Cover Feature

Austin Organs, 

Hartford, Connecticut

Opus 2344 (1961 and 2014)

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,

New Canaan, Connecticut

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

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

From the musician

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

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

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

—Brian-Paul Thomas

Organist and Choirmaster

From the builder

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

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

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

Tonal matters

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

—Michael B. Fazio

Austin Organs, Inc.

President and Tonal Director

Emery Brothers, Allentown, Pennsylvania

Christ Church in Short Hills, Short Hills, New Jersey

From the builder

It is no secret that tonal styles and the desires and expectations of organists have undergone significant changes in the last hundred years. Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1347, built in 1960, evidences most of the characteristics one would expect from an organ of that decade—lower wind pressures (Positiv speaks on 2 inches wind pressure), ample mixtures and upperwork, and as I heard a colleague once say, “plenty of Zs and umlauts.” Make no mistake—this instrument, as originally designed, made a strong, cohesive statement as a whole, and with the clever division of Swell and Bombarde on the third manual, provided a surprising amount of room for creativity in registration.

Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1347 was well designed and well built, thus its physical restoration formed the core of the project. In the course of this work, we stripped and releathered pouch boards, stripped and releathered reservoirs, including the installation of double gussets, fashioned and installed new primary valves on primaries and unit actions, releathered tremolos and shade engines, totally rewired the organ, and reconditioned the blower and motor. Everything wooden received a thorough cleaning and, where appropriate, a new coat of shellac. Pipes were all individually cleaned and polished by hand, stoppers stripped and repacked, and open flue pipes fitted with new stainless-steel tuning slides. All pipework was checked for voicing and regulation before leaving the shop, with final tonal finishing completed onsite.

However, in this project we were tasked not only with addressing the physical breakdown of the organ’s various mechanisms after five decades of continuous service, but also with maximizing the instrument’s strengths through some sensible and judicious tonal additions and revisions. In addition, the original console was built around the structure of the chancel—one corner was cut out to make room for a beam—and so with the desire for the console to be made movable, provision of a new console was necessary. With the church’s very active music program, including the frequent presence of visiting organists, a multi-level combination action (provided by Solid State Organ Systems) was absolutely necessary.

In its original design, the Bombarde division featured independent reeds at 16′, 8′, and 4′ pitch. This was altered later, when Aeolian-Skinner removed the 8′ Trompette from the Bombarde and moved it to the Great. The 16′ Contra Trompette was then placed on unit action and trebles provided for it to speak at 16′ and 8′ pitch. This compromised the strength of the Bombarde reed chorus, and in the end the most sensible step was to put the Trompette back in the Bombarde, which also made room for a new 8′ Major Trumpet on the Great. This new stop leans towards solo strength, while remaining usable in full chorus.

Mutations in the Positiv were originally pitched an octave higher than usual (11⁄3′ Nasat, 4⁄5′ Terz), and the 4′ Rohr Schalmei was not particularly successful. Re-pitching the mutations presented no difficulty, and the solution for the Rohr Schalmei presented itself when the desire to replace the Swell Krummhorn with an Oboe came up. The Krummhorn was revoiced onto the lower Positiv wind pressure, and a new Hautbois built for the Swell.

The new Antiphonal organ comprises six ranks, all playing on electro-pneumatic action, designed to complement and provide a foil to Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1347 and to bolster congregational singing. Within a compact footprint (both cases measure 41″ x 72″) are housed five of the six ranks (the Trompette en Chamade is mounted on the wall between the two cases), the blower, static reservoir, step-up blower and high-pressure reservoir, double-pressure divided wooden wind trunk, solid-state relay, four wind chests, and two additional reservoirs. Pipes 1–23 of the 4′ Principal make up the right-hand façade. When played with the main organ, the Antiphonal organ has the effect of “pulling” the sound into back third of the room. The full-length, flamed-copper Trompette en Chamade was carefully designed to provide a rich and commanding solo voice that would stand up well to the full organ.

I am most grateful for Bynum Petty’s help in scaling and designing the tonal additions included in this project. I also extend hearty thanks to Brian DeWald (briandewaldwoodworking.com), who built and finished the new Antiphonal organ casework and assisted with installation; Dan Cole (pipeshader.com), who assisted in the casework design and provided promotional materials showing renderings of the Antiphonal organ; and Samuel Hughes, who restored all the reed pipes in the organ. New pipes and chests were built by A. R. Schopp’s Sons, Inc.

