Cover Feature

C. B. Fisk, Inc., Gloucester, Massachusetts, Opus 146

Chapel of the Holy Spirit, 

Christ Church, Glendale, Ohio

Glendale, Ohio, incorporated in 1855, is an enchanting, historic village of 2,200 inhabitants located 15 miles north of Cincinnati. One of the earliest planned communities in the state, Glendale was positioned next to a railroad that originally provided transportation to local industries and to downtown Cincinnati. These rails now carry only freight but are still part of Glendale’s unique ambiance. Its winding streets and charming Village Square are surrounded by many parks and large Greenbelt preserves. It is the only village in Ohio designated a National Historic Landmark.

In 1865, only 10 years after Glendale’s incorporation, Christ Church, Episcopal, was founded, and soon thereafter an elegant Victorian era stone church with surrounding campus was built. Nearly 150 years later, in the spring of 2014, Christ Church completed an exciting new addition to their campus—the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Attractive, modern in design, and filled with light, the chapel was designed by City Studios Architecture of Cincinnati. Acoustically, the new space is reverberant, well balanced, and nicely supportive of both organ and choral sound. It is outfitted with movable furnishings, allowing for great flexibility and multiple configurations for various types of worship and performance. 

Discussions focusing on a new tracker organ for the chapel began with Bryan Mock, organist and director of music at Christ Church, in the summer of 2011, and by May of 2014, C. B. Fisk was chosen to be the builder of a two-manual, 25-stop instrument. A contract was signed in July of the same year. Dr. Mock, a past president of the Association of Anglican Musicians, presides over a comprehensive music ministry that involves numerous volunteer musicians and encompasses four choirs. From the beginning, he insisted that the primary function of the new organ be to provide fitting, sympathetic accompaniment of his multiple choirs. Naturally, liturgy and literature were central considerations as well, but our charge was to strike just the right balance, with choral accompaniment being the top priority.

Constructed in our Gloucester workshop during the winter and spring of 2015, Opus 146 was delivered to the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in early August. On October 25, one week after the tonal finishing was completed, the organ was dedicated in a service of Evensong, with the Holy Spirit as the theological motif. Dr. Mock presided at the organ, presenting Veni Creator-based music of Nicolas de Grigny, Maurice Duruflé, and J. S. Bach. Christ Church’s 30-voice Adult Choir, accompanied by the new organ, also participated in the liturgy, singing Thomas Attwood Walmisley’s Service in D Minor and Michael McCarthy’s choral arrangement of O Love of God, How Strong and True.

Charles Nazarian’s striking case design for Opus 146 was accomplished in a 1:16-scale physical 3D model, a process that has been the norm in the Fisk workshop for over five decades. As the photos show, the instrument occupies one corner of the chapel space. In plan, the shape of the façade is the result of two intersecting planes tailored to this corner location. The interior layout of the organ reflects this shaping, with the Great and Swell divisions placed behind the hammered spotted metal Principal 8′ in the three right-hand façade compartments (the Great is at impost level, with the Swell just above, oriented back-to-front), and the Pedal division located behind the wooden Violone 16′ in the two left-hand towers. With regard to the development of the visual design, Charles Nazarian has written:

One of the most interesting features of the room architecture is the way intersecting wall planes and wood paneling form dynamic triangular and polygonal shapes. Those interesting shapes provided the angular design language that helps the organ to feel at home in the Chapel’s architectural context. On first view, the most striking example of this shaping may be the organ’s roof. It is deliberately allowed to “fly” above the square ends of the casework with exciting polygonal angles that give the entire organ a sense of being ready to lift off into flight. . . . Since the Chapel is named for the Holy Spirit whose traditional symbol is the Dove, the theme of flight is represented in abstract forms of the pierced pipe-shades over the pipe arrays. The composition of the five shades is
identical, but each one is different in scale and angle, tailored to the pipe tops below. In this case we saw a wonderful opportunity to represent the Dove and to give a signature design element to the organ. The pierced panels also provide a variegated screen for tonal egress.

The request to display the Tetragrammaton was answered by creating three indented panels above the console, just under the three metal pipe arrays. The lettering appears in the center panel. The organ console features vertical stop jambs that add sculptural interest to the casework and afford easy access for registration changes by the musician who is often conducting the Choir. The intended Choir location, in the large room indentation to the right of the organ, provides good lines of sight for the singers to watch the music director at the organ console.

In overview, the design of Opus 146 has taken us down some anticipated as well as some exciting unexpected paths. In every aspect of the organ’s development we have asked the question, “What will make this instrument mechanically, tonally, and visually a perfect match for its home with a personality like no other?”

Reflecting on the presence of the Tetragrammaton on the organ case, music director Bryan Mock wrote in the dedication leaflet, “Christ Church Glendale is dedicated to the second person of the Trinity, our new Chapel to the third person, and the Fisk organ bears the Tetragrammaton (), that is, the Hebrew letters for the unpronounceable and ineffable Name of God, thus bringing us around full circle to the symbolic abiding presence of the Holy Trinity within our community.”

Tonal finishing of Opus 146’s 1,420 pipes took place from early September through mid-October and was under the direction of Fisk voicer Nami Hamada. Nami had visited the chapel the previous September in order to get a first-hand look at the space and to listen to music being made by instrumentalists and singers performing from various points in the room. An acoustical profile was created in imagination, thus beginning the tonal design process. What Nami learned informed countless decisions as we scaled the pipework, computed mouth widths, chose pipe materials, and settled on wind pressures. Recently reflecting on her experiences working in the chapel, Nami Hamada wrote:

When we start to voice an organ, the first thing we need to do is to learn what the characteristics of the room’s acoustics are. As we began voicing the Principal 8′ of the Great for the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, we did a lot of analysis of the room by experimenting with changing the tone and volume of the pipes. One thing that became clear was that the space was very sensitive to the number of chairs present (and, by extension, to the amount of floor area that was exposed), as well as the number of people in the Chapel. The space had a pleasant reverberation and good bass support. The treble range, while not overpowering, sustained its clarity.

Once we learned about the room, we continued with the voicing of each pipe, carefully keeping in mind the changes to the acoustic when the room was in use for various occasions. One of the specific challenges to the voicing of Opus 146 was to achieve the proper volume level of each stop without forfeiting the expressive qualities and distinctive colors of each voice. Another challenge was to find just the right balance between the principal and flute choruses. 

The light and responsive key action of Opus 146 allowed the pipes’ speech to be voiced freely and expressively, which in turn offers the organist the ability to
control the pipes’ speech. The ability to have “flexible” wind, by disengaging the largest winker, enables expression through emphasis or accent not unlike the human lungs, especially in earlier music and hymn playing. For me, this means that the organ can perform a wider range of repertoire very convincingly, and its capacity to lead hymn singing is enhanced.  

