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| The Pomplitz organ was rebuilt by Brad Rule and the fascade is in the process of being painted by Luisa Martini, a recent graduate student. (Campbellsville University Photo by Drew Tucker) |
Dr. Wesley Roberts, professor of music, will be presenting the first program for this year’s Noon Organ Recital Series at Campbellsville University with the dedication of the newly acquired 1875 Pomplitz organ at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 429, N. Central Ave., Campbellsville.
The organ recital is free and open to the public. It ends at 12:50 p.m. to allow those attending to return to their schedules before 1 p.m.
The 1875 Pomplitz organ was donated this summer by Lloyd and Doris Farrar, donors of the Vogt-Farrar Historic Keyboard Collection, now housed in the Gosser Fine Arts Center in Room 209.
The Pomplitz organ is a mechanical-action instrument of ten ranks with one manual and a pedalboard. It was first used in a church in Harrisonburg, Va., and later in a church in Cumberland, Md., before being dismantled and acquired by the Farrars.
Roberts said, when the Farrars decided to give CU the instrument, they employed Brad Rule to rebuild it and install it here.At first it was to be housed in the Gosser Fine Arts Center, but the instrument proved to be too large.
“Fortunately, our next-door neighbor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, had sufficient space in their sanctuary and agreed to house it in exchange for use in Sunday services,” Roberts said. “The arrangement has worked out very well in the meantime,” he said.
The finishing touches are going on the organ through the work of Luisa Martini, a recent graduate in art, who is painting the facade.
Students, faculty and church members assisted Rule and his workers in installing the instrument and its newly-made walnut cabinet this summer.
“The instrument sounds wonderful in its new home and is a fine example of organs from its time period,” Roberts said.
The Noon Organ Recital Series runs once a month on Tuesdays and begins at 12:20 p.m. and ends at 12:50 p.m. Two of the recitals will be at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church with the rest at Ransdell Chapel.
Other upcoming Noon Organ Recital events this semester include: Oct. 15, Douglas Murray, professor of English at Belmont University, organist at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tenn., Ransdell Chapel;
Nov. 5, Rodney Barbour, director of music and arts, Crestview Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, Ransdell Chapel;
Feb. 11, Schuyler Robinson, professor of organ, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., Ransdell Chapel;
March 18, Jan-Piet Knijff, organ scholar, Armidale, Australia, doctoral candidate in classics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., Our Lady of Perpetual Help; and April 8, Dr. Wesley Roberts, professor of music, with faculty from CU’s School of Music, Ransdell Chapel.
The Ransdell Chapel organ is a 1894 Farrand and Votey organ in Ransdell Chapel, enlarged to 51 ranks by Moeller, Pilcher and Milnar Organ Companies.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,600 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master’s degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.