The three main collaborators in the installation of the organ at Corpus Christi were Father George B. Ford, the pastor, Walter Holtkamp--whose Holtkamp Organ Company of Cleveland designed and built the organ--and William McDonald, the Director of Music. They corresponded while the organ was being planned and built. The story falls naturally into three divisions: Preliminaries, Construction, Plaudits.

No major expenditures could be made by any parish without the permission of the Archbishop's Board of Consultors. In the case of organs, it was required that the opinion of Msgr. William Greene, chairman of the Music Commission of the Archdiocese be asked. The following letter was written to Father Ford after Msgr. Greene reviewed the estimate and plans submitted by Holtkamp and raised some objections as to price, design and positioning. Walter Holtkamp and William McDonald were both somewhat taken aback by the vehemence of his response, but they are united in their contempt for his amateurish and clumsy pretensions to musical sophistication. Each tries to reassure the pastor that Greene's criticisms are ill-considered and groundless.

Walter Holtkamp to Father Ford (July 12, 1955):

Returning from a trip to the wilds of Wisconsin I find your letter of 6 July with a copy of Monsignor Greene's re port to you on the organ. Frankly I am astonished that a man would put on paper so complete a lack of understanding of a subject. Manifestly Monsignor Greene has been informed by sources other than the history and function of music and instruments.

I doubt the advisability of attempting to counter his each and every charge, but for your information I am providing a few answers of explanation. [...]

The true historical organ is not a loud and deafening instrument. It grew to be so in the last half of the 19th and first quarter of the 20th centuries, and some builders still make it so. However the present-day practice of organ builders (the world over) who build for discriminating users is to voice their instruments f or beautiful and colorful tone and the utmost in musical workability like their historical predecessors. Some builders in this country are unfortunately resisting this world trend. it does not itself to quantity production in factories.

[...] The name of pitch of a stop is not an indication of its degree of loudness or harshness. If one has the sound of a beautiful, old Italian, Austrian, Swiss or South German organ in his ears, the sound of any given stop is poles apart from the sound of the same stop in the average New York City church. Monsignor Greene is way out on a limb on this point as he is in his next accusation about an insufficient number of couplers and combination pistons. The trend today is to bring these accessories into just relationship with the actual requirements and not indulge in a showy display of controls for the organist to operate. [...]

My contract form has adequately and with fairness to all, served me and my buyers for a quarter of a century and it was used by my father before me. Your hand and my hand, whilst looking each other in the eye, is more meaningful than all the words on one or ten sheets of paper.

My console design stems from an ideal of simplicity. Musicians who are interested in music and not making a show, prefer a simple console. [...]

Please tell Monsignor Greene for me that his doubts about Holtkamp wanting to meet him now are ill founded. In fact I am looking forward to the meeting, but after one Father Ford has administered the spanking that I have a hunch is now in the making. Be of good cheer Father Ford. All is well that ends well.

McDonald to Father Ford. No date

Well! This [Greene's report] is quite a broadside, and its evident intent is to be as completely withering as possible. I'm a little surprised at the rather savage tone of the attack; I was not aware that our organ affairs could stir up so much heat. The suave facade shows thin and cracked in a number of these paragraphs. [...] This is really a small instrument, and so can never be ideal for playing all types of music. Since something has to be sacrificed--I have given up some of the Romantic Organ voices in favor of those which are essential to Classic. If a Maecenas comes along in the future and offers to give us some sets of beautiful imitative solo ranks, they will be most welcome, and their proper place, the unused chamber on the Epistle side, will be available to receive them. [...] Fundamentally, I think most of this boils down to the fact that Monsignor Greene doesn't like baroque organs, whereas I most assuredly do. Probably the congregation will divide the same way when it hears the instrument. I think we should sign the contract and get on with the building.

In spite of Greene's report, the diocesan consultors gave permission for the work to proceed. This was due principally to the influence of Bishop Joseph Flannelly, rector of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The construction period (September 1955 to March 1956) is represented in our files chiefly by letters from Walter Holtkamp. These are concise, orderly and businesslike, yet leavened by a rather antic wit.

