Cover Feature

Mander Organs, 

London, England

Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, New York, New York

25th anniversary of the organ

 

From the Director of Music 

Ministries

Much has been written about the propensity of music to expand the mind and heart beyond the world of active consciousness into a realm that renders language impotent. We musicians have an unshakeable faith in the power of the music we make—given the right frame of mind on the part of performer and listener, our own thorough preparation, and the adequacy of the instrument at hand—to break open facets of mystery heretofore undisclosed. The very sound of the instruments we play can get under our skin and show us new ways of being, giving us previously undiscovered avenues for experiencing the world and each other.

We have all trained our minds and our techniques. We are aware of our limitations and try to live within them while wisely and carefully pushing back, improving our craft bit by bit. What we don’t always have control over is, as I said above, the “adequacy of the instrument at hand.” At some point, all organists have to make the best of impossible instruments and acoustics, creating beauty from the most improbable circumstances. At the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City—a city full of landmark pipe organs—we are fortunate enough to experience the opposite.

The Church of St. Ignatius Loyola was founded in 1851 and entrusted to the Jesuits in 1866. Our present edifice, built in 1898 at the corner of Park Avenue and 84th Street, housed a magnificent 3-manual Hook & Hastings pipe organ of 51 registers, which was expanded in 1913 to 80 stops. At some point prior to 1950, a subsequent rebuild yielded an instrument of 3 manuals and 44 stops. The organ eventually fell into disrepair and was replaced by a hybrid pipe/electronic instrument in 1975, which, by the late 1980s, was also in need of replacement. Also requiring attention was the deteriorating physical plant of the church, housing a rather small local congregation, which itself was running annual budget deficits.

In 1986, the Reverend Walter F. Modrys, S.J., became pastor of the church. Recognizing the long-standing importance of music to the parish, he hired Kent Tritle, a young and dynamic organist and choral conductor, to serve as the church’s music director. But given the significant financial needs of the parish at the time, it was difficult to justify spending enormous sums of money on a pipe organ. In 1990, an anonymous donor stepped forward with a gift of $750,000, insisting that it be used to purchase the finest new organ money could buy. A second donor supplemented with a gift of $250,000, which the parish matched to renovate the organ loft and install the necessary additional electrical components and lighting. An organ committee was assembled and Mr. Tritle spent the next several months visiting organbuilders both in the United States and Europe. It became clear that the London firm N. P. Mander should build the new organ, and that it would be the largest mechanical action organ ever built in the New York metropolitan area.

Designed and constructed at the Mander workshops in England during 1991–1992, the first shipment of materials arrived at the church in November 1992. Over the next several months, a large contingent of craftsmen and technicians from Mander assembled the 4-manual, 68-rank, 91-stop, 5,000-pipe, 30-ton, 45-foot-high instrument. The organ’s debut recital on April 27, 1993, with David Higgs was a historic event, packing nearly 1,800 people into a church that sat 1,200 at Easter. At the time, historian Barbara Owen noted to the New York Times that it should become an organ of choice for concerts and recordings. Indeed it has.

The organ’s discography includes recordings by ensembles such as the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Westminster Choir, as well as renowned organists John Scott, David Liddle, Anthony Newman, Andrew Shenton, Harry Huff, David Enlow, long-time associate organist (now organist emerita) Nancianne Parrella, and two solo discs by Mr. Tritle. Through solo recitals by John Scott, Marie-Claire Alain, David Hurd, Simon Preston, Joan Lippincott, David Hill, Anthony Newman, Dame Gilliam Weir, Stephen Tharp, Philippe Lefebvre, Gerre Hancock, Thomas Murray, Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin, John Grew, Martin Baker, David Briggs, Ken Cowan, Paul Jacobs, Christopher Houlihan, and staff organists Renée Anne Louprette, Andrew Henderson, Robert McDermitt, Mrs. Parrella, and Mr. Tritle, the warmth, brilliance, and majesty of the Mander organ have thrilled and delighted audiences. No stranger to St. Ignatius, the great Olivier Latry personally chose this organ and church as the American site for his acclaimed millennial cycle of Messiaen’s complete works for organ.

In addition to recitals, the organ is an invaluable partner to the incomparable Choir and Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola in our Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series. Over the years, Lincoln Center has presented many artists in concert, including Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Ton Koopman, the Hilliard Ensemble, the London Symphony Chorus, the Kirov Opera Chorus, Les Arts Florissants, the late John Tavener, and a host of others. This past spring, the renowned Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir gave us a beautifully transcendent evening of works by Arvo Pärt, and I was fortunate enough to accompany them at the organ, as well as play a solo work by the venerable Mr. Pärt. A few months later, Carnegie Hall presented The Tallis Scholars at St. Ignatius with Daniel Hyde, organist and director of music at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, at the organ. 

In addition to its well-documented presence on New York’s concert scene, the Mander organ is a spiritual partner to the 4,400 families of our parish. At over 400 liturgies per year, this organ enriches and enlarges the prayers of our community, rejoices with brides and grooms, gives comfort to grieving families, and uplifts the intercessions of our children from the St. Ignatius Loyola grammar school and our Interparish Religious Education Program, all at the hands of our esteemed principal organist, Daniel Beckwith. It also serves as accompanist for three of our four adult choirs and our three children’s choirs.

For me personally, the Mander has been an endless wellspring of inspiration. The tonal palette, encompassing the warmth of the diapasons, the gentle silver crowning of the mixtures, the breadth and lushness of the strings, the varied shadings of the reeds—from dark richness to brilliant fire—and the liquid flutes, sparks my imagination as few instruments can. Every style of repertoire from every school of organbuilding and composition excels here with panache.

