Description

This recording features the Quimby Pipe Organs, Opus 55, three manuals, and 55 ranks built for William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri. Organist, Diane Meredith Belcher, records notable church hymns and memorable works from the pipe organ repertoire. Featured additionally, Ms. Belcher’s hymn improvisations exploring the tonal possibilities of the Quimby pipe organ at William Jewell College, and organ repertoire including Edward Elgar’s “Nimrod” from the Enigma Variations, in an arrangement by William H. Harris. The style of this pipe organ is distinctive to Quimby Pipe Organs as it makes no pretense of following any school or national design. The aim of the company is to blend traditional American tonal concepts with an appreciation for the work of the notable English organ builder, T. C. Lewis, as well as research into other organ building traditions. In order to fulfill its dual roles as a recital and ceremonial instrument, capable of accompanying both choir and orchestra, the tonal concept leans heavily toward the American organ building style of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Large concert pipe organs from this period contained fully developed Principal choruses and bold chorus reeds, as well as lush strings, flute and solo reed tones associated with the Romantic or symphonic period of organ building.