—Adam F. Dieffenbach

Emery Brothers

Emery Brothers staff involved with this project included: Adam Dieffenbach, Steve Emery, Rosemary Hood, Parfyon Kirshnit, Jon Kracht, Clem Mirto, John Nester, Ardie Peeters, Rich Spotts, and Ryan Stout.

From the organist and choirmaster

The Aeolian-Skinner organ at Christ Church was dedicated on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1960. The instrument was typical of the era with a neo-baroque design that included bright principal choruses and ample upperwork. Joseph Whiteford voiced the organ on the aggressive side to cope with a dry acoustic and a low ceiling height in the nave. The organ was altered slightly in 1967 by the builder (Opus 1347-A) to adjust for the addition of heavy carpet across the center aisle. 

When I came to Christ Church, the organ had served the parish for over 50 years, with minimal maintenance and annual tunings. The only change made to the organ was the addition of a remote solid-state capture action to operate the console. Because of failing leather, outdated wiring, and a worn console, the church formed an organ committee to address the needs of the music program as well as the acoustic issues in the church. While the committee did look at several possible replacements for the instrument, in the end the organ was restored because of the overall fine quality of the original installation.

With the guidance of the rector, wardens, and vestry, the decision was made to first renovate the church in several stages. Each stage was completed during the summer months to avoid conflicts during the program year. The first year included the removal of all the carpeting in the church and the installation of new hardwood floors in the entire nave. The second year included new plaster ceilings in the nave to cover the wood lathe ceiling panels and restoration of the stained glass windows. The last year included the removal of the organ, renovation of the ceilings and floors of the choir, and new lighting throughout the church. At that time the woodwork in the church was refinished, removing the white pickled oak stain so popular in the 1950s. 

The organ work performed by Emery Brothers for over a year and a half included new leather, new wiring, a new console, and a new Antiphonal division. The console is built in the style of the original, but is movable and contains additional drawknobs for the Antiphonal and Pedal divisions. The keyboards, music desk, and walnut key cheeks were retained. Only minor changes were made to the chancel organ specification. While the renovated church now has a warm acoustic that requires little amplification for speech, the length of the nave and low ceiling height called for the addition of an Antiphonal organ to support congregational singing. For festivals and weddings, a horizontal reed was added under the center of the Transfiguration window. The scaling and design were by Bynum Petty, installation by Adam Dieffenbach, and tonal finishing by Steve Emery and Charles Callahan. The console replica and the Aeolian-Skinner digital samples were supplied by Walker Technical of Zionsville, Pennsylvania. The organ was rededicated by Alan Morrison with an American Guild of Organists workshop and recital in November.

I believe that in the end we stayed true to the original design of the organ. With very minor changes we have made the organ more flexible and better equipped to serve the parish for the next 50 years.

It is truly a blessing for a parish to have such an instrument. May it lead and inspire worship each and every week for generations to come!

—Andrew Paul Moore, DMA

Organist and Choirmaster

From the rector

When I arrived at Christ Church in Short Hills in 2010, I discovered, to my delight, that it had a really fine Aeolian-Skinner organ. It had a sound that seemed to be saying, “Yes, I’m a cousin to some of those wonderful organs you’ve heard in other churches that have great music in worship.”

Now, I’ve lived in France and love the sound of a great French organ playing. And I’m Dutch, so those marvelous trackers sound to me like the DNA of my youthful upbringing in the Dutch Reformed Church. But the sound of the organ in Short Hills was American. I don’t say that in a prideful way, not even in a “better than others” way. But there was something about this organ that could sound the repertoire ranging from an English cathedral choir chanting a psalm, to full-blown-out Reger. It sounded it all well and with its own twist on things.

I’ve served churches with electronic organs and wheezing electro-pneumatics. I was just so grateful this instrument was neither. Unfortunately, this organ was a bit like that date that is really great the first time but doesn’t grow better as the time goes on; in fact, just the opposite.

