Cover Feature

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

 

 

 

 

Quimby Pipe Organs, 

Warrensburg, Missouri

Two organs in North Carolina

In 2017, Quimby Pipe Organs (QPO) completed the installation of two small-to-medium sized instruments in North Carolina. Both projects incorporated pipework or mechanics from the churches’ preceding instruments, as the work would not have been feasible in either case given all-new construction. However, both projects resulted in organs that function mechanically as if they are all new, and both have entirely new tonal identities that align with modern QPO practice. Accordingly, both have been given QPO opus numbers, and each is, in its own way, an exploration of what should constitute a modern-day American multum in parvo organ, where comparatively few ranks of pipes yield surprising results: instruments that are flexible, musical, and artistically satisfying. Each organ plays with the authority of a much larger instrument than its size would suggest.

 

Opus 73

All Saints Episcopal Church

Southern Shores, North Carolina

We were invited to visit All Saints Episcopal Church by Organist and Director of Music Steve Blackstock because we had previously worked with him to relocate an 1878 Marshall Brothers organ, which was electrified and rebuilt by Ernest M. Skinner in 1912 and is now situated in a new case on QPO electro-pneumatic slider windchests at Holy Redeemer-by-the-Sea in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Blackstock asked us to assess All Saints’ 1948 M. P. Möller organ, Opus 7721. Originally five unified ranks, the organ had grown to nine, enclosed in a freestanding case in the rear corner of the room. There were some pleasant sounds in the instrument—particularly the stopped wood flute—but the disposition of these voices at various pitches over two manuals and pedal was not entirely successful; there was a lack of flexible, contrasting ensembles.

Several options were investigated, including either the relocation of a mid-nineteenth-century Hook tracker or a mid-twentieth-century Austin. But the ideas that resonated most with Steve were those which Michael Quimby and I developed for the expansion and radical rebuilding of the existing Möller.  

The approach was straightforward: the existing enclosed mechanical chassis would become the Swell, and a new unenclosed Great division would be added on a new Quimby-Blackinton electro-pneumatic slider chest. The best of the existing pipework would be retained, and after careful restoration, rescaling, and revoicing, would find a place in the new tonal concept, though not always at the same pitches or divisions as before. One independent Pedal rank was added—a Pedal Octave that plays at 8′ and 4′.

Although the existing Möller unit windchests were retained in the new Swell, having been releathered recently, efforts were made to provide more of a “straight” ensemble in the Swell, with unification judiciously used for added color and flexibility, rather than to create ensemble.

Not one new pipe was constructed for the project. Rather, ranks were carefully selected from our extensive inventory of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American pipework for integration into the ensemble. The end result is not a patchwork of individual voices, as one might expect, but rather, a cohesive, flexible ensemble. This is not only due to the quality of the vintage pipework, but also to the unique facility of Michael Quimby to identify which ranks will work to achieve the intended result, and also to the ability of Head Voicer Eric Johnson and staff voicers Samantha Koch and Christopher Soer to carry out the work. Also essential is our fully functional pipe shop, where cleaning, restoration, modification, and repair can happen as required alongside construction of new pipes.

Several church members participated in passing pipes into the organ. One couple, key donors to the project, also assisted, and knowing that there were no new pipes in the organ, inquired as to the provenance of the pipes. In response, I told her that the pipe she had in her hand came from an organ formerly at a church in St. Louis, Missouri. She was stunned. She had attended there as a young lady, and it was, in fact, where she had met her husband, who was also helping to pass pipes. We quickly figured out that we were installing pipes that had played at the time that she would have heard the organ—a happy coincidence that added dramatically to the significance of the instrument for these two.

New casework was designed by QPO and constructed by members of the church to expand and complement the existing enclosure. The new casework is intentionally somewhat transparent, and the pipes of the Great division are visible at different times during the day when overhead light passes down from skylights overhead. The façade pipes are vintage zinc basses, here painted with pearlescent white bodies and rose gold mouths, which complement the open, light-filled character of the church. The existing console was rebuilt and placed on a moveable platform dolly.  

