The Joseph W. Schreiber
Memorial Organ
PHOTO: STEFANIE GOODWILLER
Dobson Organ, Op. 90
Dedication Series
Independent Presbyterian Church
Birmingham, Alabama
2012
The Joseph W. Schreiber
Memorial Organ
The Organ is in truth the grandest,
the most daring, the most magnificent
of all instruments invented by human genius.
It is a whole orchestra in itself. It can express anything in response to a skilled
touch. Surely, it is some sort of pedestal upon which the soul poises for a flight
forth into space, essaying on her course to draw picture after picture in an endless series, to paint human life, to cross the infinite that separates heaven from
earth. In addition, the longer a dreamer listens to those giant harmonies, the
better he realizes that nothing on earth save this hundred-voiced choir can fill
all the space between kneeling men and a God hidden by the blinding light of
the Sanctuary. The music is the one interpreter strong enough to bear up the
prayers of humanity to heaven, prayer in its omnipotent moods, prayer tinged
by the melancholy of many different natures, colored by meditative ecstasy,
upspringing with the impulse of repentance, blended with the myriad fancies of every creed. Yes, in those long-vaulted aisles the melodies inspired by
the senses of things divine are blended with a grandeur unknown before, are
decked with new glory and might. Out of the dim daylight, and the deep silence
broken by the chanting of the choir in response to the thunder of the Organ,
a veil is woven for God, and the brightness of His attributes shines through it.
Honoré de Balzac
(1799-1850)
Sundays
May 6 Services of Dedication
8:45 & 11:00 a.m.
May 13
4:00 p.m.
Concert for Organ, Brass and Percussion
Jeff McLelland and the Ambassador Brass
May 20
Ken Cowan, organist
Rice University, Houston, Texas
4:00 p.m.
May 27
4:00 p.m.
The Brahms Requiem and festive anthems
The IPC Choir and Alumni with orchestra
October 28
Service of Choral Evensong
November
ORGAN Recital Series
4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
November 4 – Vincent Dubois
Conservatoire National of Reims, France
November 11 – Nathan Laube
Stuttgart, Germany
November 18 – Peter Dubois
Third Presbyterian Church, Rochester, New York
November 25 – Peter Sykes
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
December 9
IPC Choir Christmas Concert
5:00 p.m.
PHOTO: lauren sharps
2012 Organ
Dedication Events
“In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word
was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him
all things were made; without him nothing was made that
has been made.” John 1: 1-3
As we come now to dedicate the Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial
Organ, we do so to the glory and purposes of God and in loving
memory of God’s good and faithful servant. Let us give thanks
this day not only for the inspired craftsmanship and generosity
of those who have given sacrificially, but also for the worship, art
and music our new organ will provide for generations to come.
To God be the Glory
I remember well sitting before the pastor’s desk as a young man
going through communicant’s class. I remember reciting with my
class the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I’m certain many of you
remember and could recite from memory at least the first question
and answer of the Catechism: Question: What is the chief end of
Man? Answer: To glorify God and enjoy God forever.
Yes, our chief end is to glorify God forever, for God is eternal:
the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of all life. Therefore, when
I think of creation, I think of the glory of God, which is by its
very nature incomprehensible in its completeness. Mere human
speech can never fully address the completeness of God, of whom
we often speak metaphorically and by symbol and sign. Music and
art, then, are surely as close to the heart and mind of the Creator
as any other form of communication, for they originate and speak
to something deep within our souls: the divine spark and the glory
of God himself.
How important it is for the Church of Jesus Christ to engage
the heart, mind and soul of humanity through the pure language
of art and music, and to use our whole being to glorify God. When
we engage the depth and breadth of our being, we express the very
creative nature and beauty of God. We are by God’s design driven
to create because our very origin lies in the image of God, especially
evident in the art and beauty expressed in worship!
Our task through worship is the joyful proclamation of the
Word of God: creative, redemptive and often magnified in mystery.
But its language, expressed in art and music is, by the power of the
Holy Spirit, a language that speaks to and nurtures our very souls.
It is a language which is a privilege to express and a Christian duty
to share: the praise, glory and proclamation of God’s Eternal Word.
Thanks be to God!
In Christ’s Service,
Conrad C. Sharps, Pastor
May 6, 2012
3
May 6
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Service for the Lord’s Day
eight forty five and eleven o’clock
Holy Communion and the Service of Dedication of the Joseph William Schreiber Memorial Organ
The Gathering for Worship
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Eternal God, our praises join with the songs of heavenly choirs and the music of the universe. May the
Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial Organ encourage our praise and lift our singing to your throne as faithful prayers in times of joy and times of sorrow; trusting always in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. Amen.
PRELUDE
The service of worship begins with the music of the organ. Through its power and brilliance may you feel the
majesty and glory of God; in its quietness, His peace.
“Choral in A minor”.............................................................................................. César Franck
(1822-1890)
“Scherzo”........................................................................................................ Maurice Duruflé
(1902-1986)
“Tuba Tune”......................................................................................................... David Briggs
(b. 1962)
INTROIT - “Easter Fanfare”.......................................................................................... Paul Fetler
Christ the Lord is risen, alleluia.
(b. 1920)
*PROCESSIONAL HYMN 478 - “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”.................... LAUDA ANIMA
WELCOME.................................................................................................................. Dr. Sharps
CALL TO WORSHIP
LEADER: This is the time for celebration
ALL: For those who will be in the sanctuary, assisted in divine worship by the sacred
music flowing forth from this beautiful instrument;
LEADER: For the choir that will be augmented and enriched by the touch of the keys;
ALL: For those who labored long with dream and hope to make this day come true;
LEADER: For those whose contributions of gifts and love, given in memory of loved ones and
to the glory of God;
ALL: This is the time for celebration. Thanks be to God!
