Cover Feature

Létourneau Pipe Organs, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada

First Presbyterian Church, 

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

 

From the Organist

From my position at the organ console, I look up into the faces of the choir and at the impressive façade of the new Létourneau organ directly behind the singers. The pipes soar up to the ceiling with the horizontal pipes of the Festival Trumpet above the heads of the back row of the choir. It is indeed an impressive visual experience and many long-time members of the congregation have said, “Our church finally looks finished.”

Even though the organ is visually impressive, the sound of the organ is even more impressive with its colorful ranks of pipes that can crescendo from a mere whisper to the thunder that one would expect from a great European cathedral organ. I had a sound in my mind I hoped we could make into a reality; Létourneau has given us that sound—and more.

In my opinion, the first requirement of a truly effective church organ is to lead congregational singing. After reading the text of each hymn, I decide how to color what is being sung with appropriate choice of registration. With the variety of sounds from which to choose, even challenging texts can be painted with sounds that reinforce what the poet is trying to say. In so doing, even the less musical singers in the congregation hear and experience greater meaning in what they are singing.

After church recently, a man—who will freely admit to not having a musical bone in his body—approached me to comment about one of the hymns for that day, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. His comment was specifically related to the phrase, “The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him.” He wanted to know how I made the phrase sound so “devilish,” so I introduced him to the 32′ Contre Bombarde in the Pedal division! Even a hymn stanza with a text that relates to angels can benefit by use of the Zimbelstern! When average members of the congregation can be led to a greater understanding of a hymn text by merely hearing a difference in registration, this is a win-win situation for a church musician.

Providing colorful anthem accompaniments is easily done on this organ. With three enclosed divisions, a full registration including reeds and mixtures can be easily tamed so that the choir is not overwhelmed. On the other hand, beautiful solo voices can be used to color and enhance what the choir is singing. The Flugelhorn, Harmonic Flute, Clarinet, Gamba, Fagotto, English Horn, and Oboe can all get a “workout” with a bit of creativity. Simply put, orchestral color is all here. Thomas Trotter used every one of the organ’s orchestral stops while playing his own transcription of Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and his performance brought the audience to its feet at the organ’s inaugural concert on April 8, 2016.

The instrument has not only had overwhelming success on Sundays and in solo organ recitals, but it made a grand statement in a recent concert that I played with the Tuscaloosa Symphony. Works featuring the organ were Handel’s Concerto No. 13 in F Major (“The Cuckoo and the Nightingale”), Albinoni’s Adagio, and Rheinberger’s Concerto in F. With the orchestra in the chancel area and the organ at the opposite end of the church, the enthusiastic audience was literally surrounded by exciting sounds.

Létourneau’s Opus 129 excels not only in hymn playing and anthem accompaniment, but also as an eclectic instrument capable of playing any of the standard organ literature. If one wants to play French eighteenth-century music, all of the necessary stops are present. The Great features two separate Cornets—one being a rare 16′ bass Cornet—while the Choir division contains a third. Even the Pedal division contains the necessary elements for a 32′ Cornet! There is an abundance of reeds at 16′, 8′, and 4′ in the manual divisions while the Pedal includes a 32′ reed and two choruses of reeds at 16′, 8′, and 4′. Clearly, the essential foundation and reed tone for playing the entire French Romantic literature is also available.

It would be fair to say that the only limitation that this organ could have would be in the hands of the person who is playing it. Every sound that one would need to use in church services, weddings, and funerals is here in abundance. A recitalist could not wish for a more expressive or colorful instrument. Someone for whom I have high regard commented recently, “You know, I have always said there was no such thing as an eclectic instrument that could play all of the organ literature. After hearing this organ, I will seriously have to rethink that statement!”

—L. Jeffries Binford, Jr.

 

From the Builder

Opened in 1922, the present sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church was initially home to a Wurlitzer church organ in two opposing chambers above the chancel. The Wurlitzer was replaced in 1977 with a Casavant Frères pipe organ at the back of the sanctuary. The Casavant with its exposed pipework and minimal casework spoke from a raised platform into the nave through a sizeable central arch with secondary arches on either side. Its stoplist was fashionably Orgelbewegung with one-third of its 49 ranks being mixture stops; its small palette of softer colors limited its success in service playing.

Having formed a committee under the leadership of Dr. Daniel Potts to address the instrument’s shortcomings, the church invited us, among others, to put forward our ideas in 2005. Having visited a number of instruments in the south-eastern United States, the committee was enchanted with our instruments in Hodges Chapel at Samford University in Birmingham and at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. It soon became clear that Létourneau was the committee’s choice as First Presbyterian Church’s future organbuilder.

In 2009, First Presbyterian Church purchased Skinner Organ Company Opus 350 with the intention of redeploying it in the empty chambers above the chancel. Without so much as a 4′ Principal, the Skinner contrasted sharply with the Casavant at the other end of the sanctuary. A 15-rank instrument over three manuals and pedal, its Great was all of one rank—a colossal 8′ Diapason made from zinc and lead—plus five stops duplexed from the Swell. The Swell and Choir’s voices included the Concert Flute, a Flugelhorn, an English Horn, a Clarinet, and two more substantial 8′ diapasons. Later in its life, the Skinner was enlarged through the addition of three ranks made by the Æolian Organ Company: a pair of muted string ranks—today’s Choir 8′ Vox Ætheria II—and an 8′ Vox Humana.

Once the scope of the project had come into focus and various administrative approvals had been received, First Presbyterian Church signed a contract with Létourneau to build a new pipe organ in 2014. The instrument, Létourneau’s Opus 129, would incorporate pipework from the Skinner and Casavant organs as a measure of stewardship and, in the case of the Casavant, as a gesture towards continuity. The project presented an intriguing challenge to us as organbuilders: reuse pipework of vastly different vintages and tonal aesthetics alongside our own materials to provide a uniquely cohesive pipe organ. It was a task we approached with enthusiasm and seriousness in equal measure.

A team from Létourneau brought the Skinner to our workshops from its location in storage in December 2014. Two months later, we dismantled the Casavant organ in Tuscaloosa, and it too came back to St-Hyacinthe. A detailed evaluation of the Skinner, Æolian, and Casavant pipework was then carried out in our pipe shops with final adjustments being made to the organ’s tonal plan. Our experienced pipemakers were invaluable in compiling a detailed inventory of pipework with all the data being annotated in Opus 129’s file. Whether repairing the Skinner’s pipes for another century of service or lengthening the zinc pipes of the Casavant 16′ Prinzipal to produce a 16′ Violonbass, no challenge was too big or too small.

Originally voiced on low wind pressures, the Casavant materials were assimilated into the new tonal plan with some transposition and rescaling. For example, the former Great 8′ Prinzipal rank was reworked to become the Great 4′ Principal after we rescaled the rank four pipes larger (e.g., 8′ G# was cut down to give 4′ C). Likewise, the former Great 16′ Quintaden became the Swell 16′ Quintaton, but the addition of five new bass pipes effectively increased its scale for a fuller, rounder tone. Three Casavant reed stops were reused: the Swell 8′ Oboe, the Choir 8′ Cromorne, and the Pedal 4′ Schalmey. All were revoiced with new shallots and, in the case of the Schalmey, new caps were provided at the tops of the resonators.

Like its predecessor, Opus 129 resides at the back of First Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary. The casework was designed by Claude Demers and is made from richly stained red oak; it displays polished tin pipes from the Pedal 16′ Principal, 8′ Octave, and 4′ Choral Bass as well as the Great 8′ Principal. The horizontal 8′ Festival Trumpet is also prominently arrayed around the central part of the façade. The instrument is divided behind along its center line, with the Choir and Enclosed Great divisions on the lowest level to the left and right, respectively. The Swell division sits on top of the Choir on the left, though the resonators of the Swell 16′ Bombarde and its 32′ Pedal extension are offset so the lower portions of these pipes can stand one level lower within the Enclosed Great. The unenclosed Great division is above the Enclosed Great to the right of the Swell. The Great’s 16′ mutations and their Pedal 32′ extensions are just behind the façade in front of the Enclosed Great division, while the Pedal is divided between the extreme right and left of the instrument. The instrument is winded by two blowers located in a dedicated room beneath the instrument; their motors produce a total of 13 horsepower.