After having been at the church a little more than a year, I began to wonder why people hardly sang the hymns in the back half of the nave? I began to wonder if it were just me, or if the sound really did fall off a cliff when we reached a certain pew in the retiring procession each week? We began to notice greater hissing noise, more frequent repairs, and costly service.

Then in 2011, Andrew Moore joined us, and he could make the instrument sing as I’d never heard it before. But he could also diagnose its illness, and he told us the prognosis was dim. The good news was that little work had been done to the instrument since it had been installed in the 1960s, so little harm had been done. He also confirmed that the congregation’s lack of singing in the back half of the church probably had to do with such little organ support. The acoustics didn’t work in our favor, and the sound just wasn’t getting back there.

We hosted an organ education night at which Stephen Emery from Emery Brothers in Allentown, Pennsylvania, came to show us worn leathers, ill-fitting pouches, tarnished pipes, cotton wrapped wires, and more. We led tours through the chambers, and people who had always taken the sounds of the organ for granted now were in awe of how it actually works—and why it didn’t. They saw piles of pipes that had been removed from their windchests and were unable to function.

Adam Dieffenbach from Emery Brothers proposed a complete renovation of the existing instrument and suggested a new Antiphonal for the rear wall, both to provide sound back there, as well as to pull the sound from the pipes in the front. Because of space issues, they proposed adding a limited number of digital stops to round out the instrument’s full sound and complete Whiteford’s original concept for the instrument.

“How to pay for it?” is every parish’s question and every rector’s challenge. But in this case we had two wardens, John Cooper and Cynthia McChesney, who recognized not only the need to do the restoration work, but also its stewardship. We had competitive bids for both rebuilding and replacement. Replacement never caught any of our imaginations. That would be more expensive, but also, we realized this was a very fine instrument with a fairly unique American sound, the likes of which simply are not being made today in the same way.

Through John and Cynthia’s leadership in fundraising and both Andrew Moore’s and my direct involvement in asking individuals for support, the entire amount needed was raised in about four months. That included a substantial cushion, of which we used every last dime as we made changes to both the organ project and the worship space.

Our people realized that this was the right time to act, not only because of the present need of the instrument, but also out of respect for the amazing talent of Andrew Moore. Every age has its gifts, and the wise church appreciates and supports those gifts when they happen.

Our choir went from five section leaders and three volunteer members to four section leaders and more than twenty volunteers over the last five years. Singing has vastly improved. This summer, the entire choir is going to England to be the choir-in-residence for singing the daily office at Bristol Cathedral. More than fourteen new music groups used our space last year, both religious and secular, bringing so many people through the doors of the church.

Oh, every once in a while someone will complain that the trumpets in the back are too loud, but then the person standing next to her will say, “I think it’s just great!” There you have it; life in the Church! And in our case, we feel our worship. Our welcome and invitation to others has vastly improved, all because we acted rather than argued about whether to be responsible for something our ancestors here had left us as a gift in the first place. And we feel we’ve left the next generation something better than we could have ever imagined.

—The Reverend Dr. Timothy Mulder

Rector, Christ Church in Short Hills

Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1347, Joseph Whiteford, 1960. 

Renovation/additions and Antiphonal division, Emery Brothers, 2015: 63 ranks, 3,625 pipes.

GREAT

16′ Quintaton 61

16′ Rohrbourdon (Sw)

8′ Principal 61

8′ Bourdon 61

8′ Quintaton (ext) 12

4′ Octav 61

4′ Rohrflote 61

22⁄3′ Quint 61

2′ Super Octav 61

IV Mixtur 244

III Scharf 183

8′ Major Trumpet (6″ wp) 61

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Ant)

Chimes

Zimbelstern

SWELL

16′ Rohrbourdon 61

8′ Rohrbourdon (ext) 12

8′ Klein Erzahler 61

8′ Erzahler Celeste (TC) 49

4′ Geigen 61

22⁄3′ Nasat 61

2′ Octav 61

III Cornet 183

8′ Hautbois 61

8′ Menschenstimme 61

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Ant)

Tremolo

BOMBARDE

8′ Geigen Principal (digital)

