A handful of area churches are blessed to have pipe organs in their sanctuaries, but only First Baptist Church of Savannah on Chippewa Square has the oldest organ and the largest with more than 4,000 pipes.
This year marks the centennial celebration for the magnificent E.M. Skinner organ that has been a part of the sanctuary since 1922 and to celebrate the occasion a free organ concert series begins today at the historic church.
“We have tried to plan a variety of concerts to show off the versatility of the instrument, but also to provide a little something for everyone,” said Justin Addington, organist and minister of music at First Baptist.
Addington planned the versatile 12-part series, which includes everything from a hymn festival, performances by singers from the Savannah VOICE Festival and local church choirs and music from “The Phantom of the Opera.
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Dr. Charles Tompkins, organ professor at Furman University, will present the inaugural organ recital beginning at 5 p.m. at the church at 223 Bull St. Tompkins has been a member of the Furman faculty since 1986. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester and the University of Michigan. He performs nationally and internally and has presented recitals at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris and St. Paul's Cathedral, London.
"Next week’s concert will be the first solo recital I’ve played at First Baptist, and the first time I’ve played their wonderful organ since it was recently expanded. The music on the program is dramatic and colorful, and includes – in addition to a major work by J.S. Bach (the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue) – several pieces that I chose in honor of MLK day next Monday," Tompkins said.
"Although there is no connection between Franck and Dr. King, I think the style of “Pièce Heroique” is particularly appropriate to honor Dr. King’s legacy."
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
First Baptist’s organ is worth nearly $2 million, Addington said. “It has been refurbished several times over its lifespan (with the last time in the 1990s), Addington said. “It is due for another restoration (totaling about $250,000) and this celebration is going to raise awareness and hopefully funds for the ongoing care of the organ.”
The Skinner organ is one of several pipe organs in Savannah, Addington added. “Most historic churches in the downtown area have (a pipe organ),” he explained. “However, our organ is the oldest still in operation. First African Baptist has an older one that doesn’t play anymore.”
In the book, “Pilgrims Through the Years, A Bicentennial History of First Baptist Church, Savannah, Georgia,” author George H. Shriver notes that “In the twentieth century, the new Skinner organ would be placed in the center of the choir loft high above the pulpit in the remodeled church of 1922.”
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News
The church has employed several organists/choir directors through the years, most notably Dwight Bruce, who served from the early 1930s until 1968, and James Richardson who was on the ministerial staff from 1971 to 2012, and in an interim capacity from 2019 to the spring of 2021.
The First Baptist Church of Savannah, was chartered on Nov. 26, 1800, and shortly after the first meeting house was built on Franklin Square. The cornerstone of the present church on Chippewa Square was laid on Feb. 2, 1831, and the building was completed in 1833.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: E.M. Skinner organ celebrates 100 years of beautiful music at First Baptist Church of Savannah
