Cover Feature

Juget-Sinclair Organbuilders,

Montréal, Québec, Opus 42

Christ the King Catholic Church,

Dallas, Texas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—David Szanto

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Grand-Orgue (Manual I)

16′ Montre 

16′ Bourdon 

8′ Montre 

8′ Salicional 

8′ Bourdon 

8′ Flute harmonique 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte ouverte 

22⁄3′ Quinte 

2′ Doublette 

Fourniture IV

Cymballe III

Cornet V

16′ Bombarde 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Trompette en chamade 

4′ Clairon 

Positif expressif (Manual II)

8′ Principal 

8′ Bourdon 

8′ Dulciane 

8′ Unda Maris 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte à cheminée 

22⁄3′ Nazard 

2′ Doublette 

13⁄5′ Tierce 

11⁄3′ Larigot 

Fourniture V

16′ Clarinette basse 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Cromorne 

4′ Clairon

Tremulant 

Récit expressif (Manual III)

16′ Bourdon 

8′ Flûte traversière 

8′ Cor de nuit 

8′ Viole de gambe 

8′ Voix céleste 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte octaviante 

22⁄3′ Nazard 

2′ Octavin 

13⁄5′ Tierce 

Plein Jeu III–V

16′ Basson 

8′ Trompette 

8′ Basson-Hautbois 

8′ Voix Humaine 

4′ Clairon

Tremulant 

Pédale

32′ Bourdon 

16′ Contrebasse 

16′ Soubasse 

8′ Principal 

8′ Bourdon 

4′ Prestant 

4′ Flûte 

32′ Bombarde 

16′ Bombarde 

8′ Trompette

Couplers

II/I – III/I – III/II

I/P – II/P – III/P

Clochettes

58-note keyboards

30-note pedalboard

Mechanical action

Electric stop action

400 memory levels

Continuo organ

8′ Bourdon 

4′ Flûte 

2′ Doublette

Andrew Forrest began with Létourneau in February 1999 and, as the company’s artistic director, oversees all of the company’s various projects. He travels regularly to meet with clients, to supervise the company’s on-site tonal finishing, and to speak about the pipe organ. Areas of particular interest for Forrest include pipe scaling and reed tone. Among others, he has completed studies of the Wanamaker Organ’s String division and the 1955 Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ at Winthrop University. He was on the organizing committee for the joint AIO-ISO 2010 convention in Montréal, and from 2011 through 2014 served on the board of directors for the American Institute of Organbuilders. More recently, Forrest was elected vice president of the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America in the spring of 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.

The Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec is an important and historic location for the Catholic Church in North America as it was here the Church of Our Lady of Peace (Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix) was built in 1647. It became the first parish church north of Mexico in North America in 1664 and was dedicated as the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Immaculée-Conception). Ten years later, the church was made the cathedral of the newly established diocese of Québec under Bishop François de Laval. The cathedral was almost completely destroyed during the battle for Québec in 1759 and was rebuilt between 1766 and 1771 from the remaining walls to resemble the previous building.

Further changes and improvements to the cathedral’s design took place in the nineteenth century, including the addition of a neoclassical façade, and the cathedral was elevated to the status of basilica in 1874 in honor of the diocese’s founding 200 years earlier. In the twentieth century, a devastating fire on December 22, 1922, forced the parish and diocese to rebuild again from singed outer walls. The reconstruction project took eight years, and while modern construction materials and techniques were employed, the cathedral’s architecture was again modeled after its predecessors.

The church was home to a pipe organ by an unknown builder as early as 1657, and this was followed by a number of instruments of increasing size and complexity by Robert Richard, Thomas Elliot, Louis Mitchell, and the Casavant brothers among others. Casavant’s Opus 211 from 1904, an electric action instrument with 46 stops over three manuals and pedal, was destroyed in the fire of 1922. The rebuilding of the Cathedral-Basilica in the years following saw the installation of three new pipe organs by Casavant Frères between 1924 and 1927: a seven-stop instrument for the Chapel of St. Louis, a 25-stop instrument for the sanctuary, and a grand 69-stop instrument in the church’s gallery. The organ in the Chapel of St. Louis remains as it was in 1924 apart from two stops having been swapped between the Grand-Orgue and the Récit divisions. While the history of the sanctuary organ follows, the gallery organ currently awaits rebuilding after some spectacularly unskilled alterations in the 1970s and a corrective reconstruction from 1983 through 1985.

