OC CATHOLIC - SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

THE RETURN OF AN ICON HAZEL IS BACK!

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

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A LETTER FROM THE BISHOP

DEAR FRIENDS OF HAZEL,

THESE ARE CERTAINLY blessed days here at Christ Cathedral, as we have officially welcomed the restored Hazel Wright Organ back to the Cathedral and we now hear it every Sunday. She reminds us, truly, “Music is a fair and glorious gift of God.” As we celebrate her dedication in the month of September and the entire Year of Hazel, this is another occasion to thank all whose generosity, talents and skills brought this glorious instrument back to life.

Rector Emeritus Fr. Christopher Smith and I both have had chances to play her during June’s press conference day and during the events surrounding the blessing and dedication of the organ. Fr. Christopher and I had God-given opportunities to study music and organ in our respective parishes growing up, and those organ lessons were part of the path of God to lead us here to Orange County, the Diocese of Orange and Hazel herself!

I hope and pray for very blessed days for all of you and your loved ones!

Sincerely yours in Our Lord and St. Cecilia!

THE MOST REV. KEVIN W. VANN, J.C.D., D.D.

BISHOP KEVIN VANN, WHO GREW UP PLAYING PIANO AND ORGAN, PLAYS ON THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN DURING A SPECIAL MEDIA DAY IN JUNE 2022.

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ORGAN AT CHRIST CATHEDRAL

BY DAVID CREAN, D.M.A.

ONE OF THE GREAT joys (and occasionally frustrations!) of being an organist is the novelty afforded by performing on instruments of widely variable character, size and vintage. Unlike most musical instruments, which are more or less standardized, organs produced for different spaces or by builders can differ so greatly in both timbre and construction that they scarcely seem like the same instrument. Yet even in a profession defined by uniqueness, the Hazel Wright Organ at Christ Cathedral stands out as truly one of a kind. From its massive size to its unprecedented surroundings, to its prominent role in the internationally popular “Hour of Power” broadcasts, no organ has a history quite like “Hazel.”

The story of the Hazel Wright Organ begins more than 20 years prior to its installation, with the December 1962 inauguration of a four-manual Aeolian-Skinner organ in New York’s newly constructed Lincoln Center for the Arts. Built by the most venerable firm in American organ building, it was officially dedicated in a marathon concert featuring three of the finest organists in America: E. Power Biggs, Catherine Crozier and Virgil Fox, who would later play a large role in the design of the Hazel Wright Organ. While the organ was generally judged a success, the hall (now known as David Geffen Hall) was plagued by poor acoustics and underwent a full renovation in 1975, at which time the organ was removed and put up for sale.

Organist Richard Unfried also began his long tenure at the Crystal Cathedral (then known as Garden Grove Community Church) in 1962. The congregation was at the time worshiping in the building now known as the Arboretum, and Unfried immediately began pursuing a replacement for the church’s small 23-rank instrument. At the 1970 convention of the American Guild of Organists, he had the opportunity to hear a new organ by the Italian firm Fratelli Ruffatti, at the time little known in America. Unfried felt he had found the right builders and was excited to receive a proposal for a five-manual, 116-rank instrument shortly thereafter — the first five-manual instrument in California. Virgil Fox again performed the dedicatory recital in April of 1977 and was so taken with the instrument that he returned that summer for an unprecedented recording project: the first direct-to-disc record featuring the pipe organ.

The church had continued to experience exponential growth while the Ruffatti was being built, and it had become clear that even the recently enlarged Arboretum would not be a sufficiently capacious worship space. Eight months after the dedication recital, the church officially broke ground

on the Crystal Cathedral. Initially, it was assumed that the Ruffatti organ would simply be moved into the new building, but as the scope of the project became clear, Unfried and others began to feel that even 116 ranks would not be enough. When he learned of the unexpected availability of the Lincoln Center Skinner, he seized the opportunity to double the organ’s size for a relatively modest price. Unfried and the Schullers tapped their old friend Virgil Fox to oversee the daunting project of combining the two instruments into a cohesive unit, which would be accomplished by Ruffatti. His final design incorporated not only the Ruffatti and the Skinner, but dozens of ranks of pipes from his own collection, assembled mainly from Skinner organs that had been discarded.

THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN WAS DEDICATED IN MAY 1982, QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST AND FINEST PIPE ORGANS.

Organs have always been substantial financial investments, and in the 1970s alone the church spent $250,000 on the Arboretum Ruffatti, $106,000 on the Lincoln Center Aeolian-Skinner and $50,000 on Virgil Fox’s pipes. The bill to put it all together as a cohesive instrument would be one million dollars. Runaway inflation in the 1970s led to ballooning construction costs for the new worship space, and there were few remaining resources for a massive organ project. The money ended up being provided by a single donor: Hazel Wright, widow of Harold D. Wright, President and Chairman of the Board at Republic Coal and Coke Company. She had encountered “Hour of Power” broadcasts in the early 1970s, when her husband was recovering from a heart attack, and the gift was made in gratitude for Robert Schuller and his ministry. Many have been surprised to learn that she was not a particular devotee of the organ, but she recognized its central and powerful role in the Schullers’ ministries and knew that her gift would mean a great deal to millions of people all over the world.