Division by division, the Great 16′ Violonbass and 16′ Bourdon together provide a solid foundation for a 16′ principal chorus while the Bourdon alone serves as the basis for the 16′ cornet décomposé. Meanwhile, the narrower 22⁄3′ Quint and 13⁄5′ Tierce together give a sesquialtera effect, adding spice to the principal chorus or offering another solo possibility. The Enclosed Great can build on its unenclosed counterpart with an array of foundation stops; it can also function as a separate Solo division thanks to transfers to other manuals. On 7 inches wind pressure, some of the Enclosed Great’s unique colors include a pair of flared gambas, a robust English trumpet rank, and two Skinner reeds, the 8′ Flugelhorn and the 8′ English Horn.

The Swell division is as well equipped for liturgical work as for the French Romantic repertoire. The smallest of the Skinner diapasons is the basis for the Swell principal chorus, which builds up to a five-rank Plein jeu mixture. The 8′ Chimney Flute combines with the 4′ Harmonic Flute and 2′ Octavin for a nimble chorus appropriate for the scherzos of Vierne and Duruflé. The Skinner strings’ distinctive warmth gives way smoothly to the two-rank Flute Celeste’s mysterious shimmer, which in turn dissipates into the delicate Æoline. Finally, the Swell’s 16′-8′-4′ trumpet ranks dominate the full Swell; these stops are equipped with dome-headed French shallots throughout and have harmonic trebles.

The Choir offers a number of colors and effects to set off the Swell. The Skinner 8′ Concert Flute is naturally at home here and blooms handsomely as one ascends up the manual. The two-rank Vox Ætheria stop has become a favorite of Jeff Binford for its uncommon blend of delicacy and pungency of tone; its use with the octave coupler is captivating. The full range of flutes and mutations through 1′ within the Choir gives the organ a second cornet décomposé as well as offering possibilities for Italian baroque music. Similar in appearance, the Choir’s two 8′ cylindrical reeds contrast strongly: the smooth Skinner 8′ Clarinet has the expected orchestral quality while the revamped 8′ Cromorne offers fizz and snap in its tone. The new 16′-8′ Fagotto rank is a very mild trumpet stop, which, with the tremulant, is a perfect sonority for Flor Peeters’s Aria.

The Pedal division offers tremendous variety, including a principal chorus from 16′ through mixture and two mutation stops to fill out the 32′ harmonic series. The 32′ Contre Bombarde extension of the Swell 16′ Bombarde has proven itself chameleon-like, slipping in easily under light or heavy registrations and being enclosed, its effect can be moderated with the Swell shades. The generously scaled Pedal 16′-8′-4′ reed sounds on 51⁄2 inches wind, giving the Trombone and the organist’s feet the final word.

Four of the Casavant windchests from 1977 were reused after undergoing the necessary modifications and a thorough restoration in our workshops. Otherwise, the organ’s windchests are all new with pitman-style electro-pneumatic actions. The instrument is played from a three-manual console with all manner of sub-octave, unison, and octave couplers, as well as the divisional transfers for the Enclosed Great division. Other features include 256 levels of memory, a Great-Choir manual transfer, an All Swells to Swell function, and a record-playback function.

Opus 129 stands as a showcase for our abilities in seamlessly incorporating older materials within a new instrument. Its creation—from conception through construction through installation through final voicing—was a process we savored intensely, and we are grateful to First Presbyterian Church for entrusting us with such a complex and rewarding project. The result is an unusually rich musical instrument capable of great power and subtlety, one that will serve worship at First Presbyterian Church for many generations to come. 

—Andrew Forrest, Artistic Director

Fernand Létourneau, President

Dudley Oakes, Project Consultant

GREAT – Manual II – 85mm pressure

16′ Violonbass 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

16′ Bourdon 61 pipes new

8′ Principal 61 pipes new (façade)

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

51⁄3′ Gros Nasard 61 pipes new

4′ Octave 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

4′ Open Flute 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

31⁄5′ Grosse Tierce 61 pipes new

22⁄3′ Quint 61 pipes new

2′ Super Octave 61 pipes new

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes new

11⁄3′ Mixture IV–V 288 pipes new

Tremulant

Great 16–Great Unison Off–Great 4

8′ Festival Trumpet 66 pipes new (façade)

Nachtigall

Zimbelstern

ENCLOSED GREAT – Manual II – 180mm pressure

8′ Diapason 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes new, harmonic at a34

8′ Viole de gambe 61 pipes new

8′ Gamba 61 pipes new, flared

8′ Gamba Celeste 61 pipes new, flared

8′ Flugelhorn 61 pipes Skinner

8′ English Horn 61 pipes Skinner

16′ Double Trumpet 12 pipes ext 8′ Trumpet

8′ Trumpet 66 pipes new, harmonic at c37

4′ Clarion 24 pipes ext 8′ Trumpet

Tremulant

Chimes 25 tubes

SWELL (enclosed) – Manual III – 95 mm pressure

16′ Quintaton 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

8′ Diapason 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Salicional 61 pipes rescaled Skinner

8′ Voix Celeste 61 pipes rescaled Skinner

8′ Chimney Flute 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

8′ Æoline 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Flute Celeste II 110 pipes 1st rank: Casavant, 2nd rank: new

4′ Octave 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

4′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes rescaled Skinner

2′ Octavin 61 pipes new

2′ Plein jeu III–IV 232 pipes new

16′ Bombarde 61 pipes new

8′ Trompette 66 pipes new, harmonic at f#43

8′ Oboe 61 pipes Casavant with new shallots

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes Æolian

4′ Clairon 78 pipes new, harmonic at f#31

Tremulant

Swell 16–Swell Unison Off–Swell 4

Enclosed Great on Swell

CHOIR (enclosed) – Manual I – 115 mm pressure

16′ Gedeckt 61 pipes Skinner with new bass

8′ Diapason 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Concert Flute 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes Casavant

8′ Gemshorn Celeste 54 pipes Casavant

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes Casavant

8′ Vox Ætheria II 122 pipes Aeolian, new bass for 2nd rank

4′ Principal 61 pipes rescaled Casavant

4′ Flûte à fuseau 61 pipes Casavant

22⁄3′ Nasard 61 pipes Casavant

2′ Flûte à bec 61 pipes Casavant

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes Casavant

11⁄3′ Larigot 61 pipes Casavant

1′ Sifflet 61 pipes new

16′ Fagotto 61 pipes new

8′ Clarinet 61 pipes Skinner

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes Casavant with new shallots

8′ Fagotto 12 pipes ext 16′ Fagotto

Tremulant

Choir 16–Choir Unison Off–Choir 4

8′ Festival Trumpet Great

Harp digital Walker Technical Co.

Celesta digital Walker Technical Co.

Enclosed Great on Choir

PEDAL – 85mm, 95mm, and 140mm pressures

32′ Contra Violone digital Walker Technical Co.

32′ Contra Bourdon digital Walker Technical Co.

16′ Principal 32 pipes new (façade)

16′ Violonbass Great

16′ Subbass 32 pipes Skinner with new bass

16′ Bourdon Great

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt Choir

16′ Quintaton Swell

102⁄3′ Grosse Quinte 12 pipes ext Great 51⁄3′ Gros Nasard

8′ Principal 32 pipes new (façade)

8′ Violoncello Great

8′ Bourdon 32 pipes Skinner

8′ Lieblich Gedeckt Choir

62⁄5′ Grosse Tierce 12 pipes ext Great 31⁄5′ Grosse Tierce

4′ Choral Bass 32 pipes new (façade)

4′ Flute 32 pipes Casavant

22⁄3′ Mixture IV 128 pipes new

32′ Contre Bombarde 12 pipes ext Sw 16′ Bombarde

16′ Trombone 32 pipes new

16′ Trumpet Enclosed Great

16′ Bombarde Swell

16′ Fagotto Choir

8′ Tromba 12 pipes ext 16′ Trombone

8′ Bombarde Swell

4′ Tromba Clarion 12 pipes ext 16′ Trombone

4′ Schalmey 32 pipes Casavant with new shallots

8′ Festival Trumpet Great

Chimes Enclosed Great

 

Three manuals; 85 total stops; 75 ranks; 4,014 pipes

 

Great Mixture IV–V

 

c1 to b12 19 22 26 29

c13 to f18 15 19 22 26

f#19 to f30 12 15 19 22 26

f#31 to f42 8 12 15 19 22

f#43 to d51 5 8 12 15 19

d#52 to c61 1 5 8 12 15

 

Swell Plein jeu III–IV

 

c1 to b12 15  19 22

c13 to b36 12 15 19 22

c37 to b48 8 12 15 19

c49 to c61 1 8 12 15

A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company, Lithonia, Georgia

First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Galveston Island, Texas

First Presbyterian Church, Galveston Island, Texas

Galveston Island has a rich history and played a significant role in the birth of Texas. Three miles wide and twenty-seven miles long, it is a popular vacation destination, but also a permanent home to nearly 50,000 full-time residents.  