The sanctuary organ was built in 1924 as Casavant’s Opus 1024 and is installed behind the first two triforium bays on the south side of the sanctuary; it is invisible from the nave. The instrument’s terraced two-manual console was originally installed opposite in the north triforium where it was situated in the midst of an amphitheatre-like arrangement of benches. The organ was built with electro-pneumatic wind chests with ventil-style stop actions and is tonally similar to other instruments from the period with its generous number of foundation stops. When the gallery instrument was installed in 1927, the sanctuary organ was made playable from the gallery organ’s enormous four-manual console.

Subtle differences from Casavant’s conventional practices at that time include the placement of the 8′ Trompette stop in the Récit division instead of the Grand-Orgue, as well as the inclusion of independent mutations stops in the Récit. It is said the French composer and organist Joseph Bonnet was responsible for the placement of the 8′ Trompette, having drawn an arrow on the organ’s proposed stoplist to move the stop from the Grand-Orgue to the Récit. Bonnet was likely consulted on the organ’s specification by Henri Gagnon, a gifted Québecois organist and titulaire at the Cathedral-Basilica from 1915 until his death in 1961. Gagnon lived in France from 1907 to 1910 and studied with Eugène Gigout and Charles-Marie Widor among others; he returned to France during the summers of 1911, 1912, 1914, and 1924 for further studies with Widor and Bonnet.

From the start, the instrument served the parish’s daily Masses, providing commentary on the liturgy and accompanying students from the nearby Grand Séminaire. Opus 1024 and the students from le Grand Séminaire were also sometimes heard in alternatim with les Petits Chanteurs de la Maîtrise (the chapter’s boy choir) who would sing from the gallery, accompanied by the gallery organ, Opus 1217.

The transfer of le Grand Séminaire to new facilities in the Ste-Foy neighborhood of Québec City in 1959 brought an end to the singing of the daily Mass in the cathedral. The explicit need for a sanctuary organ disappeared as a result, and with the instrument reportedly suffering from electrical problems, Opus 1024 was switched off at the blower’s breaker and abandoned.

It wasn’t until after Marc d’Anjou’s appointment as titular organist to the cathedral in 1993 that Opus 1024 was heard again from the distant gallery console. Some cleaning, minor repairs, and tuning followed, and this helped show the organ’s potential utility. The sanctuary console was carried down soon after from the triforium to the floor of the sanctuary where it was installed to the south of the altar. To provide the console and its electro-pneumatic mechanisms with wind, a crude flexible wind line was lowered from the triforium level inside a nearby column. From the column, the wind line snaked across the floor to the console where it entered through a hole cut into the side panel. The organ itself later suffered some minor water damage while the exterior of the cathedral was being sandblasted, but the affected portions were repaired soon after.

The contract to restore the sanctuary organ was awarded to Orgues Létourneau after a thorough evaluation process and a generous grant was provided to the cathedral towards the costs of the organ’s restoration by the Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec. A formal contract was signed in March 2014, the console was removed and wrapped for transit the following August, and the instrument itself was dismantled one month later. The wind chests’ internal components, some wind system elements, and much of the organ’s pipework were removed for transport to and restoration in the Létourneau shops.

The restoration of the instrument’s electro-pneumatic wind chests was a straightforward but time consuming process. All old leather diaphragms on the pouchboards were removed and replaced, while the primary actions were completely restored with new leather, felts, and leather nuts as well as new threaded wires. The wind chests have ventil-type stop actions, meaning the chests are subdivided laterally into chambers under each stop. The flow of wind to each chamber determines if the stop above plays with the flow being governed by a pneumatically operated valve. Given the quantity of wind going to each stop, these ventil valves are necessarily large and their prompt operation via pneumatics is paramount. The ventil stop actions were thoroughly restored with new materials similar to the originals and adjusted on-site for optimal operation.

The organ’s wind system was also comprehensively restored, including the recovering of its two enormous single-rise wind reservoirs and the blower’s static reservoir. The external curtain valve regulators were all restored, the flexible wind line connections under each chest were replaced, and the Récit’s tremulant unit was refurbished. The original nine-stage expression motor was replaced with a new pneumatic whiffletree-type unit with 16 stages.