The Hazel Wright Organ was officially dedicated on May 7, 1982, in a gala performance featuring concert organists Ted Alan Worth (a Fox pupil – Fox himself had passed away in 1980), Pierre Cocherau (organist at Notre Dame in Paris), a 100-piece orchestra and a choir of over 1000 voices. Organist Dr. Frederick Swann later wrote that “none of us present will ever forget that sensational evening of music making. It would be difficult to imagine a more inspiring or memorable occasion in pipe organ history.” Swann soon took the reins of the cathedral’s music program, which he shepherded until 1998. The organ changed drastically over the first decade of his tenure: the 282 stop knobs on the main console were reorganized; various ranks were replaced, repurposed or revoiced; several more stops were added; electronic components were upgraded; and a second console was purchased for the rear gallery. By the time Swann left the Crystal Cathedral, the instrument had grown to its present size of 293 ranks and more than 16,000 pipes, making it the largest European-built organ in America, and among the largest organs in the world.

The Crystal Cathedral Ministries began to decline following Robert Schuller’s 2006 retirement, and by 2011 it had become necessary to sell the iconic property. It was purchased by the Diocese of Orange, which soon began thoroughgoing renovations on the aging structures. The organ had suffered tremendously during the church’s financial downturn, and large parts of it were non-functional by the time Bishop Kevin Vann signed a contract with Ruffatti for a complete restoration in May of 2013. The restoration took almost a full decade to complete, thanks in part to the substantial alterations performed on the building itself and the intervening COVID-19 pandemic. Now in better-than-new condition, the Hazel Wright Organ enters its fifth decade of service as one of the most beloved and renowned instruments in the world. C

WHO IS HAZEL WRIGHT?

THE MOST FAMOUS pipe organ in the world is named after Hazel C. Wright, a Chicago philanthropist who had an appreciation for the Rev. Robert Schuller’s “Hour of Power” broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral. As the story goes, Mrs. Wright was looking to make a donation toward Schuller’s ministry.

She was originally advised on a smaller project, $50,000 toward a garden. But Mrs. Wright was thinking bigger — much bigger. The negotiation kept rising, and in her generosity, she eventually settled on giving $1 million toward the construction of a massive pipe organ that would combine the campus’ existing 1977 Fratelli Ruffatti organ with a 1962 Aeolian-Skinner organ from Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Interestingly, Mrs. Wright harbored no particular affinity for the organ, but she knew about music’s central and powerful role in Rev. Schuller’s ministry. Her gift came unsolicited. By all accounts, Mrs. Wright was quiet and gracious, never seeking the limelight.

“She never wanted to be the center of attention,” said Dr. David Crean, author of a new book about the history of the Hazel Wright Organ. “She wanted the organ to be the center of attention.”

Since the instrument’s dedication in 1982, Rev. Schuller ensured that it was always called the Hazel Wright Organ. The Diocese of Orange has maintained its name and honored that legacy following its purchase of the cathedral campus.

Mrs. Wright died in 1984 at age 79. Her philanthropy was present throughout Chicago, but also in California. The Wright Gymnasium at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert is named after her, as is the Wright Building within the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. C

BIRTH, DECLINE, REBIRTH

IT TOOK A SMALL ARMY OF PEOPLE AND NEARLY A DECADE TO RESTORE WORLDFAMOUS HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN TO HER GLORY

BY GREG HARDESTY

BISHOP KEVIN W. VANN took off his shoes and sat down at the main console of one of the world’s most famous pipe organs. Being shoeless would make it easier to glide over the foot pedals.

Then, during that late-afternoon private preview on June 10, 2022, he played “Ave Maria.”

The majestically soaring voices of the restored Hazel Wright Organ, divided into four sections, reverberated from all corners of Christ Cathedral, creating a powerful “surround sound” experience.

Fr. Christopher Smith, the recently retired rector of the cathedral, followed Bishop Vann’s selection with “Holy, Holy, Holy,” the first hymn he ever heard on the iconic instrument.

“What a blast!” Fr. Christopher exclaimed after playing.

Hours later, a thousand people poured into the cathedral for the public blessing of “Hazel,” as the instrument is affectionately known. Thousands more from around the country tuned in to the event’s livestream.

Bishop Vann, who, like Fr. Christopher, has played the piano and organ since his youth, officiated the blessing, which included biblical readings, prayers and 100 choral singers.

After years of decline and rebirth, Hazel was back.

The saga of the pipe organ begins with her namesake, a Chicago-area donor and the widow of an oil tycoon. Surprisingly, Hazel C. Wright didn’t have a strong connection to music but wanted to donate in a big way to the Rev. Robert Schuller’s “Hour of Power” broadcast from the former Crystal Cathedral, which, at one point, boasted 20 million weekly viewers in 180 countries. Mrs. Wright’s initial $1 million donation funded Hazel and now, 40 years after the instrument’s dedication, the Diocese of Orange has restored her to what experts say is beyond her original glory.