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In unison)......................................................................... Rev. Epting
God of the universe, the heavens cannot contain your glory. Yet you have come to be with us in
Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit you are present with us now in the risen Christ.
God, as we dedicate this organ to your honor and glory, we thank you for all the gifts you have
brought together in its making: the craft and art of many hands, contributions of money and
material, and labors of love and commitment.
O Lord, even as we ask for you to forgive our many sins, our lack of compassion and heartless
response to human need, we ask you to bless the work of our hands anew to your glory. May
this place offer your welcome to many and diverse people, that all who seek you may know your
PHOTO: Lynn Dobson
presence in their lives. By your grace and according to your will, may the Gospel
of Jesus Christ be truly proclaimed and the sacraments rightly administered,
that the body of Christ may be nurtured here, and strengthened for Christ’s
service in the world, for it is in Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
A period of silence for personal confession.
KYRIE ELEISON (The Independent Service on Insert)
DECLARATION OF PARDON
Minister: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People:In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
*GLORIA PATRI (The Independent Service on Insert)
The Word
.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
MORNING LESSON - 1 Corinthians 12:1-20 (Pew Bible, p. NT 174)
Minister: The Word of the Lord.
People:Thanks be to God.
*HYMN 486 - “When the Morning Stars Together”..................WEISSE FLAGGEN
(During the singing of this hymn, children preschool and younger may follow the acolyte
down the center aisle to the ground floor for worship care. No children’s chapel this Sunday.)
SERMON - “The Harmony of Community and Kingdom”....................Dr. Sharps
The Response to the Word
*NICENE CREED (In unison)..............................................................Rev. Clayton
I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of
all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten
Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds; God of God; Light of
Light; Very God of Very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with
the Father, by whom all things were made; Who for us, and for our salvation,
came down from heaven; And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin
Mary, and was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered, and was buried; And the third day He rose again according to the
Scriptures; And ascended into heaven; And sitteth on the right hand of the
Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the
dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Lord and Giver of Life; Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son;
Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; Who
spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look
for the resurrection of the dead; And the Life of the world to come. Amen.
The Service of Dedication
LITANY OF DEDICATION (see Insert)
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (see Insert)
PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
The Offertory Statement
* The Doxology............................................................ OLD HUNDREDTH
* The Prayer of Dedication
Tuba Tune by David Briggs is performed
for the first time today and was given
to the Glory of God and in loving
memory of and honor of Joseph and
Betty Schreiber by John and Louise
Beard. O Come Let Us Sing unto the
Lord is performed for the first time
today and was given to the Glory of
God and in memory of Charner and
Doris McLelland by the IPC Choir.
The Independent Service was composed
and given to the Glory of God for
Independent Presbyterian Church
by Jeff McLelland.
Independent Presbyterian Church
gratefully acknowledges the inspired
generosity of The Barbara and
Winfield Baird Family and the
late Mrs. Elizabeth O’Neal White
Shannon and her Family for
making possible the acquisition of
the Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial
Organ to the Glory of God.
5
The Offertory Anthem - “O Come Let Us Sing unto the Lord” ........................ Howard Keever
(b. 1954)
O come let us sing unto the Lord: Let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. Let us come before his presence
with thanksgiving: And shew ourselves glad in him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God: And a great King above
all gods. In his hand are all the corners of the earth. And the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made
it: and his hands prepared the dry land. O come, let us worship and fall down: And kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is the Lord our God: And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Glory be to the Father...
Psalm 95:1-7 with Gloria Patri
.
The Eucharist
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE........................................................................Rev. Turner
GREAT THANKSGIVING
Minister: The Lord be with you.
People:
And also with you.
Minister: Lift up your hearts.
People:
We lift them up to the Lord.
Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People:It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The minister continues in prayer, and then is sung:
SANCTUS (The Independent Service on Insert)
The minister continues in prayer.
MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION (The Independent Service on Insert)
The minister continues in prayer.
AMEN (The Independent Service on Insert)
THE LORD’S PRAYER
ANTHEMS DURING COMMUNION
“Thou, O God, Art Praised in Sion”..................................................................... Malcolm Boyle
(1902-1976)
Thou, O God, art praised in Sion; and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem. Thou that hearest the prayer,
unto thee shall all flesh come. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee: he shall dwell in thy courts,
and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose
mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength. Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase;
and God shall give us his blessing.
Psalm 65:1,2,4; Isaiah 26:3,4; Psalm 67:3,6
“The Lord is My Light”........................................................................................Fred Gramann
Gloria Parvin, Alto
(b. 1950)
The Lord is my light and salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; Whom shall I fear? Teach
me thy way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. May I dwell in the house of the Lord for all the
days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord. I believe that I shall see the beauty of the Lord in the land of the living.
Whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
The Sending
*HYMN 371 - “Lift High the Cross”................................................................................. CRUCIFER
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
*INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP
*BENEDICTION
*POSTLUDE - “Carillon de Westminster”.....................................................................Louis Vierne
(1870-1937)
*Congregation standing
May 13
Concert for Organ, Brass
and Percussion
four o’clock
John McElroy, trumpet
William Denton, trumpet
David Pandolfi, horn
Mark Foster, trombone
Andrew Miller, tuba
Jay Burnham, percussion
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
Jeff R. McLelland, Organ
The Ambassador Brass
PROGRAM
Flourishes................................................................. Carlyle Sharpe
(b. 1965)
Sonata pian’e forte................................................ Giovanni Gabrieli
(1554-1612)
Fantasy and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 ....... Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685-1750)
Suite for organ, brass, percussion .................................Craig Phillips
I.
Prelude
(b. 1961)
II.Cantilene
III.Toccata
from Symphonie Gothique .................................. Charles Marie Widor
Andante Sostenuto (1844-1937)
Tuba Tune .................................................................. David Briggs
(b. 1962)
Variations on
Auld Lang Syne (Traditional).........................arr. by John Karl Hirten
(b. 1956)
Jeff R. McLelland, DMA
Since becoming Director of Music and Fine Arts at
IPC in 2000, Dr. Jeff McLelland has spent a portion
of every day on the design, development and preparation of the Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial Organ.
Thanks be to God, the day has finally come!
A native of Mississippi, Dr. McLelland received
diplomas in Organ Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi, The Eastman School
of Music of the University of
Rochester, and The University
of Alabama. Mentoring many
students who now enjoy careers
in church music, he worked as a
professor of music for seventeen
years at William Carey College
and Mississippi College teaching
organ, piano, choir, music history
and music theory. As a concert
organist, McLelland has performed throughout the United
States and Europe in such venues
as Salisbury Cathedral England,
St. Stephens Cathedral Vienna,
Bamberg Cathedral Germany, and the St. Wenzel
Church in Naumberg, Germany on the organ that
J.S. Bach played in 1746. A winner of numerous
awards and competitions such as the Collegiate Artist Competition sponsored by the Music Teachers
National Association and the National Young Artist
Competition in Organ Performance of the American
Guild of Organists, McLelland has gone on to serve
on local and national committees for these organizations, representing the southeast United States.
Having realized his true calling as a church musician at an early age, McLelland has worked in seven
different Christian denominations as organist and
choir director. He serves IPC preparing music as
organist for the many worship services, weddings and
memorial services. He plans, rehearses and directs
the internationally renowned IPC Choir for weekly
worship, concerts, recordings, and tours, and guides
them through various fund-raising and social activities. He directs the Westminster Choir and oversees
the children’s choirs program. He plans and executes
the annual November Organ Recital Series and the
Religious Arts Festival, which are two of the longest
running arts series in the country and given as a gift
to the community of Birmingham by the church.
The new organ project has been the joy of his life
and he looks forward to many years of worship and
making music.
the Ambassador Brass
Formed in 1976, The Ambassador Brass Quintet is the official brass quintet of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. The group has established
itself with an extensive performance circuit throughout the southeast United States and has served as the resident brass quintet for the Spoleto
Music Festival in Charleston, SC, Birmingham Southern College, and the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham.
7
PHOTO: PAUL SIROCHMAN
Ken Cowan
Ken Cowan is one of North America’s
finest concert organists. Praised for
his dazzling artistry, impeccable
technique and imaginative programming by audiences and critics
alike, he maintains a rigorous
performing schedule which takes
him to major concert venues in the
United States, Canada, Europe, and
Asia. Recent feature performances
have included appearances at
Philadelphia’s Verizon Hall, and
Walt Disney Concert Hall, as well
as concerts in Germany and Korea.
In addition, Mr. Cowan has been a
featured artist in recent years at the national
conventions of the American Guild of
Organists and has been featured at several
conventions of the Organ Historical Society
and the Royal Canadian College of Organists.
Numerous critically acclaimed compact
disc recordings are available by Mr. Cowan.
His most recent releases are Works of Franz
Liszt (on the JAV label), and The Art of the
Symphonic Organist Vol 4 (on the JAV label),
which were recorded on the Michael Quimby
organ at First Baptist Church in Jackson,
Mississippi, and Ken Cowan Plays Romantic
Masterworks (on the Raven label), which was
recorded on the 110-rank Schoenstein organ
at First Plymouth Congregational Church in
Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition to his solo
recordings, Mr. Cowan also joined organist
Justin Bischof in the world premiere recording of American composer Aaron Miller’s
Double Concerto for organ, recorded with the
Zurich Symphony Orchestra on the Kleuker
organ in the Tonhalle, Zurich, Switzerland
(Ethereal Recordings).
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
A native of Thorold, Ontario, Canada, Mr.
Cowan received the Master’s degree and
Artist Diploma from the Yale Institute of
Sacred Music, studying organ with Thomas
Murray. Prior to attending Yale, he graduated
with a Bachelor of Music degree from the
Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia
where he studied with John Weaver. Mr.
Cowan is Associate Professor of Organ at Rice
University in Houston. Previous positions
have included Associate Professor of Organ
at Westminster Choir College in Princeton,
New Jersey, and Associate Organist and Artist
in Residence at Saint Bartholomew’s Church
in New York City. He has also been on the
roster of Associate Organists for the famous
Wanamaker Grand Court organ located in
Macy’s Department Store in Philadelphia.
May 20
Organ Concert
four o’clock
Ken Cowan
Rice University
Houston, Texas
PROGRAM
Introduction,
Passacaglia and Fugue, B. 149................ Healey Willan
(1880-1968)
Elegy......................................... George Thalben-Ball
(1896-1987)
Prelude and Fugue
in E minor, BWV 548 .............. Johann Sebastian Bach
.