Walter Holtkamp to William McDonald: September 5, 1955

Enclosed please find console layout. Please check over and return with your suggestions. Observe that I am giving you three (3) Pedal Reversibles. Why I am being a softie, I can't say. Maybe you deserve the favor. [...] I was serious about the Tremolo. I prefer to leave it out. You wanted to exercise your pen on the stop names. Please do so.

PEDAL Flauto Dolce needs our attention. It is a covered or Gedackt pipe. GREAT is OK. Unless you want the mixture tab to show the number of ranks. SWELL I like Gambe as well as Gamba.

Sesquialtera:: Do you want to show 2 ranks? POSITIV is OK. COUPLERS shall be spelled out ala SWELL TO GREAT. The only foot marks I put on coupler tabs is ala Pos Ped 4'. [...] I had an exciting visit from the Danish organist: FINN VIDERØ last week. He played a number of my instruments at length and I believe carried away a favorable impression of key action and sound.

Otherwise my life is just Gedackts and Principals.

William McDonald to Walter Holtkamp. (no date)

The Great Trumpet--I shan't go in to a decline over not duplexing it to the Pedal. Perhaps we'll have an 8 reed some day. But as a matter of curiosity, didn't you duplex two Great ranks to the pedal at Yale, and didn't your proposal for Juilliard call for the Great Quint16' to be available on the pedal? Or isn't the Battell Great on a slider chest and wasn't the other to be? Just asking. The Tremolo I haven't made up my mind yet as to how serious I am about it. At present I incline to say "Put it in." Surely it has a long if not always honorable history, and while I seldom use it, it's a case of "I want what I want when I want it." At worst we can always take it out and dump it in the Hudson later. [...] Swel I like Gamba better than Gambe. We always call the instrument by its Italian name. Besides, if we eliminate Doublette, Game and Cromorne we are down to four language, English, German, Italian, Latin and even four are too many. [...] I mentioned the console case to Father Ford earlier, and he has it in mind that mahogany is the traditional Colonial foil to white. My own preference is for walnut in a non-glossy finish, as being a bit less lush and obtrusive. Mahogany in large chunks oppresses me. In any case, are we to understand thru and thru walnut or veneers? I hate the latter, because the edges eventually peel and get tatty.

Walter Holtkamp to William McDonald. September 28, 1955

(1)"Extra Stops covered by supplementary agreement "Please get the final word from Father Ford as soon as you conveniently can. I have the Corpus Christi organ on my drawing board now and want to resolve all matters and get under way soon. The time to next Fall is going to roll around aw fully fast. [...]

(3)"Tremolo" Through the years I have worked out certain details of construction to stabilize low pressure wind supply. My life is simpler if I succeed in talking my organist friends out of Tremolos. My Tremolo headaches are in proportion to the size of the organ. The smaller the instrument, the more gadgetry is necessary to overcome the upsetting effect on my "certain details of construction". On large organs it matters not so much. So, with this confession of helplessness you should say to me "Oh, very well". Or, you may say merely "OK." I shall then be saved the trouble of dumping it in the Hudson river. [...]

(5) "A 16' Coupler" OK! There goes my profit on the job. What shall it be? I suggest Swell to Great 16'. [...] CABINET WOOD--Walnut would be used both solid and veneered. Veneered stock has great advantages in some construction and solid in other. We use both according to the best practice in each case. I can do you a solid Walnut cabinet job but advise against it. [...] There is an old proverb to the effect that "a man's work is but an extension of himself." So, if you find my consoles and organs easily manageable, you should find no difficulty in twanging my strings musically. In fact, I believe you are already doing quite well.

Walter Holtkamp to Father Ford. October 27, 1955

I am eager, and I know you are too, that all details of the organ installation be resolved as soon as possible. To this end I have prepared a drawing and a list of items of preparation to be provided by the owner. Enclosed you will please a print of the drawing and two copies of the list. [...] It would also be well for you to call in the several con tractors required and make sure that all details are fully understood and that you are personally satisfied with everything. Co pies of all this have also gone to Bill McDonald.

Walter Holtkamp to William McDonald. October 27, 1955

Enclosed please find console layout with, I believe, all items brought into final resolution. However, please check it over carefully and, if all is OK, return to me with your OK, Dateand Initials in th e little white box. [...] I am sending this material to Father Ford, as isproper, although I believe he shall pass the buck t o you. [...] I like the layout of the organfine and I like the amount of open space to let sound through to you and the choir.