Now in its 25th year, the Mander has proven itself as a more-than-worthy investment of parish resources, reaching vast audiences and touching the lives of tens of thousands. The 29th season of Sacred Music in a Sacred Space opened on October 6 with an astonishing concert by the Philippine Madrigal Singers and a brilliant solo organ recital on October 22 by former St. Ignatius music director, now director of cathedral music at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, Kent Tritle. The organ remains at center stage as we celebrate its silver anniversary throughout the 2017–2018 season.

It is my hope that if you haven’t experienced the ravishing beauty of this landmark instrument, you will join us at some point, either in liturgy or concert. A feast for the ear and eye alike, it will stir your heart and mind. You will be changed.

—K. Scott Warren

Director of Music Ministries, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola

Artistic Director, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space

Organist/Choirmaster, Congregation Emanu-El

 

From the Builder

It is not every day that an organbuilder is asked to build an instrument of the size and significance of that at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York. As the specification indicates, the organ draws on the French Romantic era for inspiration. But it also goes much further in its development to provide an instrument of versatility and integrity matching both the musical demands of the church’s liturgy and the wide-ranging requirements of St. Ignatius Loyola’s extensive Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert series. However, the organ at St. Ignatius Loyola is not a slavish copy of a mid-nineteenth century French organ, let alone a copy of a Cavaillé-Coll. The style was used as a starting point rather than an end in itself.

The mid-nineteenth century French organ has an obvious relationship to the liturgy of a Jesuit church with an active music program. But to have restricted the style to that would have placed too many limitations on the general versatility of the organ. Attempts have been made to mitigate the limitations inevitably inherent in copying a particular style by the introduction of elements from different and often disparate schools. The consequential lack of blend has sometimes given rise to what is in essence a number of smaller organs masquerading as a large one.

How then to satisfy the requirements of a modern instrument to perform musically, if not strictly authentically, a large part of the rich repertoire for the organ? How could the request to provide an instrument with a French romantic flavor be acceded to without excluding the repertoire of the earlier French eras, not to mention the non-French literature? How could it be made sufficiently true to the chosen genre to afford players in the New York area a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the music of Franck, Duruflé, Messiaen, and later? How could we ensure that the liturgical requirements were satisfied first and foremost but still afford sufficient character to provide an exciting concert instrument?

The combination of the varied requirements led to much discussion during the initial planning stages, among Kent Tritle, at the time director of music ministries at St. Ignatius Loyola, the consultants, and ourselves. Our main objective was to ensure that the whole instrument had integrity and a feeling of oneness. For this reason, we decided that rather than attempting to incorporate different styles in the one organ, we would approach the problem from the other end and develop the core style sympathetically, while staying true to the core itself.

At an early stage in the planning, we visited a number of appropriate instruments of Cavaillé-Coll (being the obvious candidate for investigation of the French organ of the nineteenth century), intentionally spreading the selection over as wide a period of his work as possible. Our first discovery was that it is very difficult to define the Cavaillé-Coll organ at all. There are wide variations in style, from the almost Dutch classical at St. Omer (1855) to the high symphonic of Rouen (1890). Our perception of the Cavaillé-Coll organ is, perhaps, influenced too heavily by the Parisian instruments in general and that of St. Sulpice in particular.

However, the study of these instruments actually gave us the clue as to the best way forward. In particular, we were able to appreciate the way Cavaillé-Coll could base a new instrument around existing pipework and cases, yet still produce an exciting and interesting result with the integrity essential to any good instrument. It was especially instructive to see how he could achieve this and still create an organ that bore his own unmistakable stamp.

With this appreciation, we decided to base the new organ for St. Ignatius on the middle period of Cavaillé-Coll’s own work, developing it, while remaining true to our chosen starting point. For example, a Positif de Dos was included, but the pipework was scaled and voiced in the same style as the rest of the organ. Very few, if any new organs of the mid-nineteenth century in France had a Positif de Dos, as the Positif was usually incorporated within the main case. The Grand Récit was developed to provide the grand Swell Organ effect demanded of an instrument of the late twentieth century.

The important requirements of a Franck-style Récit, which could not have been realized in a large enclosed department, were satisfied by the Petit Récit on the fourth manual, also the home of some of the important Solo elements. The Pedal was developed to be as complete and independent as possible. Finally, some registers, which would have been foreign to a true mid-nineteenth century French organ, were incorporated, but these were always scaled and voiced in a style firmly in keeping with the rest of the instrument.

Without proper attention to the starting point, the result could well have turned out to be bland and of indeterminate character. However, while voicing the organ, we continually ensured we were staying faithful to our model. As we progressed with the voicing, we had pieces of the French repertoire played on the organ to ensure we were neither straying too far away from our inspiration nor missing important details in our attempt to develop the overall style.

The result, we hope, is an organ with a voice of its own, perhaps an English organ speaking with a strong French accent. Our aim was an instrument capable of producing a musical result, accepting that the gain in character might to some degree limit true authenticity. Above all, however, we wanted to create an instrument that is unashamedly of our own era, one which can stand proudly as a representation of late twentieth-century craftsmanship.