The existing 8′ Trumpet was extensively revoiced and extended to play at 16′ and 4′. It is at once brilliant and foundational and forms a grand underpinning for the full ensemble. A pair of early-twentieth-century strings yield characteristic, lush string tone in the Swell, and the unison rank extends down to 16′. The 16′ Contra Viola is surprisingly versatile: in addition to making an effective double to the new Great Diapason chorus, it is soft enough to serve as a whisper bass (with the Swell box closed) under the 8′ Dulciana, yet harmonically intense enough to combine with the 16′ Gedeckt and synthesize a 16′ Diapason.

The organ was completed in September 2017 and was dedicated on Sunday, October 1. On Sunday, October 15, Dorothy Papadakos accompanied the 1920 silent film, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

 

Opus 74

Central United Methodist Church

Concord, North Carolina

Susan Renz Theodos, director of music at Central United Methodist Church in Concord, North Carolina, contacted us regarding a project for a possible new organ because of her previous experience playing our Opus 34, of three manuals and thirty-three ranks at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Litchfield, Connecticut (1992). Developed in tandem with then organist Thomas Brown, Opus 34 is a QPO multum in parvo instrument dating from before our work had shifted into the mature Quimby tonal style.  

In working together with Susan after her visit to a more recent project at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Roanoke, Virginia (Opus 66, 2010), we developed a proposal for an equally effective three-manual organ, slightly expanded, which would have the same versatility and nuance as Opus 34, but expressed according to a more Romantic approach: with heroically scaled chorus work and characteristic, harmonically developed individual voices that lock together into seamless, coherent ensembles.

The resulting instrument makes use of select existing pipework from the church’s former 1973 Casavant (Opus 3179), new pipework constructed by Quimby, and select vintage ranks from QPO inventory. New electro-pneumatic slider windchests were constructed for all straight manual ranks and electro-pneumatic unit ranks for all pedal and extended ranks. The winding system and interior structure of the organ are all new. In order to help make the project more cost-effective, we refurbished and rebuilt a three-manual console, constructed by another builder in 2000, for an organ that is now redundant. With new mahogany interior, console lid, and bench top, the refinished console is a splendid match for the church’s neo-Classical interior.

The use of existing Casavant pipework in combination with our own inventory was attractive to the church, not only because it was fiscally responsible, but because they understood it to be environmentally responsible when compared with new construction, and therefore, good stewardship in several senses. The transformation to the carefully selected principals, flutes, strings, and mutations is stunning; none of the reused ranks bears any resemblance to what existed before. The previous instrument was weak in the unison range, and top-heavy with piercing upperwork. Individual foundation voices were bland and blended poorly, with little support for choral accompaniment or even congregational song. The transformed ranks, having been recomposed, rescaled, and radically revoiced, now form colorful, expressive Diapason ensembles at a wide range of dynamic levels.  

Our approach to rescaling and revoicing old ranks of pipes that came from the church’s previous organ is conceptually similar to the practice of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in nineteenth-century France. His organs at Notre Dame de Paris and Saint-Sulpice incorporate significant percentages of eighteenth-century Clicquot pipework, but those old ranks of pipes were successfully transformed to contribute to a new tonal aesthetic by Cavaillé-Coll.  

New and vintage reeds were provided, custom voiced in-house; these range from the throaty Cromorne in the Solo-Choir, to the lyrical Oboe and fiery Trumpet in the Swell, to the brilliant Harmonic Trumpet in the Solo-Choir, and finally, the dominating, spectacular Tuba in the Great. The Harmonic Trumpet, available at 16′, 8′, and 4′ on manuals and pedal, can serve in the Great as chorus reeds with the box closed, as a soft or loud 16′ reed in the Pedal, and with the box open as an exciting climax to full organ at all three pitches. The Tuba is intended strictly for solo use and is voiced on 12 inches wind pressure so that individual notes can be heard over full organ.

Also of note are the variety of 8′ and 4′ flutes, several of which are vintage, and which contrast and combine with each other effectively. The Swell strings are revoiced Casavant pipework and contrast a more broadly voiced Viola Pomposa and Celeste in the Solo-Choir.  Together with the Swell Spitzflute and Celeste, a wide range of undulants is provided, which can be combined in surprising ways.