Opus 1024’s pipework was cleaned and repaired as needed in our pipe shop. We experimented with softening the Grand-Orgue’s 8′ Montre stop for a less overbearing presence but its already-smooth tone only became more flute-like. We found ourselves working at cross purposes with this stop’s nature, having been built to a large scale from heavy lead and voiced with wide slots as well as leathered upper lips. We reduced the strength of the stop only slightly but removed the leather from the upper lips, improving the pipes’ tone and speech. We also recast the Grand-Orgue 8′ Salicional—its original voicing sounded more like a Dulciana with little intensity or specific color­—to produce a rich string tone with enough presence to color the other foundation stops.

New II–III Fourniture and 8′ Trompette stops were added to the Grand-Orgue, with the Trompette extended to 16′ pitch to play in the Pédale. Our goal for these new stops was to sound as if they might have been part of the original instrument, and in this respect, the composition of the new mixture might seem conservative by modern standards. The scaling and breaks for the Fourniture were developed after studying mixture stops in other Casavants from the same era as well as the Grand-Orgue’s 2′ Doublette. Breaks occur at every C after the third rank enters at c13, while the scaling of the individual ranks follows a halving ratio progression that slows considerably as the pitch ascends over ¼′.

The new 8′ Trompette was modeled after Casavant examples from the 1920s (including the 8′ Trompette in the Récit) and has tapered shallots with long, narrow triangular openings and leathered faces in the bass octaves. The spotted metal resonators were built to a generous scale (8′ C = 5′′Ø) and are harmonic starting at f42. Our harmonic-length resonators for new stops usually follow the same scale as their non-harmonic counterpart of the same length. Put another way, the first harmonic resonator is the same length and diameter as the natural length pipe one octave lower. Casavant’s harmonic-length resonators in the mid-1920s, however, employed narrower resonators; there is still a jump in diameter transitioning from natural to harmonic length but the increase is roughly eight pipes larger rather than a full octave (or twelve pipes).

Space within the instrument was limited from the outset, and adding two new stops was a feat in packaging. The first seven pipes of the Pédale 16′ Flûte ouverte were originally laid horizontally from the floor to the sloping ceiling at the back of the chamber but from there, the stop continued as a wall of vertical wooden pipes beside the Grand-Orgue and finished up with the smallest pipes arranged vertically behind the Grand-Orgue’s passage board. To make way for the new 16′-8′ Trompette rank, the vertical pipes alongside the Grand-Orgue were relocated to lie horizontally within the chamber as well as at the base of the triforium arch at the very front of the instrument. Having now opened up a corridor beside the Grand-Orgue, the 16′-8′ Trompette rank was installed here on two wind chests with most of the 16′ octave mitred to fit under the chamber’s sloping roofline. The new II–III Fourniture stop is likewise located at the front of the instrument under the triforium arch, where it sits above one of the 16′ Flûte’s horizontal pipes.

The console’s original pedalboard had a compass of 30 notes and, further, did not radiate as much as an American Guild of Organists standard pedalboard.  The console was too narrow to accept a new 32-note pedalboard so we rebuilt the console’s chassis to be 8 inches wider, providing space for additional drawknobs in the process. The original expression pedal assembly was considerably offset with the Récit pedal lining up with note a#23 on the pedalboard. We rebuilt the expression pedal assembly to fit into its current central location, conforming to AGO standards, while its frame and pedals were also recovered with new chrome. The console was fitted with new thumb pistons and dome-shaped toe pistons as well as contrasting ebony and Pau Ferro oblique draw knobs to resemble the originals. Opus 1024’s two original pedal ranks were provided with two additional pipes each to correspond with the new pedalboard’s 32-note compass. The enlarged console returned to the cathedral on a new two-piece platform, enabling its movement throughout the sanctuary.

