St. George’s Anglican Church
Ajax, Ontario, Canada
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Fun to play - Exciting to hear
Not having any advantages of assembly-line construction, a custom-built instrument is more expensive on a per-stop basis. However, as with a pipe organ, the specification of a custom-built instrument can be developed carefully to produce the best results given all the constraints. The St. George's organ is a wonderful example of how the application of traditional organ-design principles can be applied to modern digital technology to produce an instrument every bit as musical and effective as a pipe organ.
In St. George's, as there really was no need for a Choir division, a Solo division was conceived instead. With its variety of colour, it is very useful musically and it takes away the need for the other divisions to fulfill all the need for soloing. As a result, the voicing of the Great and Swell is more oriented toward well-blended choruses.
Among the constraints that had to be accommodated as St. George's was that the console could not obstruct the view of the altar by the members of the choir when seated. A low-profile console was required. A terraced-style console was seriously considered but it would have been too wide for the space available and would have been more expensive. By eliminating all console devices that were not absolutely critical (subs and supers for example) we were able to design a console that was within the height limitation and only a little wider than a typical console.
The tone-generation system selected for this instrument was one by Walker Technical Company of Zionsville, Pennsylvania. Walker could provide the quality of digital samples we sought, the most powerful voicing features on the market, and the audio-channeling required for a fine instrument and the trademark of Classic Organbuilders.
On May 10th, 2005, the new organ was delivered to St. George's. It is one of the finest digital organs in Canada. Not only is it exciting to hear, it feels great to play. It is a wonderful example how traditional organ-design principles can and should be used with modern technology to produce an exciting instrument.
A Few Words from the Organist
From the outset, C750 (as this organ is known to Classic Organbuilders) has been every organist's dream. When St. George's first embarked on a $2.5 million renovation of our parish hall, I was given sole discretion (i.e. There was no organ committee per se.) to find the right organ for our new worship space. After seeing and hearing what others had to offer, the decision to retain Classic was an easy one. Simply put, we could buy a better audio system, with more independent channels, and for less money. With the aid of OrganWorks (software by Classic), I was able to design a custom organ on my home computer that would compliment the wonderful acoustical properties of our new space. Five years later as the building was finished and we ordered the new organ, none of us could have predicted the good fortune awaiting us.
Even with such high expectations, we could not believe our ears when C750 came to life for the first time. It is an organ with well-defined principles, luxurious strings and flutes, and fiery reeds, all of which blend seamlessly together.
We know this instrument will serve to enhance the music ministry at St. George's for many years to come.
Stephen P. Holloway
Former Organist and Choir Director, St. George's Anglican Church
Organ Specifications
Click here for a full list of specifications for this organ.
References
St. George's Anglican Church
http://www.stgeorgeschurch.ca/
Walker Technical Company
http://www.walkertechnical.com/