While the various flue choruses make available a wide variety of tonal colors, the Hautbois 8′ on the Swell provides a quiet reed color, under expression. The Trumpet 8′ on the Great and the Trombone 16′ on the Pedal add a wonderful strength and support to create a full and exciting tutti sound in the chapel.

All of us at C. B. Fisk are grateful for having had the opportunity to build Opus 146 for Christ Church Glendale. It has recently come to light that this instrument will be made available to organ students of Professor Michael Unger at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Thus, in addition to its many important sacred roles in the chapel, the organ will take on an additional role of great consequence—that of teacher. We couldn’t be more pleased.

—David C. Pike

Senior Vice President & Tonal Director

C. B. Fisk, Inc.

From the organist and director of music

Christ Church Glendale, an Episcopal Church in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio, was founded in 1865. Three years later the parish built a worship space in Victorian Gothic style, complete with Connick windows and a Hilborne Roosevelt organ, Opus 25. The parish built a new education building between this church and the adjacent parish house in the mid-twentieth century. This new construction included a small chapel designed in scale to be primarily used by children. Over time, adults also chose to use this space, and attendance quickly outstripped the chapel’s capacity. This mid-century building was demolished and a new education building was built in 2014, including a large chapel with seating capacity for over 200 congregants. This chapel was carefully engineered and designed for optimal resonant acoustics for clear and beautiful production of music and speech.

Initially there was little planning for a new organ in the new Chapel of the Holy Spirit, as discussions centered on alternative musical expressions within the worship life of the church. Eventually the parish decided that a new organ, of the best quality available, should be built for the space. This organ should, within the constraints of space and resources, be as flexible as possible in accompanying corporate worship within current and foreseeable trends in Episcopal liturgy and the needs of the community. The C. B. Fisk organ company of Gloucester, Massachusetts, was ultimately chosen for its proposed sensitivity to the 21st-century design of the room visually and the superior musical quality of their extant instruments.

Our Fisk, Opus 146, continues to amaze and charm listeners with its beauty as a solo and accompanimental instrument in its acoustical and visual space. It has a warm and inviting sound that aids and supports both congregational and choral singing. It also renders beautifully singing solo stops and powerful pleno for a very wide spectrum of musical production, and I am certain that this instrument will continue to inspire many generations to come at Christ Church Glendale.

—Bryan K. Mock, DMA

Organist and Director of Music

Christ Church, Glendale, Ohio

GREAT – Manual I – 61 notes

16′ Bourdon 

8′ Principal 

8′ Spire Flute 

4′ Octave 

4′ Chimney Flute 

22⁄3′ Quinte 

2′ Superoctave 

Mixture IV–V

8′ Trumpet 

Austin Organs, 

Hartford, Connecticut

Opus 2344 (1961 and 2014)

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,

New Canaan, Connecticut

In New Canaan, Connecticut, just north of a town landmark known as “God’s Acre,” an imposing edifice rises from the staid landscape. St. Mark’s Church was erected in 1961. Approaching from the south, the church beckons your creative spirit as it heralds the artistry that pervades its sacred space. The entrance of the church, facing an elegant, grassy commons to the south, is easily accessed from the street. Entering the two large, intricately carved doors one finds oneself inside an impressive sanctuary that evokes the feeling of a Gothic cathedral. Triangular vaults rise up majestically from towering concrete columns. The altar is clearly the focal point of the room, but behind the altar stands an equally impressive reredos approximately 35 feet wide, standing some 40 feet in the air, displaying 184 intricately carved figures. It was designed by sculptor Clark Fitz-Gerald, whose works can be found in Columbia University, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Carnegie Hall, and Coventry Cathedral in England. 

Behind this acoustically transparent screen stands Austin Organs’ Opus 2344, dedicated by John Weaver in a concert on January 7, 1962. In 2014, Austin installed several new stops and completed an extensive tonal redesign of the instrument.

From the musician

In 2000, we started discussion about completing some major work on the organ. We thought it important to return to the company that gave birth to the instrument, so we called Austin Organs in Hartford for an evaluation and recommendations. Unfortunately the church was not ready to proceed with the project at that point, so the plan was placed on hold. When we revisited the project in 2008, I was surprised and pleased to reconnect with my former schoolmate from Westminster Choir College, Mike Fazio, who was now president and tonal director of the Austin company. 

As fate would have it, the company, now reborn under the auspices of the new owners, has revisited some of the original Austin organbuilding and voicing practices—their mindset moving beyond the so-common trend of “what’s happening now” and going back to some of the venerable earlier ideals. This philosophy is happily right in line with my own personal vision for this organ. I think that this key point in our collaboration helped lead to the successful rebirth of this instrument. Further, I believe that the combination of the talents of the outstanding Austin craftspeople, some who have been with the company for many years, along with the new administration, who respect the past but also embrace the future, to be a winning combination without equal. Working on this project, I was always confident in our conversations about the direction of the instrument, and I was pleased with the outcome, because we were consistently in sync. They always listened to my vision, and it felt like we were always on the same page with the ultimate goal.

When I arrived in 1998, it was already an organ to be proud of, and I was very happy to be playing this Austin, because it essentially worked well in this space. But today, with the tonal work and expansion, it has become much more versatile. While the organ certainly could have been defined as “American Classic,” I would now say that, while that character remains, we now have the impression of an “English Town Hall” instrument. The organ can handle a broader spectrum of literature, and I find that I can accompany the service in a much more exciting way. When I use the term “exciting,” I am not just talking about louder sounds, I am talking about the inclusion of some softer voices imparting more interesting nuance than there was previously. Utilizing the new timbres available in the pedal organ, the organ has developed a new undergirding that has truly helped its effectiveness in hymn accompaniment, among other things. The inventiveness of the Austin company in finding a creative way to add real pipes (installing a full-length 16′ reed in the Swell, and a full-length 32′ reed in the Pedal, and of course, the 32′/16′ Pedal Bourdon) was amazing! The 16′ Bourdon is also an excellent addition, as it helps support the lower voices in the choir and congregation. I am so proud to be able to boast that all of our additions are real pipes, real chimes, and a real harp, without having to resort to the digital versions. I am convinced that these real voices do add significant richness and quite amazing harmonic underpinning. I am therefore able to play the organ in a much fuller way than I could previously. This has improved both my musical creativity and the choir and congregation’s singing in response. 