Our story starts when Hurricane Ike reached Galveston Island in September 2008. The destruction to the island was on a scale and scope that only can be described as apocalyptic. The winds that bore down on the island carried a storm surge into the sanctuaries of First Presbyterian Church and First Evangelical Lutheran Church, which were flooded as well as damaged by falling water. With the restoration work required by the church properties, it would be nearly five years before either church could consider repairs to the pipe organs. 

It was at this point that our firm was brought in to consult with both churches. We were contacted while we were in the area working at Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston (chronicled as the May 2014 cover feature in The Diapason). While it is not unusual for us to work in a city (or region) on several projects, it is rare to simultaneously build two instruments within walking distance of each other.

As I visited these churches, I viewed instruments that had been silenced for a number of years. Without playing these organs, I was left to survey the remnants of these instruments, extant organ pipes, and the history of these churches and their music programs; I would hold their stewardship and heritage in my hands. I am thankful and humbled by the trust placed in the A. E. Schlueter firm and me.

Early discussions reinforced to me that even though we were building two new organs, both churches wanted the instruments to be rooted in the previous instruments’ style. Neither was to be a slavish copy, but evocative of the pipe organs they had. This was a rare opportunity to build instruments patterned after two of our country’s prominent late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American organ builders. We allowed ourselves to be enveloped in tonal styles of the past while also considering the tonal developments that had occurred in the Pilcher and Hook & Hastings firms prior to their closing. This homage to history and stewardship has preserved the sounds that have supported generations in the Galveston Island community for over 100 years.

 

First Evangelical Lutheran Church

Founded as First German Evangelical Lutheran in 1850, the church annually hosts the official Galveston Island Oktoberfest on the church grounds. In 2013, the church auctioned a car during this annual event to help raise funds for the restoration of an organ to the chancel.

The third organ installed in the church’s former nave was Henry Pilcher’s Sons Opus 1334 of 1926. It was relocated to the new church chancel area in the 1950s, with an attempt to modernize the chancel organ stoplist by including some upper work via several highly unified stops, and some stop substitutions and exchanges. However, even with these changes, the basic fabric of the 1926 organ remained intact. During Hurricane Ike in 2008, the chancel organ console was partially submerged in water, and the wiring to the console under the nave floor was soaked with sea water. 

There is a second organ in First Lutheran’s rear gallery. In 1973, a new three-manual, 27-stop, 41-rank mechanical-action instrument was installed by Freiburger Orgelbau of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. This organ proved to be well suited for baroque music, while the Pilcher in the chancel, with its romantic scaling and voicing, continued to serve the basic service needs of the church, including weddings and funerals. The gallery organ was spared during the storm and continues to support worship in its unaltered form. While there is no desire to change the gallery organ from its mechanical action, there have been discussions to have the new chancel console be able to eventually remotely play the gallery organ. The new three-manual chancel console was designed with this in mind. 

Our new chancel instrument is built in homage to the style of the former Pilcher. We incorporated the Pilcher’s unaltered pipework; some stops such as the Swell 8′ Diapason had leathered lips that had suffered severe water damage. While some builders have erroneously removed this leather in an attempt to “modernize” the sound of the pipes, this does not honor the former builders who made these tonal choices. We restored these pipes with their leathered lips. Other vintage pipework was similarly treated to return pipes to a former state. However, to open the organ to a wider body of repertoire, we incorporated hybrid stops (Gemshorn), the formants of a principal chorus, and upperwork and mutations that were in keeping with the stop design and voicing of the original instrument. The entire organ is under expression with a large exposure of chancel and nave shades. This allows the power of this instrument to be under complete dynamic control while almost entirely unenclosed when fully open. 

The organ has 25 ranks, divided between Great, Swell, and Pedal divisions. Since the console included the third manual, we allowed some of the unit stops on the organ to be registered from the third manual. The Great strings are so treated, as are the Swell reeds. 

The new movable chancel organ console is normally situated toward the front of the right transept chapel, which houses the 1915 altar from the former church. Because of its forward exposed location, it was important to keep its stature diminutive. We designed a terraced drawknob console with inbuilt casters to reduce its visual signature and allow for mobility. 

Since both pipe organs are normally played during a service, the new organ console’s division orientation of the keyboards was made the same as the gallery organ’s console. This eases the transition from one console to the other, even though they are very different instruments.

Even though the gallery organ, with its classic baroque sound, was not damaged by Hurricane Ike, the parish still longed for the return of the beloved chancel organ, with its warmth, grandeur, and rich tonal palette. The completed chancel organ has a nobility in its sound. It has its own unique identity as the “other” instrument in the church as well as resources to perform repertoire that would be challenging for the gallery organ, in spite of its size. The chancel has a rich sound that First Lutheran parishioners are thrilled to again experience.

I would like to thank the members of the organ committee with whom I worked and particularly recognize the efforts of the Reverend Dr. Douglass Guthier (retired) and organist/choirmaster Don Hermanson. Their mission to see the restoration of the organ to the chancel spanned years.

 

First Presbyterian Church

The congregation was organized in 1840. The present church, completed in 1889 after 16 years of construction, is considered one of the best examples of Norman architecture in the region. The church is known for its stained glass windows, including work by Tiffany.

The organ at First Presbyterian Church has had a unique history. Originally built in 1896 by the Hook & Hastings firm in Boston, the organ had mechanical action with three manuals and 30 ranks. Housed in a large oak case with stenciled wood and metal pipes positioned in the front right side of the church, the organ would be altered and changed a number of times over the years. In the 1940s its action was electrified, but it fell into disrepair in the 1970s. Under the direction of Roy Redman, it was rebuilt into a mechanical-action organ with new slider chests and enlarged to 54 ranks. At the time this work was completed, the instrument was purported to have been one of the larger mechanical-action organs built west of the Mississippi. In the 1990s, the mechanical action was discarded; a detached replacement console was installed, and the organ was converted to electric action. Even with numerous changes over time, the organ case,  façade, and the original pipework were constants. The organ remained in service until it was silenced by the hurricane. 

As our firm assessed the instrument we developed a plan that was centered on preserving the stewardship of the church heritage. It was important that the case and façade be retained without any visual change. There was a desire to keep the tonal style of Hook & Hastings but also to add resources to permit a broader capability of choral and congregational accompaniment. The Redman firm, which rebuilt and enlarged the organ in the late 1970s, had been kind in its treatment of the vintage Hook & Hastings pipework even as it enlarged the organ. We are grateful for the care they took, which allowed the Hook & Hastings pipework to be retained for reuse.

In consultation with the church and in consideration of the back and forth changes from mechanical to electric actions in the organ’s history, it was decided to employ slider action controlled by electric key action. Such an action would be very reliable in the island environment and allow layout and structural considerations that would not be possible with mechanical action.

As we studied the new organ design, it was clear that it would require a number of internal changes in structure and organ access and egress. Working with the architect we were able to define and open up a rear access for the instrument in the adjoining social hall stairwell. This allowed independent access to the Pedal, Choir, and Great divisions of the organ. The Swell is accessed through the original side door in the organ case. Without needing passage through the organ to access all of the interior workings we were able to raise the Swell organ to the impost level of the case so that the organ speaks out over the Choir rather than through it. The Choir and Great sit beside each other on the top level of the organ. 

To visually stay below the organ façade while raising the interior levels of the organ divisions, we developed “coffin” style slider chests that sit on the floor of the upper deck of the organ chassis. The Great chest is designed with pipes offset and arranged to allow it to sit in the front corner of the church where the arched ceiling timbers intersect. The pipes literally fit around the architecture. From this location the tonal energy of the Great division is splayed uniformly into the sanctuary to support congregational singing.

Unique with the building of this instrument is that we left the organ case and façade in situ for the entire time of our work. We very carefully removed the former organ chassis while temporarily restructuring to support the organ façade and case. The lower center section was removed to replace the case panels that had been altered for tonal egress in the 1970s. With the new interior elevations of the organ divisions, these lower grilles were no longer needed and new solid panels were built. The restored lower case helps to focus and direct the choir voices from the choir loft. A corollary benefit is that the raised elevations took the sound of the lower division of the organ out of the choir members’ ears. The new organ chassis is built of steel and heavy timbers with solid ceilings and floors for the enclosed divisions. As is our practice, the expression boxes were built overly thick to fully contain the enclosed divisions. 

