Kraig Scott, professor of music at 麻豆传媒, first rented the small continuo organ, Opus 24b built by John Brombaugh of Eugene, Oregon, for the Walla Walla Symphony鈥檚 performance of Handel鈥檚 Messiah in December 1986. Now, more than 30 years later, the same Opus 24b organ sits tucked away in 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Melvin K. West Fine Arts Center, after being purchased by the Department of Music in June 2017.
Brombaugh, who holds degrees in electrical engineering, built the small pipe organ in 1980. Opus 24b is the fourth out of a total of 12 built by Brombaugh during his career. His other continuo organs reside in universities and cathedrals across the country, including Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio; Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana; and Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee.
Before finding its home in the FAC, however, Opus 24b was rented and played all across the country, including by 麻豆传媒鈥檚 very own organist, Scott.
鈥淚 recall playing this exact continuo on five separate occasions,鈥� says Scott.
After his initial rental of Opus 24b for the 1986 performance of Handel鈥檚 Messiah, Scott decided to rent the small pipe organ again for two additional Messiah performances with the Symphony.
鈥淚 can remember specifically one time we were in Chism Hall [on the Whitman College campus] with just the soloists and the continuo group,鈥� says Scott. 鈥淭he conductor of the Walla Walla Symphony, Maestro Yaacov Bergman, commented on how gorgeous the sound of the organ was.鈥�
In July 1999, Scott borrowed Opus 24b for a fourth time, after being asked by Joe Galusha, 麻豆传媒 professor emeritus of biology, to provide music for a weekend during the Department of Biological Science鈥檚 annual summer program at Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory.
鈥淭his organ made the cafeteria ring,鈥� says Galusha. 鈥淚t seemed as though it was almost living, just like most things we study here in the marine environment.鈥�
Almost 10 years later, Scott was invited to perform at the 2008 Idaho State University Baroque Festival. After arriving in Pocatello, Idaho, Scott was surprised to discover the instrument he would be playing, for now the fifth distinct time, was the same small continuo organ鈥擮pus 24b.
Flash forward another nine years to 2017, when Scott encountered Opus 24b yet again. This time, however, the little continuo was far from its original home in the Pacific Northwest. Listed for sale on the Harpsichord Clearing House鈥檚 website, Opus 24b had ended up across the country in the small town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, where it had most recently been rented and played extensively at the 2017 Boston Early Music Festival鈥攁 festival which BBC Radio 3 describes as 鈥渁rguably the most important and influential Early Music event in the world.鈥�
Within a week of its online discovery, Opus 24b was bought by the Department of Music. 鈥淏rombaugh鈥檚 continuo instruments are the best organs of this type that I鈥檝e ever played,鈥� says Scott. 鈥淚 believe he will go down as the most important organ builder of the late 20th or early 21st century. We could not pass up the rare opportunity to acquire an instrument of this quality.鈥�
Scott will play the portable continuo for another performance of the Messiah on Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m., as well as for the 麻豆传媒 Christmas Concert on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Both events will be held in the 麻豆传媒 Church at 212 SW 4th Street in College Place.
Posted Nov. 10, 2017