No organ is the product of one person, and this one drew on some people who really need to be acknowledged as significant contributors to the project. The case design was conceived by Diddier Grassin, now president of the Noack Organ Company. He also advised us and arranged our study tour in France. The late Stephen Bicknell did the technical design as well as the realization of Didier’s design. The Mander team really pulled together to make this challenging dream a reality, not least Michael Blighton, the voicer. Fr. Walter Modrys, pastor at the time, gave unstinting support and encouragement to us all. But, above all, it was Kent Tritle’s vision, encouragement, trust, advice, and great friendship that bound us all together and made his dream possible.

—John Pike Mander

 

Concerts celebrating the 25th anniversary of the N. P. Mander organ, 2017–2018 season

 

Maurice Duruflé, Requiem and other works

Thursday, November 2, 2017, 8 p.m.

Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola

K. Scott Warren, conductor

David Enlow, organ 

Messe “Cum jubilo”

Four Motets on Gregorian Themes

Our Father

 

Love’s Pure Light: Annual Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 10, 2017, 3 p.m.

Sunday, December 17, 2017, 3 p.m.

Choirs & Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola

Daniel Beckwith, organ

J. S. Bach, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme

Handel, “Hallelujah” from Messiah

Popular carols

 

N. P. Mander Organ Recital

Sunday, January 14, 2018, 3 p.m.

Simon Johnson

 

N. P. Mander Organ Recital

Sunday, February 18, 2018, 3 p.m.

Reneé Anne Louprette 

 

J. S. Bach: Visions of Eternity

Wednesday, March 21, 2018, 8 p.m.

Choir & Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola

K. Scott Warren, conductor

Andrew Henderson, organ

Chorales, motets, and arias

 

N. P. Mander Organ Recital

Sunday, April 15, 2018, 3 p.m

David Higgs

 

Francis Poulenc, Gloria, Organ Concerto, and Mass in G Major

Wednesday, May 23, 2018, 8 p.m.

Choir & Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola

K. Scott Warren, conductor

Reneé Anne Louprette, organ

 

Photo credits: 

Joshua South Photography

 

Builder’s website: 

https://mander-organs.com

Church website: 

www.stignatiusloyola.org

 

Concerts website:

www.smssconcerts.org

Church of St. Ignatius Loyola

980 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10028

 

Phone: 212/288-3588

 

GRAND ORGUE (85 mm w.p.)

16′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Flûte harmonique 61 pipes

8′ Violoncelle 61 pipes

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flûte à fuseau 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Quinte 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

2′ Fourniture V 305 pipes

2⁄3′ Cymbale IV 244 pipes

8′ Cornet V (from g⁰) 270 pipes

16′ Bombarde 61 pipes

8′ Trompette 64 pipes

4′ Clairon 76 pipes

Tremblant

Récit–G.O.

Positif–G.O.

IVe Clav.–G.O.

POSITIF (75 mm w.p.)

8′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Flûte à cheminée 61 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flûte douce 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

2′ Quarte de Nazard 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Larigot 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Plein jeu V 305 pipes

8′ Trompette 61 pipes

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

Tremblant

IVe Clav.–Positif

Récit–Positif

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF (85 mm w.p.)

16′ Bourdon 61 pipes

8′ Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Salicional 61 pipes

8′ Unda Maris 61 pipes

8′ Cor de nuit 61 pipes

4′ Octave 61 pipes

4′ Flûte ouverte 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Cornet III 183 pipes

11⁄3′ Plein jeu IV 244 pipes

16′ Basson 61 pipes

8′ Trompette harmonique 64 pipes

8′ Clarinette 61 pipes

4′ Clairon harmonique 76 pipes

Tremblant 

IVe Clav.–Récit

IVe CLAVIER 

PETIT RÉCIT EXPRESSIF
(90 mm w.p.)

8′ Flûte traversière 61 pipes

8′ Viole de Gambe 61 pipes

8′ Voix céleste 61 pipes

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

4′ Flûte octaviante 61 pipes

2′ Octavin 61 pipes

16′ Cor anglais 61 pipes

8′ Trompette 61 pipes

8′ Basson-hautbois 61 pipes

8′ Voix humaine 61 pipes

Tremblant

BOMBARDE (140 mm w.p.)

16′ Bombarde 61 pipes

8′ Trompette en chamade 64 pipes

4′ Clairon en chamade 76 pipes

PEDALE (95 & 110 mm w.p.)

32′ Soubasse (ext 16′) 12 pipes

16′ Montre 32 pipes

16′ Contrebasse 32 pipes

16′ Soubasse 32 pipes

8′ Principal 32 pipes

8′ Flûte bouchée 32 pipes

4′ Octave 32 pipes

31⁄5′ Mixture V 160 pipes

32′ Contre Bombarde (ext 16′) 

12 pipes

16′ Bombarde 32 pipes

16′ Basson 32 pipes

8′ Trompette 32 pipes

4′ Clairon 32 pipes

G.O.–Pédale

Récit–Pédale

Positif–Pédale

IVe Clav.–Pédale

 

Etoile (in memory of Bridie Callahan by The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation)

 

Orage

 

256 memory level capture action system. 

Keys of bone, sharps of ebony. 

Case of French oak. 

Interior supports of American oak. 

Stop jambs of bur walnut, maple inlay. 

Stops of rosewood.

 

All couplers are purely mechanical; there is no electric assist. 

 

5,196 pipes

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

 

 

 

 

Peragallo Pipe Organ Company, Paterson, New Jersey

Cathedral of Ss. Simon and Jude, Phoenix, Arizona

 

From the Builder

 

Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.