To control the organ, we built a traditional three-manual drawknob console. The console exterior is built of oak and finished to match the organ case. The design of the console frame evokes the organ casement. The console interior is paneled in rich mahogany with ebonized accents.

Prior to removing the organ, we brought a voicing machine to the church to evaluate the pipes. This allowed us to hear the pipework in the sanctuary, establish wind pressures, and gauge the tonal balance of the stops in the room as they existed and importantly, could exist. We held these sounds in our heads and our hearts as we developed the new specification.

With the exception of pipes that were beyond repair due to condition, almost all of the Hook & Hastings pipework found a home, in part or whole, in the new instrument. In some instances, we did reallocate pipes from their position in the original 1896 stoplist where they better served the revised tonal design. 

The original reeds were retained and rebuilt and include the original shallots and reed tongue thicknesses where this was possible. The condition of the reeds after over 100 years of age and multiple hands required substantial rebuilding, and we took great care to preserve these stops.

While the specification has a large 8′ center at its core, we included upper work and mutations to add color, variety, and the treble ascendant completions of the principal and flute choruses. The completed instrument retains its past voice but with additional resources that let it take part in a broader range of music as it supports worship in this historic church.

I would like to personally take the opportunity to thank the organ committee members Jennifer Klein Salyer, director of worship arts; Ruben Rincon, Jr., organist; Mike Cowan; David Salyer; and Lesley Sommer. Their efforts and support were invaluable.

 

In closing

We would like to thank these congregations who treated us like extended family while we completed these instruments. They buoyed us with their support and prayers and genuinely have become our friends and extended congregations. As a way of thanks and in the form of a tithe, both instruments ended up with additional stops that were given as gifts from the Schlueter family. 

We consider it one of our greatest strengths to be able to work in different styles and engineer solutions that would be difficult for other firms. The design of both of these instruments required custom engineering, particularly in the case of First Presbyterian Church and the 1896 organ case. A hallmark of our work is to be sensitive to the architecture and history of the churches we work with. I am confident this is what we did in Galveston.

While we would never claim the tonal mantle of the Pilcher or Hook & Hastings firms, we hope that Schlueter’s fingerprints have melded with sonic impressions left by these predecessors. We hope that if these past luminaries were able to visit, our work would be equally pleasing and identifiable to them.

Building these two instruments required the talents of many people. I would be remiss if I did not thank the members of the Schlueter team who spent the long hours away from home to do so. We are grateful for the efforts of Arthur E. Schlueter, Jr., Arthur E. Schlueter, III, John Tanner, Marc Conley, Patrick Hodges, Rob Black, Jeremiah Hodges, Peter Duys, James (Bud) Taylor, Jr., Bob Weaver, Al Schroer, Shan Dalton-Bowen, Barbara Sedlacek, Michael DeSimone, Dallas Wood, Clifton Frierson, Ruth Lopez, and Kelvin Cheatham. 

Visit our website at www.pipe-organ.com, e-mail us at [email protected], or write to us at P. O. Box 838, Lithonia, Georgia 30058.

—Arthur E. Schlueter, III

Visual and Tonal Direction

A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company

 

First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 

Galveston Island, Texas

GREAT (expressive)

16′ Gemshorn 12 pipes

8′  Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Hohl Flute 61 pipes* 

8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes*

8′ Unda Maris (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Octave 61 pipes

4′ Rohr Flute 61 pipes*

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes

III–IV Mixture 208 pipes

16′ Oboe TC (Swell)

8′ Trumpet (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

Chimes (existing tubes and actions 

    rebuilt)

SWELL (expressive)

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes*

8′ Diapason 61 pipes*

8′ Stopped Diapason 61 pipes*

8′ Salicional 61 pipes*

8′ Voix Celeste 61 pipes*

4′ Diapason 61 pipes*

4′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes*

22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Flageolet 61 pipes* 

13⁄5′ Tierce (TC) 49 pipes

16′ Oboe TC (ext)

8′ Trumpet 61 pipes

8′ Oboe 61 pipes*

Tremolo

POSITIV (preparation for future)

16′ Gemshorn (Great)

8′ Stopped Diapason (Swell)

8′ Gemshorn (Great)

8′ Dulciana (Great)

8′ Unda Maris (Great)

4′ Gemshorn (Great)

4′ Unda Maris II (Great)

16′ Oboe (Swell)

8′ Trumpet (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

PEDAL

32′ Acoustic Bass (resultant)

16′ Gemshorn (Great)

16′ Subbass 32 pipes

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell)

8′ Octave (1–12 Great) 20 pipes

8′ Gemshorn (Great)

8′ Subbass 12 pipes

8′ Gedeckt (Swell)

4′ Choral Bass 12 pipes

4′ Gedeckt (Swell)

32′ Harmonics (Wired Cornet)

16′ Trompette 12 pipes

8′ Trompette (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

*From original Pilcher Organ

 

Coupler Rail

Great to Pedal 8-4

Swell to Pedal 8-4

Positiv on Pedal 8

Swell to Great 16-8-4

Positiv on Great 8

Swell to Swell 16-UO-4

Positiv on Swell

Positiv to Positiv 16-UO-4

Swell to Positiv 16-8-4

MIDI on Pedal, Great, Swell, Positiv

 

25 ranks

 

First Presbyterian Church, 

Galveston Island, Texas (III/54)

GREAT 

16′ Contra Dulciana (Choir)

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell)

8′ Diapason 61 pipes* 

8′ 2nd Diapason 41 pipes* 

(balance from Ped Dbl Open Diap)

8′ Gamba 61 pipes*

8′ Doppel Flute 61 pipes*

8′ Bourdon (TC) 49 pipes*

    (H&H bass from Doppel) 

4′ Octave 61 pipes*

4′ Doppel Flute 12 pipes*

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes*

IV–V Mixture 11⁄3′ 281 pipes

16′ Contra Oboe (Swell)

8′ Cornopean (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

8′ Clarinet (Choir)

8′ Tromba (Swell) (non-coupling)

Tremolo

Chimes (Great) (25 notes)**

Zimbelstern (multiple bells)

CHOIR (enclosed)

16′ Contra Dulciana**

8′ English Diapason 61 pipes* 

8′ Concert Flute 61 pipes* 

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes*

8′ Unda Maris (TC) 49 pipes 

4′ Principal 61 pipes

4′ Traverse Flute 61 pipes*

22⁄3′ Nasat (TC) 49 pipes 

2′ Flautino 61 pipes*

13⁄5′ Terz (TC) 49 pipes

11⁄3′ Quint 12 pipes

IV Scharf-Zimbel 2⁄3′ 244 pipes

8′ Clarinet  61 pipes*

16′ Tromba (Sw) (non-coupling)

8′ Tromba (Sw) (non-coupling)

4′ Tromba (Sw) (non-coupling)

Harp (61 notes)**

Tremolo

Choir to Choir 16-UO-4

SWELL (enclosed)

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes*

8′ Geigen Diapason 61 pipes*

8′ Stopped Diapason 61 pipes*

8′ Salicional 61 pipes*

8′ Voix Celeste (TC) 49 pipes*

8′ Muted Strings III 159 pipes*

4′ Geigen Octave 61 pipes

4′ Fern Flute  61 pipes*

22⁄3′ Nazard (TC) 49 pipes

2′ Flageolet  24 pipes*

13⁄5′ Tierce (TC) 49 pipes

IV–VI Plein Jeu 2′ 330 pipes

16′ Contra Oboe TC (ext)

8′ Cornopean  61 pipes*

8′ Oboe 61 pipes*

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes*

4′ Clarion (fr Cornopean) 24 pipes

8′ Tromba 61 pipes

Tremolo

Swell to Swell 16-UO-4

PEDAL

32′ Violone**

32′ Bourdon**

16′ Double Open Diapason 73 pipes*

16′ Open Wood**

16′ Contra Dulciana (Choir)

16′ Subbass 32 pipes*

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell)

8′ Octave 12 pipes*

8′ Diapason (from 16′)

8′ Subbass 12 pipes*

8′ Stopped Diapason (Swell)

4′ Choral Bass 32 pipes

4′ Doppel Flute (Great)

