A gust of wind blustered through the heating ducts at Slee Hall last week. Amy Greenan's thick office walls moaned, louder than the wild wind outside. It wasn't because of an impeding weather front or faulty air vents.
Behind the walls, rehearsals were under way on the concert hall's giant Fisk organ. The disruption didn't bother Greenan, though. She's used to it; she's the assistant concert manager for Slee Hall.
"It's so gorgeous," Greenan said. "You can't help but to like it."
Manufactured by Fisk, the model known as the "Opus 95" is housed in one of the most acoustically sound venues in the area. The Eastman Weekend, held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, will highlight the mighty pipes with recitals and lectures by world-renowned artists and students.
Hans Davidsson, whose credentials in organ research and performance set him apart as a master in his field, will perform a recital Jan. 31 at 7:15 p.m. The program, titled "A Christmas Journey Over 250 Years: 17th Century Hamburg and 20th Century Paris," will follow a lecture on his experience researching the instrument.
After creating Sweden's G?\0xA6tenberg Organ Art Center (GOArt) in 1995, Davidsson joined the faculty at the renowned Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. He received the 2001 ?AeEforsk Prize for his research at GOArt, where he still serves as general artistic director.
His work at GOArt is extensive and innovative. Not only preserving the historical integrity of the instrument, he has also rediscovered the sand-casting method of manufacturing organ pipes.
Joining Davidsson for the remainder of the weekend are four Eastman students, in a recital of works on Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. Under the instruction of both Davidsson and David Higgs, the students are visiting to earn firsthand experience firsthand in the facilities available at Slee Hall. Christopher Petit, a graduate student, said the Fisk is one of the best to play on.
"It's one of the most prominent - most desired - instruments to play. It can play a wide array of (styles) of organ music. Whether it be German, American - they all sound good," Petit said.
The organ, in general circles of popular music, is not at the forefront of the musical kaleidoscope, let alone the focus of mainstream exposure. Even within schools of music, it's considered an acquired taste.
"It's no longer about church music," Petit said of the country's growing organ movement.
Slee Hall Concert Manager Philip E. Rehard agreed. "There's a joke in our community," he said. "There are two kind of people: Those who love (the organ), and those who don't."
Whether its popularity extends beyond the devotees of Davidsson and Higgs, there are many styles of organ music that present a diverse spectrum of musical eras.
Petit will perform "1732: In Memoriam Johannes Albrecht" by William Albright, which mimics the sound of a banjo. Rehard reinforces the idea that there is another side to the instrument than the spiritual.
"It can make many different sounds," Rehard said. "Players have different styles, too. There are the purists, and then there are the trendsetters."
Frederick Teardo, a senior at Eastman who is visiting Slee for the first time, said his love for the instrument came from church.
"I found a different atmosphere with the sound of the organ," Teardo said. "There's the notion that it's a dying instrument, and that's why I really like to play it."
There's a substantial fan base in Western New York. Thanks to the historic churches and synagogues in the city equipped with organs, there are more than enough avid listeners to keep Rehard and his program busy. Buffalo even has a local chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
David Fuller, professor emeritus at UB, is co-founder of the Eastman Weekend. After discussions with Higgs, a longtime Eastman faculty member, the two performed during the first weekend, which was held during the summer, drawing a crowd of about 75. In 1999, students from Eastman were invited to join them.
"After the success of the first year, it continued to grow," Rehard said. "There became a mutual advantage for both ends: A rotation of students can experience our Fisk, while UB gets to host worldwide talent."
The weekend, while a cornerstone of the concert hall's schedule, is only one of a seven-part recital series. Upcoming performances from David Fuller and Hector Olivera follow later this spring.
Tickets for each concert cost $5 and can be purchased at the Slee Hall box office, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the CFA box office or all Ticketmaster locations.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
