Cover Feature: Derry Presbyterian Church, Hershey, PA

A. Thompson-Allen Company, New Haven, Connecticut; Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia’s Society Hill

Society Hill is Center City Philadelphia’s oldest residential neighborhood, a one-quarter square-mile area that was first settled in the 1680s. It took its name from the Free Society of Traders, an association of merchants and landowners chosen by William Penn to shape the future of that growing city. During the nineteenth century, as Philadelphia’s population expanded westward away from the Delaware River, the area became rundown and disreputable, and by the end of the Second World War was one of that city’s worst slums. A successful urban renewal program begun in the 1950s largely returned Society Hill to its former character. Today it is known for its expanse of eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century row houses, traversed by narrow cobblestone streets lined with brick sidewalks and punctuated by street lamps after a design by Benjamin Franklin.

Saint Peter’s Church

Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, at the corner of Third and Pine Streets, was originally intended as a “chapel of ease” for nearby Christ Church and was built to accommodate the burgeoning congregation of that parish. On land donated by two of William Penn’s sons, architect-builder Robert Smith (1722–1777) designed a church based upon Christopher Wren’s “auditory” style. With this plan, sightlines and speech clarity are of primary importance, especially for a worship service focused upon Scripture and preaching. The first services in the church were held on September 4, 1761.

It is an edifice of breathtaking elegance in its simplicity. To stand within its sun-drenched walls, absorbing the ambience of centuries, is to experience a whiff of eighteenth-century Philadelphia. Many civic luminaries have been members of Saint Peter’s. Mayor Samuel Powel, who lived just down Third Street, often shared his family’s pew with George and Martha Washington. 

Saint Peter’s is one of two churches of its type surviving in America, the other located in Cooper River, South Carolina, built in 1763. In these churches, the pulpit and lectern are at the opposite end of the main aisle from the altar, which is placed against the east wall, beneath a large Palladian window. Most of the tall box pews have seating on three sides. Following the readings and sermon, the congregation turns and faces the altar for the rest of the service. 

In 1832 Saint Peter’s and Christ Church parted ways and became separate parishes. Ten years later, the vestry commissioned William Strickland to build a new tower to accommodate a chime of eight bells given by Benjamin Chew Wilcocks. The soaring 210-foot tower and steeple are conspicuously out of scale with Robert Smith’s church, perhaps to allow the bells to be heard at a greater distance, or possibly to reflect the congregation’s desire to establish a strong visual presence in its neighborhood.

Earlier instruments

The first permanent organ for Saint Peter’s was constructed by Philip Feyring (1730–1767), who died the year it was completed. His two-manual instrument consumed almost half of the north gallery and caused regular complaints from those seated nearby that it was too loud. In 1774 the vestry voted to remove the organ and put it into storage until it could be sold. Fortunately, nothing happened for fifteen years, and then in 1789 Feyring’s organ was moved to a newly constructed organ loft above the altar, where it continues to cover most of the Palladian window behind it.  

This instrument served Saint Peter’s for more than fifty years and in 1815 was either rebuilt or replaced (vestry records are sometimes incomplete). Little is known about this second instrument apart from its short career in the church. In 1829 London-trained organ-builder Henry Corrie furnished a new instrument using some of the pipes from the 1815 organ. Corrie’s work served for twenty-seven years, but in 1855 local builder John C. B. Standbridge reported that it was beyond repair. The following year he signed a contract for a new instrument, dedicated in 1857.  

Hilborne Roosevelt rebuilt the Standbridge organ in 1886 and added a third manual to the console. Within two years, however, the vestry began to consider replacing the “double quartet” that stood with the organ in the loft, with a men-and-boys choir on the main floor of the church. Charles S. Haskell, a former employee of the Roosevelt firm, electrified the organ in 1892 and provided a four-manual console placed among the new choir stalls on the main floor. Additions in 1911 included a small Echo Organ, located within the walls of the original tower immediately behind the pulpit door, and a Choir Organ, placed unfortunately beneath an iron grate under the choir stalls in a basement chamber.

The Choir Organ suffered from constant dampness and regular water seepage, especially following a heavy rainfall. Eight years after the Choir Organ was installed, Haskell had to remove portions of that division for repairs. A contract dispute between Haskell and the vestry ensued in 1921, with the builder refusing to return the parts taken from the church. About 1928 the Choir Organ was completely removed, and its chamber abandoned.  

