It's All Up From Here...
(Part 2)
We began our last day visiting Salt Lake City at the University of Utah. After somehow managing to figure out the metro system we met Linda Margetts outside of the Libby Gardner Recital Hall. She showed us inside and gave us a tour of this impressive building. We began in the basement with the class organ room. It is equipped with six practice organs all attached to computers and headphones. Linda is the instructor of this progressive curriculum where students with some keyboard experience are introduced to the organ. The students are taught legato technique and required to perform two 4-part hymns without mistakes by the end of the semester. From there we quickly made our way to the main hall; passing an impressive network of practice rooms and teacher studios. Once we entered the room we were all stunned by its beauty. The organ and room were fitted very well together and it even had adjustable walls to change the acoustics. The light brown wood and white ceiling, in contrast with the black seats, truly made this room impressive. We all received between 15 and 20 minutes to play this relatively new organ and it was another memorable experience.
Our next stop was the Cathedral of the Madeleine, which you may recognize from Sunday's church service and evening recital - however, it was finally our chance to play the organ there! Linda offered to drive us to the church early so that we could eat our lunches in the beautiful fountain area behind the church. It was a lovely place to eat and after recharging we were ready to play. Upon entering the side doors of the Cathedral we were greeted by the organist, Douglas O'Neill, who by coincidence went to school with Dr. Moorman-Stahlman. He took us up to the choir loft and gave us a quick tutorial of the organs features and history. We spent over three hours exploring every aspect of this organ. The organ was actually built by a company from Ireland and the fanfare trompette en chamade (or horizontal pipes facing into the room) was a group favorite. We also had the opportunity to walk freely throughout the sanctuary and were overwhelmed by its beauty. The main hall's decorations are heavily influenced by the Spanish-Gothic Style and the church actually offers mass in both English and Spanish. The building also houses an exquisite rose window behind the organ gallery and it's neo-romanesque exterior was equally as stunning. The choir school was in action, but unfortunately they weren't singing at this point in the day. This organ was an unexpected favorite for many of the members of our group and a great instrument to end on. (For more information on either of the aforementioned organs - see below)
Before we left to come to Salt Lake City many people recommended that while we were in Utah we should take a hike. With Linda and her husband Bert's recommendation we decided to climb to the top of Ensign Peak. After finishing at the Cathedral of the Madeleine we returned to the Condo. We all got changed for the hike and refilled our water bottles. Then we began our ascent. The hike began very well and we had soon walked by Temple Square and were well on our way to the Capital building. However, the path soon became much steeper and this continued all the way to the top (which is the source for the title of the post - there literally was no down hill section from our Condo all the way to the peak of the mountain). We were challenged by the intense uphill portion right before the Capitol Building, but it was great to experience this beautiful monument and to have a chance for a break and a drink of water. After a slew of photos we got back on the road and headed for the peak which we could now see in the distance. At this point we began to wonder if we would ever make it because we had been hiking for over half an hour and we still had not even reached the base of the mountain. The other growing concern was that we had no idea where the trail began. We ran into some locals and asked them for directions, but the general consensus was that you should just keep going in an up direction and you will eventually reach the top. The one women told us that the only time she climbed the mountain she never found the trail but just continued up and eventually made it. In another 20 minutes we finally reached the trail head. We noticed something very interesting at this point. There were a lot of cars parked at the entrance as well as people who were being dropped off. As we soon would learn, most people start and end the climb from this point and we were actually only about half way. We still had the entire mountain area to climb and once we reached the top we had to go all the way back. It was quite daunting at first, but we persevered and were soon on our way. However, it was evident that it would be best to split into different groups. Some people wanted to stay and read the informational signs while others were ready to hit the trail. So we separated and agreed to meet at the top.
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Brigham Young, current Mormon President, along with 8 others hiked to this nearby peak. President Young replied that it "was a proper place to raise an ensign to the nations" which is the source of the name, Ensign Peak. He also declared the valley to be the place where his people would settle after receiving a vision of Joseph and surveying the bountiful resource of the underlying land. This section of the hike was even more steep than before, but it was also more enjoyable because we were now hiking on a trail away from the busyness of the city. The trail had a few beautiful panoramic views of the valley below and was surrounded by blooming flowers. Before we knew what happened we were getting much closer to the top. At about this time the first team reached the top and were celebrating. The second group was about 15 minutes behind, but it worked out well because both groups could see each other from above and below. After spotting them on top of the mountain Lauren and I (Matt), with a quick burst of adrenaline, decided to ditch the trail and go straight to the top. This direct path had looked a lot more gradual from the side, but in actuality it was so steep that we needed to climb using our hands and feet to keep from falling. We soon made it to the top and were rejoined with the the others. Sarah H. and Sarah W. decided to take the long way around, but they were not far behind. After we all reached the top it truly was a celebration! The view of the valley below was absolutely incredible and we finally could get a good view of the Salt Lake. There was also an interesting 18-foot monument that was erected in 1934 in honor of Brigham Young from stones collected along the Mormon Trail. We took our time and enjoyed a well deserved break. It was hard to leave the summit, especially knowing that we had to hike all the way back to our Condo, but we were becoming increasingly hungry.