The console features 46 draw knobs for the sanctuary organ’s stops, couplers, and other ancillary controls. Once the gallery organ has been rebuilt, the sanctuary console will be ready to play the gallery organ blindly through a common piston system with 300 levels of memory. The row of 34 tilting tablets above the Récit manual will permit the gallery organ’s four manual divisions to be coupled as desired to the sanctuary console’s two manuals and pedal. Registrations for the gallery organ will be programmed in advance on general pistons at the gallery console but once done, the gallery stops can be brought into play at the sanctuary console by activating the “Appel Tribune” tablet and using the same general pistons. Aside from multiple memory levels, the rebuilt sanctuary console offers a general piston sequencer, four programmable Crescendo sequences of 30 stages each, and record-playback capability.

After reinstalling the organ’s restored components and testing the instrument’s mechanisms, the instrument’s voicing was thoroughly reviewed and adjusted as needed. Tonal changes to the 1924 materials were kept to a minimum aside from the changes mentioned earlier, but all of the organ’s original stops were carefully adjusted for improved consistency and blend. The voicing for the new II–III Fourniture and 16′-8′ Trompette was meticulous to ensure these new stops built smoothly on the instrument’s fortissimo without sacrificing color or excitement.

The restoration and enlargement of Opus 1024 was carried out on an expedited timeline, and the first sounds after the organ’s return to the cathedral were heard in February 2015. The renewed instrument was first heard by the public a few weeks later on Easter Sunday (April 5) when the organ was rededicated and blessed by the Archbishop of Québec, His Emmence Gérald Cyprien Lacroix. M. d’Anjou, the cathedral’s titular organist, then played a short recital that demonstrated the organ’s graceful versatility, its vivid palette of colors, and, when needed, its grand presence. Since then, the instrument has been heard regularly within the cathedral’s liturgy as well as a concert instrument in accompanimental and solo roles. Orgues Létourneau is honored to have been selected for this prestigious restoration project, and we expect our work to renew this elegant instrument will serve the cathedral for decades to come. It was our distinct pleasure during the project to work closely with Marc d’Anjou, Gilles Gignac, and Monsignor Dénis Bélanger at the cathedral, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their support and assistance at every turn.

Casavant Freres, Opus 1024 (1924), restored, enlarged, and revoiced by Orgues LОtourneau (2014)

Grand-Orgue

16′ Bourdon 68 pipes

8′ Montre 68 pipes

8′ Flûte harmonique 68 pipes

8′ Salicional 68 pipes

8′ Bourdon 68 pipes

4′ Prestant 68 pipes

22⁄3′ Quinte 68 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

II–III Fourniture (new) 183 pipes

8 Trompette (new) 68 pipes

Recit expressif

16′ Quintaton 68 pipes

8′ Principal 68 pipes

8′ Viole de gambe 68 pipes

8′ Voix céleste (TC) 56 pipes

8′ Mélodie 68 pipes

4′ Violon 68 pipes

4′ Flûte douce 68 pipes

22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Octavin 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

8′ Trompette 68 pipes

8′ Hautbois 68 pipes

8′ Voix humaine 68 pipes

Trémolo

Pedale

32′ Flûte (resultant) —

16′ Flûte ouverte 32 pipes

16′ Bourdon 32 pipes

8′ Flûte (ext 16′ Flûte) 12 pipes 

8′ Bourdon (ext 16′ Bourdon) 12 pipes

4′ Flûte (new, ext 8 Flûte) 12 pipes

16′ Bombarde (ext, Gr-O 8′) 12 pipes

8′ Trompette (fr Gr-O) —

Couplers

Gr-Orgue à la Pédale

Gr-Orgue aigu à la Pédale

Récit à la Pédale

Récit aigu à la Pédale

Gr-Orgue unisson muet

Gr-Orgue grave

Gr-Orgue aigu

Récit grave au Gr-Orgue

Récit au Gr-Orgue

Récit aigu au Gr-Orgue

Récit unisson muet

Récit grave

Récit aigu

Accessories

10 General pistons

6 Grand-Orgue pistons

6 Récit pistons

6 Pédale pistons

100 levels of memory

Récit expression shoe

Crescendo shoe

3 Tutti adjustable pistons

Transposer

Record/Playback mechanism

The console is prepared to play the gallery organ once it has been rebuilt at some point in the future. The gallery organ stops will be accessible via the General pistons plus the Tutti and Crescendo settings.  There are tilting tablet couplers for each of the gallery organ’s divisions, allowing them to be coupled as desired to the chancel console’s two manuals at 16′, 8′, and 4′. Also included is an “Unification des expressions” (All Swells to Swell) control plus ventils for both the gallery and chancel organs.

