Did you know Church of the Saviour on James Street has a historic organ?

The Organ Historical Society thinks so, and plans to visit at its National Convention in August 2014. But January 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of its installation and we’re planning festivities then.

It’s a pretty crazy instrument, and quite small really, just 33 ranks – and no 8’ Principal anywhere!

The famed organist and organ designer Ernest White had come to Syracuse in 1962 to be organist-director at Church of the Saviour. Earlier he’d been at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in NYC for 25 years, and from 1951 was at M. P Möller as tonal director.

At St. Mary’s he reworked much of the main organ while he was with Möller. More important to us are two organs in the choir room: the first, an Aeolian-Skinner installed in 1946; the second, a Möller installed in 1952. Both had the divided Swell I and Swell II White used in many organs he designed and used at Church of the Saviour, which was the last organ he designed for himself. The Saviour organ is slightly smaller than either of these.

White recognized the beautiful liturgical space of the Church of the Saviour and felt the acoustics called for a real Cathedral Organ effect. He caught that effect remarkably well.

Want to hear what a 6 2/5’ Terz or a 4 4/7’ Septième can do above a 10 2/3’ Quint in the Pedal? I plan to show you. White also put in a Trompetas Reales at his own expense.

White played the Blessing & Inauguration of the organ in a program played twice on January 15th and 16th, 1963. Also that month there were recitals by Marie Schumacher Blatz on January 20th and by Edward Linzel on January 27th, both were formerly White’s assistants at St. Mary’s. In addition there was an “American Guild of Organists’ Night” on January 7th, before the formal Dedication. (We have all these programs in the Chapter Archives thanks to Helen Jenks!)

Will Headlee’s program on January 13th will draw mainly on pieces played during the 1963 events. Included are the Bach partita on O Gott, du frommer Gott; Boëllmann Ronde Française; Karg-Elert Landscape in Mist; Widor Andante sostenuto; some pieces from White’s collection Graveyard Gems and the Vierne Carillon de Westminster.