4′ Lieblich Flute (Swell)

III Mixture 22⁄3′ 96 pipes

32′ Contra Trombone**

32′ Harmonics 

16′ Trombone 32 pipes* 

    (wood resonators)

16′ Contra Trumpet (Crnpn) 12 pipes

8′ Cornopean (Swell)

8′ Oboe (Swell)

4′ Clarion (Swell)

4′ Clarinet (Choir)

8′ Tromba (Swell)

 

Inter-Manual Couplers

Great to Pedal 8-4

Swell to Pedal 8-4

Choir to Pedal 8-4

Swell to Great 16-8-4

Choir to Great 16-8-4

Swell to Choir 16-8-4

Choir/Great Transfer (On piston, divisional pistons transfer)

 

MIDI Controls (programmable as preset stops): MIDI on Pedal A, B; Great A, B; Swell A, B; Choir A, B

 

* Hook and Hastings pipework

**Digital 

 

44 ranks

Austin Organs, Inc.,
Hartford, Connecticut

The Royal Poinciana Chapel, Palm Beach, Florida

 

Another Austin in Paradise

Nestled on the island of Palm Beach, alongside the last remaining cocoanut grove, one will discover the rather charming Royal Poinciana Chapel, named after the magnificent Delonix Regia, the Royal Poinciana tree that was once abundant on the island.

The Royal Poinciana Chapel is a vital, post-denominational Christian community with a strong congregation of 800 members and seasonal guests during winter, including some 250 year-round families and children. The chapel sits at the center of Palm Beach Island on three acres of lush landscaped property bordering Henry Flagler’s famous home Whitehall, now open as a museum. The chapel overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway and the West Palm Beach waterfront to the west and The Breakers resort and ocean golf course directly to the east. It features the landmark giant kapok tree giving frame to an exquisite view. It is the most photographed spot in Palm Beach and a favorite location for destination weddings.

Senior Pastor Dr. Robert Norris is known for his impassioned preaching, pastoral ministry, and active community involvement. He also serves as adjunct member of the teaching faculty at Princeton Theological Seminary. The chapel is widely known for its phenomenal music program led by Stewart Foster, minister of music. Foster plays the chapel’s new Austin organ with rare talent and passion and also conducts the professionally trained Royal Poinciana Chapel Chorale at weekly services.

The history of Royal Poinciana Chapel owes its life to Henry Morrison Flagler (1830–1913). Flagler, alongside his friend and business partner, John D. Rockefeller, built the Standard Oil Company into the most prosperous and monopolizing oil empire of the era. As the company flourished and Flagler’s fortunes grew, he left his offices in New York City, and ventured south to a wild frontier known as Florida.

In 1894, Flagler built the Hotel Royal Poinciana on the shores of Lake Worth on the island to be known as Palm Beach and extended his railroad to its service town, creating the city of West Palm Beach. This remarkable edifice, the largest wooden structure in the world at the time, had 1,150 guest rooms with over seven miles of hallways, served by a staff of 1,700, many of whom lived across the pond in housing provided by Flagler and would arrive daily by rowboats to work their shifts. The island boasted an infamous casino, the hotel, and a humble chapel on this parcel. The disposition had the hotel in the center, casino to the south, and chapel to the north. It was said that one could engage in debauchery, rest, and reconciliation without ever leaving the property! The chapel was known for having engaging preachers and excellent music from the beginning. The hotel was demolished in 1934, in favor of the newer, lavish Breakers Hotel, which remains to this day, the former enterprise having become redundant. Years later, the chapel was relocated on the property, and now sits close to Whitehall. Henry Flagler’s original cottage was also moved to this property in recent times, and serves the chapel’s needs for meeting space and special events.

While Whitehall boasts a modest J. H. & C. S. Odell organ in its music room, we do not know the original instrument in the chapel. In 1963, the M. P. Möller Organ Company installed its Opus 9720. At the time of this installation, the organ was a modest three-manual instrument of 30 stops; some 26 stops in the chancel, with three ranks of flutes and a Vox Humana in the antiphonal. In 1981, Austin Organs, Inc., built a new four-manual console. It was designed with the intention of expanding the instrument, and this expansion was initiated before the new console was installed! The revised tonal plan was developed with the assistance of Thomas R. Thomas, director of music at the time. Also, a possibly apocryphal addition to the legacy includes Virgil Fox, a close neighbor. It was said that he wanted a significant instrument on which to practice, and therefore lent his voice and expertise to the early console and tonal design thoughts before his death in 1980. As a result, the new tonal work included a new Austin Great of 10 stops, a new 7-stop Positiv, and a 7-stop Solo. The existing Möller 6-stop Great pipework was revoiced and placed on a new Austin tracker chest in the gallery, alongside a new 14-stop Gallery Swell, and 5-stop Pedal using some vintage pipework from various sources along with new Austin pipework. Back in the chancel, the existing Möller Swell and Choir remained as they were installed in 1963, but a new Pedal division was created utilizing some new Austin chests and pipework alongside a few selected Möller stops. New casework and façades were drawn by Austin’s chief designer Frederick Mitchell.

The new, mostly Austin organ was tonally finished by Fred Heffner and David Johnston. Tripled in size from the original Möller, parts of this instrument spoke from deep chambers and seemed to fill the room with ethereal presence.

Time and tide ravaged the organ. Trouble began with delivery of the façade pipes in 1983. For unknown reasons, pipes of tin and tin-plated zinc were ordered from an Eastern European supplier. Upon arrival directly in Florida, many of these pipes were damaged, some beyond repair. Over time, the soft metal deformed, and random notes began to lose their former eloquent speech. There were hurricanes, water, and various other pests that created issues within the organ chambers. The Möller company proposed a significant renovation/reconstruction of the organ, and removed much of the instrument to their factory in Hagerstown in 1990. With the collapse of the Möller company, the chapel was able to perform a rescue of the organ components from the Möller factory, and the Reuter Organ Company was subsequently contracted to perform a major overhaul of the organ in 1992. This work included some chestwork, additions, and replacement of some reed stops. A number of reed pipes were compromised, because adding to the atmospheric issues that affected the chapel, many instruments in the 1980s suffered decomposition of lead in the blocks of reed pipes. As the lead crumbles into lead sulfate, replacement or reconstruction is necessary. The other factor in the work completed in 1992 was the reconstruction and expansion of the chapel space. The former Swell, Solo, and Choir chests and pipes were relocated to front chambers left and right of the façade. The effect proved problematic since the pipework was apparently not revoiced to compensate for the new location closer to the ears of the Chorale and congregation. As a result, the Swell and Solo aggressively dominated the entire instrument, making proper registration balances difficult to achieve.

In 2014, working with the chapel’s director of music, Stewart Foster, our tonal staff at Austin Organs set out to design an essentially new organ, using the building blocks of the existing instrument as a starting place. The final instrument would contain 104 ranks of pipes. Our guiding principle was that the tonal result would be one of elegant beauty and gentle nuance. In other words, with a temperate approach, tonal blend had to be achieved without allowing any domination of individual departments or voices. The success of this project is certainly in part due to the active participation at every stage from design to installation by Stewart Foster. A consummate musician, he knows not only how to make the organ sing, but what it takes to make an organ truly successful tonally. Austin staff members, including Raymond Albright, Bruce Coderre, Dan Kingman, Curt Hawkes, Anne Wysocki, Colin Coderre, Victor Hoyt, Scotty Giffen, the late Stew Skates, Tony Valdez, Dick Taylor, Mike Fazio, Tong Satayopas, Phil Swartz, and Nick Schroeder, who worked directly on the installation, imparted their own special gifts that contributed to its success. 

 

Mechanical considerations

Our approach in designing the new instrument was to update or replace every questionable mechanical system. A new, four-manual Austin console replaced the earlier mechanical console. The new console, built of painted birch and oiled cherry, is equipped with 300 levels of combination action memory, record-playback, and a transposer; a WiFi interface is integrated in the console control system for iPad/iPhone operation of advanced functions. Austin-made walnut drawknobs control all stops and couplers, the latter being spread on either side of the keydesk. Among some of the unique design elements, the console has a mechanism that physically closes the crescendo pedal when General Cancel is pressed. A second set of divisional pistons called “English Divisionals” appear when selected and have pre-set combinations that create a typical English Crescendo in the desired division. There is also a drawknob matrix that selects Swell and Choir/Solo expression shade operation, controlling three independent expression shade assemblies in each chamber. This allows sound from these divisions to be modeled to suit a variety of dynamic options. By using “Swell Shades Pianissimo,” for example, the organist can successfully accompany a vocal quartet with robust, Full Swell combinations. 

