This site was modified and up-dated October 14, 1999

[Sections of interest to Organists, Organ buffs, etc. marked ** -Infomation on Organ Projects located in the section after my address and email link.]

PLEASE VISIT OUR LYCOS ORGAN SITE: http://homepages.lycos.com/RossTrant/lypersonal/Trant_Pipe_and_Reed_Organ_Serviceindex-2.html

SPECIAL WELCOME to guests from the Salon, and Paddles as well!

(!)To whom it may concern! Would you believe that some Nuts are very fond of Kids???

NAVIGATE THE NIGHTMARE! The following is a list of the headings, numbered and in order. If you do not want to read all at once, use this guide and scroll down to the sections of interest to you. 1. Christmas Eve Organ Recital 2. Visit the Art Show! 3. Portrait of the Site Owner 4. General note 5. Sailboat Withdrawal Syndrome (SBWS) 6. Sailing 7. Writing 8. Motorsport 9. Painting and Photography 10. Visit the Art Show a URL [end section] How to Find Me -section 3 - Section 4: 10. Anyone Out There With Similar Interests? 11. **Commercial 12. Past and Present Connections 12A The Trillium Foundation 13. Summer Camps 14. Academic trivia 15. In the U.K. 16. Kingston Connection 17. **Recent Organ Projects 18. ** Reed Organs 19. Pipe Organs Again 20. **Organ Dedication 21. Fermented Grape Juice 22. HELLO! 22 A. Real Life Encounters! 23. Winter plans - Ireland 24. That's it! 25. Counter: How many is a lot?

**1.CHRISTMAS EVE ORGAN RECITAL- PROGRAMME FOR BLACK RIVER MEMORIAL CHAPEL, DEC. 24, 7:00 P.M.: Part I: "Creator Alme Siderum"(Creator of the Stars of Night) Nicolas Lemmens 1823-81; "Sleep Well Child of Heaven" (Alsatian Noel) - Alexandre Guilmant - 1837-1911; "Sheep May Safely Graze" (Chorale Prelude) - J.S. Bach 1685-1750; "Lo How A Rose is Blooming" (Chorale Prelude) Johannas Brahams 1833-97; "Noel for Organ" - Nicolas LeBegue - 1630-1702. Part II: "Swiss Noel With Variations" - Louis Daquin - 1694-1772; "Tucket and Variants for "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen" - Kevin Norris -1939 - : "How Brightly Beams the Morning Star" - J. S. Bach (Niccolai - J.C. Bach) arr. Trant; "Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light" - J.S. Bach - 1685-1750. (Programme notes may be requested by email) Successfully Completed! But a very talkative audience. (Maybe just as well.)

2.VISIT THE ART SHOW! NOW ON LINE! See details under "Painting" below.

3.THE GREEN DRAGON for some time the image on this page, has been replaced by "Lady Anne II" my pet Grampian sailboat. Please welcome her to the site.

4. GENERAL: Early retirement from the education profession made it possible to pursue other interests. I now run a small business in Eastern Ontario, (and as far west as Toronto) tuning, maintaining and renovating pipe organs - an instrument which has been a passion since my early teen years. In addition to the mechanics and design of the King of Instruments, I also attempt to play it. (We now go south and east into Vermont!)

5. SAILBOAT WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME: A NEW PSYCHIATRIC PHENOMENON: (SBWS): Seasonal Recurrance Now in Sight )-: Haulout is set for October 16....

This problem has been discovered from the North Eastern United States to Atlantic Canada and the Great Lakes area. It is also manifesting itself in the north-central parts of both Canada and the United States, where large lakes, prone to either/or freezing over or violent winter storms. Sufferers exhibit severe depression and a need to immerse themselves in books, magazines and catalogues of a nautical nature during the winter months. The illness appears almost immediately after the sail boats are hauled out for winter storage at yacht clubs and marinas. Treatment for this dread mental disorder includes group therapy, usually around the bars in yacht clubs and sailors' pubs, where stories, true and imaginary, are told of past sailing ventures and plans for the future are expounded. SBWS does not always affect the spouses of sailors, some of whom actually rejoice when the sickness occurs each year. Other treatments include: southern sailing charters, cruises, visits to boat shows and trips to exotic places. There is no complete cure in the geographic area noted, although remission comes with spring launch. Full cure can only be attained when the sailor moves south or to the West Coast. Or, heaven forbid, gets tired of sailing. I have been diagnosed with this disorder annually. A temporary cure comes on the first Saturday in May!

