Description

The pipe organ in the University of Notre Dame’s Marie P. DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts was built by the Fritts Organ Company. The pipe organ is installed in the Chris and Anne Reyes Organ and Choral Hall that was purpose-built to house the pipe organ. The Fritts Pipe Organ was designed after north German Baroque organs of Bach’s time. The Fritts pipe organ sounds in the hall in much the same way that a north German village organ interacts with church acoustics. The Great recedes, but is more muscular in comparison to the Rückpositiv, which is more present in the room. The pipe organ is very gentle and singing, and the colors that Paul Fritts coaxed from the pipe organ are truly remarkable. The reeds, cornets, flutes, and principals all have such great variety and personality that one can easily get lost in their beauty. Craig Cramer, Professor of Organ at Notre Dame University, plays a varied program to show off the color-potential of this instrument. The program book includes an essay in photographs of how organ pipes are made, as well as the interior workings of a tracker organ. This recording comes with extensive documentation: notes on the music, stoplist and numerous photos.