The organ was completed in November 2017 and was dedicated by Bradley Hunter Welch on Sunday morning, April 15, 2018, with a recital following the same afternoon.

—T. Daniel Hancock, A.I.A., President

Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc.

 

Quimby Pipe Organs, Opus 73

GREAT (unenclosed)

16′ Contra Viola (Swell)

8′ Open Diapason, 49 pipes, 1–12 common with Pedal 8′ Octave

8′ Hohl Flute, 55 pipes, 1–6 common with Swell 8′ Gedeckt

8′ Gedeckt (Swell)

8′ Viola (Swell)

8′ Dulciana, 61 pipes

4′ Octave, 61 pipes

4′ Spitzflute (Swell), 1–12 Swell 8' Gedeckt; 13–61 2′ Flageolet

2′ Fifteenth, 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Mixture III, 183 pipes

16′ Contra Trumpet (Swell)

8′ Trumpet (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

Zimbelstern

SWELL (enclosed)

16′ Gedeckt, 97 pipes

8′ Gedeckt (ext)

8′ Viola, 85 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste, TC, 49 pipes

4′ Principal, 73 pipes

4′ Stopped Flute (ext)

4′ Viola (ext)

22⁄3′ Nazard, 49 pipes, 1–12 common with Swell 8′ Gedeckt

2′ Octave (ext)

2′ Flageolet, 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce, TC, 37 pipes, top octave repeats

16′ Contra Oboe, TC, 61 pipes

8′ Trumpet, 85 pipes

8′ Oboe (ext)

4′ Clarion (ext)

Tremulant

PEDAL

32′ Resultant (fr 16′ Bourdon)

16′ Bourdon (Swell) 

16′ Contra Viola (ext Swell 8′ Viola) 

8′ Octave, 44 pipes, 1–17 in façade

8′ Gedeckt (Swell) 

8′ Viola (Swell)

4′ Super Octave (ext)

16′ Trombone (Swell)

8′ Trumpet (Swell) 

8′ Oboe (Swell)

4′ Clarion (Swell) 

4′ Oboe Clarion (Swell)

 

Two manuals, 18 ranks, 1,111 pipes

Builder’s website: 

https://quimbypipeorgans.com

Church website: http://allsaintsobx.org

 

Quimby Pipe Organs, Opus 74

Michael Friesen

Charles M. Ruggles, Conifer, Colorado

Henry Kilgen, 1884

St. Augustine’s Cultural Center, Austin, Nevada

Charles M. Ruggles of Conifer, Colorado, recently completed the restoration of the Henry Kilgen organ of 1884 in the former St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Austin, Nevada, now St. Augustine’s Cultural Center. A one-manual, nine-rank instrument, it is the only known extant instrument by Henry that is mechanically, tonally, and visually intact. The Kilgen family of St. Louis, Missouri, were organbuilders; Henry worked independently of his more well-known father, George, from 1882 into the 1910s. The organ is of tracker action in a Victorian Gothic case in the rear gallery, now fitted with an electric blower for convenience in playing.

The church was closed and the parish disbanded in 1990 by the Diocese of Reno due to several factors, including declining population after the county seat was transferred from Austin to Battle Mountain in 1979. Austin, once a large silver mining community founded in 1862, with some 10,000 residents at its peak, was rivalled only by Virginia City, Nevada, home to numerous gold and silver strikes, primarily the Comstock Lode. The town gradually declined in population after the 1880s and today has about 350 residents.

The decaying building was purchased in 2003 by a group of local citizens, led by Jan Morrison, who created a non-profit organization to save and restore the former church. They spent the next ten years applying for and receiving preservation grants totalling some $1 million, resulting in a variety of substantial repairs, including a new roof, steeple and wall repairs, foundation stabilization, interior refurbishing, ADA accessibility, and the like. The organ had been unplayable since the 1960s and was damaged, but intact.

Ruggles was awarded the contract in May 2012 and completed the bulk of the restoration work in October 2013, when the organ was reinstalled. The last phase of the building repairs and refurbishing was not completed, however, due to the scarcity of contractor labor, until the summer of 2014. (Austin is about 170 miles east of Reno on U.S. 50, the so-called “Loneliest Highway in America,” and most construction work is necessarily “trucked in.”) Accordingly, he returned to finish regulating and tuning the organ when the structure was ready.