Birth, decline, rebirth.

For Catholics and Christians everywhere, Hazel’s story has a profound resonance.

A DECADE IN THE MAKING

Capping a nearly 10-year restoration odyssey that began not long after the Diocese of Orange finished its purchase of the Crystal Cathedral campus in 2012, Hazel will be celebrated again on Sept. 30, 2022.

An evening dedication concert of the restored Hazel Wright Organ, featuring Hector Olivera, will follow a Q&A with Hazel stakeholders and screening of a new Diocese-produced documentary delving into the history of the majestic instrument.

That day will also kick off the “Year of Hazel” 2022-23 concert series that culminates with a grand performance in June 2023 featuring the Pacific Symphony, Pacific Chorale and Grammy-award winning organist Paul Jacobs.

“Now that Bishop Vann has blessed Hazel, we’re tremendously excited and proud to demonstrate her sheer breadth and beauty,” said David Ball, music ministry director and the cathedral’s principal organist. “While the organ regularly plays at Mass, our Year of Hazel series will give music lovers everywhere a better chance to hear more of what this amazing instrument is truly capable of.”

NO DOUBTS

Bishop Vann, who played piano and organ while growing up in Springfield, Ill., said there was no question that restoring Hazel would be a top priority for the Diocese of Orange as it began settling into its new spiritual home in 2012, the same year he became bishop for Orange County.

“To neglect Hazel or not repair her would not be a good thing,” he said. “There was never any doubt in my mind that it wasn’t going to get done. The organ plays an important part in the Mass. It encourages people to sing and pray, and to hear the presence of God in a way that really nothing else can do.

“In restoring Hazel, I wanted to show everyone that yes, the Catholic Church was going to appreciate this instrument and rebuild her, to help her sing again with the glory of God.”

The process wouldn’t be easy, and like so many other things, it was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why the strong push to resurrect Hazel?

Not only did “Hour of Power” make her famous, but with more than 17,000 pipes, 300-plus stops and nearly 300 ranks, she is the world’s fifth largest organ.

She’s the third largest pipe organ in a church (the largest two are in a convention hall and a department store) and the largest organ in a Catholic Church in the Americas, as well as the largest European-made organ in America.

Beyond the superlatives, however, the reason was simple.

“St. Augustine once said, ‘Music is a fair and glorious gift of God,’” Bishop Vann said.

Added Fr. Christopher: “Music is so integral to our liturgies in the Catholic Church, and the organ really is the official instrument of the liturgical life of the church.

“This pipe organ can create a great diversity of sounds, from the tiniest, most quiet little flute or string to magnificent trumpets and horns and basses. And I think that reflects the church and the Diocese of Orange in all its rich diversity.”

THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN IS SURROUNDED BY SCAFFOLDING DURING ITS DISASSEMBLY PROCESS THAT FINISHED IN 2014. MUCH OF THE ORGAN WAS SENT TO PADUA, ITALY, FOR REFURBISHMENT.

FROM LEFT, FRANCESCO RUFFATTI, BISHOP KEVIN VANN AND PIERO RUFFATTI IN THE BASILICA OF ST. ANTHONY IN PADUA, ITALY, WHERE THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN RESTORATION CONTRACT WAS SIGNED IN 2013.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRATELLI RUFFATTI

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

BUILT FROM TWO ORGANS

Hazel is primarily a combination of two pipe organs: a 1977 built by the Fratelli Ruffatti company in Padua, Italy — an organ championed by Richard Unfried that was originally installed in the building that today is known as the Arboretum — and a 1962 Aeolian-Skinner from Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Famed organist Virgil Fox played a key role in designing the combined instrument, which was dedicated in the Crystal Cathedral in 1982, two years after the building’s opening. In the ensuing years, Dr. Frederick Swann, then the organist and music director at the Crystal Cathedral, would improve the quality of the massive instrument with constant changes and adjustments throughout his tenure.

Dr. David Crean, an organist at Wright State University in Ohio who has written a recently published book about the history of Hazel, said from the start the pipe organ — despite its grand and awe-inspiring presence and sound — had a lot of elements working against it.

The relentless Southern California sunshine beating through the enormous glass cathedral bent some of Hazel’s pipes. With no HVAC system in the building, the temperature of the pipes varied from hot at the top to cooler at the bottom, making tuning a constant headache.

Leaks in the ceiling drained down the pipes and on her hardened delicate leather pouches, meant to smoothly open and close the instrument’s windchests.

Some of Hazel’s innards were even damaged by rodents, termites, worms and other insects. Some birds flew in from the open side doors of the cathedral and into the pipes — to their demise.

When the Diocese acquired the cathedral and Hazel, she had clearly seen better days.

“The voicing and tone of the organ was in pretty bad condition,” recalled Piero Ruffatti, one of the organ’s original builders in 1977 whose company began refurbishing Hazel after it was dismantled piece by piece in 2014 and shipped in three 40-foot containers to Italy.

He rated Hazel a 5 or 6 out of 10 in terms of optimal condition when his company received her.

Bishop Vann made the decision to have Fratelli Ruffatti bring Hazel back to glorious life.