(1685-1750)
Deux Esquisses, Opus 41 ....................... Marcel Dupré
E minor
(1886-1971)
B-flat minor
from Three New Impressions,
Opus 142 .........................................Sigfrid Karg-Elert
I. Stimmen der Nacht
(1877-1933)
Danse Macabre ............................ Camille Saint-Saëns
(1835-1921)
arr. Cowan
The Ride of the Valkyries....................Richard Wagner
(1813-1883)
arr. Edwin H. Lemare
A Festival Concert
four o’clock
The IPC Choir and Alumni
Jeff R. McLelland, Director
Derrick Meador, Organist
Members of the Alabama Symphony
PROGRAM
“I Was Glad”...................................................... C. Hubert H. Parry
(1848-1918)
I was glad when they said unto me: we will go into the house of the Lord.
Our feet shall stand in thy gates: O Jerusalem. Jerusalem in builded as
a city: that is at unity in itself. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they
shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls: and plenteousness
Psalm 122: 1-3, 6-7
within thy palaces.
“Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee”............................Johannes Brahms
(1833-1897)
Let nothing ever grieve thee, distress thee, nor fret thee; heed God’s
good will, my soul be still, compose thee. Why brood all day in sorrow?
Tomorrow will bring thee God’s help benign and grace sublime, in mercy.
Be true in all endeavor and ever ply bravely; what God decrees brings joy
and peace, He’ll stay thee. Amen.
Paul Flemming
“Greater Love Hath No Man”........................................John Ireland
(1879-1962)
Beth Middleton, Soprano; James Martin, Baritone
Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the floods drown it. Love is
strong as death. Greater Love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
His life for his friends. Who His own self bare our sins In His Body on
the tree, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness. Ye are
washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus:
Ye are the chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. That ye
should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath call’d you out of darkness
into His marvelous light. I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God
that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. from Song of Solomon and St. John
PHOTO: Steve Godbold
May 27
James C. Martin
Bass-Baritone James C. Martin has won critical
acclaim for his performances in opera, musical
theater, and concert as a versatile singer, actor, and
entertainer. Always an audience favorite, his artistic
repertoire spans from Bach to be-bop, Busoni to Burleigh, and Berg to Bernstein. He has appeared with
leading musical organizations throughout the United
States and abroad, including the opera companies
of Mississippi, Chicago, San Francisco, Santa Fe, St.
Louis, New York, Toronto, Strasbourg, Basel, and
Oslo; and concert appearances at the Concertgebouw,
Washington National Cathedral, Avery Fisher Hall,
Alice Tully Hall, and the New York Public Library
for the Performing Arts.
Operatic roles include Mozart’s Figaro/Le nozze di
Figaro, Don Giovanni/Don Giovanni and Papageno/
Die Zauberflöte, Puccini’s Marcello/La bohème,
Sharpless/Madama Butterfly, and Betto/Gianni Schicchi, Escamillo & Le dancaire/Carmen, Sam/Trouble
in Tahiti, Silvio/I Pagliacci, L’horloge Comtoise &
Le chat noir/L’enfant et les sortileges, Noah/Noye’s
Fludde, Tarquinius & Junius/The Rape of Lucretia,
and Pistola/Falstaff. Oratorio and concert repertoire
include, Copland’s Old American Songs, Handel’s Messiah; Bach’s Passions and cantatas; the requiems of
Brahms, Fauré, and Mozart; Mendelssohn’s Elijah;
and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols,
Hodie, and Dona Nobis Pacem.
Mr. Martin holds a Bachelor of Music degree from
Illinois Wesleyan University and his Master of Music
from the Juilliard School, where he was also a Young
Artist with the Juilliard Opera Center. He apprenticed with the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St.
Louis, the San Francisco Opera’s Merola program and
Western Opera Theatre Tour, and L’Opéra National
du Rhin in Strasbourg, France, as one of seven international Les jeunes voix du Rhin. He studied voice with
David Nott (IWU), Cynthia Hoffmann (Juilliard)
and Benita Valente.
9
“Let All the World in Every Corner Sing”
(from Five Mystical Songs)................................................................. Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872-1958)
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King. The heavens are not too high, His praise
may thither fly: The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. The Church with Psalms must
shout, No door can keep them out: But above all, the heart Must bear the longest part. George Herbert
Interval
“Requiem, Opus 45”.................................................................................. Johannes Brahms
Beth Middleton, Soprano; James Martin, Baritone
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Blessed Are They that Mourn
Behold, All Flesh is as the Grass
Lord, Make Me to Know the Measure of My Days
How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place
Ye Now are Sorrowful
Here on Earth Have We no Continuing Place
Blessed are the Dead Which Die in the Lord
FUNDING FOR this concert was made possible by a gift made
to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Clinton Williams Taylor.
Beth Middleton
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
Beth has been a choir member, soloist, and Music Assistant at Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC) for the
past 12 years. With the IPC Choir , she has sung Saint-Saens’ Christmas Oratorio, Poulenc’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah,
Schubert’s Magnificat, Haydn’s Missa Brevis No. 7, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise, Mozart’s Vesperae
Solennes de Confessore, Bach’s Magnificat and Rutter’s Mass of the Children. She has also toured with the choir to Scotland,
Italy, Austria, and the Czech and Slovak Republics.
In addition to her responsibilities with the IPC Choir, Beth is currently the director of the K-6 music programs
at the church, including choirs and an instrumental ensemble. She is also a certified director with the Choristers
Guild Institute.