The center was dedicated in a gala ceremony on September 27, 2014, including an open house, historical lectures, panel discussions, musical presentations, “silent auction,” and an organ recital by Michael Friesen of Denver, Colorado. It is intended to be a place where everything from concerts to art classes and exhibitions, and meetings to a “writer’s oasis” could occur, among the quiet beauty of the historic town and the adjoining Toiyabe Mountains. Unlike many other small towns in the West in the nineteenth century, there was no “Opera House” in Austin, so the center actually serves a unique function for the community.

Austin had at one time three pipe organs, also including one of 1866 by Joseph Mayer of San Francisco in the Methodist Church (unfortunately destroyed) and another of 1878 by Alexander Mills of New York City in St. George’s Episcopal Church (extant). The Kilgen has been awarded recognition as a “National Heritage Pipe Organ” of historical importance by the Organ Historical Society. Being in a small town, both pipe organs are “accessible” to visitors and can be seen and played by organists who pass through, either by advance arrangement (preferable), or by asking a citizen or store proprietor along Main Street to help direct them to someone having a key.

—Michael Friesen

 

Henry Kilgen, St. Louis, Missouri, 1884

Restoration: Charles M. Ruggles, Conifer, Colorado, 2013

1 manual, 12 drawknobs, 9 speaking stops, 10 registers, 9 ranks, 491 pipes

Mechanical action throughout

Compasses: Manual, 61 notes, C to c4; Pedal, 27 notes, C to d1

Manual (enclosed, except faНade pipes and four unison basses)

[8′] Open Diapason 61 pipes

[8′] Unison Bass 12

[8′] Stop Diapason [tc] 49

[8′] Melodia [tc] 49

[8′] Dulciana [tc] 49

[4′] Principal 61

[4′] Flute Harmonic 61

[22⁄3′] Twelfth 61

[2′] Fifteenth 61

Pedal (unenclosed, at rear)

16′ Bourdon 27

 

Mechanicals

Pedal Coupler (drawknob)

Pedal Check (drawknob)

Piano Combination Pedal (foot lever, unlabeled)

Forte Combination Pedal (foot lever, unlabeled)

Expression Pedal

 

Note: The drawknobs for the manual stops do not give the pitches, but they are supplied here in conventional form for convenience.

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

 

Kegg Pipe Organ Builders, Hartville, Ohio

Christ the King Chapel, 

St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, Denver, Colorado

Every new pipe organ project, large or small, has a unique sense of importance. Rarely are we afforded the opportunity to build an instrument that will inspire generations of clergy to high ideals. Our new organ at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary is a true honor for an organbuilder.

Each of our pipe organs is custom designed for the space it occupies and the musical task it must perform. During the design process, the organ evolves. Sometimes the stop list has additions made as funds become available, or unknown building impediments are discovered that require us to adjust. This new organ of course went through this process, but through it all, the goal we shared with associate professor of sacred music, Dr. Mark Lawlor, did not. The goal was to build an instrument suited primarily to the multiple daily Masses of the seminarians.

The failing electronic organ from 20 years ago had “replaced” the original 1931 Kilgen pipe organ. Heavily damaged first by modifications to the stop list with foreign pipes installed by lesser hands, then with loud speakers among and largely on the pipes, the original pipe organ was assumed destroyed. When Kegg sales representative Dwayne Short first crawled into the crowded, dark, and dirty space, he made his way into the furthest reaches where few had ventured in years, to discover that many of the Kilgen Swell stops had survived in reasonable condition. These, along with one Pedal stop and an orphan Great Clarinet, gave us some original pipes to consider retaining in the new organ.

Christ the King Chapel is a handsome room built in 1931. Beautiful to look at with masonry walls and terrazzo floors, it is a child of its time, apparent when one looks up. The coffered ceiling panels are beautifully painted acoustic tile, rendering only about one second of reverberation when the room is empty. The organ is at the rear of the room, in a shallow chamber over the main door. The robust all-male congregation is mostly at the front of the nave and in the crossing. All these elements dictate a rich, strong, and dark organ to meet the voices at their pitch and location. There is an Antiphonal division that is prepared in the console. Until it is installed, the main organ will have to fill the room from the rear with the singers up front.