—Daniel Burnham

As organbuilders, we are uniquely privileged to experience many rewarding moments in the process of seeing a new pipe organ come to life. Those moments are all the more amplified when this process includes a vibrant ministry that will realize the full potential of the new instrument. From our first interactions with the staff and organ committee at the Cathedral of Ss. Simon and Jude, we sensed that the pipe organ was going to serve as the cornerstone of sacred music within the Diocese of Phoenix. The instrument would need to musically support and visually complement a refreshingly unapologetic traditional ministry of sacred music. The organ’s timbres would need to function in both humble and glorifying ways to illuminate to the congregant the power through which chant, hymnody, and improvisation can reveal the sacred mystery to us all.

We were immediately in awe of the unwavering faith of this congregation. The extended lines wrapping around the church of people of all ages waiting to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the sight of people crawling on hands and knees down the middle aisle to beg forgiveness, the perpetual procession of groups gathering to recite the Rosary—all attest to the tremendous faith of this special place. The large cross that adorned the altar of Sun Devil Stadium during the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987 is now a familiar beacon as you approach the cathedral. With this steadfast faith and this prominent cross as a starting point, we set out to design an organ to complement this parish.

The tonal design of the instrument is the collaborative effort of John Peragallo, III; Mark Husey, consultant for the project; and Matthew Meloche, the director of sacred music at Ss. Simon and Jude. The specification is in keeping with the tonal concepts and philosophies one can expect of a Peragallo instrument. Each division is tonally complete and features a wealth of foundation stops. The gallery casework showcases an unenclosed Grand Orgue, expressive Positif and Récit divisions, and a substantial Pédale. An Antiphonale organ provides pitch and accompaniment for the song leader and serves as a counterpoint to the Grand Orgue. The Solo provides easy keyboard access to the chamades and a plethora of solo color. Each division possesses not only the requisite tools one would expect to see but several noteworthy perks.

At the urging of the consultant, we included a manual 32′ Flûte Conique. The overall effect of adding this subtle flue to the chorus is most favorable in executing French music from both the Classical and Romantic schools. The Grand Orgue is also equipped with softer accompanimental stops from the expressive divisions to offer a seamless crescendo and versatility in registration.

The Positif Expressif houses the powerful Tromba Magna. This high-pressure reed, fitted with German tapered shallots that are modified with a straight bore, benefits from the extremely effective expression of the Positif chamber. When adding the Tromba to the chorus with the box closed, it can serve as a bigger chorus reed. With the box fully open, the Tromba broadens the Grand Jeu while not overpowering the balance of the ensemble. 

Another notable inclusion is the large-scaled 8′ Cor di Bassetto in the Récit division. Sitting alongside the traditional Hautbois and Trompette, this throaty color is available at 16′ pitch on the Solo. The Récit also includes a Sept/Neuf (11⁄7′ and 8⁄9′) that imparts a reedy shimmer to the full chorus and also serves as part of the collective VIII Cornet à la Neuvieme.

The versatile nature of the organ’s mechanism afforded the ability to create composite stops for the Solo division, such as the III Grande Montre that is drawn from the three largest-scaled Montre stops. Likewise, the II Flûte Majeure, II Flauto Veneziano Celeste, and VII Cor de Violes go one step in depth and volume beyond their divisional counterparts. The Solo provides access to two collective Cornets, as well as the Tromba Magna, at a variety of pitches.

Finally, the Solo offers access to several colorful reeds at pitches other than those found in their respective divisions. For example, the Chalumeau à Cheminée sits well in the Positif chorus at 4′ pitch along with the 8′ Cromorne and the 16′ Cor Anglais. The Chalumeau and the Cor Anglais are both available at 8′ pitch on the Solo.

The Pédale division holds four independent 32′ pitches of varying color and power, and the façade pipework includes both the 16′ Violone and 16′ Montre. The 16′ Bombarde reeds are fitted with special bored German shallots. 

The Trompette en Chamade features English shallots with flared resonators in polished zinc splayed in a spectacular arrangement high in the casework.

The digital makeup of the floating Antiphonal organ ensures that it will always be in tune with the gallery organ when called upon.

The design and fabrication of the organ’s casework was carried out under the direction of Frank Peragallo. The design follows cues of the cathedral’s unique arches reflected in the doubly curving towers. The sightlines and hierarchies seek to elevate the eye upward.

The organ also features chamber wall designs borrowing from concepts developed for structurally insulated panels that are used in green building systems. These walls perform a double function of keeping the chamber temperatures even in the Arizona heat and creating a stark pianissimo effect when the expression shades are closed. New techniques for racking were developed for the double curves within the towers and the Trompette en Chamade.  

The organ’s console design features curving details gleaned from the organ casework and the cathedral’s ecclesiastical appointments. The music desk incorporates a Southwest motif with inlay of three wood species: maple, oak, and cherry.

At the pinnacle of the casework, a hand-carved cherry Étoile Sonora (spinning star zimbelstern) adorns the case and rotates when activated. The star’s design represents the five charisms of Mary Ward, the five Loreto Sisters who founded the school, and the founding pastor, Father Paul Smith. The Loreto Sisters have faithfully served the Diocese of Phoenix since 1954.

After four months of engineering and planning and six months of fabrication, the organ was fully assembled at the factory in Paterson, New Jersey. An open house was held for the community before it was disassembled and loaded onto the truck for the four-day journey to Arizona.