—Brian-Paul Thomas

Organist and Choirmaster

From the builder

The organ has excellent tonal projection from its lofty position on the central axis of the church. Its tonal disposition is somewhat reminiscent of the late work of Austin’s most famous tonal designer, James Blaine Jamison (1882–1957). He began with the Austin Company in 1933, and his impact was rather dramatic. Early in his relationship with the company, he redefined the Austin Diapason scaling system and introduced his concepts for ensemble structure and voicing, which were quickly adopted and became common practice for a generation. Richard Piper (tonal director from 1952–1978,) continued the same trend, but imparted his own stamp on the company’s work. Piper had apprenticed for nearly a decade under Henry Willis III, working on many of England’s monumental instruments, his final work being the Dome Organ at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Coming to Austin, he was able to impart a bit of English nuance to the Austin version of the American Classic tonal ensemble, but that nuance did not seem to be present in this instrument. My predecessor at Austin Organs, Bruce Buchanan, visited the organ in September 2000. His impression was congruous with my own, in that he proclaimed, “St. Mark’s organ is a version of American Classic with North-European leanings. This means brightness has been preferred to brilliance, and clarity to body.” It was interesting to find his notes some months after I had submitted my own assessment to the church with similar findings.

The St. Mark’s organ had been an interesting platform for Richard Piper’s tonal experimentation. The Great and Positiv were voiced on low pressure (2¾′′ wind). It would appear that the Great Organ had the strongest North-German influence: light Prinzipal scaling, heavy mixture scaling, and the foundation apparently based on the 16′ Quintaton. Overall, the division exhibited bright ensemble tone and the Positiv was much like it. The Swell was designed with somewhat stronger English influence. It, like the Choir, was voiced on 4′′ of wind presure. It was built with colorful flutes, and lush string tone; it also had a full reed chorus, yet not a proper Oboe; there was a high-pitched Plein Jeu, yet the department lacked a full principal chorus. The Choir flue chorus is made up of flutes, independent cornet mutations, and a Gemshorn and Celeste. The Choir reeds included a rather thin Krummhorn (3/4′′ scale) and an 8′ Trumpet, voiced on 6′′ of wind pressure. In the style of many fine Austin instruments of the period, this organ’s Pedal division had nine independent ranks of pipes, beginning with a generous 16′ Open Wood Contra Bass, through a Pedal Mixture and reed chorus. At some point in history, an electronic 32′ Bourdon extension was added, but had failed and was disconnected several years ago.

Approaching the organ’s tonal redesign, we had some specific goals in mind: improve the Diapason chorus, revoice/replace some existing reeds, and supplement the Pedal department. Other enhancements became possible as the project developed. For example, while we would have liked to build a new, movable, drawknob console for the instrument, a decision was made for the present time to maintain the existing console. It was certainly showing its age, but we decided to add new stopkeys in situ for the new voices. This approach would allow us to use more available funds for tonal work as a first step. It would seem that God had other thoughts. Within a month of signing the contract for the tonal work, the church was hit by an electrical storm that disabled the console, along with the church’s sound system. We removed the console to the factory, and installed a new multiplexed console and organ control system, featuring a fiber-optic connection between the console and the organ’s Universal Air Chest. While back “home” in the factory, the manual and pedal claviers were refurbished, all new wiring and stop controls were installed, and the elegant black walnut casework finish was also restored. 

Tonal matters

The first matter to address was the wind pressure. To achieve the aural presence we collectively desired, we recognized that the pressure needed to be increased. To that end, we chose to increase the wind pressure to 4′′ water column for the entire instrument. Next, we needed to make a decision regarding the disposition of the Great Organ’s 16′ Quintaton, which had been partly replaced (from 8′ C) several years earlier with Bourdon pipes. The breakpoint from the 8′ to the 16′ octave was abominable, and the effect of the Quintaton in general was counterproductive to our desired ensemble. The Great Mixture was overwhelming and the rest of the chorus was anemic. Our sweeping decision was to remove the entire Quintaton from the specification, and to achieve a manual 16′ voice, install a new Austin Internal Borrow action in the chest that would play the Pedal 16′ Spitz Flute as a Great stop. Previously, this stop was only available in the manual at 8′ pitch, and 16′ in the Pedal. Austin’s voicer Dan Kingman revoiced these pipes to create an excellent Viole de Gamba. Being mildly conical (1/2 taper), we adjusted the nomenclature to reflect that construction, calling it a Spitz Viole. As a manual 16′ and 8′ borrow, it has proven to be extremely successful. While we were sweeping through the organ, we chose to “wash” the 1960s voicing out of the Great Bourdon, which resulted in a flute with more warmth and fundamental. The Diapason and Principal were rescaled, and the Spitz Fifteenth replaced with a new set of Principal pipes that work well with this new chorus. The existing Fourniture was also replaced with new pipes, scaled and voiced to fit perfectly with the new scheme. The final element was the inclusion of a new reed stop for the Great. After much discussion, the choice was made to install an English Horn. Rather than yet another Trumpet, or something from the Clarinet family, we concluded that an English Horn would serve equally well as either a gentle solo or ensemble voice. 

In the Swell, we regret that we were unable to add a new Diapason, as space would not allow it. However, the large scale Viola and Flute are rather successful, evoking “synthetic Diapason” tone, to quote the late G. Donald Harrison. A vintage 4′ Wald Flute was installed to replace the original, which was removed several years ago, having been replaced with the Koppelflute from the Positiv, where it was subsequently returned. The 8′ octave of the Rohrflute was moved off the main chest, and in its place we located the 12 lowest pipes of the 16′ Waldhorn (full-length). The rather pleasant 8′ (French) Trumpet was revoiced to blend well in the ensemble, and a new 8′ (English) Oboe was installed. As a compromise to allow the installation of the Oboe, we removed the 4′ Clarion, (which was rather thin) and extended the Waldhorn to 4′ pitch to complete the chorus. Also added to the organ was a vintage Austin Vox Humana. This particular type is affectionately known as a “Vox-in-a-Box,” as the pipes are entirely placed within an encased chest that hangs directly in front of the Swell expression shades and can be adjusted for dynamic by opening or closing the top cover of said box. The effect of the Vox Humana in this church is extremely successful—it shimmers like a “chorus of voices in the distance!” Finally, the high-pitched mixture was removed and replaced with a new IV–V Plein Jeu, starting at 22⁄3′ pitch. It provides a measure of gravitas to the ensemble, whether flues or reeds. 

In the Choir, we removed the thin, baroque Krummhorn, and replaced it with an 8′ Cremona, which is a hybrid stop that is constructed as a Clarinet in the lower registers, then it morphs into our Cromorne scale in the treble. This treatment delivers the color of a rich Clarinet in the tenor range and the brightness of a French Cromorne in the right hand. As a matter of course, the existing high-pressure Trumpet was reconstructed (new tuning inserts, etc.) and revoiced.

