The Organ Loft

 

The Organ Loft in Maynooth College Chapel carried for most of its life only the pipes and bells that were activated downstairs from the console at the rear of the nave. The college choir were seated in the stalls across from the organ console so that the communication between organist and conductor could be easily managed.  The 21st century restoration detailed below finally united the major elements in the organ loft.

 

Here we reproduce three articles from the seminary journal Síolta that provide an overview of the development of the organ presence in the college chapel.

 

History of the College Chapel Organ

 

by Kevin Macolmson (Síolta 2014)

 

1888
Fr. Heinrich Bewerunge appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical Music and College Organist. He was also an authority on the art of Organ Building. As the College Chapel was nearing completion he commissioned Stahlhuth of Burtscheid & Aix-la- Chapelle to build a suitable instrument for the Chapel.

 

1890
The organ was completed in 1890 and the opening recital was held on August 6. The instrument consisted of a Great Organ, Swell Organ and Pedal Organ. It was run by voltaic battery. (Later converted to mains supply). The organ console was detached from the organ itself. It was positioned in the area now occupied by the candle presented to the College by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1979. It was described as a revolutionary instrument for its time. The detached console caused problems, however, as it was difficult for the organist to hear the true sound of the organ and there was a considerable time-lapse between depressing a key and hearing the corresponding sound.

 

1920’s
Fr. M. Treacy succeeded Bewerunge as Professor of Ecclesiastical Music in 1923. He proposed a major overhaul of the organ. Mr. Guy Weitz, Organist of Farm St. Church in London was appointed as organ consultant. The contract was given to Henry Willis & Sons of London. Much of the original pipework was re-scaled and re-voiced. A Choir Organ was added over the Swell Organ. The work was finished in 1929.

 

1970’s
By 1976 the organ was again in serious need of attention. Many stops were out of commission and some of the larger pipes had collapsed. Dr. Gerard Gillen, Lecturer in Music at UCD and later Professor of Music in NUI Maynooth, was appointed as organ consultant in 1978. The contract was awarded to Kenneth Jones Organ Builders of Glendalough. The project was an ambitious one. The vision was “an instrument capable of permitting faithful interpretation of the widest possible range of organ music of all styles and periods”. 1,600 new pipes and a fanfare trumpet were added. The console was relocated to the organ gallery and a completely new Positive Division was added. The Opening Recital was held on May 14th 1978 and included performances by Professor Stockmeier of Cologne and Nicholas Danby of Farm St. Jesuit Church, London.

     In 1978, Kenneth Jones described the College Chapel Organ as: “a monumental and majestic organ of fullness and power…one which has a classical quality and particular clarity”. However, by the beginning of the 21st century time had once again taken its toll and a major re-building was required.

     The current restoration, re-building and enhancement of the organ builds on the legacy of Stahlhuth, Willis and Jones, while employing a richer and more subtly varied tonal concept and a more striking visual impression. The organ now consists of over 3,200 pipes, 50 stops and a set of 12 bells. This project will greatly enhance the musical, spiritual and liturgical formation of many future generations of students on these campuses, and most importantly, give glory and honour to God. The blessing and dedication of the organ took place on 8th December 2013.

 

The Restoration of the College Organ

 

by  Dominic Mc Namara (Síolta 2014)

 

The original organ was installed soon after the College Chapel was built (1875 – 1891) under the direction of the first professor of music in the College, Fr H. Bewerunge. Built by the Stahlhuth firm of Aix-la-Chapelle around 1890, in its time it was considered very distinctive, using electro-pneumatic controls, which enabled the console to be placed at the back of the Chapel, but distant from the pipes in the gallery. This kept the organist close to the seminary choir which sang from the back of the Chapel on the opposite side.

Due to the distance between the console and the pipes, there was a distinct time-lapse between striking the keys and hearing the sound, which made it difficult to play. The major restoration of the 1970s by Kenneth Jones under the supervision of Professor Gerard Gillen addressed this problem by moving the console to the gallery.

Over the last forty years however, the organ gradually deteriorated to a point where several of the stops could no longer be used. Even the casual observer could see that some of the large pipes on view had collapsed under their own weight. Most of the stops control 61 pipes, so if even one of them is damaged, that stop cannot be used. By 2005, there were several stops out of commission, and each year the situation became worse. The total rebuild had become a priority for the College, if we were to ensure that the organ was to keep its place as the principal musical instrument of the liturgy, as required by Vatican II. The nature of an organ is not unlike a sophisticated car, and needs to be maintained and serviced regularly. With thousands of pipes, each of which needs cleaning and tuning, an annual service is desirable, and a major restoration is needed every thirty years or so.

President Connolly put a committee together to examine the challenge, consisting of Professor Gerard Gillen, Dr John O’Keeffe and myself. Organ companies from Ireland, England, Hungary and Italy competed for the job, and the firm of Fratelli Ruffatti of Padua, Italy was selected. It took two years to build, but the organ in Maynooth College Chapel is now among the best in Ireland. Following its completion in 2013, it has a warmth and richness of sound that is hard to match.

The best of the original organ has been retained and restored, as well as some of the amendments made over the century. The beautiful casework which is what the public see was also retained, and has been beautifully restored by Irish craftsmen.

 

 

The Dedication of the Restored College Chapel Organ

 

At a special Sunday Evening Vespers at which the new instrument was blessed and dedicated the President of Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth Msgr. Hugh Connolly said:

The organ’s magnificent music features at all the great liturgical events during the college year including the Easter ceremonies, ordination to the diaconate, opening of the academic year mass, Pontifical graduation ceremonies and annual carol services and choral concerts. The organ is also used by some of the seminarians and students of Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth and their colleagues in National University of Ireland, Maynooth who are pursuing studies in Music. The considerable restoration costs were, for the most part, independently fundraised by Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth. The project was capably supervised by Professor Emeritus Gerard Gillen and Dr John O’Keefe, Director of Sacred Music.

Above all this organ will be a servant of the liturgy, the Eucharist that gives our Campus Community the weekly rhythm for our lives here upon our pilgrim path. Its music will help us to bring the whole spectrum of human experience to our daily prayer. Its pure notes and perfect pitch will soar heavenward as students, staff and passers-by pause to reflect here on their daily lives bringing their prayers of loss and fulfilment, doubt and trust, confusion and conviction, happiness and grief, gratitude and praise to God’.

(The President also thanked the extraordinary generosity of those whose donations helped make this extraordinary dream become a reality.)

 

Statistics for the new and restored College Chapel Organ:

• Keyboards: Three Manual and one Pedal
•  50 stops
•  3,106 pipes & 12 bells
•  Carbon fibre mechanical trackers
• Digital recording / playback option.