6. SAILING: The season is over....and darkness covers the face of the earth....although a visit to an 'eerie' place will definitely be a wonderful, if brief, alternative!

My favourite sport is sailing, and currently, since my wife "went ashore," have a Grampian 26, sail and hull number 66. I chose this boat for its accommodations and forgiving nature. She is easy to single hand, and I have added roller furling/reefing and cockpit control for all lines. She is now equipped with GPS and Autohelm, as well as the usual VHF radio, depth sounder, etc.The boat is called "Lady Anne II" and her home port is Prince Edward Yacht Club, Picton, Ontario. The boat and I, along with Fritz the dog (a Wellington Airhead Terrier) are most often seen around Eastern Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. We are even known to enter the occasional race as well as volunteering at CORK. For those interested in mechanical things, "Lady Anne II" has a 15hp Volvo diesel auxilliary engine.

7. WRITING: Other interests include writing. This has resulted in a couple of unsuccessful books and numerous journal articles on sailing, pipe organs, and in the past, academic matters, travel and general nonsense. My work now appears most frequently in "GAM on Yachting," a Canadian sailing magazine. An outstanding publication, since it uses my stuff quite often! To keep up with modern technology, there are some attempts at immortal prose on some Net boards.

NEW! A new publication! "Tall Ships - Canada" is being published for those interested in these exciting re-creations of a bygone time. The publisher is my niece, Karen Acton-Bond, while yours truly holds the title of Executive Editor. The journal will be a quarterly to start, and will be distrubuted free for the first issue, at least. Volume 1, Number 1, has been printed and distributed. By the next issue we will have added to American writers of note to Tall Ships. Eve Moore joins us in her capacity as a fiction writer tellling tall tales about tall ships, while Nancy Taylor will be reporting on Tall Ships sighted in California and elsewhere on the Pacific Coast. Linda is from Pittsburgh, and Nancy from the San Francisco Bay area, so our little paper attains international status. A beautiful little poem about Tall Ships has been contributed by 'eve.'

8. MOTORSPORT was a major interest in years gone by, and with second childhood arriving, I have recently returned to the fringes of this field with the purchase of a Fiero 2M4 which sometimes reminds me of the Austin-Healy I used to race and rally. I hate to admit it, but in most ways the Fiero is a better car...(just not as pretty to look at! Donald Healey's design was one of the greats of our time...the Fiero's Farina body is interesting, but does not have the 'poetry' that the Healey's lines exhuded.)

9. PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY: Painting, mostly in acrylics and water colour, is another hobby, and this is augmented with photography. After twenty years, the interior of my Praktica rebelled against the damp air aboard "ship." It has been replaced by an automatic Cannon SLR. This technology compensates for my maturing eyesight

Still on Art and Photography, the art show at Prince Edward Yacht Club has come and gone. It was a huge success, since I sold four of my paintings, making enough money to pay for the frames and take Anne out for dinner! The official show dinner at the yacht club was even better than we predicted --- sorry you were not able to attend! Next year, our Seventh Annual Art Show and Sale will be held in November, the 12th, 13th and 14th. Mark your calendars now, and contact me by email for details closer to the time. See you there! (It will also appear on this page, DG and WP). A pinched nerve in my neck caused partial paralysis in my right hand, making painting difficult to impossible for a while. A peculiar growth in my sinuses added to the problem. Soon, though! Inspired by a witch named Eve, August saw me painting again at long last. I was invited to participate in a show at the Mariners' Museum, South Bay about the same time.

10. VISIT THE 1998 ART SHOW! You can visit the Show by entering the following URL (Sorry I could not provide a link) http://www.reach.net/~peyc/index.html - this will take you to the site of the Prince Edward Yacht Club, Picton, Ontario. Click on the heading "Events/Happenings" and scroll down when document is complete.