The changes to the Pedal division were rather dramatic. We were able to redesign the offset chests at the sides of the main organ to allow the installation of a 32′ and 16′ Bourdon. More dramatic yet, we chose to extend the Swell 16′ Waldhorn (a time-honored tradition) to become the 32′ Pedal reed. Organist Brian-Paul Thomas was very clear in his vision for this voice: he did not want a jackhammer or clatter, but smooth dark tone. Using this thought as a guideline, we scaled this stop moderately, and consequently, the 12 full-length resonators fit nicely in the space occupied by the former Quintaton, located in a split arrangement on either side of the Great chest.

The other two voices added to the organ were a set of Deagan Class A chimes, and a vintage Austin Harp. These two percussions also work very nicely in this space.

Conclusion

We find the new instrument is exciting, rich, and versatile. It has a delicious, smooth crescendo from pianissimo to fortissimo, never missing a step! These changes were made possible because of the amazing flexibility of the Austin Universal Airchest design. Having been at the helm of Austin since 2005, I am still constantly in awe of the versatility of the Austin system. 

In a future article, we would like to discuss the transformation of a few Austin organs. These instruments were built in the same time period (the mid-1960s). The tonal disposition of each organ was very similar, and they were stereotypical of the period, and desperate for change! The study of the resulting specifications will serve as empirical evidence for any church with an organ, especially an Austin, thinking that there is no hope for a rather bland tonal ensemble. The transformation of each organ was completed with remarkable success—each one unique. We are also embarking on a plan to make a collective recording of these instruments.

While history furnishes a wealth of motivation, we are confident that new avenues and designs are only just around the corner that may enhance earlier efforts. As surely as we are inspired by the triumphs of the past, we face the challenges of today by building organs that will continue to inspire interest beyond today, beyond tomorrow, and into the next generation. Art is only art when it represents the best efforts of the Creator, with both eyes open to even greater possibilities. We aim to create something significant for worship and the performance of great music, and in the greater sphere, to offer our own illumination of how music might be made.

—Michael B. Fazio

Austin Organs, Inc.

President and Tonal Director

Bigelow & Co. Organ Builders, American Fork, Utah

First United Methodist Church, Salt Lake City, Utah

From the builder

Bigelow & Co. specializes in mechanical action instruments that are both historically informed and innovative. It was, therefore, a bit of a reach to tackle the rebuild of what had once been a tubular pneumatic instrument. In retrospect, it has been a fascinating experience, made all the more enjoyable by the enthusiasm and support of the organist and many others at First United Methodist Church, Salt Lake City.

First United Methodist Church dedicated its new building on May 22, 1906, and the organ was dedicated six months later on December 7. The oldest document in the church’s archives pertaining to the organ is a contract with the firm of “Geo. Kilgen and Son,” dated January 29, 1924, in which the first item reads: “To electrify the organ now located in their church using the most modern type action with silver contacts, brass encased magnets and paraffine [sic] cables.” That contract included several tonal changes as well, such as replacing the Great Mixture with a Flute Celeste, replacing the Dolce Cornet with a Vox Humana, and so on.

From the 1924 contract stoplist and other physical clues we made an educated guess as to the 1906 stoplist:

GREAT

16′ Dbl. Open Diapason*

8′ Open Diapason*

8′ Viol d’Gamba*

8′ Dulciana

8′ Melodia

8′ Dopple Flute [sic]*

4′ Octave*

4′ Flute d’Amour*

22⁄3′ Twelfth

2′ Fifteenth*

III Mixture

8′ Trumpet*

SWELL

16′ Bourdon (TC)*

8′ Open Diapason*

8′ Salicional

8′ Aeoline

8′ Stop Diapason*

8′ Quintadena

4′ Fugara*

4′ Flute Harmonic*

2′ Flageolet*

III Dolce Cornet

8′ Cornopean*

8′ Oboe*

PEDAL

16′ Open Diapason*

16′ Bourdon*

8′ Violincello [sic]*

*Ranks that survive with all or most of
their pipes

A photograph from 1915 reveals a handsome case with stenciled façade pipes (all speaking) covering an opening sixteen feet wide and twenty feet high.  Unfortunately, in conjunction with a 1960 “Sanctuary and Chancel Beautification Project,” the beautiful oak casework was discarded and the façade pipes hidden from view. The organ was re-leathered and modified at that time. But, alas, by the 1980s the old ventil chests and actions were failing again. A hybrid electronic instrument provided a quick and economical solution. After Scott R. Mills was hired as organist, the congregation moved toward a more comprehensive restoration of their historic instrument, including a faithful reconstruction of the original oak casework and stenciled façade.

Realizing that many of the original pipes had been discarded or seriously altered, the church purchased nearly forty ranks of Kimball and Austin pipework, including harp and chimes, from the nearby Masonic temple, where that organ had been sitting idle for over twenty years. After examining what was left of the original Kilgen organ and additions, listening to whatever was playable, reviewing the inventory acquired from the Masonic temple, and perusing old photographs, we contracted with the church to “restore” and enlarge their historic organ. Adding only two new stops (four ranks of small pipes), the current three-manual specification was developed.

Most pipes of the Great, Swell, and Pedal divisions stand on their original ventil or unit chests, re-leathered and re-electrified by Bigelow. It is interesting that the ventil chests are in the style of Roosevelt, and may have come from an earlier Farrand & Votey instrument. That firm had been active in Utah in the 1890s, when they had recently acquired Roosevelt’s patents. One wonders: did the previous Methodist church, located about a block away, have a Farrand & Votey organ that Kilgen subsequently moved and adapted to the new space? The discovery of very old modifications to those chests and to the swell box make such a scenario seem likely.

The main Choir chest is a new Blackington-style slider chest by Organ Supply Industries. That firm also supplied electro-pneumatic unit and offset chests used variously throughout the organ and several single-rise regulators.

A 1930s “Style A” console was acquired from the Austin factory, and Jack Nelson of Nelson Woodworking re-surfaced the old worn-out ivory keys with new unbleached bone. The new stop-action magnets and control system are from Syndyne.

With the completion of this instrument, Bigelow is pleased and proud to claim responsibility for all three of Salt Lake City’s most recent three-manual organs, all very different from each other, and each one uniquely beautiful.

—Michael Bigelow

From the organist and 

choir director

The vital ministry of First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Salt Lake City, Utah, began just a few short months after the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads were finally joined at Promontory Point on the north shore of the Great Salt Lake. Methodist missionaries began arriving in Utah to organize churches and schools. 

The first Methodist worship services were held in downtown Salt Lake City in an unfinished hay loft over a livery stable in May 1870. A year and a half later, the cornerstone was laid, and by December our congregation was holding services on the opposite block in the basement of our first new building. By 1905, it was determined to build a larger building (about a block away) to house the growing congregation. Frederick A. Hale, a prominent architect in the Mountain West, designed the building in the Victorian Eclectic architectural style. Although he was responsible for several church buildings in Colorado, this was his only one in Utah.