Ten Peragallo employees flew to Phoenix for six weeks of installation of the new organ. Each morning the crew drove from their outpost in northern Phoenix to the cathedral, passing dozens of hot air balloons and witnessing the priceless morning sunrises of the greater Phoenix valley. It took only one week to rebuild the massive organ casework and chambers in the balcony. The console was placed on display on the main floor of the cathedral so parishioners could have a chance to view it before it was raised up to the balcony.

One week later, the initial sounds were heard and the four-week voicing process began. This culminated with the blessing of the organ by Bishop Thomas Olmsted, shepherd of the Diocese of Phoenix, on November 21, 2016.  

This installation in Phoenix is our family’s first instrument west of the Mississippi River since John Peragallo, Sr., took the American Master Organ Company Opus 3 by rail to the Rialto Theatre in Butte, Montana, in 1917. One hundred years and 743 organs later, four members of the Peragallo family and ten craftsmen on our dedicated staff headed out across the country once more. We are proud to extend our tradition and look forward to building more instruments and reaching more parishes across the country in the years to come.

We are grateful for the support of the Most Reverend Thomas James Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix; the Very Reverend John Lankeit, Cathedral Rector; Matthew J. Meloche, director of sacred music; Mark Husey, consultant; Pam Lambros, parish stewardship and communications coordinator; the Cathedral Organ Committee; and all those that supported the cathedral music initiatives and this project.

—John Peragallo, IV 

Architectural Designer

 

From the Consultant

Environments of congregations that support professional musical excellence in America seem as rare and delicately balanced as ecosystems of planets that can support intelligent life in the known universe. The alchemical blend of visionary leadership, talent pool, and patronage all need to be in alignment for music of a professional standard to be the norm, and typically manifest after many years of careful cultivation. The Cathedral of Ss. Simon and Jude in Phoenix was built as a parish church in 1965 and elevated to a cathedral in 1969. While an exhaustive history of the cathedral’s sacred music program is mercurial and fascinating, that is not my story to tell; Matthew Meloche’s appointment as director of music in November of 2013 has produced an exceptionally well-trained professional choir that sings unaccompanied chants and polyphony for a weekly Solemn Choral Mass broadcast on television and archived on YouTube. At his initiative and through the support of cathedral clergy and an exceptionally generous donor, Peragallo Opus 743 was built as this cathedral’s first pipe organ, replacing two electronic instruments in various stages of decay.  

While the cathedral’s richly celebrated choral Masses include a wealth of unaccompanied choral music, the liturgy’s psalm, hymns, voluntaries, and improvisations demand an instrument with a diverse tonal palette capable of dramatic dynamic flexibility, attributes that undoubtedly come into play should the instrument find itself exploring the breadth of accompanied choral repertory. The three independent principal choruses (two of them enclosed) on the main organ contrast brilliantly in terraced dynamics when played alone and when coupled form a sumptuous plenum.

The addition of the 32′ on the Grand Orgue provides for a most unusual, subtle gravitas that makes for a spectacular Grand Plein Jeu for French Classic repertory. A most colorful battery of reed stops is available, complete with a powerful enclosed Solo Tromba in an “air-tight” swell box, which goes from a comfortable forte when played against a modest combination of stops, to a thrilling stentorian tone that rivals the glory of Peragallo’s signature chamades. The duplexing and unification that form the instrument’s Solo division might elicit an arched eyebrow from some purists (as it did from me, who am anything but). I would extend some of the liberties afforded to Isnard’s 1772 Resonance division at St. Maximin-en-Var in Provence, though I realize this is a stretch. While the Solo division has only one rank to call its own, its Grand Montre, Flauto Venezia, and Cornet stops are laudable composites that yield breathtaking results and must be heard to be fully appreciated. The judicious use of digital voices also should be mentioned: the expanded repertory that can be explored through their use, and the versatility afforded to their voicing and balance, is considerable. In summary, this instrument is what it is and does what it does without apology: brilliantly.

I played Peragallo Opus 643 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Columbia, South Carolina, for ten years, and the success of that instrument in leading sung worship is documented on over 700 videos with nearly four million views as of this writing. I am proud to have introduced the Peragallo family to the good people of Ss. Simon and Jude. I applaud Matthew Meloche, his clergy, and their patrons for blazing new trails in organ building while upholding the best of Catholic musical orthodoxy, providing a broken world with beauty and hope when we need it most. I predict that Peragallo Opus 743 will likewise inspire subsequent renewal in sacred music on a local as well as global scale. Ad majorem Dei gloriam.

—Mark Husey

 

From the Director of Sacred Music

It has been a great pleasure of mine, since 2013, to continue the good work of my predecessor Adam Bartlett in promoting legitimate Catholic sacred music at the Cathedral of Ss. Simon and Jude, the Mother Church of the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona. Perhaps the most quoted liturgy document of the past 50 years has been Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy promulgated by the Second Vatican Council. In that rather broad document a few specific musical items are mentioned: chant, polyphony, and the pipe organ.

Though the cathedral’s history with Gregorian chant long predates myself and my immediate predecessor (the 11:00 a.m. Solemn Mass has had the authentic Gregorian Introit sung at it for a decade or more), it was under Bartlett and then my watch that polyphony—especially that of Palestrina, Byrd, and even of modern composers—began being promoted and used extensively. The final piece of the puzzle for the cathedral was to move the choir from the north transept where they were relocated several decades back to the choir loft and the installation of a pipe organ.