PHOTO: Bobby Middleton
Mu
Beth Middleton, Soprano, is a native of Corinth, Mississippi. She received
her Bachelor of Education degree in Music from Mississippi State University
and her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of
Alabama. Beth has performed as a soloist with the Corinth Symphony, The
Blue Mountain College Choir, the University of Alabama University Chorus,
UA Wind Ensemble, Dance Alabama, and the Tuscaloosa Symphony, where
she sang Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. She debuted the role of “Marigold” in
the opera Lily, at Mississippi State University, and has sung with the Sessione
Senese per la Musica e l’Arte program in Siena, Italy. Beth has sung the role of “Pamina” in Mozart’s The Magic Flute
with the UA Opera Theater and the Huxford Symphony Orchestra, as well as the role of “Laetitia” in Menotti’s
The Old Maid and the Thief.
The IPC Choir and Alumni
Anne Bell Alford
Kirk Alford
Chantal D. Atnip
Robert G. Atnip
Carol Baker
Newell Baker
* Robert Baxley
* Ruth Bean
Louise H. Beard
Dottie Simpson Bennett
Susan L. Benton
Bill Blackwell
Duncan Blair
Steve Briggs
Angela Brown
Jon Michael Brown
Rebecca Castleberry
Robert Castleberry
* Joe Chesnut
* Margaret Chesnut
Chalmers Chism
Sara Hall Clemmer
Steve Coker
* Foster Cook
* Carter Cooper
Shanna Cory
Don Cox
Carolyn Robertson Crocker
Charlie Crow
Debbie Schreiber Crumpton
Lant B. Davis
* Zachary Davis
* Jennifer Durst
* Susan Edwards
Morgan Eiland
* Bobbie Epting
* Rosalynn Fairless
* Doc Feagin
* Kelley Feagin
Kelley Fleming
* Edward Forstman
David Garraway
* Rita Gibbon
Linn Goldsmith
Stefanie S. Goodwiller
Jim Gordy
* Alan Grier
Daphne Grimsley
Evan Halsey
Susan Haskell
* Andrew Hicks
Edith Howington
Lee Howington
* Elaine Huckleberry
Connie Hughes
* Greg Jeane
* Karen Jeane
* Jeff Johnson
Sarah Amanda Jones
* Walter Jones
* Jon Kassaw
* George E. Keller III
Carolyn King
Amanda Klimko
Bobby Kracke
* Taylor Lamm
Roger T. Lewis
James Martin
Jim Maughn
Harry McAfee
* Margaret McCollum
Melissa McEwen
* Debbie Medenica
Michael Meeks
Benjamin Middaugh
* Beth Middleton
Susan Murphy
* John Nelson
Linda Nelson
Scott Nelson
Daryl O'Barr
David O'Steen
* Janet Ort
Josephine Pankey
* Gloria Parvin
* Pat Pelham
Mary Jim Quillen
Sally Reilly
Randall Richardson
Jan V. Rigg
* Gregory Roberson
* Ginni Robertson
Betty Schreiber
* Justin Segura
* Karen Shadinger
Anne H. Shealy
* Angelyn Simmons
* Lynne Simmons
* Sally Speaker
* Sidney Summey
Greg Thomas
* Lisa Vines
* Kate Waters
Hans Watford
* Katie Woodruff
Helen Graham Yarboro
*Current IPC Choir Member
Orchestra
VIOLIN I
Jinsong Gao
Mayumi Masri
Anne Pandolfi
Viktor Dulguerov
Sarah Nordlund
Troy Bast
CELLO
Andrew Dunn
Wei Liu
Mary Del Gobbo
CLARINET
Kathleen Costello
Judith Donaldson
TROMBONE
Jay Evans
Jon Whitaker
Jeff Koonce
usicians
VIOLIN II
David Handler
Karl Braaten
Serghei Tanas
Kristina Handler
VIOLA
Rene Reder
Ramona Merritt
Lucy Woodward
BASS
Edward Merritt
Tom Jacobs
FLUTE
Lisa Wienhold
Jenny Robinson
PICCOLO
Diane Scholtz
OBOE
James Sullivan
Machiko Schlaffer
BASSOON
Tariq Masri
Conner Staggs
TUBA
Andrew Miller
HORN
David Pandolfi
Kevin Kozak
Adam Pandolfi
Nina Adair
TIMPANI
Jay Burnham
TRUMPET
John McElroy
William Denton
Organ
Derrick Meador
HARP
Judith Sullivan Hicks
11
Op. 90
as featured in the March 2012 issue of
The American Organist
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Op. 90, 2012
“Of the many activities in American churches which I have been privileged to observe, none pleases me
more than the Music Program and Religious Arts Festival which has now become so central to the life of
Independent Presbyterian Church and the City of Birmingham.
PHOTO: STEFANIE GOODWILLER
“Too often the Arts are regarded as an alternative to the church’s mission. They are part of it. Nourishing
people’s imaginations, enlarging their perceptions, facing them with the prophecies which the artists offer to
our society, is, I have always held, essential to any kind of evangelism. The association of evangelism with
tawdry and trivial art is a deplorable error, against which the authorities of Independent Presbyterian
Church are marching with magnificent purposefulness.”
— Erik Routley, 1982
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
Independent Presbyterian Church in
Birmingham, Alabama, was founded
in 1915 with an initial membership of
nearly five hundred people. These first
members intended to establish a church
dedicated to the Glory of God through
two primary avenues: the cultivation of
beauty, and service to their fellow man.
