St. Joseph’s Chapel has made a lasting impression on a countless number of Christ School students. The sights and sounds, the feelings of serenity and warmth tend to linger years after.
One alumnus has such a reverence for Chapel that he has brought a piece of it into his home in Cedar Mountain, N.C. (about 30 minutes from campus).
Bob Twomey ’73 has faithfully restored the original school organ in loving memory of his mother, Mary, who passed away in 1987.
Bob and Director of Alumni Affairs Dan Stevenson ’72 agree that the organ not only sounds like it once did, but there is a familiar smell of incense from the pipes that is true to its original form.
Christ School replaced the organ in the late 1990s, and the Chapel itself (which was first constructed in 1907) underwent an extensive renovation in 2006.
Bob invited Mr. Stevenson, Director of Media Services & Strategy Ross Weathersbee ’10, and Director of Music & Chapel Organist/Choirmaster James Cassarino into his home on Dec. 14 to capture some of the first recordings of the organ since its removal from Chapel.
Give these pieces by Mr. Cassarino a listen on the above YouTube video at the following timestamps:
0:00 | Introduction 0:25 | “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (J.S. Bach) 3:30 | “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (Hymn #87) 5:11 | “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God” (Hymn #711) 6:30 | “Silent Night” (Hymn #111) 8:08 | “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” (Hymn #370) 9:35 | Improvisations on “All Creatures of our God and King” (Hymn #400) 12:03 | Credits