“Some folks wanted it to be renovated here at home, but I said no,” Bishop Vann recalled. “When you go to your doctor who takes care of you, that’s the best, so we went back to the people who built it and who knew her intimately.”

The cost to restore Hazel eventually would hit $3 million. Scrapping her and purchasing a new pipe organ would have cost at least five times that.

A KEY LIAISON

Gabriel Ferrucci, an Orange County philanthropist, businessman and major Diocese of Orange donor, sat in his home office surrounded by years of Catholic Church memorabilia, including photos of him meeting separately with three popes: Francis, Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II.

He pointed to a statue of St. Cecilia that Bishop Vann gave him when Christ Cathedral was dedicated in July 2019.

“She’s the patron saint of music,” Ferrucci explained.

Although Hazel had been reinstalled in the cathedral by the time of its dedication in 2019, she was not ready for prime time, so the cathedral’s music ministry used a loaned digital organ until Hazel made her private debut during a special signing ceremony on Feb. 7, 2022, after two years — including a COVID-19 pandemic delay — of meticulous tinkering to get her ready for a new curator who would do careful tuning.

Ferrucci was at that ceremony, along with Bishop Vann, Fr. Christopher, Dr. Swann, Ruffatti, David Ball (Christ Cathedral organist and head of music ministry) and Kevin Cartwright of Rosales Organ Builders (Hazel’s new curator). Hours after the signing ceremony, Hazel made her soft-opening debut for the public when she was played during the cathedral’s World Marriage Day Mass.

It was a long and difficult journey restoring Hazel to glory, Ferrucci said.

At the request of Bishop Vann, the native Italian had agreed to serve as a liaison between the diocese and Fratelli Ruffatti. Ferrucci made several trips to Padua, negotiated the contract for the Hazel restoration and oversaw design work.

“It turned out to be a very challenging process,” Ferrucci said. “Without the full support of the bishop, I could not have done it.”

Ruffatti, part of a second generation of brothers in an organ-making family business that dates to 1940, said some of the arduous restoration work in Italy involved climbing up and down ladders some 60 feet tall and using a pulley system to remove large, heavy chests that held Hazel’s large pipes.

Bishop Vann made two trips to Padua during the restoration.

“He’s a very nice person to deal with and communicate with,” said Ruffatti. “He’s very pleasant.”

EVEN BETTER NOW

In 2016, after Hazel returned to Orange County from her refurbishment in Italy, she was stored in a climate-controlled warehouse in Irvine until the transformation of the Crystal Cathedral into Christ Cathedral was completed in 2019.

Her cases were painted white from their original brown to match the cathedral’s new aesthetic.

Ruffatti said Hazel is in better condition now than ever, from both a technical and sound standpoint.

ATTENDEES LISTEN TO THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN DURING ITS BLESSING DAY CEREMONY IN JUNE 2022 AFTER NEARLY A DECADE OF RESTORATION WORK.

HECTOR OLIVERA PLAYED A SPECIAL BENEFIT CONCERT IN MAY 2013 TO FUND THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN’S RESTORATION. OLIVERA JOKED THAT HAZEL, WHICH AT THE TIME HAD SEVERAL INOPERABLE SECTIONS, WASN’T “FEELING WELL” AND “NEEDS TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.” PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

HAZEL: A PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE

BY DAVID BALL CATHEDRAL ORGANIST AND HEAD OF MUSIC MINISTRY

ON ANY THURSDAY night between 2005 and 2010, you would find me at the organ console inside the St. Louis Cathedral-Basilica. It is a cavernous nave, every inch of its three domes and massive walls sparkling with one of the world’s greatest collection of mosaics — intricate artwork made from millions of tiny pieces of colored glass used instead of drops of paint, in this case depicting biblical scenes, saints, and angels.

Just as fine as the St. Louis Cathedral’s mosaic collection is its historic Kilgen Organ. There are pipes behind in the front of the cathedral behind the altar, all the way across the block-long nave in the back choir loft, in the side balcony and even a giant tuba high in the cathedral’s main dome, over 300 feet above the floor. All of these pipes were controlled either from a console high up in the choir loft, or from the main console behind the altar comprised of four keyboards and a pedalboard, all in a giant wood-carved casing. Every time I slide onto the bench of the stunning Ruffatti console of the Hazel Wright Organ at Christ Cathedral, I remember endless hours of training and worship in the St. Louis Cathedral. I never predicted I would find myself at Christ Cathedral — one of the rare church buildings similar to St. Louis — a stunning acoustic, and a “surround-sound” organ with pipework in every corner. It feels like home.

My duties back then as the Cathedral Organ Scholar in St. Louis included not only preparing pieces from the organ repertoire to play as voluntaries, preludes and postludes for liturgies, but also to prepare to accompany the choral anthems as the accompanist for the children’s choir. On a particular Thursday evening, I was having an organ lesson with then-Cathedral Organist and Director of Music Dr. John A. Romeri. At some point we switched from the classical organ pieces I had prepared to working on the upcoming choral anthems, and after showing me some techniques for reading the score, Dr. Romeri stopped and commented, “If you really want to learn how to accompany a choir, go watch Fred Swann.”