Vice President & Tonal Director, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Lake City, Iowa

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Lake City, Iowa

St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Carmel Valley, California

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders of Lake City, Iowa, has built its Opus 94 for St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Carmel Valley, California. The church’s spare yet handsome building, designed by parishioner Mel Blevens of Holewinski Blevens Fedelem & Lukes Architects in 1963, accurately reflects a parish of modest means but artistic vision. Never intended to house a pipe organ, St. Dunstan’s had been served by an increasingly cranky electronic organ. Fitted with carpet, inadequate lighting, and pews stained the color of asphalt, the church was no longer the most visually or aurally welcoming space. Dobson’s design of an organ standing front and center encouraged the parish to beautify its worship space and enliven its acoustic by removing the carpeting and staining the concrete floor, refinishing the pews, and installing new LED lighting. The revised altar platform, now deeper and constructed of concrete rather than noisy plywood, is sheathed in stone quarried near Jerusalem. A new communion rail and ambo complete the chancel.

Standing behind all this, the organ makes a sensitive statement, drawing attention to the front of the space rather than overwhelming it. To accommodate the choir, seated to one side of the chancel, the organ console is placed on that end of the instrument. From this location, the organist can easily give direction to the choir and remain abreast of activity in the nave. The angled geometry of the building called for a similarly non-traditional visual design. The speaking front pipes of burnished tin make a bold, sweeping gesture, echoed by slotted openings in the organ case that permit additional sound egress. The arc of the front pipes is anchored by wooden ones that stand along the left side of the instrument. The instrument’s white oak case is crowned by a sheltering roof whose slope parallels the ceiling above. A simple Latin cross stands at the front of the instrument, honoring an earlier cross of similar design that was displaced by the chancel renovation.

Steven Denmark, director of music, had long dreamed of the new organ’s tonal design, and together we explored many stoplists. His thinking was dramatically affected by a 2014 visit to the organ in St. Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, England. Installed in 1905 and attributed to Charles Mutin, the organ appears to contain older elements built by Mutin’s master, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. Set within a small but acoustically stunning Gothic revival chapel, this organ of only fourteen voices makes an unforgettable impression.

Encouraged by the possibilities on display in the Farnborough organ, essentially a one-manual instrument divided over two keyboards, the design of Opus 94 took a new turn. Though improved and now proportional to the space, the acoustic of St. Dunstan’s church building is but a pale shadow of that at Farnborough. However, a foundation-rich design as exemplified by the Farnborough organ is not only an appropriate response to a less-reverberant room but also a musically responsible choice for a parish with a traditional choral program. In Opus 94, nine of the manuals’ fifteen stops are of 8′ pitch. For dynamic flexibility in both accompaniment and literature, the Plein Jeu and manual reeds stand within the Récit enclosure. Denmark felt strongly that some sort of Jeu de tierce registration should be present. There is no precedent in the work of Cavaillé-Coll for an independent Tierce, and when a stop of 22⁄3′ pitch was included, it was always a Quinte. We elected to make both mutations as flutes with strongly ascendant trebles so that they function well with the principal-toned unisons. A 16′ Bourdon shared between Grand-Orgue and Pédale is a feature of most Cavaillé-Coll choir organs that I didn’t feel we could replicate here; the poor bass response of the church dictates a scale and treatment for the Pédale that would have muddied any manual texture.

Despite its modern appearance, the instrument is laid out in a traditional way, with the Grand-Orgue standing immediately in front of the Récit. The Pédale Bourdon pipes are painted our customary “Dobson red.” Most of the pipes in the organ were built in our shop; the pipes of high tin alloy—the façade pipes, the strings, and the reeds—are the work of Killinger in Freiberg am Neckar, Germany. All are voiced on a wind pressure of 70 mm, regulated by a large, weighted, single-rise reservoir. The mechanical key action is balanced, running from the console to transverse rollers just above the floor that are fitted with crank arms for the pulldowns. While not an historic feature, the coupling manual offers useful registrational possibilities beyond the common II/I coupler. An electric stop action and 100-level combination action are provided. Mechanism is present for the eventual installation of a Pédale 16′ reed.