Walter Holtkamp to William McDonald. January 4, 1956

I now come to your letters of 17 and 23 November and must apologize for my delay in answering. The last two months have been hectic and January promise to be even more so. It seems that everybody and his brother wants some attention at once. I'm flattered, even though tired. [...] It is difficult to analyze the numerous considerations which caused the final layout of the organ. In work like this one is motivated by the needs of instrumental structure, wind supply, access to the parts, supporting framework and appearance. [...] The layout seems to me to have a certain order about it and, for the eye, a logical physical structure, in the space. [...] As I study and visualize the form now in order to answer your question, it looks good to me and I think it will look well from the body of the church. There being so many arches open to the onlooker, I believe "a logical structure in the space" will prove to be more generally attractive.

William McDonald to Walter Holtkamp. No date, but probably early January, 1956

I'm sure you are glad to be too busy. You will never look good as the retired grandfather. [...] I leave the arrangements of the pipes & chests to you. You always have come up with something attractive why not in this case! And so all is, I hope, finally resolved, Deo Gratias.

Your solution of the door problem is OK. Four doors. This makes a wiggly affair but is practical in close quarters. [. ..] This formula [for Cornet pitches] is a State Secret and for your eyes alone. [...] IRONWORKER::: Details later for him. I n meantime he must hold his fire. Your newsy comments on Holtkamp Wing contains "How Cambridge has fallen and Morningside Heights is on the verge." I do not understand. By Cambridge you may mean M.I.T., but Morningside Heights means Virgin to me. Please explain.

Walter Holtkamp to William McDonald. May 1, 1956

Heavens!!! I have forgotten to answer yours of 5 April regarding the steel. I doubt that the little bit of material we shall require will be difficult to obtain. [...] I am considering the advisability of obtaining the steel here in Cleve land for the advantage of fitting the organ parts to it. My greetings to Father Ford and please tell him not to worry.

The organ has been installed. It elicits praise and admiration from across the ocean as well as across the street.

James M. Monaghan, Short Hills, New Jersey, to Father Ford. July 15, 1957

Thank you for the opportunity to examine the Holtkamp organ in Corpus Christi Church. [...] There is no question that the organ is currently the most discussed instrument in New YorkCity and I believe rightly so since it is unlike anything else in the city. Walter Holtkamp has shown amazing ingenuity in the installation and I think the sound is very satisfactory both at the console and in the church. I shall be looking forward to an opportunity to hear the organ used for the accompaniment of voices at a high mass.

James Dalton, Queen's College, Oxford, to William McDonald. December 9, 1957

I have been meaning to write to you, to thank you for letting me hear and play the organ in your church last June. It was the best organ I heard in America, and in many ways the most beautiful. [...] I hope very much to visit the USA again soon, and it seems I have an opportunity to be there from March 16 to April 20. If there is any interest in having me playa small programme in either the first or last week of the trip, I should be very glad to do so.

W. Elbert Krueger, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to William McDonald. February 10, 1958

I was greatly pleased to see the specification of the organ at Corpus Christi Church and to know that Holtkamp was the builder. Schlicker and Holtkamp are to my mind the best builders in the United States. It is very distressing to know that most contracts for organs in Catholic churches are awarded to the very worst builders. Is ignorance the only reason that [xx©©©] builds a large number of organs for Catholic churches, or are other factors involved?

Hugh Porter, Union Theological Seminary, New York, to William McDonald.

November 25, 1959

I do not think I have told you that next summer Gustave Leonhardt, one of the most distinguished harpsichordists and baroque organ players on the Continent is coming from theConservatory of Amsterdam, Holland, to teach in our summer school. As you may know, ourJames Chapel organ will be out next summer. It is our plan to have the new organ fullyinstalled by the opening of school in September. Mr. Leonhardt would hardly choose to teachand play an organ like the James Chapel instrument were it still here and available. [...] Ithin k it would be ideal, however, if part of his classes could be conducted on an organ of thedesign and size of the Corpus Christi instrument.

For more information, write to the address below, call Louise Basbas at (212) 666-0675, e-mail to Hervé Varenne (hhv1@columbia.edu) or fax to (212) 666-9266