensembles worldwide. He has served on the board of Chorus America, which awarded him its first Louis Botto Award for “innovative action and entrepreneurial zeal in developing a professional ensemble of exceptional artistic quality.”
About Pascal Quoirin Pascal Quoirin was born in Burgundy, France. He began his apprenticeship in organ building at the age of 15 and was in his early twenties when he received his first commission, for the Cathedral of Carpentras in Provence. For that job he set up his atelier there and has remained in the region since. His second organ, in St. Rémi de Provence, is considered one of the masterpieces of modern French organ building, and it immediately established him as one of the leading builders in Europe. Since then he has spent half his career building new organs and the other half restoring many of the great historical masterpieces, most notably the magnificent 18th century Dom Bédos organ in Bordeaux. The organ for Ascension will be his first instrument in the United States.
About Jon Gillock (recital of May 5, 2011) Jon Gillock is well known to New York audiences through his definitive performances of the complete works of Messiaen and Franck. An American living outside of Paris, Gillock is one of the most respected and honored organists in the world today. He is particularly known for his illuminating interpretations of 19th and 20th century French repertory.
About Francis Chapelet (recital of May 26, 2011) One of the preeminent organ masters of France, Francis Chapelet has developed a worldwide reputation for his knowledge of historical organs in France and Spain and for his interpretations of early organ music. This will be Mr. Chapelet’s first performance in New York.
About Christoph Bossert (recital of June 16, 2011) Professor at the University of Music in Würzburg, Germany, Bossert’s profound interpretations of Bach have gained him a devoted following in Europe and Asia, and his recordings of the works of Max Reger have been called definitive and revelatory. This will be his New York debut recital.
-- END --
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION:
For additional information, interview access and photos, please contact Nancy Shear Arts Services, National Press Representatives, at 212/496-9418, sheararts@nancyshear.com and www.nancyshear.com.
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