The FUMC organ has been in its original location since 1906, thus known as one of the oldest organs in the area. There are two older organs in Utah. First Congregational Church actually touts the oldest organ in the region (Farrand & Votey, 1892; renovated in 1992 by H. Ronald Poll & Assoc.), and First United Methodist Church of Ogden, Utah, possesses an organ which has been in storage for some time.

The earliest photo we have of our sanctuary is dated “Easter 1915.” The pipes were stenciled and were various shades of green in color. The organ console sat near the pipes so that the organist had a view of the congregation. The stage area was open. To get to the choir loft below the stained glass windows, members had to pass through the organ chamber—the door can be seen in the middle of the photo. We have members who have recalled as little children “running through the pipes” to get to the choir loft.

In the 1930s, the front façade pipes received the first of three paint-overs that occurred over the years with a dull gold color. The organ console was moved down to the main floor of the sanctuary during the tenure of organist and music director Dr. Frank W. Asper, who served from 1924–1939. He conducted a 30-voice choir and gave weekly organ recitals before worship. Dr. Asper was also a Mormon Tabernacle organist, serving from 1924–1965.  

In 1960, at the time of the sanctuary and chancel beautification project, the organ façade pipes were moved back and a translucent screen placed behind a wooden grille. A set of crosses were placed in front of the screen and lights installed behind the screen. The pipes were no longer visible. Permanent pulpits were added with flower boxes and a new seating arrangement with benches for the choir loft. Since then, there have been several remodeling and renovation efforts, the last major one in 1989. The organist at the time requested that the church have the organ fixed so that it would be reliable. One can be grateful that they did not discard the historic pipes or chests. Due to financial restraints at the time, the church augmented the working components of the organ with an electronic Rodgers organ. The façade pipes were brought back out to be seen in the sanctuary with new woodwork framing the pipes. The inaugural concert was given by American concert organist and principal organist of the Wanamaker Organ, Keith Chapman, about three months before his untimely death.

When I was hired as the organist in 2008, I could tell that the organ was in need of significant repair. So we embarked on that possibility. The pipes were tuned and amid the ciphers, we could hear the potential warmth and beauty that the organ had to offer.

In November 2009, we launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to restore the organ and sanctuary back as close as possible to its original roots, keeping with its integrity, period, and design. The organ project included re-establishing the organ’s unique 1900s tonal style, its organ case from the 1915 photo, a vintage console, and augmenting its character with other vintage components. After looking around the country for vintage components, we found what we needed in our own backyard at the Salt Lake Masonic Temple. The organ at the Masonic Temple was originally in the American Theatre, a 3,000-seat silent movie theatre and the largest in Utah at the time, which was located on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City. The instrument was originally built by the W. W. Kimball Company. The Austin Organ Company enlarged the organ in 1915 (Opus 609). In 1917, Alexander Schreiner, later a Mormon Tabernacle organist for 53 years, was playing on this organ as a high school student purportedly making more money than his teachers. Near the end of the silent movie era, local organists had the vision to preserve the organ and move it from the American Theatre to the new Masonic Temple building that had been finished in 1927.

By 2014, with donors attending and supporting organ recitals by community organists, grant writing, and a very successful crowd-funding campaign, we had raised sufficient funds to hire Bigelow & Co. of American Fork, Utah. We removed the Rodgers console and purchased a console that had been built in about 1930 that had previously been part Austin Opus 1702 in the Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Cincinnati, Ohio. Bigelow restored the original finish of the console and replaced the insides with state-of-the-art controls. We hired Tony Devroude of Artisan Organ to stencil the pipes. With his experience and expertise, Tony was able to recreate the original paint colors and stenciling designs, returning the original façade pipes back to their majestic beauty. He established the colors and designs by carefully peeling away layers of paint. Tony also turned the beautiful round middle tower base, crafted much of the case ornament including the four pineapples on top and the wooden dummy “stubby” pipes in the two arched openings. Finally, we removed the carpet in the front of the sanctuary and the 1960s paneling and opened up the chancel area. Thus, we have brought back the “look and feel” of the original sanctuary space with the tremendous sound of the organ now known as the Wesleyan Heritage Organ, Bigelow Opus 38 (2015).

“Methodism was born in song.” The music and liturgy of the worship at First United Methodist Church of SLC will return to its former glory. This was a true church and community effort. We are grateful to the members of FUMC, the many, many donors in the community, to the many workers with the remodeling of the sanctuary, and especially to the remarkable craftsmanship of Bigelow & Co. and for their meticulous care and expertise in preserving this historical organ. Our hearts are full of gratitude for their tireless efforts in making our dream become a reality.

Preserving these instruments (First Methodist and the Masonic Temple) with their treasured history provides a significant connection with our past and provides a sustaining commitment to who we are as a people in our worship to God.

—Scott R. Mills, Principal Organist/Music Coordinator

Bigelow & Co., Opus 38

Schoenstein & Co., 

Benicia, California

Grace Episcopal Church,
Hartford, Connecticut

A Symphonic Church Organ??

What does “symphonic organ” mean? The definition of this often-misunderstood term is best prefaced by what it is not. The symphonic organ does not attempt to imitate precisely the instruments of the symphony orchestra. It is not designed specifically to render orchestral transcriptions. It is not a refined theatre organ! The term “symphonic” does not relate to specific sounds, but rather to an overall versatility in musical performance. Most will agree that the modern symphony orchestra is the ideal instrumental medium for interpreting musical images both emotional and intellectual. Shouldn’t an organ have these qualities?

In 1993 we completed our first symphonic-style organ for Wynne Chapel of Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. At 30 stops, 35 ranks, it was certainly a miniature in comparison to Yale University’s Woolsey Hall organ of 142 stops, 197 ranks, which is considered by most to be the premier American symphonic organ. Located in a small chapel and almost entirely enclosed, the Dallas organ was able to give the effect of a very large comprehensive instrument without excessive loudness. We thought we had gone as far as we could in miniaturizing the symphonic concept.

As part of his research on the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Jonathan Ambrosino visited First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Their chapel needed a companion to the Aeolian-Skinner in the church. Jonathan, having heard our Wynne Chapel organ, suggested that they might like something along the same lines although there was room for only 15 ranks. Holt and Marcia Andrews, associate music directors, contacted us and initiated an absolutely fascinating challenge, which we fulfilled in 1996.

The vital question we addressed for the Spartanburg project was, “what is the musical job to be done?” Why does a church, let alone a small chapel, need a symphonic-style instrument? After receiving hundreds of letters from organ committees over the years suggesting all the things they wanted their new organ to do, it became obvious to me that in most situations a symphonic-style instrument is exactly what they need. Above all, a church organ must wear well, and that means having a variety of tone under effective expression. This is especially vital in accompaniment, which is the church organ’s biggest single job.