The Skinner organ

Weary of their troublesome instrument, parts of which were very old, the vestry contracted with the Skinner Organ Company to build an entirely new instrument, their Opus 862, finished in November 1931. It is a three-manual, 49-stop organ placed entirely within the organ case, which was enlarged (probably in the 1892 rebuilding) by bringing the façade forward to the edge of the organ loft. Nothing except Feyring’s case remains of the earlier instruments, and there is credible speculation that even it was made by David Tannenberg of nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania.  

As the Skinner organ approached fifty years old, its pneumatic leatherwork began to fail. Saint Peter’s vestry was committed to keeping the organ in good order, and much of the instrument was releathered as necessary to keep the organ playing reliably. At ninety-one years, the Skinner organ holds the record for the longest tenure of all of Saint Peter’s instruments. The current work is the first comprehensive restoration of this organ.  

—Joseph F. Dzeda

The restoration of Opus 862

The mechanism and pipework were found to be mostly complete. The original “vertical selector” electro-pneumatic console was long gone and had been replaced, first by an Austin tab console in the 1970s, and then by a solid-state console by David Harris in 1985. Richard Houghten updated and rebuilt this console in 2017, and it remains as such. All of the components of the 1931 chassis remain and have been fully restored.  

Opus 862 underwent tonal changes characteristic of their time. The 4′ Flute on the Great was replaced by a high-pitched mixture, and the Great 8′ Tromba, enclosed in the Choir expression box, was revoiced as a bright Trumpet. The Choir Nazard was replaced by a 4′ Principal. The Class A Deagan Cathedral Chimes were removed, along with their electric action, from the Swell box, and the Harp/Celesta was removed from the Choir box in preparation for tonal additions that were never realized.  

The pipework was mostly complete and has been restored to the original specifications except for one missing stop, the Swell Aeoline. This stop was a 75-scale string, also sometimes called Echo Gamba or Dulcet. These are very rare. We did replace it with a 75-scale Dulcet from an earlier Skinner. Also missing were the Harp and Chimes. These have been replaced with identical items from Opus 659.

The blower has been fully restored by Joseph Sloane, converting the original motor from two-phase to three-phase. The reeds have been restored by Chris Broome of Broome & Co., LLC, to the original specifications. The original reed tongues were gone and had been replaced with thinner tongues and reduced loading. Chris Broome has replaced these using the thickness and loading schedules as listed in the Skinner records. The goal of the restoration has been to restore the organ to “as built” condition throughout.

From the Skinner documents we have acquired, it is clear that Opus 862 was overseen and designed by Ernest Skinner personally. For point of reference, we are going to compare Opus 862 with Opus 836, Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, New Jersey. We are including the original voicer’s charts for both organs. Opus 836, again from factory documents, was clearly overseen by G. Donald Harrison. The two organs are similar in many ways. The strings and flutes are identical for the most part, but the chorus reeds and principal choruses are quite different. As indicated in the reed voicer’s charts, the Swell chorus reeds are “Skinner” in 862, and the Swell chorus reeds are “English” in 836. The “Skinner” reeds are harmonic at 2′ F-sharp and the “English” reeds are harmonic at 1′ F#, and the harmonic pipes are spotted metal. The “Skinner” reeds have different shallots and loading producing a rounder, fuller, and refined tone. The “English” reeds are brighter with more “clang” and are reproductions of Willis reeds. The specifications of the “English” reeds were part of the exchange established between Skinner and Henry Willis III during their quid pro quo arrangement of exchanging Skinner’s mechanical innovations with Willis’s pipe construction and reed voicing details. Both of these reed choruses are beautiful in their own way, but the differences are very obvious.

The same can be said for the principal choruses. If you compare the two flue voicer’s charts, you will notice that there are no 1/4 mouths in 862. The upper work is more restrained in 862, and conversely more pronounced in 836. The biggest and most noticeable difference is that if you run up the scale on any of the Diapason stops, 862 gently fades, while 836 is pushed to the limit. I believe that this is due to the Willis influence as carried out by Harrison. It is interesting to note that Harrison abandoned both of these tonal set ups after 1932. These are both beautiful Skinner organs from the same period but realized differently by Skinner and Harrison.

—Nicholas Thompson-Allen

Frederick Lee Richards’s 1992 paper, Old St. Peter’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadelphia: An Architectural History and Inventory (1758-1991), provided much of the historical information cited above.