Earlier in the day we decided to have our last meal on the roof of our Condo. Yes, I meant to say the roof! The condo had a beautiful area on the top of the building furnished with tables, chairs, umbrellas, and a grill. Many of us had been eating our breakfast on this terrace in the morning before we went adventuring and ever since we had discovered the grill we wanted to have a cookout. So we decided to have it for our final dinner. We went shopping in the afternoon and prepared all of the food for grilling before we left for the hike.
As we trudged back down the hill we were all dreaming of cheese burgers, broccoli, pineapple, and bell peppers all made fresh on the grill. After we made it home we quickly began the final preparations for dinner. Matt grilled the food and the ladies prepared the table and other food including chips, waffle fries, sweet potato fries and all the fudge/orange cream sicles we could eat for dessert. We spent the evening gorging ourselves and sweetly reminiscing about the past few days. We also discussed the possibility of future ventures that could take us as far as France. The night wound down to a peaceful close and we retired full and content.
Our next stop was the Cathedral of the Madeleine, which you may recognize from Sunday's church service and evening recital - however, it was finally our chance to play the organ there! Linda offered to drive us to the church early so that we could eat our lunches in the beautiful fountain area behind the church. It was a lovely place to eat and after recharging we were ready to play. Upon entering the side doors of the Cathedral we were greeted by the organist, Douglas O'Neill, who by coincidence went to school with Dr. Moorman-Stahlman. He took us up to the choir loft and gave us a quick tutorial of the organs features and history. We spent over three hours exploring every aspect of this organ. The organ was actually built by a company from Ireland and the fanfare trompette en chamade (or horizontal pipes facing into the room) was a group favorite. We also had the opportunity to walk freely throughout the sanctuary and were overwhelmed by its beauty. The main hall's decorations are heavily influenced by the Spanish-Gothic Style and the church actually offers mass in both English and Spanish. The building also houses an exquisite rose window behind the organ gallery and it's neo-romanesque exterior was equally as stunning. The choir school was in action, but unfortunately they weren't singing at this point in the day. This organ was an unexpected favorite for many of the members of our group and a great instrument to end on. (For more information on either of the aforementioned organs - see below)
Before we left to come to Salt Lake City many people recommended that while we were in Utah we should take a hike. With Linda and her husband Bert's recommendation we decided to climb to the top of Ensign Peak. After finishing at the Cathedral of the Madeleine we returned to the Condo. We all got changed for the hike and refilled our water bottles. Then we began our ascent. The hike began very well and we had soon walked by Temple Square and were well on our way to the Capital building. However, the path soon became much steeper and this continued all the way to the top (which is the source for the title of the post - there literally was no down hill section from our Condo all the way to the peak of the mountain). We were challenged by the intense uphill portion right before the Capitol Building, but it was great to experience this beautiful monument and to have a chance for a break and a drink of water. After a slew of photos we got back on the road and headed for the peak which we could now see in the distance. At this point we began to wonder if we would ever make it because we had been hiking for over half an hour and we still had not even reached the base of the mountain. The other growing concern was that we had no idea where the trail began. We ran into some locals and asked them for directions, but the general consensus was that you should just keep going in an up direction and you will eventually reach the top. The one women told us that the only time she climbed the mountain she never found the trail but just continued up and eventually made it. In another 20 minutes we finally reached the trail head. We noticed something very interesting at this point. There were a lot of cars parked at the entrance as well as people who were being dropped off. As we soon would learn, most people start and end the climb from this point and we were actually only about half way. We still had the entire mountain area to climb and once we reached the top we had to go all the way back. It was quite daunting at first, but we persevered and were soon on our way. However, it was evident that it would be best to split into different groups. Some people wanted to stay and read the informational signs while others were ready to hit the trail. So we separated and agreed to meet at the top.
After arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Brigham Young, current Mormon President, along with 8 others hiked to this nearby peak. President Young replied that it "was a proper place to raise an ensign to the nations" which is the source of the name, Ensign Peak. He also declared the valley to be the place where his people would settle after receiving a vision of Joseph and surveying the bountiful resource of the underlying land. This section of the hike was even more steep than before, but it was also more enjoyable because we were now hiking on a trail away from the busyness of the city. The trail had a few beautiful panoramic views of the valley below and was surrounded by blooming flowers. Before we knew what happened we were getting much closer to the top. At about this time the first team reached the top and were celebrating. The second group was about 15 minutes behind, but it worked out well because both groups could see each other from above and below. After spotting them on top of the mountain Lauren and I (Matt), with a quick burst of adrenaline, decided to ditch the trail and go straight to the top. This direct path had looked a lot more gradual from the side, but in actuality it was so steep that we needed to climb using our hands and feet to keep from falling. We soon made it to the top and were rejoined with the the others. Sarah H. and Sarah W. decided to take the long way around, but they were not far behind. After we all reached the top it truly was a celebration! The view of the valley below was absolutely incredible and we finally could get a good view of the Salt Lake. There was also an interesting 18-foot monument that was erected in 1934 in honor of Brigham Young from stones collected along the Mormon Trail. We took our time and enjoyed a well deserved break. It was hard to leave the summit, especially knowing that we had to hike all the way back to our Condo, but we were becoming increasingly hungry.
Earlier in the day we decided to have our last meal on the roof of our Condo. Yes, I meant to say the roof! The condo had a beautiful area on the top of the building furnished with tables, chairs, umbrellas, and a grill. Many of us had been eating our breakfast on this terrace in the morning before we went adventuring and ever since we had discovered the grill we wanted to have a cookout. So we decided to have it for our final dinner. We went shopping in the afternoon and prepared all of the food for grilling before we left for the hike.
As we trudged back down the hill we were all dreaming of cheese burgers, broccoli, pineapple, and bell peppers all made fresh on the grill. After we made it home we quickly began the final preparations for dinner. Matt grilled the food and the ladies prepared the table and other food including chips, waffle fries, sweet potato fries and all the fudge/orange cream sicles we could eat for dessert. We spent the evening gorging ourselves and sweetly reminiscing about the past few days. We also discussed the possibility of future ventures that could take us as far as France. The night wound down to a peaceful close and we retired full and content.
About the Organs:
Libby Gardner Concert Hall Organ: The new Lively-Fulcher pipe organ built for the Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City was installed and completed by May 2000. The instrument has 58 speaking stops playable over five divisions (Grand Orgue, Recit Expressif, Positif Expressif, Bombarde and Pedale). The three manual and pedal key actions are mechanical while the stop action is electric complete with state of the art combination action and 256 levels of memory. The tonal inspiration for the instrument is firmly based in 19th century France but is designed and voiced with a broad literature base in mind due to the varied use that the organ will need to respond to at this modern University.
The Cathedral of the Madeleine Gallery Organ: In 1909, a 27 rank electro-pneumatic organ was built and installed by the Kimball Company of Chicago. It was rebuilt by Schoenstein of San Francisco in 1953. By the mid 1980's, this organ had come to the end of its natural life and was replaced in 1992 by a new 77/79 rank mechanical action English-style organ built by Kenneth Jones and Associates of Bray, Ireland. The organ, which has 4,066 pipes, stands in a Gothic case designed to match the woodwork installed in the Comes interior of 1918. A notable element of the organ is the Fanfare Trumpet that extends from the front of the choir gallery. The organ serves both liturgical and concert purposes.
Libby Gardner Concert Hall Organ: The new Lively-Fulcher pipe organ built for the Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City was installed and completed by May 2000. The instrument has 58 speaking stops playable over five divisions (Grand Orgue, Recit Expressif, Positif Expressif, Bombarde and Pedale). The three manual and pedal key actions are mechanical while the stop action is electric complete with state of the art combination action and 256 levels of memory. The tonal inspiration for the instrument is firmly based in 19th century France but is designed and voiced with a broad literature base in mind due to the varied use that the organ will need to respond to at this modern University.
The Cathedral of the Madeleine Gallery Organ: In 1909, a 27 rank electro-pneumatic organ was built and installed by the Kimball Company of Chicago. It was rebuilt by Schoenstein of San Francisco in 1953. By the mid 1980's, this organ had come to the end of its natural life and was replaced in 1992 by a new 77/79 rank mechanical action English-style organ built by Kenneth Jones and Associates of Bray, Ireland. The organ, which has 4,066 pipes, stands in a Gothic case designed to match the woodwork installed in the Comes interior of 1918. A notable element of the organ is the Fanfare Trumpet that extends from the front of the choir gallery. The organ serves both liturgical and concert purposes.