NOTE: "DG and WP" = Deus volens and weather permitting.

If anyone chances to read the first part of this page, and having done so, is still awake and interested in any of these topics, please get in touch! The contact info is already in the page, and my email address is available to anyone who would like to correspond.

**11. COMMERCIAL! While this is not a commercial page, anyone wishing technical help with a pipe or reed organ is welcome to contact me, and I'll do what I can. Recently I have been working quite extensively on reed (or"pump") organs with a good deal of success, and now offer assistance in this field, as well as "real" organs. HELP IS A CLOSE AS YOUR COMPUTER - use the email link above.

12. PAST AND PRESENT CONNECTIONS:(In Toronto) Blythwood Public School, U.T.S and Cantab College, Toronto Normal School (Teachers'College) "B" and U of T, FEUT. St. Clement's Church, 23rd Scouts/Rovers, All Soul's Lansing and 6th Willowdale Scouts. St. Stephen-in-the-Fields and Glenmount United (Organ.) St. Paul's Runnymede and Church of the Advent (Organ.) Toronto Humanities Club, Toronto Humber Yacht Club and Mimico Cruising Club (still out of town member.) North Toronto Motorsports Club and (briefly BEMC.) Schools as teacher or adminsistrator: Wilkinson, Kew Beach, Woodfield Road, Lord Dufferin, Bruce, Bowmore, Glenview, Western Tech. (Summer gifted school.) Monarch Park and Eastern Commerce (Adult ESL.) Also member of Royal Canadian College of Organists.

12A TRILLIUM FOUNDATION: The Provincial Government appointed me to the Trillium Foundation in January, 1999, as a member of the District Grant Review Team. We will be responsible for examining applications for grants and making recommendations, when these are received from charities and non-profit organizations in the area - our Team covers "Quinte, Kingston and the Rideau" communities. The appointemt was made via an Order in Council, signed by the Lt. Governor, Hillary Weston, and the Minister of Culture and Recreation, Isabel Bassett. The document will make an interesting souvenir for our grandchild(ren) in the fullness of time.

13. SUMMER CAMPS ATTENDED: Camp Endobanah, Norland, Camp Winnebagoe, when on Skeleton Lake, and Forest Bay Camp (Owner/director) Algonquin Park, Galeairy Lake, Whitney.

14.SOME ACADEMIC TRIVIA: And how could I forget! For several years I taught post grad. courses for teachers in Ontario, in the Language Arts Certificate programme, in Toronto, Smiths Falls, Cornwall, and Peel County.

My specific areas were: The History of the English Language, The Nature of Language, Semantics and Linguistics in the English Language, and methodology courses in Literature and The Language Arts. My degrees are in History and the British equivilent of Political Science, with minors in French, Latin and English. Professionally, in addition to a "regular" teaching certificate for all Ontario levels, I received certification in Fine Arts, Guidance and Counselling, as well as Administration.

15. IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: (AKA the UK) Oxford and London Universities. Taught in London at William Penn and St. Mark's schools. Overseas Visitors Club and International Travel and Sports Club member

16.THE KINGSTON CONNECTION; (Kingston, Ontario) has more Federal prisons nearby than any other city in Canada!) "Did time" in Kingston at Queen's University (educ. Curriculum and Administration.) For those from outside Canada, Kingston, a one-time capital of Canada (before Confederation) is a fascinating, historic city. In addition to Queens University and Royal Military College, the area is "home" to a number of Federal prisons, including the infamous Kingston Penitentiary and the Prison For Women (P4W to those in the know.) Fort Henry is also located here. Canada's premier sailing regatta, CORK (Canadian Olympic Training Regatta, Kingston) is a major annual event. Its base of operations is Portsmouth Harbour, one side of which is bordered by the limestone walls of Kingston Pen.

This information is given to help contact people from my shady past! (Or help them contact me.)

**17. RECENT ORGAN PROJECTS:

During this year our little firm has renovated the 1913 Casavant at the Church of the Advent, Toronto. This amounted a major overhaul of the action and a good deal of releathering - unfortunately the Church was not in a financial position to to have a complete rebuild done. However we managed to have all the pneumatics operating and the little instrument in good playing condition. The organ has tubular pneumatic (exhaust) action, something builders today (wisely) avoid like the plague. I had the honour of playing for the first service after the work was completed, and gave a short recital of easy, simple music afterward. Anything else would have been beyond my limited capabilities.