8′ Viol Pomposa 61

8′ Viol Celeste 61

4′ Flute Harmonique 61

V Plein Jeu 305

16′ Contre Trompette 61

8′ Trompette 61

4′ Clarion 61

Tremolo

POSITIV

8′ Nasonflote 61

4′ Koppelflote 61

22⁄3′ Nasat 61

2′ Blockflote 61

13⁄5′ Terz 61

11⁄3′ Quint 61

III Zimbel 183

8′ Krummhorn 61

Tremolo

8′ Major Trumpet (Gt)

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Ant)

ANTIPHONAL (Emery Brothers)

8′ Rohrflute 61

4′ Principal 61

2′ Octave 61

II Rauschquint 11⁄3′ 122

8′ Trompette en Chamade 61

PEDAL

32′ Contrebass (digital)

32′ Subbass (digital)

16′ Contrebass 32

16′ Subbass 32

16′ Quintaton (Gt)

16′ Rohrbourdon (Sw)

16′ Rohrflute (Ant) 12

8′ Principal 32

8′ Gedectpommer 32

8′ Rohrbourdon (Sw)

4′ Octave (ext) 12

4′ Gedectpommer (ext) 12

V Mixtur 160

32′ Contrebombarde (digital)

32′ Contre Trompette (digital)

16′ Bombarde 32

16′ Contre Trompette (Bombarde)

8′ Bombarde (ext) 12

8′ Krummhorn (Pos)

4′ Bombarde (ext) 12

4′ Krummhorn (Pos)

8′ Trompette en Chamade (Ant)

Chimes (Gt)

Couplers

Gt/Ped 8

Sw/Ped 8-4

Bomb/Ped 8-4

Pos/Ped 8

Ant/Ped 8

Sw/Gt 16-8-4

Bomb/Gt 16-8-4

Pos/Gt 16-8

Ant/Gt 8

Sw/Pos 16-8-4

Bomb/Pos 16-8-4

Ant/Pos 8

Gt/Sw 8

Ant/Sw 8

Gt/Pos Trans

Gt/U

Bomb 16-U-4

Pos 16-U-4

Sw 16-U-4

All Sws to Sw

Pre/Next/Full

Part 2: First United Methodist Church & First Congregational Church

Stephen Schnurr is director of music for St. Paul Catholic Church, Valparaiso, Indiana, and editor-at-large for The Diapason. His most recent book, Organs of Oberlin, was published in 2013 by Chauncey Park Press (www.organsofoberlin.com). He has authored several other books and journal articles, principally on pipe organ history in the Great Lakes states.

This article is the continuation of a feature in the August 2015 issue of The Diapason. This article was delivered as a lecture for the Midwinter Pipe Organ Conclave on January 19, 2015, in La Grange, Illinois. The research for this project provides a history of a number of pipe organs in the village, but not all. For instance, organs in residences and theaters are not surveyed. 

First United Methodist Church

The Methodists were first organized in La Grange in 1872, served by clergy who also shepherded congregations at Cass and Lyonsville. Franklin Cossitt, founder of La Grange, donated land for the church. Before construction began, several active persons in the congregation moved away, and the property reverted back to Cossitt. This land was eventually the site of the First Congregational Church.

The Methodists reorganized in 1884. In the first year, church expenses were $216 for the pastor, $52 for hall rental for services, and $10 for missions. A frame school, used by the earlier Methodists, was purchased for $2,000, located on the present site, along with two lots. The renovated structure was dedicated for worship on November 28, 1886. Electric lighting was installed at a cost of $75 in 1892.

Plans for a new church were begun in 1890. In 1892, E. R. Turnock was retained as architect. The earlier church was demolished and work commenced on a new edifice in May of 1893. A portion of the stone Romanesque building was completed for use in November.

The completed sanctuary was dedicated in three services on Sunday, January 6, 1895. The congregation begins its pipe organ history in 1907 with acquisition of Henry Pilcher’s Sons Opus 577, a two-manual, thirteen-rank, nineteen-stop instrument completed in March of that year at a cost of $2,300. Pilcher took the church’s Vocalion organ in partial trade. An addition was made to the building the following year, and another in 1917.

Planning for the present church building began in 1948. The cornerstone of the church of Gothic influence in stone was laid in 1950. Dedication occurred on September 25, 1952. With membership at over 1,550 persons, the congregation added a second Sunday service. A new education building was erected between 1961 and 1963, including a chapel. The sanctuary was renovated to its present configuration in 2012.