That night, I went on YouTube and encountered the Hazel Wright Organ for the first time in a multitude of musical clips from the “Hour of Power.” I spent hours watching and listening that night, as I was so inspired by the legendary work of Fred Swann, playing some of the most thrilling organ music I had ever heard and simultaneously conducting the choirs from Hazel’s monumental Ruffatti console.

I am still in awe watching those videos of Fred, and so many legendary organists making incredible music on their appearances on the “Hour of Power.” Although I have watched these performances over and over again, I am still almost in tears when I run across Virgil Fox’s passionate performance of, “Thou Art the Rock” toccata. Whenever someone asks me for an example of the pinnacle of organ performance, I always pull up Paul Jacobs’ exuberant playing of Bach’s “Sinfonia” from Cantata 29. The legacy of the Hazel Wright Organ is how this instrument through its uniquely thrilling sound has truly touched souls of all types: Hazel has inspired world-class artists to bring their most passionate playing when they visit her console, has supported countless choristers in their sacred singing, has supported congregations both in-person, on television, and online to lift their voices in praise to God.

This is the legacy that I am so grateful that the Catholic Church has inherited and — because of Bishop Kevin Vann’s vision and support — will continue for generations to come. Meticulously restored by Fratelli Ruffatti, the same brothers Francesco and Piero who built the instrument many years ago, and now in the care of Kevin Cartwright of the Rosales company, the most passionate and dedicated organ technician I have ever met, the Hazel Wright Organ is ensured to continue to inspire generations of visitors and worshipers at the cathedral both in-person and online.

I am so excited to invite everyone to hear the Hazel Wright Organ in the cathedral’s gorgeous new acoustics, to celebrate that Hazel is Back not only at our Year of Hazel concerts, but at our Masses and Diocesan liturgies, especially accompanying our choirs!

Even at home, in the car, or wherever music is heard, everyone can enjoy Hazel’s amazing sound from two new albums (“The Hazel Wright Organ”; David Ball, Organist and “Hazel Is Back!”; Emma Whitten, Organist) to be released on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube from Gothic Records — the same company that recorded Hazel in the Crystal Cathedral era. In the new book “The Hazel Wright Organ” by Dr. David Crean, the whole history of the organ is available accompanied by full-color photos. The Hazel Wright Organ on the “Hour of Power” inspired generations of listeners, including myself, and as Cathedral Organist and Head of Music Ministry I am excited to do my part to usher in a new era of the Hazel Wright Organ in Christ Cathedral! C

DAVID BALL, CHRIST CATHEDRAL MUSIC MINISTRY DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL ORGANIST, PLAYS DURING THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN SIGNING DAY IN FEBRUARY 2022 FOR A SMALL GROUP OF DIOCESE OF ORANGE LEADERS AND OTHER GUESTS INVOLVED IN THE ORGAN’S RESTORATION PROJECT. PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

DAVID BALL PLAYS IN 2010 FOR A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS AT THE CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF ST. LOUIS. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID BALL

THE OTHER ORGANS: A CAMPUS OF JOYOUS MUSIC

THOUGH THE CHRIST CATHEDRAL and its predecessor, the Crystal Cathedral, are well-known for being the home of the Hazel Wright Organ, the campus actually contains two other organs and a carillon.

The first is the Frederick Swann Organ, an Aeolian-Skinner organ that was installed in 1996 inside the Arboretum. It has 82 ranks, 4,949 pipes and some digital ranks.

The instrument is named after Dr. Frederick Swann, the Crystal Cathedral’s principal organist and music director from 1982 to 1998. Dr. Swann was also involved in the Diocese of Orange’s years-long restoration of the Hazel Wright Organ, helping ensure a satisfactory completion of the massive endeavor in 2022.

The Frederick Swann Organ originally came from the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Beverly Hills, which installed it in 1951. However, damage from the 1994 Northridge earthquake forced the congregation to sell the instrument to the Crystal Cathedral ministry.

The second organ is the Bob Tall Rodgers Organ, a Rodgers Model 805C that’s located in the 13th-story Chapel in the Sky in the Tower of Hope. The organ is informally named after Robert Tall, a highly successful organ salesman whose firm did the custom installation of the small instrument.

The Bob Tall Rodgers Organ has two manuals, a pedalboard and 40 digital ranks. It was installed in April 1996.

In addition, the campus contains the Arvella Schuller Carillon, located high in the Crean Tower next to Christ Cathedral. It was named Arvella Schuller, wife of Crystal Cathedral founder Rev. Robert Schuller. She was an organist who served the congregation with music and worship planning. She died in 2014 at age 84.

The Arvella Schuller Carillon contains 52 bronze bells that were cast by the Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in the Netherlands. The carillon was the first in the U.S. to have bells with a major third overtone instead of the usual minor third, a feature that gives them a pure, completely in-tune sound.

The smallest carillon bell weighs 13 pounds; the largest is more than 5,000. Combined, the 52 bells weigh 38,000 pounds.

