Organ

Video and Photos: Corpus Christi’s organ underwent some minor maintenance

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Last week, the organ underwent some minor maintenance by Brad Wingert, with the tuning of some of the pipes. Much like a car, a musical instrument of this size needs to receive regular maintenance in order to ensure it works properly and plays in tune. The organ console is the place at which the organist plays the instrument. This cosmetic for musical equipment, before the feast of the Corpus Christ Sunday was prepared so that parishioners and visitors through music could experience the presence of God.

Since 2008, Brad Wingert has been on the music faculty at Niagara County Community College where he is currently serving as Interim Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, and is an adjunct professor of music at Canisius College. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and music education from Niagara County Community College, Canisius College, and the University at Buffalo, and has been a church musician since 2001.

The organ at Corpus Christi has three keyboards (called manuals), and a pedalboard (keyboard played with the feet). The organ has 32 ranks of pipes. A rank is generally a set of pipes that have a unique sound and is activated by a stop. Some of the stops are imitative of orchestral instruments and produce sounds similar to that of a flute, trumpet, or strings. Other organ stops have unique sounds. The variety of sounds through these ranks allows the instrument to play anything from soft celestial music to majestic fanfares. The size of the pipes in each rank can vary from 16-feet tall to the size of pencil, the bigger the pipe the lower the sound, and vice versa.

The exceptional pipe organ at Corpus Christi Church is one of the only pipe organs in the Buffalo (199 Clark St.) area whose builder is of Polish heritage. The three manual 32 rank pipe organ dates to 1928. It was installed in a divided case by the A. Radziewicz Pipe Organ Company of Milburn, New Jersey. The casework of the instrument is made of chestnut wood The instrument had 2,014 pipes when it was installed, ranging in size from a half inch to twenty feet with most of the facade pipes actually speaking. We invite you to pray and sing together to the accompaniment of our unique organs.

Our organ is being repaired

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As many of you may know, our organ had extensive water damage from a storm in the fall of 2009. This affected 2/3 of the Swell Division of our historic instrument, and caused “pulling” of many pipes, and continuous ciphers in the organ. There was also damage to the leather pneumatics or pouches that allow air to pass into the pipes and to the reservoir that holds air within the organ.

The cost of repair is in the range of $37,000.00, and will be covered by our insurance policy. Another $5,000.00 worth of work will be done on major problems in other areas of the instrument.

These repairs are needed to prevent further catastrophic damage to the organ and the blower. This will be covered by the Phase II Preservation Fund that has been established at Corpus Christi.

The organ will be unavailable for use during a portion of the summer months, starting this week. We are blessed to not only have a wonderful pipe organ, but also a fine piano in our church for sung prayer, and Eucharistic Liturgies.

A concert is being planned for the first Sunday of Advent to celebrate, and give thanks for the repair of the Radziewicz pipe organ in our church.

Organist Scholarship Winner to Play at Corpus Christi

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Buffalo, New York – Daniel Pisarcik, one of the 2008 winners of the Monsignor Kawalec Young Organist Scholarship offered by the Church Musicians Guild of Buffalo, will play the historic A. Radziewicz 3/32 pipe organ at Corpus Christi Church on Sunday January 4 at the 11:30 Mass. The landmark church is located at 199 Clark Street in Buffalo, just one block from the Broadway Market. All are welcome to attend.

Daniel Pisarcik, age 14, lives in the Town of North Tonawanda. He is one of two recipients of the Diocesan- wide competition. This is Daniel’s third time winning an award in the annual scholarship.

Contestants were expected to play four pieces written for organ comprised of three hymns of three or more verses and one selection of organ literature. A young musician who sits for this competition must exhibit skill in registration, pedal and manual use, and offer insight to their future in Pastoral Music Ministry.
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