by Judy Stone, SFBC Member
60th Season 1995-1996
April 28th, 1996
Cum Organo cantamus
WIth the Organ We Sing
Dedication of the Turner Memorial Organ
In 1989, the San Francisco Bach Choir performed the first West Coast concert on “period”
instruments of JS Bach’s Passion According to St. Matthew. Following that concert and the enthusiasm it generated among the singers and audience, the Board made a commitment to the standards of historical practice, and decided to reinforce that commitment by purchasing a continuo instrument. A portable organ, though much more expensive than a harpsichord, was the first choice. Like the human voice, the organ is a wind instrument, projects a sustained tone with similar harmonic overtones to the voice, and blending with and reinforcing a choral singing ensemble. Just as important to us, it was the preferred North German continuo instrument for sacred music during the 16th -18th centuries.
Thanks to the hard work of two choir members and the generosity of the Turner family, the choir commissioned a baroque continuo organ from the famous Dutch builder, Gerrit Klop, one of the world’s best makers of Northern European style continuo organs. The instrument was custom built to our specifications, supplied by David Babbitt, who in addition to being the Artistic Director, was an organist and early North German music scholar. The specifications were the set of stops which German composer, Michael Praetorius, recommended in his 1617 treatise Syntagma Musicum. Similar instruments were used to accompany church choirs from at least the 16 th century through the time of Bach. The keyboard on this organ is adjustable or “transposing,” which allows the choir to perform at both Renaissance (A=440) and Baroque (A=415) pitch standards during the same concert. The pipes are easily tuned, allowing the use of a variety of historical “temperaments,” to produce sweeter consonances and harsher dissonances in certain keys, as the old master preferred.
How the Turner Family Organ Project Came About
As consensus grew about our need for a continuo instrument, choir Advisory Board member Alice Middleton took on the task of researching and articulating the steps necessary for the choir to obtain one. When she introduced the project to the Board of Directors, it resonated with Board Secretary, Lynda Swanson, who had recently suffered the loss of two close family members and was looking for a meaningful memorial commemoration. Her aunt and uncle, Ancil Pierce Turner and Denver Ella Mock Turner, had enjoyed many San Francisco Bach Choir concerts until illness made travel difficult. Mr. Turner, known for a beautiful tenor voice, and his wife who ccompanied him on the piano and organ, were lifelong musical partners. They passed away in the spring of 1994, within three weeks of each other, after 28 years of marriage. Working together, Lynda and Alice made an appeal to family and friends of the Turners, many of whom gave generously in memory of the couple’s love of choral singing, organ music and of family musical gatherings. Other funds were raised from SFBC singer and from the San Francisco Volunteer Arts Fund.
The organ was dedicated at a special concert Cum organo cantamus during the Choir’s 60th season, on April 28, 1996 at Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, and featured David Babbitt (organ), Jeffrey Thomas (tenor) and Michael Sand (violin). The Choir sang works of Biber, Praetorius, Telemann, Sweelinck, and Ruht wohl from the Passion According to St. John
by J.S. Bach. Mr. Babbitt, who conducted the choir from the organ, opened the concert by playing Magnificat Fugue by Johann Pachelbel. Later in the program he joined Michael Sand in
Sonata #5 in f minor for Violin and Continuo by J.S. Bach.
Commitment to maintaining this unique instrument
SFBC is fortunate to own such a valuable musical asset and has committed to its careful
stewardship. A “portable” organ can be damaged in transport and some similar instruments appear much the worse for wear. In spite of numerous requests, we have limited our rental of the organ to an annual engagement at the Carmel Bach Festival where we have trustworthy custodians. As a result, the organ remains in excellent overall condition. In 2024, we invested in needed maintenance for the first time in 30 years.