The Programme: "Music After the Mass"

"Trumpet Tune" (Martial Air)- Purcell "Trumpet Voluntary" - Clarke "Panis Angelicus" - Franck "Arioso" - J.S. Bach "der Morgenstern" - Nicolai/Bach arr Trant "Largo" (From New World Symphony) -Dvorak "Minuet" (Allegro from Organ Concerto) - Handel "Overture" (Fireworks) - Handel "Let the Heavens Declare the Glory of the Lord" -Marcello --not too much to stress the intellect or strain the capabilities of a dilletante musician!

**18. REED ORGANS: Reed organs came back into my life this year. The first major effort was to make a large, Victorian or Edwardian-era Karn playable for Cheryl and Monty Boultbee of Picton. A very interesting instrument, very ornate, complete with candle or oil lamp holders. The organ has five sets of reeds, and a 16' extension. The back is fully finished, indicating it was built for church use originally. This is backed up by the power of the instrument, certainly capable of filling a large space with sound. An electric blower (vacuum) had been added, and the feeders removed. Over years of disuse, the action had been attacked by mice, major enemy of such instruments. Most of the valve pegs and felts had been devoured or badly chewed, and the instrument was unplayable when I was called in.

Shortly after this project, the organist of St. John's Church, Waupoos contacted me with regard to the large Estey organ in the Church. While still working, the organ had serious problems with sticking action parts and poor wind supply as well as damage to the case. This organ was built during the 1930's, and lacks the elaborate fret work and architectural features common on Victorian instruments. This work was done in memmory of Ben Ackerman, a former warden of the Church, and late husband of the organist, Patricia Calnan.

Another, much smaller, "pump" organ by Bell arrived here from a local antique shop for some work requested by the purchaser, Elizabeth Alexander, from Burlington, Ontario who arrived in a gorgeous Bayfield 32, which she skippers. The instrument is an attractive-looking example of mid-Victorian design, lacking the overly ornate excressences popular from about 1880 on. The project of making the organ playable was very challenging. The organ was not built to be repaired. There were also design features different from similar more recent reed organs.Even my two source books, Faust and Bryant, were of little help, but we have overcome! A blower has been installed to save on pumping. (Found the blower via the Net, at Theatre Organs.com.)

**19. PIPE ORGANS AGAIN! Back to pipe organs, we are slowly getting everything working on the Wicks organ at Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church in Toronto. As always, financial concerns hinder a complete job. The organ has five ranks of pipes and twenty-four stops are derrived from these, playable on two manuals and pedals. The orignal Wicks had four ranks, a diapason, flute and 2 strings. A Trumpet rank was added on a new chest about 1973 by Roly Webb. This, while an effective register, has many problems arising from the magnets and switches. Frequent, intermitant electrical problems plague this rank. As I see it, the best solution would be solid state switching. This would not only solve the Trumpet problems, but also make the entire organ more flexible with additional piston memories and the possibility of adding digitally sampled stops. Dream on, like very other organist! (But it would be a smart move for the Church.)There has also been damage done to pipes by people entering the organ chamber and using the instrument as a storage area! The combination action (capture, electric) is housed in a cabinet below the main chest. This has been knocked over due to the same invasion, and as a result several pistons do not function properly. I hope to complete repairs soon, since I feel my reputation is at stake as long as such problems are not addressed. These difficulties may not be of high priority to members of the congregation, but I know the newly-hired and highly skilled organist at Agricola is not happy! Repairs have been authorized! We now have a partial solution, with the manual pistons set in crescendo order and the cancel pistons operating. This work will continue.

** AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE IN VERMONT!: January 2 brought an enquiry from a church in Barre, Vermont. The parish aquired a very large 4-manual George S. Hutchings organ, built in 1907 and partially rebuilt. Only two manuals have pipes installed, but the huge console fills the choir loft. There are damaged pipes, worn action leathers and general dissatisfaction. The questions: What would I recommend? How can it be done reasonably? Suggestions so far: Adopt a "phased" plan to spread out cost. Repair action in wind chests, then repair damaged pipes and supply tuning collars as required. Much of this has now been done, with complete tuning and many dead notes returned to full speech. It seems to be an interesting and usable organ now, but a proper console is needed, and the monster, with no combination action, replaced. With a playable instrument next step: replace the console with something smaller- possibly on a moveable platform that could be played in Nave or Chancel area. Sell old console. I am continuing on a consulting/supervising basis. The instrument has 44 speaking stops and 54 ranks, using 2 manuals. The Great has 3 Trumpets (16, 8 and 4). They are on a separate chest, so I'd like to see them with their own "Duplex" manual which would also be a coupler manual. Trumpets would then be available for chorus or solo on the Great and for solo with Great accompaniment on the third manual. Three manuals makes sense , but cost will be the deciding factor. The Church has decided to go with the 3-manual plan.

We are now involving David Cool and Jon Bertschinger of Temple Organs, St. Joseph, MO in the project, and they are prepared to supply a three-manual Austin console with new (Artisan-Classic) solid state key, coupler and combination action for an excellent price. It would also be ready for the 'floating' reeds division mentioned above and a sampled Antiphonal...progress at last! John and David produce outstanding instruments, and the small firm deserves to be far better known throughout Canada and the United States than it is at present. If you have a chance to hear and see their work, do!

**20. ORGAN DEDICATION: - Estey Organ [Prince Edward County] It was an honour to be invited to play at the re-dedication service, St. John's, Waupoos, in memory of the late Ben Ackerman. Ben's widow, Pat Calnan, the regular organist, will also be playing, along with Don Mowat, lawyer and outstanding organist. This took place on St. Cecelia's day (November 22)- most appropriate for choral Evensong. Among my musical choices "Largo" from the New World Synphony, by Dvorak. Anton Dvorak first played this movement on a pipe organ, while doing summer supply during his American sojurn. My selections were last minute, to accommodate my malingering right hand - I had to cheat with my left on occasion when the right did not want to play a couple of notes - two "E's" were played an ocatve low as part of the melody! Only Don Mowat noticed --- I think---

**20A. As result of the Waupoos work, we have done a general overhaul on a very fine Thomas organ (built in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada) for the Black River Memorial Chapel. Thomas organs were among the finest reed instruments anywhere, until the firm merged with Karn. Karn later joined forces with Warren, and became part of Karn-Warren Pipe Organs. They ended their days as the Woodstock Pipe Organ Company. I was asked to play this instrument on Christmas Eve, with a programme of seasonal music.

AND IN CONCLUSION: Odds and Ends (and The End, Too!)

21. FERMENTED GRAPE JUICE: Wine that Maketh Glad the Heart of Man! (Ed. Note: ---and Woman, too. NOT a sexist heading, just a quotation.) Another hobby I failed to mention is wine-making, (followed by tasting and testing the products of my cellar.) This is generally a "winter works" programme - making the wine, that is. [Drinking it is a year-round activity.]

22. HELLO! Hello to Kat, Katydid, Cheryl, Jamieson, Darla (who was first from the Salon, no doubt checking to see if it was safe for her friends and guests) and all other cyberfriends who find this site! (If you do not find your name here and wish to see it on this page, send me an email!) Your messages and opinions are important to me! Pleased to see that you have been here, too, John! The same welcome to Nancy and Elizabeth, and, of course, David, who is part of the R/L family. Sara, it's good to have you as a visitor and correspondent, and now Leon, too. Paul2 - did you get here yet? *REALLY* vanilla! And Angela! Welcome, and please be careful with the red wine, Jersey Girl caused a problem with it once before---Susan, so glad you dropped by, and I hope Lana will become active in the Salon. And Demi. What a delight! Things will certainly not be dull with you around. Hello to Bob, who is new, and a warm welcome to Cheryl who found her way here as well. And Cinny? Good to have you visit. Jordana, thanks for becoming a friend, and Caitlin, you too are very welcome here! Hi Katt! enjoy your visit! Now Eve and Linda have joined in...special welcome to you two! *GGG* Hello Kimberly! Happy to have a Wormgirlie drop by - please come again...

