Music

 

 

 

     Our music in worship is carefully prepared and lead by our three choirs. All who participate are vested leaders of worship.

     The Deo Gloria Cantores choir is our principal leader in worship. They sing choral music, lead in the singing of hymns, psalms and liturgy which reinforce the Scriptures read and proclaimed. 

       Schola Cantorum (choir school), when in session, periodically sings at worship. They are a preparatory group that focuses on learning how to sing in a choir and how to read music. This experience prepares our youth for a more profound understanding of what it is to worship God through music. 

       Deo Gloria Ringers use bells to present the psalms and sometimes assist with the anthem.

 

Choirs

The Deo Gloria Cantores

Rehearsals –   Thursdays 7:30 pm

Schola Cantorum

Rehearsals –   Tuesdays

Deo Gloria Ringers

Rehearsals –   Sundays 12:00 noon

 

Andrew J. King, Cantor & Dean W. Hard, Choirmaster

 

 

 

 

The Gallery Organ

 

 

     The organ for First Lutheran Church of West Seattle was built in 1976 by the Noack  Organ Company of Georgetown, Massachusetts, under the direction of Fritz Noack, founder and president.  It is the eighty-third organ to be built by the firm.  The entire instrument, except for some of the smaller metal pipes made in Germany, was built in the Georgetown shop. 

     Fritz Noack was born in Germany in 1935.  During his high school years he studied organ building and cabinet making, and was also an active musician.  He began his apprenticeship with noted Hamburg organ builder Rudolph von Beckerath, and later worked with Klaus Becker and Ahrend & Brunzema.  After coming to the United States in 1959, he worked with New England builder Charles Fisk, and in 1960 organized the Noack Organ Company.  Mr. Noack also teaches classes in organ construction at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and has served as president of the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America. 

     The organ for First Lutheran Church takes as its inspiration the great seventeenth and eighteenth century organs of Germany and France.  It does not seek to copy them, but in the builder's words it "admires old organs".  The instrument is a unique creation based on timeless principles of architecture and sound.   The elegant casework was inspired by the parish gothic architecture of First Lutheran Church, as well as aspects of certain gothic organ cases.  Like nearly all the parts of the instrument, the case is constructed of solid white oak.  It has been fumed to achieve its rich color, while enhancing the natural highlights of this hardwood.  In addition to its visual beauty, the case serves important musical functions in blending and projecting the sound.  Placed high in the gallery on the central axis of the building, the organ stands twenty-one feet high and speaks directly into the church from this ideal position. 

     The organ is comprised of eighteen stops controlling twenty-three ranks (or sets of pipes), with a total of 1,132 pipes.  The pipes range in speaking length from one-fourth inch to approximately sixteen feet.  All but two stops are made of metal in an alloy of 25% tin and 75% lead.  The other two, both large pedal stops, are of white oak.  Pipes visible on the front of the case are those of the Principal 8' of the Great (upper level) and the Principal 2' of the Positive (lower level, just above the music rack).  Much of the pipe work is inspired by the work of the German baroque masters, especially Arp Schnitger, while the manual reed and mutation stops resemble more the work of eighteenth century French builders.  The temperament used is a modification of Kirnberger II, named after its originator, a pupil of J. S. Bach.  One unusual mechanical devise on the organ is the Cymbale, or Star of bells, which is comprised of nine tiny, high-pitched bells which ring in a random fashion, providing an occasional festive touch to the music.  Mechanical playing and stop actions give the organist sensitive and reliable control of the instrument without the interference of insensitive electrical connections.  The only electricity required is that for the blower which produces the organ's wind supply.  The manual keys are covered with ebony; sharps are of coco bolo, a Brazilian hardwood.  The stop knobs are of rosewood.  Inlays of rosewood, mahogany, and maple cover the elegant music rack.  The stop list is as follows:

 

GREAT                         POSITIVE                     

Principal 8'                     Stopt Diapason 8'          

Chimney Flute 8'           Spire Flute 4'                  

Octave 4'                         Principal 2'                     

Nazard 2-2/3'                 Larigot 1-1/3'                 

Doublet 2'                      Cremona 8'                      Trumpet 8'

Tierce 1-3/5'

Mixture VI

Trumpet 8'                     COUPLERS

                                         Cymbale

                                         Tremolo

PEDAL

Stopt Bass 16'

           Open Bass 8'

           Choral Bass 4'

           Trombone 16'

           Trumpet 8'

 

 





The Chapel Organ

     The chapel organ at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle was built by The Noack Organ Company, Inc., of Georgetown, Massachusetts. It was designed and installed by Fritz Noack, founder and president of the company, who completed the installation on March 23, 2002. Founded in 1960, The Noack Organ Company has created distinguished instruments for churches and schools throughout North America, Japan, and Iceland. This chapel organ is their 142nd organ.

     The organ case is made of solid white oak, which was fumed and oiled to achieve the rich brown color and subtle highlights. It is adorned with elegant carvings, inspired by those of the gallery organ. Visible on the front of the case are pipes from the Principal 4’ with gold leaf on their mouths. The four ranks (or sets) of pipes contain a total of 224 pipes, made of alloys of tin and lead. The manual keyboard has natural keys of ebony and sharps covered with bone. The four stops on the organ are:

 

                                 Gedackt 8’

                                 Principal 4’

                                 Chimney Flute  4’

                                 Octave 2’

 

     Intended for a variety of purposes, the organ is moveable, and can be placed in the chapel or the nave. It will be used:

 

     1. to provide organ music and accompaniment

         for chapel liturgies.

     2. to accompany the choirs from locations

         other than the gallery.

     3. to provide keyboard music at concerts with

         other instruments and/or voices.

 

     This beautiful instrument was dedicated to the praise and glory of the Triune God. May it inspire us and generations to come to worship in spirit and truth as we lift our voices to God in song.

 Soli Deo Gloria!