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Kenan Fisk Organ fills chapel with music
Thomas S. Kenan III '55 was no stranger to the peaceful silence that fills the St. Andrew's Chapel on a Sunday afternoon, but he also loved the music of the school's old pipe organ, and would often visit the chapel--on such Sunday afternoons, when no one else was around--to play it. As a member of the choir, which he joined in his third-form year, he had often admired the organ's music and the way in which Mrs. Leonard K. Dick would play it, and it became, ultimately, an important aspect of his life at and memory of Woodberry Forest.
Thomas S. Kenan III '55 was no stranger to the peaceful silence that fills the St. Andrew's Chapel on a Sunday afternoon, but he also loved the music of the school's old pipe organ, and would often visit the chapel--on such Sunday afternoons, when no one else was around--to play it. As a member of the choir, which he joined in his third form year, he had often admired the organ's music and the way in which Mrs. Leonard K. Dick would play it, and it became, ultimately, an important aspect of his life at and memory of Woodberry Forest.
His love of music, and of organs in particular, had followed him for much of his life. Traveling to Europe, he visited some of the earliest European organs, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and became fascinated by their state of preservation and their ability to produce sound no differently than centuries before. These organs, operating entirely by mechanical means, inspired Mr. Kenan to build a similarly designed and constructed 'tracker action' organ to honor his father, Frank Hawkins Kenan '31 within the walls of that same St. Andrew's chapel that had originally nurtured his love of music.
To build this instrument, he turned to Mr. Charles B. Fisk, a friend and renowned organ builder who had spent much of his career developing, designing and building tracker action organs like those from this early period. Mr. Kenan, Mr. Fisk and another friend, named Jim Ferguson, discussed the specifications, placement and design of the organ at length, and, in conjunction with school representatives, ultimately laid the groudwork for the organ's eventual construction. Though work did not begin until after Mr. Fisk's death, his designs, specifications and instructions were followed in every respect.
The organ sits at the front of the chapel and projects its impressive sound in a mostly even manner to all corners of the building. The entire construction is mechanical--with the sole exception of the pumps that drive the air pressure. With a flat pedal board instead of a more modern, concave one, and a keyboard with the more ancient reversed black-and-white keys, even the organ's more visible aspects reflect that of this early period of European music. And it is this music--music composed from the baroque through the classical period, the music, for example, of Johann Sebastian Bach--that the Kenan Fisk Organ performs best, though its design is versatile enough for any organ piece.
Designated Opus 88 by C. B. Fisk, Inc., the Kenan Fisk Organ has since its dedication on May 10, 1986 attracted many great musicians, such as James Johnson, Joan Lippincot, and Woodberry's own Kit Jacobson '99. It has, however, more importantly bound the Woodberry community together with the chords of its beautiful music as it is played by Bob Brockman every Sunday during the weekly chapel service.
Specifications:
The Great is the division that stands behind the front pipes and just over the keyboard. This section of the organ is used to accompany the choir and congregational singing and is made up of the Principal Chorus, with its full and round sound, the Spire Flute, which can accompany solo vocals or instruments, and the Cromorne, a reed stop that gives the sound an impressive and strong highlight.
The Oberwerk, with its thinner and brighter sound, provides an accompaniment to the Great division's music, and the Pedal stops give the organ strong fundamental tones, with its Subbass and Posaune sections.
The organ is maintained by Bruce Shull of Taylor and Boody, a company that was co-founded by George Taylor '60.
His love of music, and of organs in particular, had followed him for much of his life. Traveling to Europe, he visited some of the earliest European organs, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and became fascinated by their state of preservation and their ability to produce sound no differently than centuries before. These organs, operating entirely by mechanical means, inspired Mr. Kenan to build a similarly designed and constructed 'tracker action' organ to honor his father, Frank Hawkins Kenan '31 within the walls of that same St. Andrew's chapel that had originally nurtured his love of music.
To build this instrument, he turned to Mr. Charles B. Fisk, a friend and renowned organ builder who had spent much of his career developing, designing and building tracker action organs like those from this early period. Mr. Kenan, Mr. Fisk and another friend, named Jim Ferguson, discussed the specifications, placement and design of the organ at length, and, in conjunction with school representatives, ultimately laid the groudwork for the organ's eventual construction. Though work did not begin until after Mr. Fisk's death, his designs, specifications and instructions were followed in every respect.
The organ sits at the front of the chapel and projects its impressive sound in a mostly even manner to all corners of the building. The entire construction is mechanical--with the sole exception of the pumps that drive the air pressure. With a flat pedal board instead of a more modern, concave one, and a keyboard with the more ancient reversed black-and-white keys, even the organ's more visible aspects reflect that of this early period of European music. And it is this music--music composed from the baroque through the classical period, the music, for example, of Johann Sebastian Bach--that the Kenan Fisk Organ performs best, though its design is versatile enough for any organ piece.
Designated Opus 88 by C. B. Fisk, Inc., the Kenan Fisk Organ has since its dedication on May 10, 1986 attracted many great musicians, such as James Johnson, Joan Lippincot, and Woodberry's own Kit Jacobson '99. It has, however, more importantly bound the Woodberry community together with the chords of its beautiful music as it is played by Bob Brockman every Sunday during the weekly chapel service.
Specifications:
The Great is the division that stands behind the front pipes and just over the keyboard. This section of the organ is used to accompany the choir and congregational singing and is made up of the Principal Chorus, with its full and round sound, the Spire Flute, which can accompany solo vocals or instruments, and the Cromorne, a reed stop that gives the sound an impressive and strong highlight.
The Oberwerk, with its thinner and brighter sound, provides an accompaniment to the Great division's music, and the Pedal stops give the organ strong fundamental tones, with its Subbass and Posaune sections.
GREAT, 56 notes Bourdon 16' 56 pipes wood, stopped Prestant 8' 56 pipes hammered lead Spire flute 8' 56 pipes hammered lead, tapered Octave 4' 56 pipes hammered lead Fifteenth 2' 286 pipes hammered 50% tin Mixture V-VI CC 2 -1 1/3 -1 -2/3 -1/2 Co 2 2/3 -2 -1 1/3 -1 -2/3 c(1)# 4 -2 2/3 -2 -1 1/3 -1 f(1)# 4 -2 2/3 -2 -2 -1 1/3 C(3)# 8 -4 -2 2/3 -2 Cromorne 8' 56 pipes hammered lead, reed OBERWERK, 56 notes Gedackt 8' 56 pipes hammered lead, stopped Rohrflote 4' 56 pipes hammered lead, chimneys Nazard 2 2/3' 107 pipes hammered lead, open and tapered Sesquialtera II Octave 2' 217 pipes hammered 50% tin Sharp IV CC 2 -2/3 -1/2 -1/3 Co 2 -1 -2/3 -1/2 Fo# 2 -1 1/3 -1 -2/3 C(1) 2 -1 1/3 -1 1/3 -1 C(3)# 2 2/3 -2 2/3 -2 PEDAL, 30 notes Bourdon 16' 30 notes from the Great Prestant 8' 30 notes from the Great Spire Flute 8' 30 notes from the Great Octave 4' 30 notes from the Great Posaune 16' 30 notes wood, reed Couplers: Great to Pedal Oberwerk to Pedal Oberwerk to Great Tremulant Wind Stabilizer
The organ is maintained by Bruce Shull of Taylor and Boody, a company that was co-founded by George Taylor '60.
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
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