Dr. Lawlor specifically requested that all manual divisions be enclosed to afford him and future musicians maximum musical flexibility. Most organists prefer a three-manual organ to two, which we frequently offer in organs of this size. The new organ is 19 stops and 25 ranks dispersed over three manuals and pedal. The only unenclosed stops are the Pedal 16′ Principal, from which the façade pipes are drawn, and the horizontal Pontifical Trumpet, in polished brass with flared bells. This last stop was also a specific request. Because the room is not excessively large, these pipes are placed as high as possible. The large scale, tapered shallots and 7-inch wind pressure give these pipes a round, Tuba-like quality that is commanding and attractive.

The Great/Choir and Swell are enclosed in separate expression boxes. The stop list is not unusual, but the execution of the Principal choruses is. Both choruses have Mixtures based at 2′. This allows them to couple to the Pedal without a noticeable pitch gap in the bottom octave sometimes heard with 11⁄3′ Mixtures. The breaks of these two Mixtures are different. The Swell Mixture breaks before the Great, bringing in the 22⁄3′ pitch early. This gives the Swell Mixture a rich texture, particularly helpful in choral work. Emphasis in finishing is on unison and octave pitches when present. The first break in the Great Mixture is at C#26 and from C#14 is one pitch higher than the Swell, making it relatively normal. For the Great Mixture, the upper pitches are given more prominence during finishing. The two choruses complement and contrast well in this intimate space, without excessive brightness.

Many of the flutes and strings were retained from the original Kilgen organ. With some attention in the voicing room, these work well within the Kegg tonal family. Having heard other examples of our work, there was a keen desire by Dr. Lawlor for a new Kegg Harmonic Flute. To make this happen within the budget and space available, we used an existing wood Kilgen 8′ Concert Flute for notes 1–32. At note 33, this stop changes to new Kegg harmonic pipes. The stop increases in volume dramatically as it ascends the scale. Available at 8′ and 4′ on both the Great and Choir manuals, the 8′ stop is nicely textured and mezzo-forte. The treble of the 4′ morphs into a soaring forte voice, made even more alluring by the tremulant.

With the exception of the Clarinet, all reeds are new Kegg stops and typical of our work. The Trumpet has a bright treble and a darker, larger bass extending into the Pedal at 16′. The Oboe is capped and modeled after a Skinner Flügelhorn. The lovely Kilgen Clarinet fits nicely into the Kegg design.

The Pedal has the foundation needed for the organ. The 16′ Principal unit of 56 pipes provides stops at 16′, 8′, and 4′. This is the only flue stop that is not under expression. It grows in volume as you ascend the scale and does so more than its manual counterparts. Because of this, it is easy to have the Pedal be independent and prominent when needed for polyphonic music. This stop joins the Great Principal and Octave, all playing at 8′ pitch, to make the 8′ Solo Diapason III, a Kegg exclusive. With three 8′ diapasons at one time, it is similar in effect to a First Open for both solo and chorus work where a firm 8′ line is required.

The console provides all the features expected in a first-class instrument today including unlimited combination memory, multiple Next/Previous pistons, bone and rosewood keys and, of course, the Kegg signature pencil drawer and cup holder. 

The original 1931 organ was covered by a gray painted wood and cloth grill. The new organ façade design was inspired by the building age and funds, but mostly by the significant stone door that dominates the rear wall. This is not a formal case, but it is more than a simple fence row. The stone door is massive and will always be visually dominating, so it is natural to acknowledge it and build from it. The center façade section pipe toes sit atop the lintel with the tops dipping down to mirror the brick arch above, making space for the Pontifical Trumpet to seemingly float. The center section sits 5 inches behind the side bass sections, giving more depth to the visual effect. Viewing the façade from any angle other than head-on, it becomes sculptural.  