The organ was dedicated on November 15, 2015, with Steven Denmark at the organ. Inaugural year programs have been presented by Angela Kraft Cross, James Welch, Thomas Joyce, Tiffany Truett, and Kimo Smith.

The Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture presented this organ with an award in the category of Religious Art: Liturgical Furnishings. The award was announced in the Winter 2016 issue of Faith & Form magazine.

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders

William Ayers

Abraham Batten

Kent Brown

Lynn Dobson

Randy Hausman

Dean Heim

Donny Hobbs

Ben Hoskins

Arthur Middleton

John Ourensma

John Panning

Kirk Russell

Bob Savage

Jim Streufert

John Streufert

Jon Thieszen

Pat Thieszen

Sally Winter

Randall Wolff

Dean Zenor

COUPLING MANUAL (I)

GRAND-ORGUE (II)

8′ Montre

8′ Salicional

8′ Flûte Harmonique (bass from Bourdon)

8′ Bourdon

4′ Prestant

22⁄3′ Nasard

2′ Doublette

13⁄5′ Tierce

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF (III, enclosed)

8′ Viole de Gambe

8′ Voix Céleste (FF)

8′ Cor de Nuit

4′ Flûte Octaviante

III Plein Jeu 2′

8′ Trompette

8′ Basson-Hautbois

Tremblant (affects entire instrument)

PÉDALE 

16′ Soubasse

8′ Bourdon (ext 16′)

16′ Bombarde (preparation)

8′ Trompette (ext 16′)

G.-O./Pédale

Récit/Pédale

Manual/Pedal compass: 58/32

18 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)

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

Kegg Pipe Organ Builders, Hartville, Ohio

Our Lady of Fatima Church, Lafayette, Louisiana 

From the organbuilder

When we were first approached by music director Keith D’Anna to rebuild the Hoffman pipe organ at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Lafayette, Louisiana, we recognized the builder’s work and were familiar with it. The organ is installed in large open chambers at the sides of the sanctuary. Most of the original organ was in the left chamber, quite far away from the choir seating area, making use of the organ with the choir difficult. Unwise changes to the original organ, made largely by hobbyists, needed to be addressed. In addition to rebuilding the organ mechanically, there was the desire to bring parts of the organ closer to the choir loft on the right side of the church as well as transform it into an instrument that was in the style of late Cavaillé-Coll circa 1885, in part to reflect the French heritage of this parish. This was a tall order. Our solution was a complete rethinking of the organ both mechanically and tonally. 

The rebuilding of an existing pipe organ can be the most daunting task for an organ builder. When successful, it can be one of the most rewarding as well, but the path to success can be fraught with peril. Pipe organs built in the United States in the 1960s pose a particular challenge. These organs were usually honest best efforts by builders, but few have stood the test of time. They tend to be excessively light in the bass, thin in the middle, and shrill at the top. Coupled with the change in desires for an instrument that will better support both lay and trained singers, these organs frequently leave congregations wanting. To rebuild an organ and make it into an instrument that will serve well and age gracefully requires the builder to be flexible, finding the assets in the instrument and taking advantage of them while introducing new elements to build a cohesive instrument that meets the needs of the client.   

The original organ was built on electro-pneumatic pitman wind chests. These chests we have rebuilt to new condition. All existing pipes were measured for scale, metal thickness, mouth width and cutup, along with judgments regarding sound. Placed on paper, these measurements were then considered as though the organ were completely new. Existing stops that would fit in the new plan were retained. Those that would not were discarded. Many retained stops were placed in different locations to contribute in a new way. A new expression enclosure was built for the Recit giving more room for additions. Mixtures were recomposed. New pipework was added as appropriate, including new 8′ and 4′ stops of substantial scale. The Positif was a division that did not fit well into the new scheme, nor did the pipe spacing on the chest lend itself to larger scales. In the end, this division was retained largely intact as a foil for the new Grand Orgue when playing lighter polyphonic works. 

