“Bach on the Road” Organ Crawl
Yuba City, Organ by Munetaka Yokota
“Bach on the Road” Organ Crawl, September 24, 2022
We are planning an organ crawl, themed "Bach On the Road" in the northern area of our chapter on Saturday, September 24. We will start at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Chico at 10am, visit First Congregational Church in Oroville, and finish up at First Lutheran Church, Yuba City, around 5pm, with an option to go to dinner or go home at that point.
Sign up now, and you will receive emails about the details. We will try to arrange car pooling as practical, and a bag lunch will be provided for $10 (payable by cash or check on the day of). We will have brief presentations of each organ, followed by some console time for those who wish to try out some fine organs for a few minutes each. Music by the Bach circle will play well on the instruments we visit. Email Lars@LarsGjerde.com now if you plan to attend, so we can work out the logistics.
Organs to be Featured on "Bach On the Road"
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church
416 Chestnut Street Chico, CA 95928
Bigelow organ, Opus 1 (1979), two manuals and pedal, 14 stops, 11 ranks, mechanical action
The instrument is Michael Bigelow’s first, Opus 1A, a Dutch-styled mechanical action organ in the rear balcony. It is a rather elegant organ with a fine touch and vocale principals. “In 1979 this newly built instrument was installed at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church on a loan arrangement by Dr. David Rothe, organist at the church. He originally commissioned the organ to be installed in his residence at Forest Ranch, but later changed his mind and had it installed at his church instead, so that it would get more use. It remained at St. John the Evangelist church for approximately two years when it was moved intact to St. John the Baptist Catholic church, a couple of blocks away, where it remains today, 13 August 2012. MLB -- No low C#.” (https://pipeorgandatabase.org/organ/4866) Organist and demonstrator: Dr. David Rothe
First Congregational Church, 1715 Bird Street Oroville, CA 95965
Bigelow organ, Opus 12 (1985), two manuals and pedal, 24 stops, 26 ranks, mechanical action
A larger two manual instrument, versatile in style and possessing a Swell division, this is yet another fine organ in the North Sacramento Valley by the Bigelow company. Organist and demonstrator: John Zenor
First Lutheran Church, 850 Cooper Ave.Yuba City, CA 95991
Munetaka Yokota organ (1994), two manuals and pedal, 16 stops, 14 ranks, mechanical action:
This is a central German style organ built by Yokota (with a stunning case), who also built the Centennial Organ previously in Chico. “The organ is unique in that it is the first parish organ to be completely built on-site in perhaps three centuries. The congregation built a workshop onsite (later converted to classrooms). Every element was created here including the pouring and manufacturing of pipes.” (https://pipeorgandatabase.org/organ/7542). Organist of church: Juanita, demonstrator: Marian Metson.