This was an exceptionally exciting and enjoyable project for us. The enthusiasm, interest, and complete cooperation from the seminarians and staff were a daily spiritual boost for the entire Kegg team. This organ was installed in nine days, ready to be voiced, due largely to the excellent working conditions. Many thanks to James Cardinal Stafford, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, Dr. Mark Lawlor, and all our new friends at St. John Vianney.

—Charles Kegg

President and Artistic Director

 

The Kegg team:

Philip Brown

Michael Carden

Cameron Couch

Joyce Harper

Charles Kegg  

Philip Laakso 

Bruce Schutrum

Ben Schreckengost

Dwayne Short

 

GREAT (manual II, enclosed)

8′ Solo Diapason III (fr Gt 8′, 4′, Ped 8′)

8′ Principal (61 pipes)

8′ Concert Flute (1–32 existing, 33–73 

    new pipes)

8′ Dulciana (61 existing pipes)

8′ Unda Maris (TC, 49 pipes)

4′ Octave (73 pipes)

4′ Harmonic Flute (ext 8′)

2′ Fifteenth (ext 4′ Octave)

IV Mixture (2′, 244 pipes)

8′ Clarinet (61 existing pipes)

Tremulant

8′ Trumpet (Sw)

8′ Pontifical Trumpet (TC, 39 pipes, 

    C13–D51, polished brass, flared 

    bells, high pressure)

Chimes (console preparation)

Great 16

Great Unison Off

Great 4

8 stops, 11 ranks, 661 pipes

SWELL (manual III, enclosed)

16′ Gedeckt (73 existing pipes)

8′ Diapason (73 existing pipes)

8′ Gedeckt (ext 8′)

8′ Salicional (61 existing pipes)

8′ Voix Céleste (TC, 49 existing pipes)

4′ Principal (ext 8′)

4′ Harmonic Flute (73 existing pipes)

22⁄3′ Nazard (TC, 49 existing pipes)

2′ Flute (ext 4′)

13⁄5′ Tierce (TC, console preparation)

11⁄3′ Larigot (fr 22⁄3′)

IV Mixture (244 pipes)

16′ Trumpet (85 pipes)

8′ Trumpet (ext 16′)

8′ Oboe (61 pipes)

4′ Clarion (ext 16′)

Tremulant

Swell 16

Swell Unison Off

Swell 4

9 stops, 12 ranks, 768 pipes

CHOIR (manual I, enclosed with Great)

8′ Concert Flute (Gt)

8′ Dulciana (Gt)

8′ Unda Maris (TC, Gt)

4′ Principal (Gt 4′)

4′ Flute (fr Gt 8′)

2′ Octave (fr Gt 4′ Octave)

8′ Oboe (Sw)

8′ Clarinet (Gt)

Tremulant

8′ Pontifical Trumpet (Gt)

Choir 16

Choir Unison Off

Choir 4

PEDAL

32′ Resultant (derived)

16′ Principal (56 pipes)

16′ Subbass (44 existing pipes)

16′ Gedeckt (Sw)

8′ Octave (ext 16′)

8′ Subbass (ext 16′)

8′ Gedeckt (Sw)

4′ Choral Bass (ext 16′)

32′ Harmonics (derived)

16′ Trumpet (Sw)

8′ Trumpet (Sw)

4′ Clarinet (Gt)

2 stops, 2 ranks, 100 pipes

 

INTER-DIVISIONAL COUPLERS

Great to Pedal 8

Great to Pedal 4

Swell to Pedal 8

Swell to Pedal 4

Choir to Pedal 8

Choir to Pedal 4

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great 8

Swell to Great 4

Choir to Great 16

Choir to Great 8

Choir to Great 4

Swell to Choir 16

Swell to Choir 8

Swell to Choir 4

Great/Choir Transfer

 

ADJUSTABLE COMBINATIONS

14 General pistons (1–14 thumb, 1–10 toe)

6 Great pistons (thumb)

6 Swell pistons (thumb)

6 Choir pistons (thumb)

4 Pedal pistons (toe)

General Cancel (thumb)

Set (thumb)

Range (thumb)

Undo (thumb)

Clear (thumb)

Next (General piston sequencer, 4 thumb, 1 toe)

Previous (2 thumb)

30 memories per User, unlimited Users

 

