I'm surprised that this piece isn't already available here on Youtube. It is a true landmark in the history of the American organ art. Not only is it the first digital recording ever made in the US, it's also a recording of great historic importance and the last recording made by the legendary organist Virgil Fox. The transcription itself is quite extraordinary and is rarely played since it is considered to be too difficult by most organists.

On August 28, 1977, Virgil Fox began an historic series of recordings: the first digital tape recordings made in the United States. This is also Fox's last recording. He passed away 3 years after these sessions, recorded August 28 to 31, 1977 at Garden Grove Community Church, Garden Grove, CA.

Two simultaneous recordings were made. One digital on tape, and one direct to disc. They are said to sound quite different from each other. The direct to disc recording was released the same year. The digital recording wasn't released on CD until 1990.

The Symphonie concertante was written in 1926 for organ and orchestra and was intended for the re-inauguration of the Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia. Rodman Wanamaker's death in 1928 precluded the performance of the work at that time in the venue for which it was written, but it was finally performed for the first time with the Wanamaker Organ and the Philadelphia Orchestra on 27 September 2008.


Specification of the organ in Garden Grove Community Church, California, USA.
Fratelli Ruffatti, Padua, Italy. 1977.
116 ranks, 108 stops, 6.791 pipes

Just a few years later, the organ was moved to Chrystal Cathedral and merged with the Aeolian-Skinner Organ opus 1388 from Lincoln Center, New York. The divisions locations in the Crystal Cathedral organ indicated in brackets. I'm almost prepared to kill to hear this piece being played on the Crystal Cathedral Organ. I'm sure sure that Virgil Fox had that sound in mind when he made this transcription. Even if he hadn't, it would be a great tribute to him.

GREAT
(In "Great", combined with the A-S Great)
Principale 16'
Principale Maggiore 8'
Principalino 8'
Gemshorn 8'
Flûte Harmonique 8'
Ottava 4'
Flûte à Cheminée 8'
Decimaquinta 2'
Sesquialtera II 2-2/3'
Ripieno IV 1-1/3'
Cimbalo IV 2/3'
Contra Trompette 16'
Trompette 8'
Millenial Trumpet 8' (South balcony)
Clairon 4'
Tremulant

CHOIR
(In "Celestial" division, cathedral south balcony, with old Bombarde)
Erzahler 16'
Viola Pomposa 8'
Viola Celeste 8'
Erzahler 8'
Erzahler Celeste 8'
Flauto a Camino 8'
Principalino 4'
Flauto Veneziano 4'
Ottava 2'
Dulzian 16'
Cromorne 8'
Rohrschalmei 4'
Tremulant

POSITIVE
("Gallery Great", cathedral south balcony)
Principale 8'
Holzgedackt 8'
Ottava 4'
Koppelflöte 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Nineteenth 1-1/3'
Twenty-Second 1'
Cimbalo IV
Tremulant

SWELL
("Swell", combined with the A-S Swell, each in its own enclosure)
Quintadena 16'
Principale 8'
Viola da Gamba 8'
Viola Celeste 8'
Bordone 8'
Flauto Dolce 8'
Flauto Celeste 8'
Ottava 4'
Corno di Notte 4'
Nazardo 2-2/3'
Flauto a Becco 2'
Terza 1-3/5'
Ripieno V 2'
Basson 16'
Trompette 8'
Hautbois 8'
Voix Humaine 8'
Clairon 4'
Tremulant

BOMBARDE
(In "Celestial" division, cathedral south balcony, with old Choir)
Violoncello 8'
Violoncello Celeste 8'
Flauto Mirabilis 8'
Flauto Aperto 4'
Harmonics VI (2'?)
Bombarde 16'
Bombarde 8'
Millenial Trumpet 8' (Great)
Cor Anglais 8'
Cor de Schuller 4'
Tremulant

PEDAL
(Included in new Pedal)
Contrabasso 32' (electronic)
Contra Bordone 32' (electronic)
Contrabasso 16'
Principale 16' (Great)
Subbasso 16'
Erzaehler 16' (Choir)
Bordone 16'
Quintadena 16' (Swell)
Principale 8'
Gedeckt 8'
Erzahler 8' (Choir)
Ottava 4'
Spitzflöte 4'
Octavin 2'
Ripieno V
Contre Bombarde 32'
Bombarde 16'
Contre Trompette 16' (Great)
Basson 16' (Swell)
Trompette 8'
Trompette 4'
Rohrschalmei 4' (Choir)


ANTIPHONAL GREAT
Spitzflöte 16'
Principale 8'
Spitzflöte 8'
Ottava 4'
Decimaquinta 2'
Ripieno IV
Tremulant

ANTIPHONAL SWELL
Viola da Gamba 8'
Viola Celeste 8'
Bordone 8'
Flauto Celeste II 8'
Principalino 4'
Koppelflöte 4'
Nazardo 2-2/3'
Cimbalo III
Trompette 8'
Tremulant

ANTIPHONAL PEDAL
Contra Bordone 32' (electronic)
Principale 16'
Spitzflöte 16' (Great)
Principale 8'
Bordone 8' (Swell)
Principale 4'
Contre Trompette 16' (Swell)

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