Wesley Des Moines is a retirement community situated on 42 acres close to the Des Moines waterfront, about halfway between Seattle and Tacoma. It is an unlikely place to find a tracker organ, yet Fritts Organ Builders Opus 46 sits proudly at the front of the gallery in the Wesley Gardens Chapel.

On Monday, October 18, the Seattle and Tacoma chapters gathered for our October joint meeting to hear the organ and to hear about the organ. Approximately 45 people were present, evenly representing the Tacoma AGO chapter, the Seattle AGO chapter, and Wesley residents.

Susan Fritts McConnell, Executive Director of the Wesley Community Foundation, welcomed the group and talked about how the organ came to exist. It was clear to Wesley stakeholders, as the Gardens Building plan evolved, that it should contain a spacious chapel and that that chapel should house an organ. The Foundation’s job is to support the Wesley mission, and they did just that–by identifying donors who could make that vision happen. Fortunately for the organ community, Susan McConnell grew up in an “organ family,” her father having been a prominent local organist, and her brother Paul Fritts having made a career in organ building. That didn’t leave much chance of Wesley ending up with anything but a tracker organ!

Paul Fritts knew from an early age that he wanted to build organs. He established the present Fritts Organ Builders shop in 1979 with a goal of reclaiming the best practices of 17th and 18th century European organ building. His shop in Parkland, WA, is a timber-framed building big enough to accommodate very large organs. His staff consists of a group of organ builders that shares Paul’s goal of using historical organ building techniques to produce fine musical instruments. All of the work is done in-house with the exception of certain electrical components, such as blowers. The pipes are cast onto a sand table, as they were in the 17th and 18th centuries. The rapid cooling produces pipes with obvious acoustical benefits such as a solid, full sound.

The Wesley organ is one of a series conceived for studios, homes, and practice rooms. The Wesley Chapel is somewhat bigger than most studios, so adjustments were made for this installation. The stop list is similar to the other organs in the series, but changes were made in the sound of the organ to reflect the fact that it is in a large room. The pipes have broader diameters, and higher wind pressure. The pipes are also voiced for this large space.

Using musical examples from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, organists David Dahl and Thomas Clark demonstrated that the organ could successfully play music ranging from French Classical to Brahms and Thalben-Ball. Likewise, using hymns from the 17th through the 20th centuries, Thomas Clark demonstrated that it was possible to accompany them in an interesting way, making maximum use of the limited number of stops.

Following a question and answer session, the group adjourned to a reception provided by the Wesley Community Foundation. At the same time, David Dahl hosted an “open keyboard” in the gallery so that attendees could inspect and play the organ.

In fulfillment of the vision of Wesley Administration, its Board of Directors, and the Wesley Foundation, the organ is used regularly for the benefit of residents. It is used for services and hymn festivals. Residents frequently come by and sit in the chapel when the organ is being played. A recent “Pedals and Pipes” (note the absence of pizza) demonstration attracted 35 residents who brought questions ranging from organ shoes to overtones. The organ can also serve as an example to churches and concert venues that it is better to buy a small, high quality musical instrument than a larger but cheaper alternative that isn’t a musical instrument at all.

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Dennis Northway will host our November 15 meeting at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Gig Harbor at 7:00 PM. Dennis will discuss the new Rieger/Pasi tracker organ–how it made its way from New York to Gig Harbor, additional stops that are being added, and the renovations to the church that were made for this installation. You don’t want to miss this live introduction to the latest tracker organ in Gig Harbor!

As is currently the case for all in-person Tacoma AGO events, you must be fully vaccinated to attend this event and you must wear a mask covering your nose and mouth while in the building. You also must sign up to attend this event so that we have a record of attendance and a record of vaccination attestation.

Please check the calendar entry for additional information, including a link to the signup sheet and Google map directions.

The Tacoma AGO chapter will host the Seattle chapter for a joint program in October at Wesley Des Moines, a senior living and retirement community situated on a beautiful 42-acre campus located approximately halfway between Seattle and Tacoma.

It is unusual to find a chapel with a full gallery in a retirement community, and even more unusual to find a tracker organ in that gallery. Yet such a gallery at Wesley Des Moines is home to Fritts Organs opus 42, a small two-manual tracker organ with a big personality.

Our October meeting will explore this organ–how it came to be, the acoustical design of the chapel, and how to use its limited number of stops to full advantage.

Program participants include Susan McConnell, Director of the Wesley Foundation, Paul Fritts, Erik McLeod, and Zane Boothby of the Fritts Organ shop, David Dahl, Organist Emeritus at Pacific Lutheran University, and Thomas Clark, organist at Wesley Des Moines. They will discuss how the organ was designed and built, including the importance of collaboration with the facility architect. Fritts Organs staff will discuss the classical construction and finishing techniques used in this organ. David Dahl and Thomas Clark will demonstrate effective use of the organ both for literature and hymn playing, with musical examples. Finally, all of the participants will take audience questions during a panel discussion at the end of the program moderated by Sheila Bristow, Dean of the Tacoma chapter.

Current information, including the date, time, location, and parking information, is available in the calendar entry for this event. This event is only open to members in good standing of the Tacoma and Seattle chapters. A link to the signup will be emailed to all eligible persons.

COVID-19 Considerations

During this program, we will be guests of a facility that houses an elderly population that is at particular risk for COVID-19. We must follow their guidelines and minimize the risk to residents of the facility.

Attendance at the event is limited to members of the Seattle and Tacoma AGO chapters.

Registration, including an attestion of full vaccination status, is required. Only persons on the registration list will be admitted.

Masks covering the nose and mouth are required at all times, and without exception. Masks may not be removed for water bottles, conversations, or for any other reason. Paper masks (surgical or N95) are preferred.

Upon arrival, guests will undergo a temperature check and will be asked if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Arrive on Time

You must arrive on time. There will be greeters on duty until 7:05 PM. After that time, the exterior doors will be locked and there will be no way to get in.

You are cordially invited to the Dedication Concert of the Fritts Organ, Opus 47, at Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Gig Harbor on Sunday, October 10 at 3:00 PM. Shari Shull, organist, will perform works from the Susanna van Soldt manuscript and by Krebs, Cabanilles, David Dahl, Couperin, Mendelssohn, and J S Bach. Masks are required inside the church building. Directions to the church, including a Google map, are available in the calendar entry.

Fritts Opus 47 is a sister organ to the organ in the chapel of Wesley Homes in Des Moines that will be featured at the October meeting of the Tacoma & Seattle AGO chapters.

The concert program is attached below.

Shull-Dedication-Program