Thinking like an Orchestrator

To start the design process, I tried thinking of each stop in an organ as a player in an orchestra. How do orchestrators reduce instrumentation and still produce a symphonic effect? The model for this, of course, is Hollywood and the great studio orchestras for pictures, radio, and recordings. Throughout the “Golden Age” of Hollywood music from the early ’30s to the early ’60s, orchestras limited by budget and studio size were able to produce effects in a wide variety of repertoire, sounding like an ensemble twice the size. How did they do it? A typical set-up would be: one flute (doubling piccolo), one oboe (doubling English horn), four players (doubling a combination of saxophones, clarinets, bass clarinet, flute, oboe, and bassoon); one horn; three trumpets, two trombones, tuba; piano, harp, percussion (one traps and one mallets/tympani); eight violins, three violas, two ’cellos, and two double basses. 

What does this show us? First, the huge string section and full woodwinds of the symphony orchestra can equal the brass and produce a mighty ensemble ff. In the reduced instrumentation, the brass section has to take the stage and be the power center. Second, there is at least one of every symphonic tone color including the three that always make a small orchestra sound big—horn, harp, and tympani. Using different tone colors than one would find in a traditional chamber orchestra of the same size gives the illusion of a much larger ensemble. The use of doubling, which we might compare to unification in an organ, adds even more variety with only slight additional expense. Third, to produce solid bass, the tuba is generally written with the double basses rather than with the brasses.

Here is how we adapted these ideas to the organ.

Tonal Qualities

1. Diapasons. The most important element of organ tone is the diapason. Even in a small organ it is best to have two contrasting characters of diapason tone and at least one well-developed chorus. However, in small rooms or dry acoustics, powerful upperwork can be very unattractive.

2. Trumpets. The ultimate power of the full ensemble is the organ’s “brass”—8′ and 16′ tone representing the trumpet and trombone of the orchestra. In smaller acoustics, power is best achieved with unison tone of great warmth and intensity. The proper character is usually achieved through high wind pressure.

3. Flutes. Of prime importance is vividly differentiated tone color including mutations and one powerful, open solo flute.

4. Strings and hybrids. What seems a luxury is really practical—two celeste stops: a pair of genuine orchestra strings, and a pair of soft ethereal voices. Most small organs rely on one compromise celeste pair to do these two very different jobs. Such stops usually tend toward flute or diapason tone. Although they may be attractive, they do not elevate an instrument into the symphonic class. Keen strings are absolutely necessary, but so are the less assertive, dolce tones. Both should be represented, and the string pair should be full compass to low C.

5. Color reeds. Normally a small organ would have just one color reed, such as an oboe. To enter the symphonic class, a contrasting tone such as clarinet is more important than a second mixture, for example. Color reed tone is useful in both solo and accompanimental roles. 

6. Powerful Pedal bass. The symphonic organ has representatives of each tone color in the Pedal department. A Bourdon is not enough; there must also be open flue tone and reed tone to provide clarity, point, and drama. If possible, 32′ tone should be included.

7. Effective expression. A symphonic organ must be able to produce a crescendo from ppp to fff. It should also be able to produce full organ effects at less than full organ volume. Part of this has to do with the proper terracing of voices, but solid expression boxes with responsive shades are vital, too.

8. Contrasting expression. There must be at least two divisions under expression for an organ to start claiming symphonic status. In a small instrument, as many voices as possible should be under expression. In the symphonic concept, unexpressive voices are a luxury normally reserved for large instruments. In some cases layout demands that certain voices be unexpressive, for example where the Swell must be behind the Great, but this should be an exception.

A full exposition of these ideas was presented in an article with several sample stop lists titled “Organ Design and the Kraft Music Hall” in the October 2002 issue of The Diapason. Since then, in addition to Antiphonal divisions at First-Plymouth Congregational Church, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Park Cities Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas, we have completed similar instruments for Georgetown University and our organ at Christ and St. Stephen’s Church in New York City, which was given a thorough narrated demonstration on YouTube (search “Schoenstein Tonal Demonstration”).

Grace Episcopal Church, Hartford, Connecticut

Our latest instrument along these lines is blessed with the most ideal environment an organbuilder could wish. The room is small seating only 112 but has a very pleasant, appropriately resonant acoustic producing clarity along with warmth of tone. The organ is situated on the main floor at the west end projecting straight down the nave. There are no transepts. The choir is in stalls at the rear of the nave. The liturgy is Anglo-Catholic with an excellent music program headed by Kyle Swann, who is also Lecturer in Opera at Yale University School of Music.

The organ is entirely enclosed with the exception of the open wood Double Diapason, a wonderful luxury in an instrument of this size. The Great chorus is 8′ Diapason, 4′ Principal, and 2′ Mixture. Although it is most desirable to have an independent 2′ Fifteenth, choices must be made, and we elected instead to have a Celeste to the Corno Dolce, which is a tapered hybrid stop of flute quality with a tinge of string edge. It is unified at 16′ and 4′ pitches. The Harmonic Flute uses the Corno Dolce as a common bass, the break point of which is very hard to determine by ear. The Clarinet offers a strong contrast to the Swell Oboe Horn.

The doubling principle is carried into the Swell where we have a Salicional, which is a small-scale diapason unified at 8′/4′/2′ pitch, a wood Stopped Diapason, a highly contrasting narrow-scaled metal Chimney Flute, and a Tierce. The capped Oboe Horn is a very versatile color reed. Two orchestral-style strings and a 16′/8′ Tuba Minor, which is in the trumpet family but of darker tonal character, are under double expression within the Swell. In hymn playing, for example, it is possible to introduce the 8′ Tuba Minor without notice while playing only the 8′ Diapason and 4′ Principal on the Great. A dramatic Full Swell effect can be achieved with ease. The same is true with the strings that change to a mild, almost Aeoline character with both boxes closed and then bloom smoothly as they are brought into full power.

A major element of playing flexibility comes from a third manual that borrows stops from both the Great and the Swell. These are both Solo stops and ensemble stops for maximum contrasting possibilities with either Great or Swell. In addition, a few stops from the Great appear on the Swell and vice versa.

The Pedal has four 16′ stops representing each tonal family: diapason, flute, string-hybrid, and reed, a luxury not usually found on organs this size, but important in the symphonic concept.

The instrument was completed on June 26, 2017, and will be heard in a dedicatory recital by Thomas Murray on October 29, 2017. The priest-in-charge is the Rev. Rowena J. Kemp, and the director of operations in charge of preparing the installation site was parishioner Tom Phillips. This was a project we enjoyed thoroughly, especially due to the strong cooperation, encouragement, and enthusiasm of the entire parish.

