Recently, I visited Colorado Springs for the second time this year. I played and documented four organs in the area: Air Force Academy Protestant and Catholic Cadet Chapels, First Christian Church, and First Congregational Church.
Bryan and Dr. Galema at the Console at Protestant Chapel.
The Organ at the Protestant Chapel.
I started in the Cadet Chapel, on the three manual, eighty-three rank Möller organ. I met the Director of Music and Organist, Dr. Joseph Galema, to have the tour of the organ and chapel. I had the privilege of experimenting with the stops of the organ, and being assisted by Dr. Galema, I registered and made a short recording of Leon Boellmann’s Toccata from Suite Gothique. The recording will not be released. I also got to climb inside the organ, climbing through both Great chambers, both Swell chambers, and finally to the top of the organ, to theTrompetta’s, which stands at around 75 feet off the ground floor. The organ is absolutely gorgeous in sound and sight, and it was my honor to play the magnificent organ.
The Catholic Chapel Organ.
The Catholic Chapel houses a smaller, but still beautiful Möller organ. The instrument is Germanic in design, and voicing. The room is surprisingly reverberant despite its size. I enjoyed playing Bach on this organ more than the other composers. The organ here is still very diverse though, and could effectively play most repertoire.
The next stop on our visit was to First Christian Church, which houses a new Létourneau organ,
The Sanctuary at First Christian Church.
of fifty ranks over three manuals. This instrument has tracker, or mechanical, key action, and electric stop action. The facade is stunning, and the beautiful sanctuary highlights the organ and the cross. The colors of the organ are very nice, and can be very quiet, or very big, with not too much effort. This instrument was truly a delight to play, and tour the pipe chamber.
The Facade at First Congregational Church.
The fourth and final organ we saw was at First Congregational Church, originally built by Hook and hastings in 1888, and “gutted” and rebuilt by the Roderer Organ company in the 1970′s. The organ is very Baroque, typical of organs during the 1960′s-1970′s. This organ, when coupling the manuals and pedal together is extremely hard to play, but doable. The organ is very nice, and fills the old, and very large room.
I enjoyed all my time at every organ in Colorado Springs, and hope to come visit and hear, or play, these instruments and others in Colorado Springs. Please see the photos page for pictures of these instruments.