22a - Real Life Encounters: While I have many cyber friends, some have become very special, and this year, 1999, has brought the cyber world into reality...there has been telephone contact with a number, including, Ming, Darla, Eve, Cinny and Paul (and in some cases their alter egos) and actual real life meetings with Cinny, (who was disappointed) Darla, who is a fine hostess, and Eve...... Paul2 arrived from Scotland to sail, sight-see and discuss our mutual interests over a pint or three...Of course Tom Luce, from St.Monica's parish, Barre, Vermont made us welcome in his home, and Jon from Temple Organs is now a 'reality' as well as an email correspondent.

23.IRELAND: Last winter a trip "home" to Ireland took place. We left February 28, immediately after a meeting of the Trillium Foundation at the Royal York in Toronto. No direct flights are avialble from Canada in the winter, so we flew with Air Canada to Heathrow, (London) then after incrdible dealy, with Aer Lingus to Shannon. Somehow we managed, having been awake for some 40 hours, to drive on the left side of the road with the grearshift on the left side too, from Shannon to Tipperary Town, and Arraghslea House, Kilshane. There we rented a small mews cottage, hosekeeping, or as they call it over there, self-catering. The owners are Ann and Jim Mulcahy, he is a vet and she runs the cottage more or less as a hobby, since the Irish government made large financial grants to people willing to provide accommodation for tourists. We chose this location because it is fairly close to Dovea, our family's ancestral home located near Thurles. Also my grandfather lived here at Arraghslea House after being told to leave Dovea due to marriage with a servant, Sarah Mottishead, a housekeeper, and also an artist of considerable ability. That was a "No, no!" at the time! Cousins of the Trants, the Lowes of Kilshane, loaned their dower house to Frederick Ion Trant, Esq., J.P., being more tolerant than his immediate family. We travelled through Tipperary, Cork, Limerick and Clare Counties mainly, visiting Blarney, Cork City, Limerick, Cashel and the Mitchelstown Caves, among other places. The highlight, however, was Dovea. Under the management of Dermot Cahill, the farm has been enlarged recently to include the lands around Kilahara (Dovea's village) which had been sold many years before, and with that brought the Castle back into the Dovea lands. The House has been partially restored, although it is used mainly as an office building now. The old Library has become the "Trant Room," and serves as something of a museum containing Trant memoribelia. The original collection of books remains, and I was presentred with two first editions from the mid 19th century. I was also honoured by being asked to plant a tree in the Arboretum which Dermot is restoring, this was a real delight for Anne and me; the tree now bears a label telling its scientific name and mine, too, as the planter! Dovea House has had a new roof in the past year and all the wood trim was being painted in the original red while we were there. The Church, St. Michael's, but best known as either Dovea Church or the Trant Church, has been sold and is now a private dwelling. The Churchyard remains, and Dermot Cahill is working to have it properly cared for. Dermot and Paddy Prior, a cook, have become students of the Trant family and Dovea. One can truly say that Dermot is the best thing that has happened to the place since it was sold away from the family to commercial enterprise. When I last saw the place in 1961, it was a disaster zone, today it is a house of which to be proud. Now I am committed to go back from time to time and see just how the little oak tree survives. As soon as I have some suitable pictures and a scanner, I will set up a website about Dovea.

Problem: My new computer uses I-Explorer rather than Netscape as before...for images this is not compatible with Lycos and Tripod, so I must re-load Netscape before going on with this project. That has been done, and yet a technical challenge remains.

If you have read this far, and find anything of interest, please email me at the address shown. You can, of course, just use the link inluded in this page. At long last I have a Hotmail address, but I don't check it as often as my regular Eudora mail. [anc_mariner@hotmail.com] I should have done this before venturing into the Net and visiting the Salon! (We live and learn!)

I shall attempt to upgrade this page every month or so, if anything worthwhile comes up for addition. Change helps from time to time - otherwise I get bored here!

THAT'S IT FOLKS! [(-:]

There really is a-----------------------THE END!

Ross

This page has been visited times.Amazing!