REVERSIBLES

Great to Pedal (thumb and toe)

Swell to Pedal (thumb)

Choir to Pedal (thumb)

Full Organ (thumb and toe)

32′ Harmonics (toe)

 

ACCESSORIES

Balanced Swell expression pedal

Balanced Great/Choir expression pedal

Balanced Crescendo pedal (2 memory adjustable, with numeric indicator)

Full Organ indicator

Transposer

Concave and radiating pedal clavier

Adjustable bench

 

TONAL RESOURCES

19 Stops, 25 Ranks, 1,529 Pipes

 

Organbuilder website: www.keggorgan.com

 

Seminary website: http://sjvdenver.edu

J. Allen Farmer, Inc., Opus 58R

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Hook & Hastings Opus 1801

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

This instrument was recently restored and installed in the rear gallery of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church by J. Allen Farmer, Inc. It was originally built in 1898 by Hook & Hastings for the Winslow Congregational Church in Taunton, Massachusetts. The church passed through several owners starting in the late 1980s. By 2005, the city condemned the building, and it was demolished.

The late Alan Laufman, founder of the Organ Clearing House, was desperate to find a new home for the organ before the wrecking ball did its work and set about contacting every organ builder and organist in his little black book hoping to find someone able to rescue it. John Farmer got wind of its availability, made a hurried visit up north to examine the instrument, and was immediately convinced that in spite of its broken trackers, layers of coal dust, and silent pipework (power had been cut to the blower), it was a musical gem in a completely unaltered condition by Hook & Hastings, the firm that so dominated the American organ landscape of the last half of the nineteenth century. In a few months’ time, John negotiated its purchase and later organized a crew to dismantle the organ, have it packed into a large semi-trailer, and then delivered to Winston-Salem, where it was safely stored in the Farmers’ large basement for several years, awaiting a new home.

John and his wife, Kristin (whom some readers might remember as a past president of the Organ Historical Society) are members of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church and were instrumental in shaping the interior design and four-second acoustic of the then newly constructed sanctuary (2000) that was served by a large one-manual instrument: lovely indeed, but insufficient to support a growing music program and 350 hymn-singing parishioners. John Farmer decided to create a unique opportunity for his home parish by donating the Hook & Hastings with only one condition: another organ shop would have to undertake its restoration. Only in this way would that small cloud of suspicion be removed from the project.

After some lengthy discussions, a St. Timothy’s organ oversight committee was formed and vested with making recommendations for the future of the gift. The committee recommended to the vestry that a fundraising project (outside the normal church budget) be undertaken to restore the organ and have it installed in the rear choir gallery of the sanctuary. A very successful campaign quickly raised all the funds for this ambitious project. At the same time, a series of “after service meetings” were held to apprise the congregation of the special opportunity that the church had been given. Bids were solicited from several respected organ restoration firms, but the committee insisted the Farmer firm be given an opportunity to bid as well. In the end, the contract was awarded to J. Allen Farmer, Inc.

Early in the process of restoring the organ, the committee made the decision not to embark on an item-by-item restoration but to preserve its essential elements and at the same time make those adjustments and additions that should be expected in a good modern instrument. To this end, they decided to preserve and restore the mechanical key action of the manuals, change the pneumatic stop action to electric stop action (thereby eliminating a sluggish system and its excessive wind noise), and add a modern combination action. The only stop to be added was a full length Trombone 16′. However, this presented the builder with a challenge since the only available space for the stop was a low ceiling alcove behind the casework. The solution was simple: move the existing pedal Bourdon 16′ onto new electric offset chests (1–12 mounted horizontally) and in its place, plant the new Trombone 16′ on the original pedal slider chest at the left side of the case, which has ample height for those very tall resonators. This also created the opportunity to make a 32′ acoustic stop using 12 new 102⁄3′ pipes in conjunction with the electrically fired Bourdon 16′—a useful, economical, and clever use of the space. The massive double horizontal-rise bellows (12′ x 6′) also came with two feeders that allowed the instrument to be hand pumped, albeit with considerable effort. However, a blower was provided if you did not want the exercise.

