Rog Hiemstra’s Blog

As the May Memorial congregation began exploring a new building in the late 1950’s, there was a parallel conversation about a suitable organ for the new structure. The organ in the James Street Church was built in 1911 by the Hutchings Organ Company of Boston. By 1959 the instrument was stylistically dated, and in poor repair, although it has been rumored that the condition might have been exaggerated in the hopes for a new installation.

The Organ Committee, with Dr. Howland Auchincloss as chair, soon decided that rebuilding the old organ would not be the best choice, both artistically and financially. Instead, they found four builders for a new instrument, with the Holtkamp Organ Company of Cleveland, Ohio, at the top of the list. Walter Holtkamp, Sr., had built organs for Syracuse University with the concert instrument in Crouse College finished in 1950. This organ was built for Professor Arthur Poister, and is one of Holtkamp’s most impressive and most famous creations. May Memorial hired Dr. Poister as a consultant, and with the influence of then Director of Music Frank Macomber, a Syracuse University professor, it’s easy to see the influence the Crouse organ had on May Memorial’s choice.

One major setback was the death of Walter Holtkamp, Sr. in 1962, several hours after a phone conversation with the May Memorial committee. (No connection between his death and the Music Committee!) The firm became controlled by his son, Walter “Chick” Holtkamp, Jr. After checking the health of the company, and the expertise of Chick Holtkamp, May decided to stay

with their first choice. (Chick Holtkamp has since retired, and the company is being run by his son.)

Cost was also an issue but after a generous gift by the late Sarah Auchincloss, the church signed a contract for the larger of the two designs, for a total of $31,380.00. The organ has 27 ranks, or sets, of pipes, and was delivered in April, 1965. Current replacement cost is approximately $700,000.00, almost twice the original cost of the entire building. Chick Holtkamp worked closely with architect Dean Pietro Belluschi, especially in regard to the woods he used, and overall look. The organ does seem to grow out of the room in a unified way that is rarely seen in organ installations.

The people that have presided over the instrument as Music Director are only four. Frank Macomber came from the James Street Church. He was followed by Rob Kerner, cofounder

of the Kerner/Merchant Organ Company that still maintains the organ. Rob left to become

Curator of Organs for the Eastman School of Music. Dr Allison Evans Henry then served for five years, leaving for the First Presbyterian Church of Syracuse. I accepted the position in 1992, after being the musician for First Universalist on Waring Road in the 1980’s. A very quick 17 years it has been!

Our Holtkamp has been a source of great delight to me over my tenure. Come hear it once again in recital on Sunday, March 22 at 4:00 pm, as I celebrate my 50th birthday with a concert of some of my favorite works. Everyone is invited!

Glenn Kime, Music Director

Written January 15, 2009