It was an afternoon of lovely goodbyes yesterday at Heinz Hall, especially if we indeed never hear from a certain digital organ ever again.

The occasion was the finale of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's classics series, the conclusion of Yan Pascal Tortelier's run as principal guest conductor and the symbolic end of four musician s' careers with the PSO. Both pieces on the program, Faure's "Requiem" (despite its title) and Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3, "Organ," are uplifting works that complemented each other and the occasion well.

Principal percussionist and associate principal timpanist John Soroka (30 years with the PSO) and three first violinists will officially leave the orchestra in August: Roy Sonne (28 years), Chia-Chi Lin (16) and Rosemary Harris (19). While auditions will fill their spots, they will all be missed. Soroka made sure of that by being back and center in both pieces yesterday, putting an extra umpf in his kettledrum striking.

Change is afoot not only in the ranks of the PSO, but in the ranks of its organ. The orchestra plans on buying a new instrument with funds raised in its capital campaign, but yesterday it used an inadequate one.

The digital organ (meaning no pipes at all) exhibited a thin timbre and was out of tune at times. The problem might be that the best digital organs take a great deal of time to set up and fit the hall. Until the PSO does buy a good instrument ( it is hoped with some pipes or a combination digital/portative), perhaps it should stay clear of music with organ.

If the organ issue is a technical one, that involving the organist, Larry Allen, defied common sense. He was not even named in the program! Here is a premier concert organist, known in advance to be playing on both pieces with prominent organ presence. If it is tradition to not mention him because Allen was not technically a "soloist," then that is a custom that must be tossed.

Tortelier captured the elegance of Faure's "Requiem" with balance, tone and tempo, but it was the phrasing of the violins and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh that captured me. This happens to be one of my favorite works for chorus -- period -- and the rounded, unforced singing and the lambent tone of the voices prepared by director Betsy Burleigh brought out the goosebumps.

Only the soloists disappointed. The vibrato-heavy and dark timbre of soprano Nicole Cabell is a poor casting for a part Faure intended for boy soprano. Lucas Meachem's burnished baritone impressed, but his diction didn't. Also, the organ was too subdued, although Allen played superbly. Tortelier wisely brought him to the fore in the "In Paradisum" movement.

Tortelier again was at home in the Saint-Saens, following the dramatic line with acuity and culling sweetness in the woodwinds. But then we should have had our ears pinned back for the famous organ entrance in the concluding maestoso.

Post-Gazette classical music critic Andrew Druckenbrod can be reached at adruckenbrod@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1750.