In Birmingham’s early years IPC fulfilled
many social service roles subsequently
assumed by public agencies, and the
church today maintains ties to those
programs as well as administers its own
extensive service ministries.
The church’s sanctuary is the work of the
Birmingham firm of Warren, Knight
and Davis, and was designed by partner
William Warren, an IPC member, in
the English Perpendicular Gothic style.
Completed in 1926, it is built of Shades
Mountain sandstone with limestone
trim, and has a slate roof surmounted by
a copper flèche. The interior is enriched
by mosaics that depict the four evangelists
and by stained glass windows created by
D’Ascenzo Studios in Philadelphia.
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
Independent Presbyterian Church’s beautiful building is a
fitting setting for its extensive fine arts program. With the
1964 arrival of Joseph W. Schreiber as Director of Music
came the establishment of an annual series of organ recitals
in November. In the forty-seven years since, programs have
been presented by the most celebrated musicians of the day,
including E. Power Biggs, Maurice and Madeleine Duruflé,
and Jean Langlais. The church’s annual Religious Arts Festival,
established in 1972 and held in February, presents lectures and
programs devoted to the visual and performing arts and their
intersection with Christian faith and life.
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
The Independent Presbyterian Church Choir is the crown
jewel of the music program and has achieved international
acclaim through concerts both here and abroad. The choir
strives to maintain professional attitudes and high musical
standards and maintains a repertoire consisting of over seven hundred anthems and fifty major choral works. In addition to its
participation in worship, the choir has toured Europe nine times since 1977, most recently singing in Prague, Slovakia and Vienna.
It is well represented on recordings, with twelve releases to date.
Along with its many other beautiful appointments, the church was provided with Op. 516 of the Skinner Organ Co., a gift of the
church’s Woman’s Organization. Completed with the church in 1926, the organ had three manuals, five divisions, and forty ranks.
In 1969, it was greatly altered by the Æolian-Skinner Organ Co., with many of the original instrument’s distinctive features removed
in favor of more contemporary tonal elements. Beginning in 1975, the Antiphonal and Positiv divisions were completed by the
M.P. Möller Organ Co., and various additional voices were added bringing the size of the organ to eighty-seven ranks. In 1992, a
fire destroyed adjacent wings of the church causing smoke and deteriorating damage to the organ that continued to manifest itself.
Dissatisfaction with the organ’s compromised tonal design and its increasing mechanical trouble persuaded IPC to explore the
possibilities offered by an entirely new pipe organ. A design contract was signed with the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in March
2006, and a contract for the construction of
the organ was executed in May 2010.
With thanks to God for the gifts shared
through His servant, IPC has named the
instrument the “Joseph W. Schreiber
Memorial Organ.”
As preparation for the new pipe organ,
Independent Presbyterian Church
engaged Robert Mahoney to assess the
acoustics of the sanctuary. His analysis
identified the ceiling, covered with
Celotex, a construction material made
of sugar cane fiber, as a major absorber
of sound energy. In addition to its
13
undesirable acoustical influence, the Celotex was beginning to
decompose, so with Mahoney’s help, architect and IPC member
Andrew Hicks, of the Birmingham firm of ArchitectureWorks,
developed plans for replacement of the ceiling with more reflective
materials. Reconstruction of the sanctuary was carried out by
general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie, with site supervision by
Robert McElroy and was completed in Summer 2011.
Op. 90 is shaped by two important factors: it is entirely situated
in chambers, and it must serve as a capable vehicle for both
the accompaniment of a large body of choral works and the
interpretation of a broad spectrum of solo literature. Fortunately,
at IPC, these factors are complementary. Organs chambers are a
phenomenon relatively recent in organ history, and they suggest a
style of instrument that developed to exploit strengths of chambers
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
and overcome their weaknesses. The construction of this sort of
instrument, in the first half of the 20th century, coincides with the
composition of a body of choral repertoire, especially works from
England, which are valued by IPC.
But the performance of a wide range of solo literature stretches
the abilities of an enchambered instrument. After all, many
works expect an instrument that speaks freely and distinctly, even
intimately, into the room. How can an enchambered instrument
accommodate this music?
Skinner Op. 516 was situated relatively far behind façades of
non-speaking pipes. Although there was sentiment within the
congregation to retain these façades, we argued strongly for the
construction of new casework. Not only would it be able to carry
The Choir and Solo, located in the left chamber, have an
interesting relationship also dictated by the chamber. While
there was ample room for the pipes of these divisions in that
space, the size of the left chamber relative to its opening precluded
each division from having a dedicated swell shade front there.
Instead, the Solo swell box stands as a separate entity within the
Choir, the latter having a shade front in the chamber opening.
As a result, the Solo is under double expression.
The physical situation in the choir loft similarly affected the
design of the console. IPC was eager to introduce a third row of
choral seating, but the size of the old console prohibited it. Our
new console, inspired by Skinner’s examples, is made as shallow
as consistent with the style by, among other things, the provision
of only three manuals, with both the Choir and Solo at home on
the lowest keyboard.
Tonally, the instrument has a classical structure that is expanded
by a variety of romantic and symphonic elements. The Great,
PHOTO: STEFANIE GOODWILLER
speaking pipes, but the woodwork could also be designed to
project farther out of the chambers, allowing the placement of
windchests in the chamber openings rather than behind them.
