Westminster Abbey
March 15, 1973

Dear Stuart:

There are other things I should be getting to this morning, but your recent letter is on my mind, plus a few other things, so here goes with comments on its contents:

Scheme #1  Herewith, Scheme #2

Great:                                              Swell:

OPEN DIAPASON  8            STOPPED DIAPASON  8
MELODIA   8                          DULCIANA  8
SALICIONAL 8                      PRINCIPAL 4
OCTAVE      4                        FLUTE (?)   4
HARMONIC FLUTE 4          NASARD  2 2/3
FIFTEENTH     2                   SPITZ PRINCIPAL  2
TWENTY-SECOND  1         PLEIN JEU III  (2)
TRUMPET  8                        GROSS OBOE  8
Swell to Great                      Tremulant (toe stud reversible)

Pedal:

BOURDON  16
GEMSHORN  16
GEIGEN PRINCIPAL 8
VIOLA  8
PRINCIPAL  4
FLUTE  4
FAGOTTO  16
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

The question mark after Swell Flute meant, not whether or not I wanted one, but what kind; I'd have to differ with you, in that I feel the 4' flute is indeed useful for various choruses on the Swell, and the one on the Great similarly - I'd be inclined to say you're right in the case of, say, a 2' flute on the Great.  Two Dulcianas - yes, I did put down two of them on Scheme #1, for this reason, that in most cases the earlier type of Dulciana tended to be of a slightly heavier, more Diapason-like quality than our silvery-soft specimen here; I'd put your Kindersley rank on the Great for this reason, to perform the Gemshorn function you refer to - and for variety I've changed the name to Salicional, since the best types of the latter have that fine English mini-Principal quality, very close to the heavy Dulciana.

Solo chest.  The reason I suggested using yours is precisely that we haven't got chests to burn, and are looking for anything we can get, even if it means blocking out half the notes for our use at present; they can always be uncovered in future and put back into 61-note use if necessary elsewhere.

Fagotto 16.  Sure, use only 32 pipes of your rank, but who said anything about throwing away the rest ???
Just keep 'em in storage until such time as you'd want to use the complete 61-note set again, as with the Solo chest !

Tremulant from a toe stud reversible.  The reason I included one is that, once in a while, it can give a nice warmth to a solo reed or a flute combination when playing the repertoire.  I had in mind to sacrifice it for another stop - which I did in projecting Scheme #2, giving space for a useful 4' Pedal flute - but your idea, Watson, is brilliant - by all means!  While I think of it, note also on this scheme that I've changed the Mixture IV for a simple 1' Super Octave - solves a lot of chest problems while giving a light, pure brilliance that I'm particularly fond of.

That about covers your letter;  now for some other items.

What about the possibility of shipping your entire 1907 baby out here and us storing it safely, against the day of the future church or some other eventuality?  In this way it would be completely safe from vandalism, deterioration, etc. On the other hand, I think we must be completely objective:  While I'm attracted to the idea that this king of sound could be just what we want in the future church, it might be unwise to commit myself, in theory, that we are definitely going to want it;  I think you understand this - it's a very interesting possibility, but simply to be left open for the present.

A bolt from the blue. Would you at any time be interested in going into the organ business, connected with Casavant: John Darbyshire was out on Sunday, and after telling him of your keen enthusiasm and knowledgeability, and familiarity with Casavant, he seemed to warm to the idea, which I threw out, that you might possibly "cotton to" forming a little Casavant team of co-workers that John would like to form in this area.  We left it at that, and he understands that you may not want to follow it up at all;  no sweat.

You'll be surprised that I put this last, but it was deliberate.  I got a "green light" letter from the pastor at Prince Rupert - we can have the organ for the cost of shipping. But cool it, man.  This thing is going to trigger some far-reaching and ramification-filled discussion by the Abbot and his council.  The questions of renovating and expanding our present organ entails that of whether the side spaces in the gallery can be released for this purpose (they are used for accommodating overflow congregations, and we're getting this situation increasingly), then how long it will be before we promote the building of the church in a definite way; whether the community as a whole want the church at this time; and so on.  So hang loose for the present.  Meantime I'm quite sure we'll be able to go ahead with getting the Prince Rupert here, as soon as Father Cardo sends me data on the number and size of the crates, and I get shipping estimates and Plans.  I'll keep you posted.

All for the moment.  I get the A.G.O. magazine, but there wasn't anything worthwhile-looking in the classified section of the current issue, except for one outfit offering a free catalogue of "clearance sale items" - and I asked them to send both you and me a copy.  While I think of it, here's the address of the chap back east who was handling used Casavant stuff a few years ago:

Lucien Caron
6927 St. Denis  Used Casavant organs,
Montreal, PQ  10-80 stops  (!)
AGO Magazine, May 1970

-do what you want about this.

Blessings,

Fr Basil
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