The Arvella Schuller Carillon can be played on a clavier (keyboard) inside the Crean Tower and from the Hazel Wright Organ inside the cathedral. Beneath the cathedral, there is also a practice carillon in a music office. C

THE FREDERICK SWANN ORGAN, AN AEOLIAN-SKINNER ORGAN THAT WAS INSTALLED IN 1996 INSIDE THE ARBORETUM, HAS 82 RANKS, 4,949 PIPES AND SOME DIGITAL RANKS.

PHOTO BY SHAY RYAN

THE BOB TALL RODGERS ORGAN IS A RODGERS MODEL 805C LOCATED IN THE 13TH-STORY CHAPEL IN THE SKY IN THE TOWER OF HOPE. PHOTO BY DREW KELLEY

DIOCESE PRODUCES NEW DOCUMENTARY: ‘HAZEL IS BACK: RESTORING AN ICON’

IN CELEBRATION OF the completed restoration of the Hazel Wright Organ, the Diocese of Orange has produced a new full-length documentary. The film, titled “Hazel is Back: Restoring an Icon,” delves into the unique saga of the iconic instrument, from its roots as an idea during the early days of the Rev. Robert Schuller’s ministry to its construction into the Crystal Cathedral and restoration effort by the Catholic Church. Filming began in late 2021 and continued throughout 2022.

Nearly a dozen people involved with Hazel’s restoration and 40-year history were interviewed, including Bishop Kevin Vann, who prioritized her restoration for the Diocese; Dr. Frederick Swann, a former Crystal Cathedral organist whose playing and recordings made Hazel a worldwide icon; Gabriel Ferrucci, a Diocese benefactor who helped guide the restoration process to completion; Piero Ruffatti, whose company built much of the original organ and restored it; and Dr. David Crean, author of a new book on Hazel’s history.

“I think what surprised me most when making this film is how many stories there are about this pipe organ beyond just the music itself,” said Bradley Zint, the Diocese’s assistant director of communications who wrote and directed “Hazel is Back.” “The story of the Hazel Wright Organ is one of surprisingly humble beginnings, with big dreams, larger-than-life personalities, a mysterious benefactor, glory, decline and revival — you name it.”

In conjunction with the cathedral’s music ministry and The Orange Catholic Foundation, “Hazel is Back: Restoring an Icon” will be screened in the Christ Cathedral campus’ Arboretum at 5 p.m. Sept. 30, before the Dedication Concert of the Hazel Wright Organ featuring Hector Olivera that starts at 7:30 p.m. A Q&A with Hazel stakeholders follows the screening.

Plans for future viewing and distribution of the film are still being planned. Visit www.hazelwrightorgan.com for available updates. C

KEVIN CARTWRIGHT, FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH AND GABRIEL FERRUCCI ARE INTERVIEWED FOR “HAZEL IS BACK: RESTORING AN ICON,” A DOCUMENTARY BY THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE ABOUT THE HISTORY AND RESTORATION OF THE ICONIC HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN IN CHRIST CATHEDRAL PHOTOS BY STEVEN GEORGES

WHAT DOES THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN

“This is without question one of the country’s iconic pipe organs, and its preservation, restoration and future use are of interest to all who love and appreciate organ music.”

“It’s been my good fortune to play the largest and finest organs around the world, and the church positions I’ve held have each had superb fivemanual instruments. But the organ in the Crystal Cathedral — and especially now as rebuilt in Christ Cathedral — tops them all. The design is unique and the superb rebuild by the Ruffatti firm leaves nothing to be desired. Great beauty and infinite possibilities!”

“The Hazel Wright Organ is one of the great organs of the world, and quintessentially American in its conception and design. Few instruments are as comprehensive, cohesive and thrilling. It’s a national treasure.”

“I see Hazel as relevant today as she was years ago. We have heard her adapt to so many styles of music and now, we all listen in all as she begins the next chapter of her life, inspiring the next generation of church musicians to play and sing to the Glory of God.”

- Michael Barone, Host of American Public Media’s “Pipedreams”

-

Dr. Frederick Swann, Crystal Cathedral Director of Music and Organist, 1982 to 1998

- Matthew Morrison, Co-founder of the Hazel Wright Organ Society group on Facebook

- Paul Jacobs, Grammy-award winning organist, chair of the Juilliard School’s organ department, NYC

“In 1982, this magnificent organ was inaugurated by the famous organist Pierre Cochereau. I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to follow in my hero’s footsteps by dedicating the newly restored and breathtaking Hazel Wright Organ at Christ Cathedral.”

“The Hazel Wright Organ is so special to me! As organist of the New York Philharmonic, the history of Hazel with its Aeolian-Skinner genesis at Lincoln Center is of tremendous interest. And my visits to this historic instrument in its current historic setting have been musically rewarding. Now that the organ has been revitalized by Ruffatti, I am excited to hear and experience it again.”

MEAN TO YOU?

“As one of the world’s largest and most widely heard pipe organs, Hazel has enhanced the worship of countless millions over nearly a half century. It was my honor to play it in Sunday services as well as numerous solo recitals from 1977 to 1984.