Austin specified a hydraulic lift that raises the console from the main floor to the chancel platform for concert use. Every Möller (and Reuter) chest was removed and replaced with new Austin tracker and unit chests; the entirety of the Swell was placed upon a walk-in air chest with integrated regulator. Wind pressures were raised in some divisions, and a new control system was made by Solid State Organ Systems. Chancel to Gallery data transmission is accomplished via fiber-optic cable. 

 

Tonal design

We started with the Great division to establish the revised tonal personality of the organ. Our guidance from Stewart Foster was found in one particular stop, designated as a model for the character of the entire instrument: the Positiv Italian Principal. It was indeed very smooth, beautifully voiced by Fred Heffner in 1983; only slightly ascendant and while of somewhat light weight, this stop had great tonal presence due to its nicely developed harmonic structure. One fear we had was that, as part of the new tonal design, we were raising the pressure of the Positiv by one inch (water column), so we wanted to be sure not to alter that which was treasured! During the scope of this project, some stops required rebuilding, others re-scaling. The result was enthusiastically received and has proven perfectly satisfactory. 

The Great was carefully voiced to perfect balance, from foundation to sharp mixture. The Reuter Trumpet was removed and replaced with a vintage Austin Cornopean (voiced as a chorus reed), available at 16′ and 8′ pitches; the 16′ octave was built from the former Möller 16′ reed (resonator length was added to match Austin patterns for our 6-inch scale, full-length Double Trumpet). Also added to the Great was a five-rank Mounted Cornet. This stop was scaled along French Classic lines and sits on a plinth fed by single actions speaking through 42-inch tubing. The Positiv was re-imagined, retaining the Italian Principal and 4′ Octave. The 1⁄3′ Zimbel was changed to 1′ pitch and revoiced. The 8′ Gedeckt was revoiced and is now available at 8′ and 4′ pitches. We added a new Sesquialtera and Cromorne and re-pitched and voiced the former 8′ Rohr Schalmei as a 4′ stop to support the new 8′ Cromorne. The additions of the Cornet, Sesquialtera, and Cromorne/Schalmei have opened new forays into historical organ repertoire. Another new addition, a charming Rossignol, adds a bit of whimsy to this division.

The Pedal was improved by the replacement of the previous ½-length 32′ Bombarde with a new full-length 32′ Trombone. The existing 16′ reed was revoiced to a darker timbre, blending perfectly with the new pipes. The existing 32′ Bourdon extended only to EEEE, the bottom four notes sounding a resultant of the 16′ Bourdon. For better effect, four new pipes were installed speaking 102⁄3′ pitch, at the correct dynamic and tuning to deliver more satisfying 32′ tone for CCCC–DDDD#. New façade pipes were made with some subtle design changes suggested by Stewart Foster, replacing the dented, collapsed old tin pipes. The old pipes were given to members of the congregation as keepsakes; in a week, all 72 pipes ranging from 4′ to 16′ GGG were removed by members!

In the Swell, a new Principal Chorus was envisioned, utilizing some of the existing pipework. A new 8′ Principal was manufactured and the 4′ Octave was re-scaled; an existing 2′ Fifteenth happily fit into the scheme very well. The existing Möller Mixture had been recomposed in 1992, but was found to be shrill and ineffective some years ago, with many pipes stuffed with cotton to silence them. We used much of the original pipework, re-pitching the primary IV-rank mixture at 22⁄3′ pitch (which also draws separately) and installed a new III-rank Cymbale, based at 1′ pitch. The strings and flutes in this department were voiced to new pressure, dynamic, and blend. The reeds were completely rebuilt or replaced to create a chorus of independent voices at 16′/8′/8′/4′. The result is generally perceived as being a French tone color, light in weight but fiery without excessive volume. The Vox Humana is placed in an Austin “VoxBox” with independent tremulant and lid that can be raised and lowered from the console to control dynamic. Note that between Gallery and Chancel there are two Vox Humanas and five celestes with all the requisite inter- and intra-manual couplers!

The Möller Choir organ was enhanced with a new 4′ Principal and a new Clarinet. The 1963 pipework was mostly original, so the process of revoicing was easier than the work required in the Swell. The overall effect was a gentle broadening of tone color with the ever-present goal of achieving perfect blend. The new Clarinet was voiced on 10 inches wind pressure, and the new chest was built with unique high-pressure section, which allowed this stop to speak on the higher pressure, while remaining on the same action. Directly behind the Choir chest we find the Solo organ, which had minimal voicing performed at this time. The Reuter English Horn remained, but the Austin Bombarde was rebuilt and revoiced, and the Reuter Clarion was replaced with Austin pipework. The existing Deagan Harp was rebuilt with electric actions and located high on a side wall to avoid being a hindrance to tuning access.

Minimal work was performed in the Gallery, being mostly intact and otherwise satisfactory. A new extension was added to the 16′ Diapason, allowing it to speak as a second 8′ manual Diapason, contrasting and complementing the existing 8′ Principal. A new 8′ Trumpet en Chamade was made in brass and installed as replacement for the existing stop of the same name. The new pipework was scaled and voiced along the lines of an Austin Waldhorn—darker in color and generally warmer in tone, similar to an English Tromba. In this somewhat intimate setting, this results in a more desirable solo voice than a very bright, fiery Trompette. Stewart Foster reports that the previous Chamade would regularly receive complaints from wary congregants. Now, the complete opposite is true, as folks often ask why the trumpets didn’t play on a particular morning: “We love hearing them!”

This instrument is the second Austin organ in Palm Beach. The other installation is our exciting organ at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, located just across the golf course on the opposite shore of the island. Both instruments have unique personalities—surely identifiable as “Austin”—but each organ has its individual character and splendor that serves the very different roles these congregations demand. It is an enlightening pilgrimage to visit each church, perhaps at a worship service, or even during the week, and mark the similarities and differences.

The three-year project was made possible by funding from several prominent and generous chapel families and foundations. The organ was inaugurated by Christopher Houlihan, who played a truly unforgettable and stunning recital on April 3, 2016. Future concerts and recordings are planned along with a YouTube video series. Thanks to Stewart Foster for his assistance with this article, photos, and constant encouragement. Ad multos annos!

—Michael B. Fazio

President & Tonal Director 

Austin Organs, Inc.

 

Austin Organs: www.austinorgans.com 

Royal Poinciana: http://austinorgans.com/Op2685.html 

http://royalpoincianachapel.org/ 

More on BBTS: www.austinorgans.com/2777.html 

http://www.bbts.org/music/organ/ 

 

Royal Poinciana Chapel

60 Cocoanut Row

Palm Beach, FL 33480

Phone: 561/655-4212

 

CHANCEL GREAT 4″ wind

16′ Violone 61 pipes

8′ Principal 61 pipes

8′ Spitzflote 61 pipes

8′ Violone (ext) 12 pipes

4′ Octave 61 pipes

4′ Rohrflote 61 pipes

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Fourniture IV 244 pipes

1⁄3′ Scharff III 183 pipes

8′ Mounted Cornet V (TG) 185 pipes

16′ Contra Trompete (ext) 12 pipes

8′ Trompete 61 pipes

Tremulant

Carillon (Tower, digital)

 

POSITIV 31⁄2″ wind 

8′ Italian Principal 61 pipes

8′ Singendgedeckt 61 pipes

4′ Principal 61 pipes

4′ Gedeckt (ext) 12 pipes

2′ Blockflote 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Larigot 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Sesquialtera II 122 pipes

1⁄3′ Zimbel III 183 pipes

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

4′ Rohr Schalmei 61 pipes

Tremulant

Rossignol

CHOIR 4″ wind

8′ Concert Flute 68 pipes 

8′ Gemshorn 68 pipes

8′ Gemshorn Celeste (TC) 56 pipes

4′ Principal 68 pipes

4′ Koppelflote 68 pipes

22⁄3′ Quint 61 pipes

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes 

8′ Clarinet 68 pipes

Tremulant

Harp 61 bars

Celesta (ext Harp)

Carillon (Tower, digital)

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Solo)

CHANCEL SWELL 4″ wind

16′ Bass Gedeckt (ext) 12 pipes

8′ Geigen Diapason 68 pipes

8′ Gedeckt 68 pipes

8′ Salicional 68 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste 68 pipes

