History of Music at Grace

Grace Choirs, Organs, Staff, Facility, Tower Bells

Grace Choirs

• 1869 trained choir of 32 young ladies and children

• 1873 - The choirs at the time consisted of the Quartette, the First Sunday School Choir, and the Second Sunday School Choir.  "The Sunday School choirs are expected to take part in the service at all funerals and week-day services, and on Sundays, when the Rector may appoint.  At Sunday services they sing antiphonally with the quartette choir.  The regular time of practice is every Saturday at 4 o'clock, P.M." - from 'Grace Church Record' January of 1873

• 1891 Vested choir of men and boys

• ? Junior Choir

• ? Mixed Choir

Choir-Masters/Music Directors

• 1868-?  Rev. Henry Whitehousr Spalding, Rector

• Mrs. Rachel (Staines) Tappan Cram

• 1891 - Walter C. Noe

• 1893 ? 189(5?) - Rev. Samuel Wilson Moran, curate and choir-master

•  ?-1996  Dr. Samuel Jones, Director of Music (

• 1996-2004 Dr. Ann Edahl, Director of Music

• 2004-present Berkley Guse, Director of Music

Organs

See also the Organ Brochure.

Madison, Wisconsin — Grace Episcopal Church 

Three manuals and pedals, 28 stops, 38 ranks 

Attached drawknob keydesk, compass 56/30 Mechanical key action, electric stop action 

Opus 3639, 1987

Grace Episcopal Church was formally established in 1840. The Gothic-style building, which contains twelve large stained glass windows of unusual beauty, was dedicated in 1858. In 1869 the parish acquired its first pipe organ. The present instrument is located at the front of the church from where it speaks directly into the nave. The Grand Orgue is elevated in the main case with the Montre 8’ in façade. The Chœur division is in the traditional brustwerk position and expressive by means of four doors that are opened by a balanced pedal. The case at the back of the chancel contains the Pédale and Récit divisions, which places the expressive division in an excellent position to be heard by the choristers sitting to the left and right sides of the main casework. 

 Grand Orgue Bourdon 16 Montre 8 Flûte à cheminée 8 Prestant 4 Doublette 2 Cornet IV (MA) 2-2/3 Fourniture V 1-1/3 Trompette 8 

 Récit Bourdon 8 Viole de gambe 8 Voix céleste (TC) 8 Principal 4 Flûte 4 Octavin 2 Cymbale IV 2/3 Basson 16 Trompette harmonique 8 Hautbois 8 Tremblant 

 Chœur Bourdon 8 Flûte à fuseau 4 Principal 2 Quinte 1-1/3 Cromorne 8 Tremblant 

 Pédale Soubasse 16 Octavebasse 8 Octave 4 Bourdon 8 Bombarde 16 

Couplers Grand Orgue / Pédale Récit / Pédale Chœur / Pédale Récit / Grand Orgue Chœur / Grand Orgue

Organists

• ? - ? ? (melodeon) Rose Chittenden

• c1866-c1896 Dr. Charles C. Chittenden  D.D.S 

• ? - ? Henry Benjamin Herreid

• ?-? (1920s) Fletcher Wheeler

• ?-?  (1-2 years in 1940s) Larry Kelliher

• ?-? Steve (last name TBD)

• ?-?  Sandy Stevens

• ?-? (spelling?) Susan Nagel

• TBD (after 1976?)-1/3/2016  Greg Upward

• 5/2016-present   Mark Brampton Smith

Facility

• 1894 - Guild Hall added with 2nd floor choir-room, with ante-chamber for vestments

• 1926 - Carroll Street side Chapel added with choir room underneath.

• 1948 - Choir was placed in the last bay of the chancel, behind a beautifully carved screen when altar is moved forward.

• 1987 ? Organ installed in last bay of chancel and choir moved on platform under ?south? side of chancel.

• 2004 ? Choir moved to chairs in the same chancel bay as the altar.

Tower Bells

In the corner tower at Grace, there is a carillon of 23 bells.

Grace’s bells are symbols of Grace’s history and the faith and generosity of generations of Grace members. One vendor estimated that the replacement value of the bells is around $500,000. 

For more info, see http://towerbells.org/data/WIMADISG.HTM.

• 1874 - The first nine bells date from 1874.

• 1955 - P&F additions in 1955(6)

  • Six were added in 1955 along with an electronic manual keyboard that was installed near the organ.

  • Electric keyboard near the organ.

• 1958

  • one more bell was added in 1958 

  • P&F additions in 1958(1)

• 1962

  • one more bell was added in 1962

  • P&F additions in 1962(1)

• 1967

  • three more bells were added in 1967

  • P&F additions in 1967(3)

• 1975-76

  • three more bells were added in 1967

  • P&F additions in 1975(3)

• 2018

  • $60,000 in donations give towards the restoration of the bells.  Lee Manufacturing Company LLC  executed the bell renovation project which included an updated system for  scheduled ringing, tolling, peals, and playing melodies recorded in advance

  • Sunday, October 28, 2018 - Evensong: Feast of Saint Simon and Saint Jude and Tower Bell Rededication

  • After the bell systems were refurbished and functioning,  the Tower Bells have been ringing the items below...

    • The Westminster Quarters, a melody used by a set of four quarter bells to mark each quarter-hour. It is also known as the Westminster Chimes, Cambridge Quarters or Cambridge Chimes from its place of origin, the Church of St Mary the Great, Cambridge.

    • Peals after services, especially on feast days, like after Christmas Eve, Easter Vigil, and Easter Day services

    • At funerals, tolling the age of the person

    • Hymns during the farmers market in the summer

    • Seasonal hymns and carols