The pipe organ design put forth by the Peragallo’s and the tonal specifications put together over many months pushed beyond the cathedral’s initial vision.  With time and the advice of great musicians (Mark Husey, Dr. Daniel Page, Ryan Dingess, Bruce Ludwick, among others), a wonderful instrument came forth. The many tonal colors of the organ make it an ideal instrument for creative improvisations on Gregorian chant themes, and many of its ranks seem to be made to accompany congregational settings of the chanted Ordinary of the Mass.

The dedication series of six concerts (played by Dr. Paul Weber, Dr. Skye Hart, Dr. Emma Whitten, Dr. Meaghan King, Mr. Mark Husey, and Mr. Jonathan Ryan) was eye opening to many cathedral parishioners and visitors from around the diocese. The pipe organ is used to accompany congregational music regularly at the Diocese of Phoenix televised Mass, which is viewed by over 60,000 people each Sunday. His Excellency, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, in his homily during the Vespers service at which he blessed the pipe organ, joyfully celebrated this instrument and the inspiration it would bring to parishioners and Catholics from around Arizona. It is my hope that this instrument will begin a resurgence in the Diocese of Phoenix and be the first of many pipe organs to find its way into Catholic parishes here that may have never had one.

—Matthew J. Meloche

 

See time lapse video of week one of the organ being built at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=579Rc0svbbg.  

 

Grand Orgue – Manual I 

32′ Flûte conique Positif and Pédale 

16′ Contre Violone 61 pipes

8′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Flûte harmonique 61 pipes

8′ Bourdon à cheminée 61 pipes

8′ Gambe 61 pipes

8′ Cor de nuit (ext Bd Dx 16′)  Récit 

8′ Cor de chamois Positif 

8′ Cor de chamois Céleste Positif  

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flûte ouverte 61 pipes

4′ Cor de chamois Céleste II Positif

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

2′ Flûte à bec (ext 4′ Fl) 12 pipes 

II Cornet (c2–c6) 98 pipes

III/IV Grande Fourniture composite

IV Fourniture  244 pipes

III Cymbale  183 pipes 

16′ Contre Trompette  61 wps

8′ Trompette 61 pipes

4′ Clairon (ext 8′ Tr) 12 pipes 

Tremulant

8′ Trompette en Chamade Solo

Positif Expressif – Manual II 

16′ Flûte conique 61 wps

8′ Montre 61 pipes 

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes 

8′ Cor de chamois 61 pipes

8′ Cor de chamois Céleste (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Principal italien (ext 8′ Mt) 12 pipes 

4′ Flûte à fuseau 61 pipes

2′ Octavin 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Larigot 61 pipes

1′ Piccolo (ext 4′ Fl) 12 pipes 

II Cymbale 122 pipes 

16′ Cor anglais 61 wps  8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

4′ Chalumeau à cheminée 61 pipes

8′ Tromba magna 61 pipes 

4′ Clairon magna (ext 8′ Tr)

Tremulant

Positif 16′

Positif Muet

Positif 4′

Harp 49 wps 

Celesta 12 wps 

8′ Trompette en Chamade Solo  

Récit – Manual III

16′ Bourdon doux 61 wps  

8′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Flûte à cheminée 61 pipes

8′ Viole de gambe 61 pipes

8′ Voix Céleste (TC) 49 pipes

8′ Flauto Dolce Céleste II 122 wps  

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flûte traversière 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Nasard (TC) 30 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

2′ Quarte de nasard (ext 4′ Fl) 12 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce (TC) 30 pipes

III/IV Plein jeu 220 pipes 

IV Cymbale composite 

II Sept/Neuf 122 wps  

16′ Basson 61 pipes

8′ Trompette 61 pipes

8′ Cor di bassetto 61 pipes

8′ Hautbois 61 pipes

8′ Voix humaine 61 wps

4′ Clarion (ext 8′ Tr) 12 pipes

Tremulant

Recit 16′

Recit Muet

Recit 4′

8′ Trompette en Chamade Solo

Solo – Manual IV

8′ Grande Montre III G.O. composite   

8′ Flûte majeure II G.O. composite 

8′ Cor de Violes VII Récit composite 

8′ Flauto Veneziano Céleste II 

Récit composite 

4′ Flûte magique G.O. fr. 8′ Fl har

V Grande Cornet G.O. composite  

VIII Cornet à la neuvieme Réc composite 

16′ Cor di bassetto Récit

8′ Cromorne Positif  

8′ Trompette en chamade 49 pipes 

8′ Chalumeau à cheminée Positif 

8′ Cor anglais Positif 

16′ Tuba magna (1–12 wps) Positif 

8′ Tromba magna Positif 

4′ Clairon magna Positif 

Tremulant

Clochettes 37 wps  

Solo 16′

Solo Muet

Solo 4′

Antiphonale – Floating 

8′ Montre 61 wps

8′ Flûte angelique 61 wps

8′ Viole angelorum 61 wps

8′ Voix seraphique 61 wps

8′ Unda maris II 122 wps

4′ Prestant 61 wps

4′ Flûte bouchée 61 wps

2′ Doublette 61 wps

8′ Cor d’orchestre 61 wps

Tremulant

Antiphonal Octave Célestes

Antiphonale Pédale 

16′ Contrebasse 32 wps

16′ Bourdon 32 wps

8′ Octavbasse 12 wps

8′ Bourdon 12 wps

4′ Flûte couverte 32 wps

8′ Cor d’orchestre Ant.

4′ Cor d’orchestre Ant.

