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Music has played an important role in the life of the
parish since at least 1844, when parish records indicate
that professional vocalists and instrumentalists were brought
from New York City for a sacred festival concert. The present
building dates back to 1877 but was extensively rebuilt
in an “English” manner in 1925 which included adding transepts.
The walls and ceiling are all hard plaster, which accounts
for the fine acoustics.
The noted organbuilder Hilbourne Roosevelt grew up in Christ
Church and was for a time the church organist. He eventually
gave up the position because the family thought it unseemly
for a businessman to hold such a position. Past instruments
include an organ which Hilbourne Roosevelt persuaded the
vestry to purchase from the Presbyterians across the street.
It was a two-manual Odell which he enlarged to three manuals
with a rosewood console. A two-year search located the Roosevelt
in Bronxville New York. Hardly anything except bits and
pieces from the original remain. The Roosevelt was replaced
in 1915 with a Hutchings, which was subsequently replaced
with a Wicks in 1956.
The current Wolff organ was dedicated on December 7, 1986
in a festal Evensong conducted by Gerre Hancock, to a packed
church. Evensong was followed with a recital where his improvisation
on a theme unique to Oyster Bay is something which our parishioners
will never forget. Recitals by Simon Preston and Guy Bovet
followed. Sir David Willcocks spent a week in residence
with the choir, which closed with a workshop and festal
Evensong, and the Choir of Men and Boys from York Minster,
England, opened their first North American tour at the church
on March 2, 1987. Gillian Weir concluded the dedication
series on April 26 as the soloist in a program of organ
concerti, when works by Hanson, Piston, Pierre-Petit, Handel,
and Haydn were heard.
Excerpted from an article by
Thomas Lee Bailey in The American Organist, May 1987. (Copyright
1987 by The American Guild of Organists. Reprinted by permission
of The American Organist magazine.)
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