For an instrument over a hundred years old, it was in quite good condition. The pipework, cone tuned up to 1′ pitch, had suffered only minor damage through its tuning history. Yes, a thorough cleaning of all pipes, parts, and casework was mandated. Decades of heating the church with coal had covered every nook and cranny with a thick layer of soot. It was this task that members of the church were given. Over the course of the project, some 50 parishioners volunteered over 800 hours of work: cleaning, moving, and organizing the tens of thousands of organ bits and pieces. The Farmer shop tries to involve parishioners with all their projects. Not only does it reduce cost, but more importantly it gives people a real hands-on experience that conveys a pride of ownership not possible any other way. 

The organ fits in the gallery as if the space had been planned for it. Kristin Farmer, the shop’s specialist in pipe stenciling and gilding, was responsible for restoring the organ’s polychrome façade. Even though the original paint had faded, she was nonetheless able to determine original colors and patterns. The façade makes a very elegant and dazzling statement.

The Hook & Hastings has proven to be a musical jewel in every respect. Possibly due to its relatively low wind pressure, it is not oppressive in its highly reverberant environment. The softer stops, flutes, strings and celeste, are particular delights. Among the reeds, the Clarinet stands out. To quote Mr. Farmer, “Although a clear reflection of the late nineteenth-century musical style, this 1898 organ also exhibits many of those qualities later exhibited in the American Classic style of the twentieth century—a very handsome organ to the eye and ear that I think successfully straddles both schools.”

Jack Mitchener, professor of organ in the Townsend School of Music at Mercer University, played the dedication recital in February 2015 to a standing-room-only crowd of over 500.

—John R. Shannon

Professor Emeritus

Sweetbriar College

 

GREAT (61 notes, unenclosed)

16′ Dbl Open Diapason  61 pipes Open metal, façade

8′ Open Diapason 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Viol da Gamba 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Viola 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Doppel Flute 61 pipes Stopped wood

4′ Octave 61 pipes Open metal

3′ Twelfth 61 pipes Open metal

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes Open metal

11⁄3′ Mixture III 183 pipes Open metal

8′ Trumpet 61 pipes Tapered metal

SWELL (61 notes, enclosed)

16′ Bourdon (treble) 44 pipes Stopped wood

      Bourdon (bass) 17 pipes Stopped wood

8′ Open Diapason 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Stopped Diapason 61 pipes Stopped wood

8′ Salicional 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Voix Celeste 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Aeoline 61 pipes Open metal

4′ Flauto Traverse 61 pipes Open wood

4′ Violina 61 pipes Open metal

2′ Flautino 61 pipes Open metal

3′ Dolce Cornet 183 pipes Open metal

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes Stopped metal

8′ Oboe 61 pipes Tapered metal

8′ Cornopean 61 pipes Tapered metal

Tremolo

CHOIR (61 notes, unenclosed)

8′ Geigen Principal 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Melodia 61 pipes Open wood

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes Open metal

4′ Flute d’Amour 61 pipes Stopped wood

4′ Fugara 61 pipes Open metal

2′ Piccolo Harmonique 61 pipes Open metal

8′ Clarinet (TC) 49 pipes Open metal

PEDAL (30 notes, unenclosed)

32′ Grand Bourdon 12 pipes 16′ Bourdon & 1–12 102⁄3 Quint

16′ Dbl. Open Diapason 30 pipes Open wood

16′ Bourdon 30 pipes Stopped wood

8′ Violoncello 30 pipes Tapered metal

16′ Trombone 30 pipes Wooden resonators, full length

 

2,194 pipes, 38 ranks

 

Accessories

Couplers: Sw. to Ped., Gt. to Ped., Ch. to Ped., Sw. to Gt., Ch. to Gt., Sw. to Ch.

Combination Action: 8 general thumb & toe pistons

12 divisional pistons

Set and Cancel pistons

Tutti

Great to Pedal reversible

99 memory levels with LED display

Sequencer

Zimbelstern

Balanced Swell shoe

Crescendo shoe

Lights: music rack & pedalboard

Wind pressure = 3½ inches

Wind indicator

Blower on/off toe stud

Adjustable dogleg bench

Cone-tuned pipework 

Equal temperament, a = 435