The right chamber was largely empty, which gave us a blank canvas to work some magic. Here are located new Pedal Subbasse and Bombarde stops along with an entirely new Choeur division. The Choeur is located directly behind the choir area with expression shades facing both the choir and nave of the church. The nave shades can be closed when working with the choir to more easily balance the organ with the voices. In order to facilitate choral accompaniments, this division has many stops duplexed onto a floating Bombarde division, effectively providing the organist two manuals of organ resources that are close to the singers. 

The Grande Orgue has rich unisons that easily support the upperwork, which is topped by a Cymbale III. Though three ranks, this last stop is only one pitch partial higher than the Fourniture. When added it brings sparkle without impact. The Grande Orgue’s principal chorus is powerful and dignified. The Flute Ouverte is wood and contrasts nicely with the metal Bourdon. The Bombardes are the largest of the three reed choruses and are shared with the Pedale.

The Recit contains all that might be expected. The principal chorus here is lighter than the Grande Orgue. The strings are narrow in the Cavaillé-Coll tradition. The reeds are bright and fiery. This reed chorus is the brightest of the three in the instrument. The composed cornet here is light and lyrical in contrast to the commanding Grande Orgue Cornet III.

The Choeur has many duties including accompanying most of the choral work. Thus it is designed as a second Recit rather than a typical Choir division. The Gambe is more broad than the Recit Salicional, providing a clear unison line. A wide range of dynamics is available from the mystic Flute Celeste through the Trompete chorus. This reed chorus is the darkest of the three on the organ and has proven to be the workhorse chorus for hymns and choral work. Note that the Gambe also plays at 4′ pitch, providing a third level of 4′ tone that is between the Principal and the Flute Conique. Such a stop is most welcome when the choir needs a small boost of pitch support when the 4′ Principal is more than needed. Also in this division are a strong Harmonic Flute and a Cromorne, both at 8′ pitch. The Cromorne is in typical Cavaillé-Coll style, being strong, round, and dark with a slight hint of edge at the center of the tone.

The Pedale is complete with a full principal chorus through Mixture III. It has all the color and power to support the manuals and to dominate when required. Reasonable borrows from the manuals appear here for convenience. The 32′ stops are note-by-note recordings of specific stops, not digital recreations. They are kept in balance with the rest of the organ for proper blend.

In the rear of the church is the dramatic Fatima Trompette. This stop is in polished brass with flared bells. It is on 6-inch pressure, which is not excessively high; its position gives it the presence that is needed. The bass is round and tuba-like and grows in point as it ascends. It can be brought into the full organ with the blessing of the congregation yet bring the bride down the aisle with aplomb.

The net result is not a Cavaillé-Coll organ, but a unique instrument that is clearly built by the Kegg company and heavily influenced by late Cavaillé-Coll work. Our Lady of Fatima Church is a gratifying and reverberant space with hard surfaces all around. The organ fills the room evenly throughout the dynamic range. While most at home playing French Romantic works, it is quite capable of playing other styles with conviction. Its ability to support and encourage congregational singing has received much praise. 

We are grateful to Father Michael Russo and music director Keith D’Anna for their support and faith throughout the project. We are also grateful for very special help from Lesha Theriot and John Steinman, whose contributions to the project were invaluable.

—Kegg Pipe Organ Builders

Charles Kegg, President and Artistic Director

Philip Brown

Michael Carden

Cameron Couch

Randall Crawford

Joyce Harper

John Johnson

Philip Laakso

Bruce Schutrum

Dwayne Short 

GRANDE ORGUE (II)

16′ Violon Basse 73 pipes

8′ Montre 61 pipes

8′ Violoncelle (ext) 

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

8′ Flute Ouverte 61 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flute a Cheminee 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

Cornet III 183 pipes

11⁄3′ Fourniture IV 244 pipes

Cymbale III 183 pipes

Tremblant 

16′ Bombarde (Ped)

8′ Bombarde (Ped)

4′ Clairon (Ped)

Grande Orgue 16′

Grande Orgue Unison Off

Grande Orgue 4′

8′ Fatima Trompette 61 pipes

RECIT (III, enclosed)

16′ Salicional 73 pipes

8′ Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Flute a Cheminee 85 pipes

8′ Salicional (ext)

8′ Voix Celeste (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Prestant Conique 61 pipes