4′ Principal 68 pipes

4′ Flute Harmonique 68 pipes

4′ Voix Celestes II (extension)

22⁄3′ Twelfth (Mixture extract)

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Mixture IV 244 pipes

1′ Cymbale III 183 pipes

16′ Basson 68 pipes

8′ Trompette 68 pipes

8′ Oboe 68 pipes

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes

4′ Clarion 68 pipes

Tremulant

SOLO 10″ wind

8′ Flute Harmonique 68 pipes 

8′ Violoncello 68 pipes 

8′ Cello Celeste 68 pipes 

4′ Orchestral Flute 68 pipes

8′ English Horn 68 pipes

8′ Bombarde 68 pipes

4′ Bombarde Clarion 68 pipes

Tremulant

8′ Trompette en Chamade (TC) 42 pipes 

GALLERY GREAT 31⁄2″ wind

16′ Montre 61 pipes

16′ Bourdon Doux (Swell)

8′ Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Montre (ext) 12 pipes

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Quinte 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Fourniture III 183 pipes

Tremulant

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Solo)

GALLERY SWELL 4″ wind

16′ Bourdon Doux (ext) 12 pipes

8′ Flute à Cheminee 68 pipes

8′ Viole de Gambe 68 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste 68 pipes

8′ Flauto Dolce 68 pipes

8′ Flauto Dolce Celeste (TC) 56 pipes

4′ Fugara 68 pipes

4′ Flute à Fuseau 68 pipes

2′ Principal 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Cornet II 122 pipes

1′ Plein Jeu IV 244 pipes

16′ Bombarde 68 pipes

8′ Trompette 68 pipes

8′ Voix Humaine 61 pipes

4′ Clairon 68 pipes

Tremulant

Chimes 25 tubes

PEDAL

32′ Contre Bourdon 8 pipes

      102⁄3′ 4 pipes

16′ Contrebasse 32 pipes

16′ Bourdon 32 pipes

16′ Violone (Great)

16′ Bass Gedeckt (Swell)

102⁄3′ Quint (from Bourdon)

8′ Principal 12 pipes

8′ Geigen (Swell)

8′ Bourdon 12 pipes

8′ Cello (Great) 

8′ Gedeckt (Swell)

51⁄3′ Twelfth (from Bourdon) 7 pipes 

4′ Choral Bass 32 pipes

4′ Flute 32 pipes

22⁄3′ Mixture IV 128 pipes

Cornet V (derived)

32′ Contra Trombone (ext) 12 pipes

(Full length) CCCC 12″ scale

16′ Trombone 32 pipes

16′ Contra Trompete (Great)

16′ Basson (Swell)

8′ Trumpet (ext Trombone) 12 pipes

4′ Clarion (ext Trombone) 12 pipes

4′ Cromorne (Choir)

GALLERY PEDAL

16′ Montre (Great)

16′ Bourdon Doux (Swell)

8′ Octave (Great)

8′ Flute à Cheminee (Swell)

16′ Bombarde (Swell) 

8′ Trompette-en-Chamade (Solo)

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Bellwood, Illinois

Zion Lutheran Church (WELS), Columbus, Wisconsin

Located about twenty miles northeast of Madison, Zion Lutheran Church (WELS) is home to a rejuvenated instrument that originated from a blend of old and new ideas and materials. Consultant Wayne Wagner, director of music Matt Kanzenbach, and the builder agreed to retain as much of the Wangerin organ from the old church as possible, while expanding the stoplist in order to include new tonal possibilities that the instrument was missing. 

Selected Wangearin pipework, along with vintage ranks from Berghaus’s collection and new pipes, yielded a stoplist of 34 stops, 24 ranks, and 1,727 pipes over two manuals and pedal. Selected chests from the Wangerin organ were retained, restored, and integrated with new chestwork. The well-crafted and durable Wangerin pipework was cleaned, repaired, and revoiced. Certain ranks were relocated to better suit the stoplist and to allow for new pipes to take their place.

The entire instrument speaks directly across the sanctuary from its position above the choir. The main central division is the Swell, with a set of hardwood expression shutters, controlled by a 16-stage electric motor. It contains most of the original Wangerin diapason chorus, along with strings, flutes, and reeds. New flue additions include a 2′ metal flute, a 11⁄3′ Larigot, and a brilliant Scharf mixture. An English Oboe and French Clarion are new reed additions that provide additional color and brilliance. 

Divided on either side of the Swell box, the newly enhanced Great is founded on an entirely new chorus, complete with mutations and mixture. Retained wood flutes (both stopped and open) and dulcianas allow for softer accompaniments and solo textures. A new 8′ Principal leads the division with natural, singing sound, and its polished pipes form part of the façade. 

The Pedal division is a combination of Wangerin stops along with a new 8′ Principal stop that is extended to 4′ pitch. The large-scale Trumpet in the Swell is also extended 12 notes to 16′ pitch for tutti textures. The Pedal has variety of voices that can effectively balance any manual combination.

All new chests and winding were constructed of poplar, and the handsome custom casework is of rift-cut red oak. A new blower encased in the organ gives quiet, steady, and dependable wind to the entire instrument. 

A new combination action by Peterson Electro-Musical Products is installed in the original console, which was completely stripped and refinished. The ICS-4000 control system gives the organist multiple memory levels, piston sequencing, and record/playback settings. 

Completed in October 2015, the finished instrument makes a bold visual and musical statement, and it is capable of leading hymns and liturgy of the church as well as performing various schools of repertoire. On October 25, the organ was dedicated and first used in worship. A recital featuring Wayne Wagner and various Zion musicians was performed that afternoon.

—Jonathan Oblander, Tonal Director

 

Jack M. Bethards

Schoenstein & Co. Pipe Organ Builders, Benicia, California 

Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, Missouri

This new organ is the result of a musical journey common to many American congregations. Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church’s first organ, built by Kilgen and dedicated by William H. Barnes, was warmly received with praise for its “dignified and churchly ensemble.” By 1971, however, the academic pressure to forsake “accompaniment” organs in favor of “solo repertoire” instruments was so great that a large mechanical-action organ by the German firm of Werner Bosch replaced the Kilgen. The congregation began to miss the pleasing tones of the old organ. After two major attempts at remaking the neo-Baroque instrument, it was decided that it was time to start fresh. The exceptionally fine music program developed by director of music ministry and organist David Erwin deserved an equally fine instrument.

Schoenstein & Co. was selected to design an organ primarily to support and accompany the service. Our approach recognizes that a church organ is a specific type of instrument that must be able to capture and hold the interest of listeners and musicians. If it lacks enough variety and the ability to make a strong emotional connection—to celebrate joy, to comfort in grief—it is a failure. The church organ has a heavy musical job to accomplish, and its most important characteristics are versatility and beauty.

The main divisions are located in side chancel chambers for excellent control of dynamics. The large open wood pipes are arranged horizontally behind the choir risers. The Echo organ is in a chamber at the rear of the balcony. Acoustical renovation was designed by Scott Riedel & Associates of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Casework was built by New Holland Church Furniture.

The organ was dedicated in a recital by Scott Dettra on March 6, 2016, before a packed audience and included stunning performances of works by Gigout, Bach, Guilmant, Saint-Saëns, Craig Phillips, Howells, Whitlock, and Stanford. It was broadcast via live streaming over OrganLive.com, a project of the Organ Media Foundation. At the Sunday, April 10, Choral Vespers, “Te Deum laudamus” by Robert Lehman received its world premiere.