Pédale Tremulant

Pédale

32′ Flûte ouverte 32 wps 

32′ Contre bourdon 32 wps 

32′ Flûte conique 32 wps 

16′ Contrebasse 32 wps 

16′ Montre 32 pipes

16′ Violone Grand Orgue 

16′ Flûte conique Positif 

16′ Bourdon 32 wps  

16′ Bourdon doux Récit 

8′ Octavbasse 32 pipes

8′ Bourdon 12 wps

8′ Flute doux Récit

4′ Doublette (ext 8′ Oct) 12 pipes 

4′ Flûte octaviante Grand Orgue

IV Fourniture composite

32′ Contre Bombarde 32 wps 

16′ Bombarde 32 pipes

16′ Contre Trompette Grand Orgue 

16′ Basson Récit

8′ Bombarde (ext 16′) 12 pipes 

8′ Trompette en chamade Solo 

8′ Tromba magna Positif 

4′ Cromorne  Positif 

Campanile Cathédrale Solo

Étoile Sonora

 

wps  = Walker pipe sample 

 

Four manuals and pedal, 51 ranks

Juget-Sinclair Organbuilders,

Montréal, Québec, Opus 42

Christ the King Catholic Church,

Dallas, Texas

During a visit to his hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Henry McDowell, director of music at Christ the King Catholic Church in Dallas, visited Jack Mitchener and played his two-stop Juget-Sinclair practice organ. This piqued McDowell’s interest in the organbuilders. Shortly thereafter, he visited the workshop with Jesse Eschbach, and the ensuing dialogue began the process of commissioning the largest Juget-Sinclair organ built to date. Involved in the project were Monsignor Donald Zimmerman, pastor at Christ the King, Henry McDowell, and Jesse Eschbach, as consultant.

Envisioned was an instrument of fifty-eight stops across three manuals and pedal with mechanical action and an aesthetic of French Romantic inspiration. From the outset, there were a few design challenges that needed to be addressed. The west gallery could not support the weight of the instrument and space for the choir could not be reduced. There was ample room in the chambers alongside the gallery, but it was desired that the organ sound as directly as possibly into the nave and not as though it was speaking from
the chambers.

The plan took shape along the following lines: the Grand-Orgue and Pédale divisions would be placed on the back wall on a steel frame whose weight was not supported by the gallery. Furthermore, both the Positif and Récit divisions would be enclosed symmetrically, situated partially in the chambers, on either side of the loft. These divisions, however, were extended beyond the chambers and angled to speak more directly into the nave, the space deeper inside the chambers being reserved for the lowest octaves of the 32′ ranks. The windchests are placed on one level (with the exception of the offset chests of the Grand-Orgue), promoting more stable intonation. The console would be detached with carbon-fiber trackers running to all divisions on each of the three walls under a newly built oak floor.

The tonal aesthetic is inspired by the French Romantic tradition, but adapted for modern North American liturgical requirements, for the specific culture of the parish, and for the acoustics of the building. The reeds are brilliant, yet not overwhelming. The flues are vivid and clear, with a variety of colors, yet their power on the whole is not excessive. With reeds drawn in all divisions, the instrument delivers a French symphonic sound with glorious power and richness, profoundly undergirded by a 32′ Bombarde. Yet, for choral accompaniment, the instrument has a wide palette of rich colors and dynamics.

The church requested that the project include both a continuo organ and an antiphonal division meant to accompany the cantor. The workshop proposed that these two be combined such that the continuo organ (with flutes 8′ and 4′ and a doublette) could be playable from the main console and function as the antiphonal division. The continuo organ is softer than the gallery organ, to be certain, but it provides a delightful and effective foil to the main instrument nevertheless.  

There were three further challenges to overcome for which a common solution was found: how to render the continuo instrument playable from the loft, how to lighten the key action on a rather large instrument, and how to isolate the wind supply for the bass extensions in the Pédale division. For each of these challenges electricity was the solution. The continuo organ can be connected to the Positif manual by outlets in the chancel. On the manual divisions, the lowest octaves of the 8′ and 16′ stops are winded on electro-pneumatic motors based on the nineteenth-century French Schmoll et Moll system. In the Pédale division, pipes of the extended stops are winded electro-pneumatically on individual pallets.

There was another challenge foreseen for the instrument’s installation: the sag in the steel beams that would occur once the weight of the instrument was placed on it. So, once the frame was in place, cables were anchored to the floor and the beams and brought under a tension equivalent to the weight of the instrument. Everything above the beams—casework, windchest, pipes, and wind system—was installed first, and when the beams were supporting their full weight, the cable tension was released. Once the cables were removed, everything below the beams—lower casework, trackers, and risers—was installed.

In addition to being the largest instrument built by Juget-Sinclair to date, Opus 42 is also their first instrument with three manuals, the first to have a 16′ façade, the first to use electro-pneumatic offsets in the lowest octaves, the first to be built on a steel frame, and the first new instrument to use carbon-fiber trackers. It is also the first instrument to be built with Robin Côté as a full one-third partner in the firm. Working at the shop for almost 15 years, he shared fully in the project at all levels—concept, design work, and voicing.