This materially aids not only the projection of sound from the
Great, whose windchests are right behind the façade but also that
of the Swell and Pedal, also located in the right chamber, as they
can be planted closer to the chamber opening. The new façades
were carefully designed to respect the original oak woodwork,
and contain pipes of 93% tin belonging to the Great Principal 16’
on the right and the Pedal Octave 16’ on the left.
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
Swell and Choir each have choruses framed around 8’ Principals,
and there are Trumpet voices of varying tone in every department.
Each manual has a cornet or jeu de tierce possibility, and there is a
variety of strings of differing scales, including a pair of very slender
tin Violes d’Orchestre in the Solo. This division recalls smaller
examples of Ernest Skinner, with the unexpected luxury of a 16’
Tuba, originally Op. 516’s Swell Posaune. Because of insufficient
height even for pipes of Haskell construction, the Pedal Contra
Diapason borrows another page from Mr. Skinner, employing
stopped wood pipes of very large scale for the 32’ octave, which then
change to open wood pipes for the remainder of the rank. Except for
the Solo, wind pressures are moderate, with the Great, Choir and
Pedal upperwork voiced on 4” pressure, while the Swell is voiced
on 5-1/2”. The Solo is voiced on 10”, save for the Tubas, which are
on 20”. The Pedal Bombarde 32’ is voiced on 12”. The Great, Swell
and Choir speak on slider windchests having our special design
that incorporates relief magnets for crisp repetition.
To accommodate the higher pressures and volume of
wind required, the Solo and Pedal basses have electropneumatic windchests.
To honor the original instrument, and because they
contribute to the musical whole, several ranks were
retained from Op. 516. Additionally, the Möller
Antiphonal organ, with its own petite console in the
gallery, has been retained, as well as the Chimes, two
digital stops and the Bell Star.
The voicing of the instrument brings together various
tonal influences in a harmonious, well-digested way. Chorus ranks are voiced boldly to fill the
nave, while the location in chambers and effective swell boxes give the softer foundation stops
subtlety of expression. A modest number of extensions and duplexing expands registrational
possibilities without compromising divisional integrity.
In this day, when budget cuts and the scraping to find the lowest common denominator have, if anything,
increased the general debasement of liturgical art lamented by Dr. Routley,it has been a true and refreshing
joy for Independent Presbyterian Church and Dobson Pipe Organ Builders to work together in the creation
of an instrument fit to assist in the worship of
God. May it long serve as a prophetic voice of
art and inspiration!
Dr. Jeff R. McLelland
Director of Music and Fine Arts
Independent Presbyterian Church
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
John A. Panning
Tonal Director
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
IPC welcomed the arrival of the new organ on Wednesday, 12 October 2011, with a ‘Blessing of
the Pipes’, a brief service complete with crucifer, thurifer and bagpiper. The physical installation
of the organ was complete by Thanksgiving, and tonal finishing began on 9 January 2012.
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
PHOTO: DAVID J. SANDERS
PHOTO: PAUL ROMJUE
PHOTO: STEFANIE GOODWILLER
DOBSON PIPE ORGAN BUILDERS
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Ltd. was founded in
1974 by Lynn Alan Dobson, the firm’s President
and Artistic Director. The firm has constructed
ninety new organs that can be found in churches,
educational institutions, concert halls and
residences from Long Island to Los Angeles. In
addition, Dobson has completed about thirty
restorations or renovations of older instruments.
Though all of its work to date has been in the
United States, the company has recently been
commissioned to build a three-manual instrument
for Merton College in Oxford, U.K., in celebration
of the College’s 750th anniversary. Employing
twenty craftsmen, Dobson’s workshop is located
on the historic city square of Lake City, Iowa.
Supporting
Music & the Arts
As Henry Edmonds, the founding pastor of Independent Presbyterian Church, believed in
the pursuit of beauty and art, so the church continues this commitment in support of the
Arts through the offering of concerts and fine arts events as a gift to the glory of God to the
community of Birmingham. These events are partially funded through the annual operating
budget but also receive important support from various endowment funds to which members
of the church and community regularly donate. These funds are listed below and are excellent
opportunities for contributions to be made in memory or honor of a loved one. You may mark
your contribution for the appropriate fund and send them to the Music Office. Please call the
Music Office at 933-3700 if you have any questions.
The November Organ Recital Series is partially funded by the Myrtle Jones Steele Endowment Fund.
Since its inception in 1965, the series has distinguished itself worldwide by bringing over 150
artists of the highest caliber to Birmingham from the United States and Europe. While all recitals
are free, donations are always accepted to the endowment fund to cover the increasing costs of
world class artists and to ensure the continued success and quality of this most prestigious series.
The Schreiber Memorial Organ Fund, established in 2005, supports the new instrument built by
the Dobson Organ Company of Lake City, Iowa. The 82-rank organ is a spectacular symphonic
instrument of original design that will serve the worship and music of the church and the Birmingham community for many generations.
The Religious Arts Festival Endowment Fund, established in January of 2001, is a means of endowing
the Festival and helps ensure its continued presence in our church and community. The Festival
is a faith enriching program sponsored by the Fine Arts Committee to glorify God through the
rich spectrum of the arts. For over 38 years, guest speakers and artists with expertise in drama,
music, dance, architecture, sculpture, literature, and art have been brought to the city for an
annual week long program that has been traditionally funded by pledges and offerings in the
operating budget of the church.
The Joseph W. Schreiber Performance Fund was established in 1998 to assure support for future
sacred music presentations. Donations are often given to honor or memorialize persons who
have exhibited the love of sacred music or who worked with Mr. Schreiber in establishing the
wonderful tradition of sacred music found at IPC.