— Jack M. Bethards

President and Tonal Director

Schoenstein & Co.

Schoenstein website: 

www.schoenstein.com

Grace Episcopal Church website: 

http://gracehartford.org

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Lake City, Iowa, Opus 92

The Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall, Vanderbilt University,

Nashville, Tennessee

Try as we might, we can never replicate the art of a previous age—inevitably, our effort bears our own, unique stamp. Rather than meticulously copy details of historic organs, our new instrument for Blair School of Music frankly admits the impossibility of literal quotation. Instead, it seeks to interpret the essentials of several important central German organ traditions from the baroque era in a way that serves a 21st-century music program.

As in all of its history, the organ’s physical placement greatly determines its character. The location of the previous pipe organ (a rebuilt electric-action instrument), together with the university’s desire to relinquish no stage space, seemed initially to defy the placement of a mechanical-action pipe organ. After thoughtful conversations with Prof. Carl Smith and Paul Marshall, Vanderbilt’s project manager, we developed a design placing the manual divisions side-by-side—Great on the left, Swell on the right—with the Pedal behind. The console is recessed behind new doors in the rear wall of the stage, which when closed give no inkling of what lies behind. Suspended mechanical key action is provided, together with electric stop action and a multilevel combination action. This is not a historical solution, but it responds to a present-day situation in a way that is true to tradition.

Tonally, the organ draws inspiration from Saxon and Thuringian organs of the 17th and 18th centuries, the sort of instruments that surrounded and were admired by Johann Sebastian Bach. Because of the new organ’s physical arrangement, there is little spatial distinction between the two manual departments, something that is often pronounced in old instruments whose manual divisions were always placed one over the other or behind the other. To accentuate the tonal differences between our divisions, the Great pipework was made of an alloy rich in lead, while the Swell pipes are largely of tin. Together with appropriate voicing, the effect is striking, as though the Great is an older organ enlarged by a newer, second department. The tuning system, Herbert Anton Kellner’s excellent temperament, is a perfect distillation of Opus 92’s aesthetic intention: devised in 1977, it is not a historic temperament, yet admirably serves both old and new music.

The organ’s appearance is cut from the same philosophical cloth. The shape of the white oak case and the relationship of the various compartments to one another are historically derived, but the architectural treatment is simplified out of respect for the organ’s 20th-century surroundings.

With a unique perspective that brings the art of past centuries forward in a lively and engaging way, Opus 92 opens new avenues for organ performance in Nashville. We are confident that both performers and listeners will find the result rewarding.

—John Panning

GREAT (58 notes)

16′ Quintadena 58 pipes

8′ Principal 58 pipes

8′ Rohrflöte 58 pipes

8′ Viol di Gamba 58 pipes

4′ Octava 58 pipes

4′ Spitzflöte 58 pipes

22⁄3′ Nasat 58 pipes

2′ Octava 58 pipes

13⁄5′ Tertia 58 pipes

IV Mixtur 11⁄3′ 232 pipes

8′ Dulzian 58 pipes

SWELL (58 notes, enclosed)

8′ Geigen Principal 58 pipes

8′ Schwebung (low F) 53 pipes

8′ Gedackt 58 pipes

4′ Octava 58 pipes

4′ Flauto Triangolare 58 pipes

2′ Octava 58 pipes

11⁄3′ Quinta 58 pipes

1′ Octava 58 pipes

8′ Trompete 58 pipes

Tremulant (affects entire organ)

PEDAL (30 notes)

16′ Principal 30 pipes

16′ Subbass 42 pipes

16′ Quintadena (Great)

8′ Octava 42 pipes

8′ Gedackt (ext.)

8′ Violon (Great)

4′ Octava (ext.)

16′ Posaune 42 pipes

8′ Trumpet (ext.)

Couplers

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Swell to Great

Case of American white oak

Manual keys of bone and ebony, Pedal keys of hard maple and ebony

Suspended mechanical key action, 

electric stop action

256-level combination action

Orgues Létourneau,

St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada

Opus 127

St. Mark’s School of Texas,

Dallas, Texas

From the choirmaster

When I assumed my duties during the summer of 2010, discussions about a new chapel organ at St. Mark’s School of Texas had been ongoing for several years. The previous chapel instrument was originally designed and built for the school’s Collegiate Chapel, which was subsequently demolished to make room for a significant campus expansion. When relocated to the current chapel, the organ was under-scaled to the point of almost disappearing when the room was full; it was quite simply too small for the room. Further, the organ began to experience problems in the spring of 2011, with the pièce de résistance being the entire Pedal division falling silent during a chapel service.

In a meeting with then Headmaster Arnold Holtberg, he encouraged me to form an organ committee to work towards a new pipe organ for St. Mark’s chapel. I also hired David Heller, organist and chair of the music department at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, to serve as our consultant. Over the course of several meetings, our committee determined that our selection criteria consisted of the following:

• Ability to accompany a choral ensemble

• Ability to lead a worship service

• Performance of organ repertoire—
for worship and concert

• Proven excellence in the building
of electric-action pipe organs

• Creative designs, both visual
and tonal.

After an exhaustive search that concluded with on-campus presentations by three organbuilders, we awarded our project to Orgues Létourneau of St-Hyacinthe, Québec. We were impressed by Létourneau’s world-wide reputation for excellence in organ design and building, and also by the breadth of their instruments—the company produces not only large instruments for churches and concert halls but also small and mid-size instruments. We were gratified to see all Létourneau organs share the same high quality and attention to detail throughout.

I had the privilege of traveling to St-Hyacinthe in February 2014 to see the almost-completed instrument with Dr. Heller. I knew upon entering the Létourneau workshops that we had made an excellent choice; the quality of the materials and craftsmanship all pointed to an exciting finished product. Later that day when I entered the building where Opus 127 had been erected, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the casework and the overall design. It has been so gratifying to hear many people remark over the past few months that the organ looks like it was designed along with the building—that it “looks like it has always been there.” This is indicative of the careful attention from concept to design to construction of the Létourneau team.

Opus 127 was delivered on September 3, 2014, and was first played in a service of Choral Evensong on November 11. Our organist, Glenn Stroh, played an extended prelude to the service, which opened with Gardiner’s Evening Hymn and concluded chorally with Mathias’s Let the People Praise Thee O God. Opus 127 did not disappoint; from the quiet opening notes of the Gardiner to the raucous conclusion of the Mathias, all in attendance were enraptured by the wide variety of color and the seamless way in which the instrument uplifted both the choir and the congregation singing. Dr. Heller played a dedication recital on January 11, 2015, in which he explored every niche of the organ’s vast tonal palette.