4′ Koppel Flute 61 pipes 

22⁄3′ Nasard 61 pipes

2′ Doublette 61 pipes

2′ Flute (ext, Flute a Cheminee)

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

Plein Jeu III 183 pipes

16′ Basson-Hautbois 73 pipes

8′ Trompette 73 pipes

8′ Hautbois (ext)

8′ Voix Humaine 61 pipes

4′ Clarion (ext)

Tremblant

Recit 16′

Recit Unison Off

Recit 4′

8 Fatima Trompette (G.O.) 

CHOEUR (I, enclosed)

16′ Bourdon 73 pipes

8′ Bourdon (ext)

8′ Flute Harmonique 61 pipes

8′ Gambe 85 pipes

8′ Flute Dolce 61 pipes

8′ Flute Celeste (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

4′ Flute Conique 61 pipes

4′ Gambette (ext)

2′ Doublette (from Mixture)

2′ Flute 61 pipes

1′ Piccolo (ext, Gamba)

Mixture IV 244 pipes

Scharf IV (from Mixture)

16′ Trompete 85 pipes

8′ Trompete (ext)

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

4′ Clairon (ext)

Tremblant

Choeur 16′

Choeur Unison Off

Choeur 4′

8′ Fatima Trompette (G.O.)

POSITIF (IV)

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes 

8′ Cor de Chamois 61 pipes

4′ Prestant 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Quarte d’Nasard 61 pipes

11⁄3′ Quinte 61 pipes

Cymbale III 183 pipes

8′ Rohr Schalmei 61 pipes

Tremblant

Positif 16′

Positif Unison Off

Positif  4′

8′ Fatima Trompette (G.O.)

Etoile

BOMBARDE (floating)

8′ Bourdon (Ch)

8′ Gambe (Ch)

8′ Salicional (Rec)

8′ Flute Harmonique (Ch)

8′ Flute Dolce (Ch)

8′ Flute Celeste (Ch)

4′ Gambette (Ch)

4′ Flute Conique (Ch)

16′ Bombarde (Ped)

8′ Bombarde (Ped)

8′ Trompette (Rec)

8′ Hautbois (Rec)

8′ Cromorne (Ch)

4′ Clairon (Ped)

8′ Fatima Trompette 

Bombarde on Pedale

Bombarde on Choeur

Bombarde on Grande Orgue

Bombarde on Recit

Bombarde on Positif

PEDALE

32′ Principal*

32′ Bourdon*

16′ Contrebasse*

16′ Violon Basse (G.O.) 

16′ Subbasse 44 pipes

16′ Salicional (Rec)

16′ Bourdon (Ch)

8′ Octave (1–12 Violon Basse) 32 pipes

8′ Subbasse (ext)

8′ Bourdon (Ch)

4′ Choral Basse (ext)

4′ Flute (Ch)

Mixture III 96 pipes

32′ Harmonics (derived)

32′ Contra Bombarde*

16′ Bombarde 85 pipes

16′ Trompete (Ch)

16′ Basson-Hautbois (Rec)

8′ Fatima Trompette (G.O.)

8′ Bombarde (ext)

8′ Trompette (Rec)

4′ Fatima Trompette (G.O.)

4′ Clairon (ext)

4′ Cromorne (Ch)

* electronic

Grande Orgue to Pedale 8′

Grande Orgue to Pedale 4′

Recit to Pedale 8′

Recit to Pedale 4′

Choeur to Pedale 8′

Choeur to Pedale 4′

Positif to Pedale 8′

Positif to Pedale 4′

Recit to Grande Orgue 16′

Recit to Grande Orgue 8′

Recit to Grande Orgue 4′

Choeur to Grande Orgue 16′

Choeur to Grande Orgue 8′

Choeur to Grande Orgue 4′

Positif to Grande Orgue 16′

Positif to Grande Orgue 8′

Positif to Grande Orgue 4′

Choeur to Positif 8′

Pedale to Recit 8′

Grande Orgue to Choeur 8′

Recit to Choeur 8′

Positif to Choeur 8′

All Swells to Swell

Choeur Nave Shades Closed

Grande Orgue / Choeur Transfer

Control system and pedal voices by Virtuoso (IOTI)

30 memory levels per user

Unlimited users

63 ranks, 47 stops, 3,691 pipes