The Stayer Choral Music Fund was established in 1984 in loving memory of Mrs. Caroline Nissly
Stayer. This endowment fund has as its purpose the nurture and continued growth of the choral
music library of Independent Presbyterian Church.
The Joseph W.
Schreiber
Memorial
Organ
Independent Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)
3100 Highland Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35205-1408
205-933-1830 • www.ipc-usa.org
The Rev. Dr. Conrad Sharps, Pastor
Dr. Jeff R. McLelland, Director of Music and Fine Arts
The Joseph W. Schreiber Memorial Organ
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Lake City, Iowa
Opus 90
GREAT (II, behind right façade)
16 Principal (partly in façade)
8 Open Diapason 8 Principal (ext. Principal 16)
8 Harmonic Flute 8 Chimney Flute
8
Gamba 4
Octave 4
Spire Flute 2 2/3Twelfth
2Fifteenth
III Cornet 2 2/3
IV Mixture 1 1/3 16Posaune
8
Trumpet 8
Posaune (ext. Posaune 16)
4Clarion
Tremolo
8
Tuba Mirabilis (Solo)
8
Major Trumpet (Antiphonal)
Swell to Great 16, 8, 4
Choir to Great 16, 8, 4
Solo to Great 16, 8, 4
Pedal to Great 8
Antiphonal to Great 8
SWELL (III, enclosed; right chamber)
16 Bourdon 8
Diapason 8
Bourdon 8
Viole 8
Viole Celeste 8 *Flauto Dolce 8 *Flute Celeste 4
Octave 4
Harmonic Flute 2 2/3 Quinte 2
Doublette 1 3/5 Tierce IV Plein Jeu 2 16 Basson 8
Trompette 8
Hautbois 8 *Voix Humaine 4
Clairon Tremolo
Swell 16, 4, Unison Off
8
Tuba Mirabilis (Solo)
8
Major Trumpet (Antiphonal)
Solo to Swell 16, 8, 4
Antiphonal to Swell 8
CHOIR (I, enclosed; left chamber)
16 *Gemshorn (ext. Gemshorn 8)
8
Principal 8Salicional
8
Gedeckt 8 *Gemshorn
8
Unda Maris
4
Octave 4
Chimney Flute
2 2/3 Nazard 2
Super Octave 2
Recorder 1 3/5 Tierce 1 1/3 Larigot 1
Piccolo IV Mixture 1
II Sharp Mixture 2/5
16 Corno di Basso (ext. Corno d’Amore 8)
8 *Trumpet 8 *Corno d’Amore Tremolo
Choir 16, 4, Unison Off
Swell to Choir 16, 8, 4
Antiphonal to Choir 8
SOLO (I, separately enclosed within Choir)
8
Viole d’Orchestre 8
Viole Celeste 4
Orchestral Flute 8 *French Horn 8 *Clarinet Tremolo
16 *Trombone 8
Tuba Mirabilis 8
Tuba (ext. Trombone 16)
4
Tuba Clarion (ext. Tuba 8)
16 *Major Trumpet (TC ext.)
8 *Major Trumpet (Antiphonal)
*Chimes (25 tubes)
*Harp (digital)
Solo 16, 4, Unison Off
ANTIPHONAL
8 *Spitzprincipal
4 *Prestant
2 *Super Octave
IV *Plein Jeu 1 1/3
PEDAL
32 Contra Diapason
32 *Contra Bourdon (digital)
16 Open Diapason (ext. Contra Diapason 32)
16 Octave (partly in façade)
16 Principal (Great)
16 *Spitzprincipal (ext. of Antiphonal)
16 Subbass 16 Gemshorn (Choir)
16 Bourdon (Swell)
8
Octave (ext. Octave 16)
8
Bass Flute (ext. Contra Diapason 16)
8
Bourdon (ext. Subbass 16)
8
Gemshorn (Choir)
8
Gedeckt (ext. Swell Bourdon 16)
4
Super Octave 4
Flute (Solo)
IV Mixture 2 2/3 (preparation)
32 Contre Bombarde 32 Grand Harmonics (various)
16 Bombarde (ext. Contre Bombarde 32)
16 Posaune (Great)
16 Trombone (Solo)
8
Trumpet 8
Posaune (Great)
4
Clarion (ext. Pedal Trumpet 8)
4
Clarinet (Solo)
8
Tuba Mirabilis (Solo)
8
Major Trumpet (Antiphonal)
Chimes (Solo)
Great to Pedal 8
Swell to Pedal 8, 4
Choir to Pedal 8, 4
Solo to Pedal 8, 4
Antiphonal to Pedal 8
ACCESSORIES
*Bell Star (in Choir)
All Swells to Swell
Pedal Divide
Great/Choir Manual Transfer
Transposer
*=retained from previous organ
19
William Ayers
Abraham Batten
Kent Brown
Lynn A. Dobson
Randy Hausman
Dean Heim
Donny Hobbs
Pat Lowry
Arthur Middleton
John Ourensma
John A. Panning
Kirk P. Russell
Robert Savage
Jim Streufert
John Streufert
Jon H. Thieszen
Pat Thieszen
Sally J. Winter
Randall Wolff
Dean C. Zenor
GRAPHIC DESIGN: STEFANIE GOODWILLER | PRINTING: UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS | OXFORD, MS
PHOTO: STEFANIE GOODWILLER
DOBSON
PIPE ORGAN
BUILDERS