“When I consider the immense efforts to build, restore and maintain the Hazel Wright Organ, and the steadfast work of those who bring it to life with music — I am reignited in my commitment to the transcendent power of art.”

- Maestro Hector Olivera, Internationally acclaimed organist

- Daniel Ficarri, Associate Organist at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, NYC

Soli Deo Gloria!”

- Richard Unfried, Organist, Garden Grove Community Church and Crystal Cathedral Ministries, 1963-84

- Kent Tritle, Director of Cathedral Music and Organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC

THE INESTIMABLE TREASURE OF SACRED MUSIC

BY VERY REV. CHRISTOPHER SMITH

THE WORLD WAS ENMESHED in the turmoil of the early 1960s. The place was Holy Family Church in Orange, California. It was a Friday of Lent and the students at Holy Family School had just finished praying the Stations of the Cross. As we knelt, the priest exposed the Blessed Sacrament. The pipe organ began floating the gentle strains of “O Salutaris Hostia” throughout the church. Soon after followed the flowing cadence of Tantum Ergo, a clear invitation to focus on our Eucharistic Lord, present on the altar. We were now ready for the most solemn action as the priest raised the monstrance in a threefold blessing with the Blessed Sacrament. “Divine Praises” recited, we all stood, and the previous restraint of the pipe organ gave way to majestic chords introducing “Holy God We Praise Thy Name.” We praised God, and for a few moments all hint of worldly turmoil was gone, and I was in heaven. This is where my connection to liturgical music began.

The sacred music of the Rite of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament transported me in those days of my childhood. It lifted my spirit and summoned me to focus on the main event, the presence of Jesus. The music had done what it was meant to do. This unique function of music is the reason the Church considers music to be one of the essential elements of our liturgical celebrations.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.”

St. Augustine famously said, “One who sings well prays twice” (“Bis orat qui bene cantat”). This beautiful description of singing draws attention to two marvelous capacities of the human person. One of those is the ability to translate ideas, thoughts, feelings, beliefs and knowledge into the medium of words. The other is to elevate that already wonderful ability to another level of creativity, putting those words to music. With every note of our song, we give praise to God through our collection of words, and we praise God again by enabling those words to have additional meaning and power through their musical expression.

Sacred music is the sturdy bridge that connects the dual purpose of our liturgical prayer which is to give glory to God and to do that as a community of faith. When we gather for Mass, we show up as individuals, each bringing our own life’s circumstances, as unique as each person in the assembly. Our gathering means we choose not to live those lives in isolation. Our presence declares

that we believe Jesus made us a Church, a communion of persons professing faith in Jesus Christ. That communion is expressed through our spoken prayer and our sung prayer. We recite together, we sing together. We do not each bring our individual prayers to recite (that was tried with little success at the Tower of Babel). In unison with each other, we pray the prayer of the Church that has been designated for whatever Sunday or occasion it is. We do not bring our individual songs, we sing the same hymns together, even if it is a selection, we do not much care for. Like life, the Liturgy is an act of participation. Putting personal preferences aside and eager to create something beautiful for God, we listen, we speak, we profess, we sing, we make music.

Our music making in the Liturgy takes on a variety of expressions. These include congregational singing, choral, instrumental and solo musical renditions. As we are about to dedicate the magnificent Hazel Wright Pipe Organ in Christ Cathedral, it is worth noting that traditionally the Church has maintained a high regard for the use of the pipe organ in the Sacred Liturgy. Vatican II’s “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy “reflects, “In the Latin Church, the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up our minds to God and to higher things (Article 1).” It is also important to underscore that among the vast array of musical instruments available to us, most are also capable of rendering beautiful and worthy music for our Sacred Liturgy.

In almost all our churches, there are musical resources. However vast or limited they may be, we have a hallowed duty to use them to their fullest capacity. As John O’Donohue writes in his book, “Divine Beauty,” “It is as though music reaches that subtle threshold within us where the soul dovetails with the eternal.” Our thoughtful inclusion of music in the Sacred Liturgy can move us toward that encounter with the eternal.

For a few moments as a child on that Friday of Lent, all hint of worldly turmoil was gone, and I was transported to a world of Divine beauty. All because of the inestimable treasure of sacred music. By God’s grace, that treasure is still ours to behold. C

ABOVE:

FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH, WHO GREW UP PLAYING THE ORGAN, PLAYS A PIECE ON THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN DURING A SPECIAL MEDIA PREVIEW IN JUNE 2022 AS THE CATHEDRAL’S PRINCIPAL ORGANIST DAVID BALL LOOKS ON.

UPPER LEFT AND LEFT: FORMER CHRIST CATHEDRAL MUSIC MINISTRY DIRECTOR JOHN ROMERI CONDUCTS THE CHOIR DURING THE CATHEDRAL’S 2019 CHRISTMAS CONCERT. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

“We’re very proud of the work we’ve done,” added Ruffatti, who will fly out from Italy for the Sept. 30 festivities.

Noting the hard work and many years required to restore Hazel, Bishop Vann observed: “You know what St. Luke says? ‘Nothing is impossible for God.’”