—David Szanto

Montréal, Québec, Canada

 

Grand-Orgue (Manual I)

16′ Montre 

16′ Bourdon 

8′ Montre 

8′ Salicional 

8′ Bourdon 

8′ Flute harmonique 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte ouverte 

22⁄3′ Quinte 

2′ Doublette 

Fourniture IV

Cymballe III

Cornet V

16′ Bombarde 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Trompette en chamade 

4′ Clairon 

Positif expressif (Manual II)

8′ Principal 

8′ Bourdon 

8′ Dulciane 

8′ Unda Maris 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte à cheminée 

22⁄3′ Nazard 

2′ Doublette 

13⁄5′ Tierce 

11⁄3′ Larigot 

Fourniture V

16′ Clarinette basse 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Cromorne 

4′ Clairon

Tremulant 

Récit expressif (Manual III)

16′ Bourdon 

8′ Flûte traversière 

8′ Cor de nuit 

8′ Viole de gambe 

8′ Voix céleste 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte octaviante 

22⁄3′ Nazard 

2′ Octavin 

13⁄5′ Tierce 

Plein Jeu III–V

16′ Basson 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Basson-Hautbois 

8′ Voix Humaine 

4′ Clairon

Tremulant 

Pédale

32′ Bourdon 

16′ Contrebasse 

16′ Soubasse 

8′ Principal 

8′ Bourdon 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte 

32′ Bombarde 

16′ Bombarde 

8′ Trompette

Couplers

II/I – III/I – III/II

I/P – II/P – III/P

 

Clochettes

58-note keyboards

30-note pedalboard

Mechanical action

Electric stop action

400 memory levels

Continuo organ

8′ Bourdon 

4′ Flûte 

2′ Doublette

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

René A. Marceau and Sean Haley

Marceau Pipe Organ Builders,

Seattle, Washington, Opus 35

University Lutheran Church, 

Seattle, Washington 

Marceau Pipe Organ Builders has completed their Opus 35, a three-manual and pedal organ of 25 stops, 27 ranks, and 1,714 pipes for University Lutheran Church of Seattle, Washington. The first instrument for this edifice was built by the Reuter Pipe Organ Company in 1954, Opus 1097. It consisted of two manuals, 18 stops, 19 ranks, and 1,358 pipes. An Echo division was later installed by Balcom & Vaughan Organ Builders in 1957, Opus 637. This consisted of two manuals, six stops, six ranks, and 392 pipes. Two consoles were added; the Chancel unit was able to control both locations, and a separate console was placed in the rear balcony to play only the Echo division. This arrangement worked well for a number of years before mechanical and tuning issues began to affect the reliability of the organs.

In 2013, a conversation was begun that would address the status of the existing consoles, the unplayable Echo division, and the obsolete electrical system. After exploring a number of options, University Lutheran awarded Marceau Pipe Organs a contract to build a new three-manual, terraced drawknob console and create an Antiphonal division that would be located on the floor of the balcony, as well as some modest tonal additions to enable this division to function in a variety of musical styles and to stay in tune with the Chancel organ, regardless of the season. In addition to the above details, there was a desire to transform the sounds of both organs from dull and colorless to a brighter, more energetic sound. This was achieved by introducing new pipes for the Great, Swell, and Antiphonal principal choruses along with major re-regulation of the existing reed stops. In addition, the Antiphonal received an 8′ Festival Trumpet and an 8′ Krummhorn; the existing 8′ Vox Humana was not retained in this division since the Chancel Swell already contained a stop of this character.

The new console was constructed of solid white oak with the coupler rail and stop tiers of bubinga. The simple elegance of the white oak complements the red-brown appearance of the bubinga. The keyboards feature polished bone naturals and ebony sharps. These console treatments have been an integral element of all Marceau consoles for the past 15 years.

A reading of the stoplist suggests a much more colorful and energetic tonal design. The Great principal chorus is completely new to the organ and includes a much-needed 13⁄5′ Seventeenth. The Swell 8′ Principal was a last-minute addition, replacing the original rank, which was slotted with a narrow, string-like sound. The Antiphonal is the only division with a façade; these 12 pipes are from the 8′ Principal. The Pedal 16′ Principal was extended by 17 notes to become 8′ Principal II on the Great. The luxury of having four 8′ Principals is most effective in a less than supportive acoustic.

The number of flute stops is on the lean side due to space and mechanical limitations. The intent was to finish each stop with a multitude of functions, creating a more versatile result. While it is not an ideal design to derive multiple stops of various pitches from one rank, the various derived mutations (Swell and Antiphonal) work quite well as tonal contrasts to the independent Great mutations. 

There are two sets of strings that work remarkably well and complement each other tonally. Having a set of strings in the Antiphonal again creates a unique location of sound that has a most satisfying result!

The reeds all received extensive revoicing in the shop and regulation on site. Both Swell reeds were opened up to gain color and dynamic capabilities. For greater versatility, the Trumpet is set at 16′, 8′, and 4′ pitches in the Swell, 8′ pitch in the Great, and 16′, 8′, and 4′ pitches in the Pedal. A 32′ electronic extension was added as the final dynamic element for the Pedal chorus. The Antiphonal 8′ Krummhorn is bright, and its location still works well with the Chancel organ. The Antiphonal 8′ Festival Trumpet brings a solo reed sound to the organ. Its sound is bright and very present without overwhelming the full ensemble.

The organ was dedicated on October 8, 2016, with a vespers service followed by an organ recital performed by William Bryant.

This was a challenging project in so many ways. Working with an existing pipe organ brings many surprises along the way that could not have been anticipated. We acknowledge the following for their efforts in the many details of this work: Carl Dodrill (Pipe Organ Foundation), Jim Stettner and Michael Way (Puget Sound Pipe Organs), William Bryant, organist of University Lutheran Church, and the staff of Marceau Pipe Organ Builders. These skilled craftsmen took on the many and sometimes difficult challenges of this project with energy and commitment! 

—René A. Marceau 

President/Tonal Director

—Sean Haley

Operations Manager