Evening star., 1958-07-14

AnC NEAy 1bCNOA CAA0 u uAANAS
B. Sayre, jr., Dean Of Wash
ington Cathedral, has called
my attention to an article
entitled, Cathedral Organist
is Victim Of Weather" which
appeared in The Star on
June 2, and which was writ
ten by Day Thorpe. The Star
music critic. A I am the
architect of the Cathedral,
the Dean has asked me to
write to you in regard to the
degree to which we believe
one of Mr.. Thorpe's state
ments Is misleading.
In his article, Mr.. Thorpe
expressed his reaction to an
organ recital played by David
Campbell Johnson, organist
of the Massachusetts, In
stitute Of Technology, at
Washington Cathedral on the
afternoon of Sunday, June /.
He described the recital as
consisting "of excellent mu-
sic, played with authority"
However, he stated that to
him what left the fingers
and feet Of the player as mu-
sic entered the ears Of the
nearer as noise"
Mr.. Thorpe attributed the
above unmusical results to
the following causes:
l. That the weather caused
the organ to be out Of tune.
2. That during certain
passages "the deep pipes
bleated like terror-struck
goats" and that this was q
part of the personality OF
the instrument"
3. That "the tremendous
stone edifice in which the
organ is installed" is "built
in bland unconcern with any
laws Of acoustics whether
those Of music or Of voice"
My comments on the above
statements are as follows:
/. / did not have the pleas
ure, or displeasure. of attend
ing the recital. However, I
do not doubt that some Of
the pipes or reeds may have
been out Of tune and that the
result was distressing. This
may have resulted from a
sudden change in tempera-
ture which caused the or
ganist to be a victim Of the
weather" Or, it is possible
that the organ tuner did not
have time to do a thorough
Job Of tuning every one Of
the organs more than 5000
pipes within a few days be-
fore the recital.
2. II Mr., Thorpe had SUM-
cient knowledge Of the organ
or Of the science of musical
sounds, he would be aware
that "the deep pipes" could
not have produced the bleat-
ing sounds to which he re-
ferred. Such sounds may
have been generated by cer-
tain mutation stops Of the
pedal organ which (if cor
reetly tuned) produce har-
monies Of the fundamental
tones given by "the deep
pipes" ! heard the organ
during its first tone regula-
tions after 1t was installed;
I have listened to it during
many services and recitals
and from various positions in
the Cathedral, and have
played it from time to time.
I have noted its virtues and
defects and I am we'll
acquainted with "the per-
sonality Of the instrument. "
Consequently, I believe that
Mr.. Thorpe's impression that
"the deep pipes bleated like
terror-struck goats" was not
caused by the said person
atty" but rather by the or
ganist's. registration. OF
course, the personality Of the
organ was responsible to the
degree that every large organ
has certain stops which can
be used in a manner that will
produce results that are dis
agreeable to the normal hui
man ear. Among the many
recitals that I have heard in
the Cathedral there have been
times when q talented organ
ist has played with author
ity." but produced what. to
me, were very unpleasant
tonal results. Therefore, it Is
possible that Mr.. Johnson
had not practiced sufficiently
on the Cathedral organ OF
had not heard enough Of it;
combinations Of manual and
pedal stops from several 10
cations in the Cathedral in
order to become adequately
acquainted with the organ OF
the acoustical characteristic
Of the unfinished Cathedral
3. In making the state
ment that the Cathedral Il