For the church’s present edifice,
M. P. Möller of Hagerstown, Maryland, supplied its Opus 8261, a three-manual, electro-pneumatic action organ. The contract was dated August 7, 1950, with completion set for eleven months, at a cost of $20,096. Henry Beard was the representative for the builder. The organ was dedicated with the church in 1952. Beard’s wife, Maud, sang soprano during the church consecration service. The pipework is installed in a chamber above and to the left of the chancel. Around 1960, the Möller firm added the exposed Positiv division, divided on either side of the chancel. (See First Methodist Church stoplist, page 21.)

First Congregational Church

The First Congregational Church was organized on March 18, 1881. A frame church was erected the following year. Franklin Cossitt, a founder of La Grange, was active in this church as well as Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

The cornerstone of the present building was laid September 10, 1892, for a stone edifice of Romanesque influence. Dedication occurred May 1893. This portion of the building is now known as the Founders’ Room and is the oldest church building in the village. The present sanctuary adjoining the 1893 church was built in 1907. In 1937, this sanctuary was remodeled with the addition of a chancel and a new organ. In 1951, the education building was constructed, which includes the Chapel of the Beatitudes.

The first organ in the church was built by the Verney Organ Company of Mason City, Iowa, and was likely installed around 1907. A contract dated April 24, 1937, was signed by the church for a new organ from
the Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling Organ Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Job number 1600 for the builder was to cost $10,000, and parts of the Verney organ were to be reused in the new instrument. The Great and part of the Pedal divisions were located on the right side of the chancel in chambers, the Swell and remainder of the Pedal divisions were located on the left side. The Positiv division was positioned on the rear wall of the chancel, some fifteen feet from the floor. The organ was to be completed by October 1. On July 1 $2,500 was due, and another $2,500 on October 1.

The June 1937 issue of The Diapason had this to say about the unique and forward-thinking planning for this organ:

According to the builders, the design of the organ will do much to solve the problem of divided organs. The chambers are to be located on both sides and above the choir. Both chambers are to be opened up to the nave as well as to the chancel, and to such an extent that the chambers as such will cease to exist. A positiv of eight stops will be placed on the back wall of the chancel, midway between the two chambers. This will take the place of the choir. The pipework of the positiv is to be unenclosed, although it will be hidden from sight of the congregation.

The organ is to be entirely “straight” except for the great quintaton 16 ft., and Posaune, 16’ ft., which are also to be used in the pedal. Four stops of the great and the harp and chimes are to be in a swell-box. The typical great stops will be unenclosed. To augment the regular adjustable combination action, a ventil system is included. This consists of ventil pedals 1-2-3, stop release and cancel. The specification was developed by Cecil Smith, organist and director.

The importance of this organ in the Chicago area may never have been realized. This was one of very few organs by Walter Holtkamp, Sr., in the metropolitan area, perhaps his largest, and an early statement of his forward-thinking work. (See Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling stoplist, page 21.)

In 1957, Frank J. Sauter of Alsip, Illinois, replaced the console with a new one from the Reuter Organ Company of Lawrence, Kansas. In 1977, the organ was sold for $12,500 to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Chicago, for relocation there. There have been some tonal alterations to the organ. Also, it is possible that some slight changes were made to the organ’s specification when under construction at Holtkamp. Perhaps the Pedal 4′ Clarion may have been installed as a Clarinet. The Swell 4′ Oboe Clarion may have always been an 8′ Oboe. Further records are not available in the builder’s archives.

In 1965, the Reuter Organ Company installed an organ in the Chapel of the Beatitudes. The contract for Opus 1477 was dated September 12, 1963, for a two-manual, eight-rank, electro-pneumatic action organ, enclosed except for the Principal and Mixture ranks. The chapel organ was dedicated in recital by Clyde Holloway on March 1, 1965. (See Reuter Opus 1477 stoplist, page 22.)

In August of 1978, The Diapason announced that the church had contracted for a new, two-manual, 32-stop, 47-rank mechanical-action organ from Jan Van Daalen of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organ was to be installed at the front of the church in a free-standing case and to be completed by December. The console is detached and reversed. After the organ was finished, the Brustwerk 8′ Musette was replaced with an 8′ Celeste. (See Van Daalen stoplist, page 22.)

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.

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

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