 

GREAT (Enclosed)

16′ Contra Salicional 12 pipes

8′ First Open Diapason 

(unenclosed) 61 pipes

8′ Second Open Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Harmonic Flute 

(unenclosed) 61 pipes 

8′ Salicional 61 pipes

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

4′ Principal 61 pipes

4′ Silver Flute 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Mixture (III–IV) 186 pipes

8′ Tuba (Choir)

8′ Clarinet (Choir)

Chimes (Echo) †

SWELL (Enclosed)

16′ Bourdon 12 pipes

8′ Horn Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Traverse Flute 49 pipes

    (Stopped Diapason Bass)

8′ Flutes Unison (TC)*

8′ Stopped Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Gamba 61 pipes

8′ Gamba Celeste 61 pipes

8′ Erzähler 49 pipes 

    (Stopped Diapason Bass)

8′ Erzähler Celeste (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Gemshorn 61 pipes

4′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes

2′ Fifteenth (ext Gems) 12 pipes

2′ Mixture (III–IV) 209 pipes

16′ Contra Fagotto 61 pipes

8′ Trumpet 61 pipes

8′ Fagotto 12 pipes

8′ Oboe Horn 61 pipes

Tremulant

CHOIR (Enclosed)

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes

8′ Unda-Maris (TC) 49 pipes 

8′ Concert Flute 61 pipes

8′ Lieblich Gedeckt 49 pipes

    (Concert Flute Bass) 

4′ Fugara 61 pipes

4′ Concert Flute (Lieb Ged treble)

4′ Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes

22⁄3′ Twelfth (TC, from Nineteenth)

22⁄3′ Nazard (from Lieblich Gedeckt)

2′ Harmonic Piccolo 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce (TC) 42 pipes

11⁄3′ Nineteenth 54 pipes

8′ English Horn 61 pipes

8′ Clarinet 61 pipes

16′ Bass Tuba†† 12 pipes

8′ Tuba†† 61 pipes

Tremulant

Chimes (Echo)†

Zimbelstern

ECHO (Enclosed – Floating)

8′ Chimney Flute† 61 pipes

8′ Voix Sérénissime 61 pipes

8′ Voix Céleste (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Chimney Flute (ext.) 12 pipes

4′ Voix Sérénissime (ext.) 12 pipes

4′ Voix Céleste (ext.) 12 pipes

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes

Tremulant

 

* From 8′ Traverse Flute and 4′ Harmonic Flute

† From existing organ

†† High pressure

+ From Great Silver Flute, Swell Traverse Flute, Swell Harmonic Flute, and Choir Concert Flute

++Full length

PEDAL

32′ Acoustic Bass

16′ Open Wood 32 pipes

16′ Contra Salicional (Great)

16′ Bourdon (Swell)

8′ Principal 32 pipes 

8′ Flute (Great Harmonic Flute)

8′ Salicional (Great)

8′ Horn Diapason (Swell)

8′ Stopped Diapason (Swell)

8′ Dulciana (Choir)

4′ Fifteenth 12 pipes

4′ Flute (Great Harmonic Flute)

4′ Flutes Unison+

32′ Contra Fagotto (ext Sw)++ 12 pipes

16′ Bass Tuba (Choir)

16′ Contra Fagotto (Swell)

8′ Tuba (Choir)

8′ Fagotto (Swell)

4′ English Horn (Choir)

4′ Clarinet (Choir)

Chimes (Echo) †

 

Mechanicals

Usual Couplers

Peterson ICS System

100 Memories

Programmable piston range for each 

memory level

58 Pistons and toe studs

7 Reversibles including Full Organ

Piston Sequencer

Record/Playback

Crescendo Pedal

All Swells to Swell

Manual I–II Transfer

Expression selector for Echo

Adjustable bench

 

Three manuals, 40 voices, 46 ranks

John-Paul Buzard

Buzard Pipe Organ Builders, Champaign, Illinois, Opus 44 

Grace Episcopal Church, 

Sandusky, Ohio

Buzard Pipe Organ Builders Opus 44, a three-manual and pedal instrument, contains 47 independent registers and 61 ranks of pipes, retaining many ranks from the parish’s former instruments.

Grace Church’s culture is one of intense concern for stewardship and sustainability. They waste nothing; they cherish items of value from the past whenever possible. The need for a new organ therefore posed both a challenge and an opportunity. They asked us to save everything that was good about the previous instrument, but not at the expense of mechanical reliability or tonal cohesion. The previous organ had been rebuilt and substantially altered three times, and everyone acknowledged that it was time for the instrument to speak consistently with a single artistic voice.

The organ started its life in 1893 as Oåpus 793 of Johnson & Son of Westfield, Massachusetts. It was well-made and typical of late 19th-century mechanical-action instruments. The original façade of stenciled pipes wrapped around the case front to the side facing the congregation. In the 1960s, the Schlicker Organ Company rebuilt the organ under the guidance of Robert Noehren, retaining some of the Johnson’s pipes and the mechanical key action. However, string pipes were cut down to play at higher pitches, mixtures were added, some new reeds appeared, others were retained and made to play on significantly lower wind pressures, and the character of the organ was changed forever. In the early 1970s, the organ was rebuilt again, this time by Daniel Pilzecker. The wrap-around stenciled façade pipes were replaced with polished zinc and dark brown flamed copper Pedal Principal pipes, and the façade was given its current contemporary look utilizing simple rectangular frames. The central portion of the Pilzecker façade sported a narrow-scaled Trumpet stop. The Pilzecker rebuild also retained the organ’s mechanical key actions.

This was not a happy organ. Its thin and bright sounds did not carry into the church. Pipes originally voiced on 5″ of wind pressure were tasked to play on pressures less than half of that. The mechanical action was clumsy, heavy, and the cause of increasing frustration. In the 1980s the congregation addressed the musical deficiencies by building a ten-stop Antiphonal organ in twin C-and-C# cases on either side of a window in the rear gallery. Although this assisted in musically supporting congregational singing, its electrical connection to a failing mechanical system spelled further doom for the Johnson/Schlicker/Pilzecker organ in the chancel.

Grace Church’s organist, Randall Ruthsatz, a long-standing veteran of the old instrument, knew that the only real way for an organ to succeed at Grace was to start over. But, the parish’s culture of placing high value on its past efforts posed a potential problem. Several current parishioners were part of the 1970s rebuilding project; the parish had just said good-bye to a much-loved priest; the interim rector was both holding the church together and finding ways to widen the parish’s ministry to the people of Sandusky. This would be a difficult time to undertake a large project.

In order to determine what could be possible, we thoroughly researched the existing instrument. Chief engineer Charles Eames and tonal director Brian Davis found ways to re-use as much as possible from the three iterations of previous organs—and yet be able to create a Buzard organ. The instrument had to be considered new; but the parishioners needed to be able to take comfort in that a great amount of their old instrument would be represented in it, and that by doing so they would be extraordinarily better stewards of the church’s history and finances than if they had rebuilt the organ yet again. Keith Williams and I met with then interim rector Jan Smith Wood (who later became Grace Church’s permanent rector) and communicated the most important benefit that a properly designed, scaled, voiced, and built organ could provide: inspired worship and deepened connection with God. 

Knowing that this was likely the last opportunity that Grace Church would have to undertake an organ project, we recommended that they retain consultant Scott Riedel to guide them through the process and provide them with a comfort factor in view of the project’s cost. He confirmed the wisdom of our approach and communicated to the vestry our high reputation for respect of original builders’ work in other projects in which we had previously collaborated —and our reasonable pricing. 

We kept the beautiful Johnson wooden flutes, although Brian rescaled them a few notes larger; the Great and Positiv mixtures from the 1960s were re-composed and revoiced for the new context and to be compatible with our style; the dark flamed copper 16′ Pedal Open Diapason pipes were cut up higher and winded properly; the Pedal Principal and Mixture using original Johnson pipes were retained, as was the original Vox Humana. The Vox was most unhappy, having been originally voiced on 5″ wind, but being made to play on 2¼″. Brian re-tongued the pipes, shortened their resonators, and modified the caps to produce a colorful, more Continental sound. It can be as Romantic as you like, but without the tremulant it colors the Swell flues quite convincingly for Baroque literature.

Because so much of the original pipework was previously altered to appeal to an “Organ Reform” sensibility, we felt the need to keep the tonal leaning of the organ to the classic side. However, we created our signature warmth and tonal vitality with both the revoicing techniques Brian employed on the old pipes and the new flues and colorful reeds we added. Since we retained the 16′ Pedal Diapason pipes in the façade, we also reused the façade’s toeboards and their pipe spacing to provide an overall appearance similar to the previous organ. But where the 8′ Trumpet formerly stood (or sagged!), we installed a new wooden 8′ Dulzian, which plays on the Choir. Its warm, round, and mildly throaty tone is magic with Renaissance music, but it blends and balances with any flue stop in the enclosed portion of the Choir located in the expression box behind and above it. I had fun enameling and decorating its maple resonators.

The result is a dynamic liturgical instrument, which, because of careful and informed scaling and rescaling, voicing and revoicing, will play anything thrown at it musically and energetically. Just like on the HGTV show “Fixer-Uppers,” we encountered some unexpected flaws in quality of one of the previous rebuilds, completely inconsistent with the high level of the original Johnson workmanship. This is where our commitment to excellence in the finished product was not only put to the test but confirmed by the end result.