Waails finishes recording “Earthworks” at Upstate Chapel

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By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

CANAJOHARIE — Over the past weekend, from Friday through Sunday, Utica-based artist Anthony Bianco — who releases albums and performs under the moniker Waails — finished recording his upcoming album “Earthworks” at the Upstate Chapel (formerly Sts. Peter and Paul, at the corner of Walnut and Cliff streets), Canajoharie.

“Earthworks”, scheduled for release sometime this fall, is shaping up to Waails’ most accomplished, organic work. Bianco said that while he’s been working on this album for quite some time, having recorded most of the album’s electronic production, access to the Upstate Chapel’s grand piano, harpsichord and towering pipe organ — and “having the chance to record there … to be in the space”, allowed him to “bring a warmth” to the recordings.

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Locals perform songs of joy and reflection during “A Celebration of Ireland”

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By JOSHUA THOMAS

C-S-E Editor

CANAJOHARIE — On Friday evening, attendees of the first-ever “A Celebration of Ireland” concert at Upstate Chapel (the former Sts. Peter and Paul Church), were treated to an eclectic evening of spirited performances by 11 talented local acts and individuals.

The tone of the performances ran the gamut from upbeat — with a performance by Judy Sinner being downright hilarious — to somber and contemplative.

While Upstate Chapel held its first concert only 15 months ago, attendees of the many shows that have taken place since already know that a show at the venue is a safe bet in terms of quality.

During Friday’s event, it felt like there was something in the air, and every single performance was flawless and engaging. From the organ prelude by Upstate Chapel owner Eric Stroud to the final performance by the Stonehouse Piper Misha Murdoch — playing the prelude “Londonderry Air” as he walked down the aisle, the sound of the bagpipes moving throughout the vast space — the evening’s music evoked nearly every emotion, from mournful sorrow to jubilation, all grounded by nostalgic melodies. The audience was rapt and utterly silent one moment, and the next they’d be clapping along in perfect unison, smiles on their faces.

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Old church buildings have vast potential but present challenges

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By BILL ACKERBAUER , The Leader Herald

T he architectural landscape of Fulton and Montgomery counties is dotted with historic churches, and over time, more and more of them have ceased to be used for religious purposes.

Many churches have closed as their congregations consolidate or fade away, and while the venerable buildings are available for relatively low prices, they can be costly for private owners to renovate and maintain.

A for-sale sign hangs on the weathered front door of the former First Methodist Church in Gloversville’s Bleecker Square. The owner, Church of God of Prophecy Northeast Region, based in Albany, was ordered to pay fines totaling $60,000 after stained-glass windows and steeple clocks were removed from the 143-year-old church without the city Historic Preservation Review Board’s consent.

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150 years of Sts. Peter & Paul

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By LINDA KELLETT

C-S-E News Staff

CANAJOHARIE — America was a divided nation, New York the most populous Union state and the chief contributor of Union troops when the former Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Canajoharie was constructed. Designed in the Gothic style of native limestone, it was built at its current location at the corner of Cliff and Walnut streets for about $5,000 in 1862 and remodeled 30 years later.

That’s according to Jean Stroud, who purchased the former Roman Catholic Church with her husband, Eric, in 2010, shortly after it was closed by the Roman Catholic Diocese in Albany. The former congregation merged with Our Lady of Hope in Fort Plain that summer.

She noted that in the church’s early years, a single priest travelled from Cooperstown to the site, and the congregation grew rapidly. They had their own resident priest by the 1870s, with missions branching out to Fort Plain and St. Johnsville in the 1880s.

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Organist treasures more than music

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March 15, 2012
By AMANDA WHISTLE , The Leader Herald

CANAJOHARIE – For Eric Stroud and his wife, Jean, the former Sts. Peter & Paul Church is a sanctuary.

When the New Jersey couple bought the village church building from the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese for $120,000 in October 2010, it primarily was because of the 35-year-old pipe organ, which has 500 to 700 pipes.

But they said they also found a community that welcomed them and a beautifully maintained, 150-year-old building, which was constructed in 1862 from limestone harvested from that same site.

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Former Sts. Peter and Paul church is alive with music

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By LINDA KELLETT

C-S-E News Staff

CANAJOHARIE — Music lovers packed Sts. Peter and Paul here as three talented organists filled the former Roman Catholic Church sanctuary with sound on Friday night.

New Jersey-based organist Eric Stroud, who owns the building with his wife, Jean, was one of the three musicians performing a diverse program of selections by composers such as Georg Frederic Handel, Felix Mendelssohn, Johann Sebastian Bach, and others.

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