Historic Hazel Wright Organ Is Back – Concert Series Announced!

Fratelli Ruffatti writes in the “Diapason” magazine:

The sound of the great Cathedral organ will be returned to its original character.  Also, the connections between the Arvella Schuller Carillon and the organ console inside the Cathedral will be repaired, so the 52-bell carillon can once again be played from the organ.

“It’s an enormous job, a gigantic job,” says organist and musician Fred Swann.  “But there are extremely worthy craftsmen doing all this. This instrument, tonally speaking, is one of the most exciting I’ve ever played.

Playing it is akin to conducting a world-class orchestra.” Swann states that for such a large console, it is surprisingly easy to play and while it takes time to navigate, the logic of the console’s layout becomes readily apparent.

Paul Jacobs, chairman of the organ department at The Juilliard School in New York, who has played famous organs all over the world, says the Hazel Wright Memorial Organ, “… works as a cohesive whole.

This instrument can both whisper and proclaim. And it’s jaw-droppingly impressive to look at. When you hear music come out of those 16,000 pipes it provides a thrill unlike any other.”

Bishop Kevin Vann, Diocese of Orange, who signed the contract in Italy to renovate the organ, is a musician himself. His aunt was a Dominican sister and a music teacher, and his great uncle had perfect pitch and tuned pianos. But when Vann wanted piano lessons, his mother didn’t think he’d stick with it—so his grandparents paid for the first year of lessons. His love of music for the glory of God led to his strong support for the renovation project. He also once hosted a vocal warm-up concert at his residence which was later staged for a sold-out crowd in the Freed Theatre on the Christ Cathedral campus. “Obviously, music is very important to him,” says tenor Chad Berlinghieri, a professional singer and the organizer of the concerts at the bishop’s residence and the Freed Theatre. “Orange County is very blessed to have a bishop who’s not only a musician but who loves to support the talent that already exists in his own diocese.”

The organ was designed to support congregational singing, fill the vast spaces of the Cathedral with sounds, and be a resource for musical performances. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange acknowledges the cultural importance of the organ, and will continue to honor it, not only for its future in Christ Cathedral through liturgical programming, but also in community arts and cultural programming.