I am so grateful to all those involved in this project, from our fantastic committee to dedicated administrators to our donors, for giving this gift to the St. Mark’s community. This pipe organ is a gift of music that will inspire students, lead in worship, and enhance the spiritual life of St. Mark’s for many years to come.

—Tinsley E. Silcox

From the organist

The arrival of the Roosevelt Family Pipe Organ marks a significant milestone in the life of St. Mark’s School; it is the culmination of a long-held vision for an instrument designed especially to support the needs of our community.

As organist, I am excited and privileged to be able to pilot Létourneau’s Opus 127 through the many programs for which it is used at St. Mark’s, but the real value of the instrument lies in the substantial ways it has already enriched the lives of students, faculty, and guests. The installation and mere presence of an instrument like this is a wonderful and unique educational experience for our students. It is an extraordinary thing to have an organ like this in a school chapel, where some 850 young people may hear and interact with the instrument regularly. We are in the business of instilling and nurturing curiosity in our students, helping them through the course of their exploration as they learn more about themselves and the world around them. The joy of discovery, so readily seen in the faces of students as they encounter the new instrument, is rewarding and gratifying for all involved in this project.

From the beginning, the school’s reputation for excellence and its mission to provide a complete education to the young men in our charge demanded the highest possible standard. We are blessed with a fine acoustic in the chapel and space in the chapel’s rear gallery, an ideal placement for such an instrument. The organ has had an immediate positive impact in the daily life of the school, supporting vibrant music for our chapel services, school ceremonies, and fine arts programs. Given the Anglican tradition of choral singing upon which the St. Mark’s Choir was founded, the instrument was designed with the role of accompanying a choir and supporting congregational singing at the fore. Opus 127 easily facilitates expressive and dynamic accompaniment and has the ability to swell from a nearly inaudible pianissimo to the power of full organ. The English Tuba provides a particularly powerful solo voice to complete the specification. Special demonstrations of the organ have sparked interest from students and adults alike; the larger community has likewise enjoyed recitals by David Heller and James O’Donnell, organist and master of the choristers at Westminster Abbey.

I am immensely thankful for the support of the campus community, the generosity and commitment of donors, the many hours given by the organ committee, the excellent work from various members of St. Mark’s staff in preparing the chapel for the organ, and the fine craftsmanship and skill of the many Létourneau employees involved with this organ. This instrument will inspire many generations of future Marksmen, and I applaud the vision and dedication by all involved in this process.

—Glenn Stroh

From the builder

The muse for the organ at St. Mark’s School of Texas was encountered on a 2012 study trip to England. We saw many instruments on this trip, but a visit to St. Dominic’s Priory in North London stands out as having destroyed some preconceived ideas about British organbuilding. Completed in 1883, the organ at St. Dominic’s is a “Father” Willis and it stands today in largely unaltered condition. Upon arriving in the church, the titular organist, Martin Stacey, cannily introduced us to the Willis with the opening Allegro movement from Widor’s Sixth Symphony. The organ’s vigor and polish were on display from the opening chords; the effect was astonishing. Here is why Father Willis’ organs were controversial in their day: the sound is dazzling—even sensual—and like nothing else.

Within a year of this trip to England, we were contacted by St. Mark’s School of Texas and asked if we would put forward a proposal for a new pipe organ for their chapel. St. Mark’s School is renowned as one of the finest boy’s schools in the United States. Their chapel services have long been anchored by the school’s boy choirs and this choral tradition continues to the present day. When pondering what type of instrument would best serve St. Mark’s School, our thoughts turned to English boy choirs and the fine organs whose sounds are synonymous with soaring boy trebles. Though the St. Mark’s School organ would be larger, the Willis at St. Dominic’s Priory came to mind as a source of inspiration with some deference to the organ’s raison d’être of accompanying young vocal ensembles. After our presentation in July 2012, the school’s organ committee enthusiastically endorsed our vision and an agreement was concluded a few months later for the construction of a new 61-rank pipe organ.

A range of 8′ foundation stops throughout the specification permits deceptively smooth shifts in color and intensity. The large, elegant Great 8′ Open Diapason gives way to the milder Swell 8′ Open Diapason, while the Choir 8′ Geigen Diapason is yet another dynamic notch softer and has tapered pipes for a different timbre. The Great 8′ Salicional is a broad string rank with sufficient presence to color the other foundation ranks, including the treble-ascendant 8′ Harmonic Flute. The Swell division has a 16′ Contra Gamba stop with Haskell tubes to save space while preserving prompt speech; the corresponding 8′ Gamba and 8′ Voix Celeste are typically keen. The Choir 8′ Dulciana and 8′ Unda maris ranks offer a neutral string tone, with the Dulciana blending chameleon-like with other mezzo piano stops. The organ’s softest stop is the otherworldly 8′ Flute Celeste.

The influence of Willis is seen in the organ’s plenums with the inclusion of tierce ranks as well as modestly scaled upperwork with narrow mouths. Reed stops feature tapered shallots with triangular openings exclusively; chorus reeds are on higher wind pressures than the flue stops for additional power. The 8′ Vox Humana was specifically modeled after an example by Father Willis with slotted cylindrical resonators, while the 8′ Tuba sounds on 12 inches wind pressure and features hooded resonators made entirely from spotted metal. The Tuba speaks effortlessly down the chapel from its perch directly behind the Choir expression shades.

The Pedal division is robust and is undergirded by a generous 32′ Bourdon and a 32′ Contra Trombone with half-length resonators in wood. The complete principal chorus is capped by a three-rank Mixture that includes a 31⁄5′ rank giving a distinctive growl to pedal lines in counterpoint. All manual 16′ stops have been borrowed to the pedals for additional flexibility when accompanying.

The organ’s internal layout is straightforward and spacious. The two expressive divisions are stacked behind the center of the oak case with the Swell below and the Choir above. On either side of the expression boxes, the Great is divided into C and C# chests on the upper level with the Pedal likewise split below. The organ’s 16′ façade displays polished tin pipes from the Great and Pedal principals. The organ is played from a compact three-manual console that includes 256 levels of memory with 16 general pistons and a general piston sequencer (or stepper), a Great-Choir manual transfer, an All Swells to Swell function, independent combinations for the Pedal stops optionally operating from the Great or Swell divisional pistons, and a record-playback system.

When told we had been chosen to build a pipe organ for St. Mark’s School of Texas, we were honored to know the Létourneau name would be associated with such a dynamic institution. Throughout the months that followed, it was never anything short of a pleasure to work with everyone we encountered to a person. Further, the enthusiasm shown by the staff and especially the students towards the Roosevelt Family Pipe Organ has been most gratifying and encouraging. We are grateful for having had this opportunity and trust this instrument will serve the school and its worship faithfully. 

—Andrew Forrest, Artistic Director

—Fernand Létourneau, President