Episode 38 May 26, 2018 Manuel J. Rosales, Organ Builder
Manuel J. Rosales is the President and Tonal Director of Rosales Pipe organ Company, Inc. He was born in New York City, but raised in Los Angeles. On his 14th birthday Manuel’s father took him to see the movie Fantasiaand he became enthralled with the music of J. S. Bach. An opportunity to work with his church’s organ tuner led to an immediate realization that pipe organ building was going to be his life’s work. He served his apprenticeship with the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York, from 1968 until 1973.
In 1973, Manuel Rosales returned to Los Angeles to serve as the area service representative for the Schlicker Company and established his own firm, Rosales Pipe Organ Service. In 1980, Rosales Organ Builders, Inc., was formed during the construction of his Opus 9, the firm’s largest instrument to that time, for the First Presbyterian Church in Granada Hills, California. The success of this two-manual 32-stop instrument led to several other contracts including his now-famous Opus 11, a 52-stop instrument for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral of Portland, Oregon.
Hear about Manuel’s many collaborations with some of the world’s most famous pipe organ builders. He has studied organs from Europe to Mexico and has built some outstanding instruments throughout the United States. Of course, his most famous instrument is the grand organ in the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Enjoy a fascinating visit with this genius of the art of pipe organ building and hear music by some of the great organists who have performed on his amazing instruments.
MUSIC: Fantasia on a Theme of Gustav Holst Aaron David Miller (2016) Daryl Robinson, Organist Disney Concert Hall American Fantasia
MUSIC: Grand Chorus with Thunder Michel Corette David Britton, Organist Trinity Episcopal Church, Portland Rosales Organ, Op 11
MUSIC: Allegro José Lidon Guy Bovet, Organist Mission San José, Fremont, CA Rosales Organ, Op 14
MUSIC: Finale from Symphony No. 3 Louis Vierne George Baker, Organist Trinity Episcopal Church, Portland Rosales Organ, Op 11