A COLORFUL PALETTE

Crean, who has been good friends with Ball since their days together at The Juilliard School in New York City, notes that the number of people involved in the debut of Hazel back in 1982 and her restoration is extensive.

“Their dedication to see a project like this through is really remarkable,” said Crean, whose main job these days is host and music director for WDPR-FM, Dayton, Ohio’s only full-time classical music station. “You can’t keep an organ like this going with one person. It’s a true team effort.”

Cartwright, who as curator is the maintenance lead and the principal technician of the restored Hazel, said the instrument’s perishable organic material, including leather and rubberized cloth, should help it last another 30 to 50 years before major repairs are needed.

“When they say a pipe organ is alive,” Cartwright said, “it really is in more ways than one.”

He estimates it took “a few hundred goats and sheep and some cows” to glean the leather parts that are inside Hazel.

Diocese officials have done all they can to make improvements to the cathedral to ensure that the newly restored Hazel lasts as long as possible.

The $77-million transformation of the 88,000-square-foot Crystal Cathedral into Christ Cathedral included the cleaning and sealing of its more than 10,000 glass panes. Quatrefoils were also installed inside that shade the building, minimizing heat and glare. The quatrefoils and ground-floor stone wall around the cathedral floor also help Hazel’s acoustics, as does the newly installed air conditioning system that the old Crystal Cathedral didn’t have.

The refurbished Hazel also has improved connectivity and updated back-end digital components. It now is connected to the 52-bell Arvella Schuller Carillon inside the Crean Tower next to the cathedral. The carillon can be played from Hazel’s console.

With the flip of a key akin to a car ignition, Hazel gets turned on from the main console in the choir loft of the cathedral.

Making a special appearance to play Hazel at the June 10 blessing was Josep Solé Cole, the principal organist of St. Peter’s Basilica and organist for the liturgical celebrations of Pope Francis.

Cole thanked the bishop for inviting him to the cathedral and allowing him to give Hazel a spin.

Ball, who likens himself to a pilot in a cockpit when he plays Hazel, compares the capabilities of the new and improved Hazel to a box of crayons.

“You can do a lot with an eight-pack of crayons,” Ball said, “but you can do a lot more with 300.”

He added: “It’s always an honor to sit in front of Hazel’s console and play, where

I’m continuously in awe of the sheer power and breadth of this amazing instrument. Playing Hazel is literally sitting in the same seat as my musical heroes, people like Virgil Fox who were visionaries in the early days of Hazel to make the dream of this pipe organ a reality.” C

ON FEB. 7, 2022, IN FRONT OF THE ORGAN’S MAIN CONSOLE, BISHOP KEVIN VANN, FR. CHRISTOPHER SMITH (RECTOR AND EPISCOPAL VICAR OF THE CATHEDRAL), DR. FREDERICK SWANN (FORMER ORGANIST FOR THE CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL), DAVID BALL (CHRIST CATHEDRAL ORGANIST AND HEAD OF MUSIC MINISTRY), KEVIN CARTWRIGHT (THE ORGAN’S NEW CURATOR) AND PIERO RUFFATTI (THE ORIGINAL BUILDER OF THE ORGAN) SIGNED A SPECIAL AGREEMENT. IN EFFECT, DR. SWANN ACCEPTED THE ORGAN’S RESTORATION WORK BY RUFFATTI’S TEAM, HANDING IT OFF TO CARTWRIGHT’S COMPANY, LOS ANGELES-BASED ROSALES ORGAN BUILDERS, FOR CONTINUED MAINTENANCE.

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

PIERO RUFFATTI OF FRATELLI RUFFATTI IN PADUA, ITALY, HELPED BUILD THE ORIGINAL HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN AND RETURNED TO THE INSTRUMENT 40 YEARS LATER FOR ITS RESTORATION.

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

DR. FREDERICK SWANN, WHO WAS THE CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL ORGANIST FROM 1982 TO 1998, HELPED IN THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN RESTORATION PROCESS. HE PLAYED FOR A SMALL GROUP DURING THE PROJECT’S SIGNING DAY IN FEBRUARY 2022.

PHOTO BY STEVEN GEORGES

THE RUFFATTI CONSOLE, WHICH IS THE MAIN CONSOLE USED TO PLAY THE HAZEL WRIGHT ORGAN, IS ONE OF THE LARGEST DRAWKNOB CONSOLES IN THE WORLD.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE

Ourdeepestappreciationtoourfounding partnersfortheYearofHazel: ConwayFamily•StraderFamily FerrucciFamily

Additionally,wewouldliketothankthoseservingonthe YearofHazelCommitteeforyourdedicationandservice:

Fr.ChristopherSmith,Chair

DavidBall

DavidCollins

AnnConway

LucyDunn

KathleenHurtt

GabrielFerrucci

TonyJennison

LizaLombardi

JonathanLorenzo

LaurenMcCaul

MollyMontenaro

LinhNguyen

JimNormandin

DeirdreO’NeillMachin

SusanStrader

Fr.BaoThai

BradleyZint

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