Builder’s website: www.thompson-allen.com

Church’s website: www.stpetersphila.org

Photo credit: David Ottenstein Photography (©2022 David Ottenstein)

 

GREAT (5″ wind pressure)

16′ Bourdon (Pedal) 17 pipes

8′ First Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Second Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Principal Flute 61 pipes

8′ Erzähler 61 pipes

4′ Principal 61 pipes

4′ Flute 61 pipes

II Grave Mixture (2-2⁄3′ – 2′) 122 pipes

Enclosed in Choir box 10″ w.p.

8′ Tromba 61 pipes

8′ French Horn 61 pipes

Chimes (in Swell box) 20 tubes

SWELL (Enclosed) (71⁄2″ wind pressure)

16′ Echo Lieblich 73 pipes

8′ Diapason 73 pipes

8′ Rohrflöte 73 pipes

8′ Salicional 73 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste (CC) 73 pipes

8′ Aeoline 73 pipes

4′ Octave 73 pipes

4′ Flute Triangulaire 73 pipes

2′ Flautino 61 pipes

III Mixture (C-14) 183 pipes

16′ Waldhorn 73 pipes

8′ Cornopean 73 pipes

8′ Oboe 73 pipes

8′ Vox Humana 73 pipes

Tremolo

CHOIR (Enclosed) (6″ wind pressure)

16′ Contra Gamba 61 pipes

8′ Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Concert Flute 61 pipes

8′ Gamba 61 pipes

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes

8′ Unda Maris (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Flute 61 pipes

2-2⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

8′ Clarinet 61 pipes

8′ English Horn 61 pipes

Harp (TC) 49 bars

Celesta (CC) 12 bars

Tremolo

PEDAL (6″ wind pressure)

32′ Resultant

16′ Diapason (bearded) 32 pipes

16′ Bourdon 32 pipes

16′ Echo Lieblich (Swell)

16′ Contra Gamba (Choir)

8′ Octave (ext Diapason) 12 pipes

8′ Gedeckt (ext Bourdon) 12 pipes

8′ Still Gedeckt (Swell)

8′ Cello (Choir)

32′ Fagotto 12 pipes (10″ w.p., ext Sw Waldhorn)

16′ Trombone 12 pipes (10″ w.p., ext Gt Tromba)

16′ Waldhorn (Swell)

Chimes

49 stops, 38 ranks, 2,457 pipes

Roger Banks,

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Reuter Organ Company,

Lawrence, Kansas

First Presbyterian Church,

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

From Roger Banks

I first heard the M. P. Möller organ at First Presbyterian Church shortly after its installation in 1964. At that time, I was a senior at Oklahoma City University nearby. As one of the newest and largest organs in the Oklahoma City area, it should have been wonderful. After all, the specification indicated that it followed the latest trends in organbuilding and design at the time, yet I remember that, in that cavernous building, the result was much less
than satisfying.

In the intervening time between then and now, I have fully transitioned from the spare but well-intentioned organ sounds of the 1960s and 1970s, through the 1980s and 1990s, to arrive at my current tonal philosophy, which favors broader scales and divisions featuring rich fundamental tone. Thus I was delighted when John Edwards entrusted me with the care of the instrument at First Presbyterian.

The first project we undertook was to replace the failing Swell division expression pneumatics. That opened up the shade front to fully allow the sound to enter the chancel area rather than bounce off the ceiling. The improvement was immediate and quite noticeable. In 1994, the previous technician installed a new console. However, this large console appeared to have more prepared drawknobs than actual stops. I suggested that John Edwards consider not only completing the console preparations, but also replacing and/or rescaling most of the Great principal chorus as well as adding foundation stops to the other divisions. We decided to make it a two-year project to better utilize the available funding source.

It did not take long for us to realize that rescaling the existing Great 8′ Principal was hopeless. The lowest fourteen pipes were in the façade, scale 46, and nearly forced double length by the façade design. The 4′ Octave rescaled nicely, but the 2′ Weit Prinzipal as well as the IV- and III-rank mixtures were not be able to be reused. The new principal chorus that was added now has a substantial 8′ Principal and upper work to match. We also added a new Twelfth and Seventeenth to fill out the chorus. The existing Koppel Flöte was adequate, but the 8′ Nason Gedeckt and 8′ Quintadena were too similar, so I moved the Nason Gedeckt to the Quintadena chest and added a new, larger-scaled 8′ Bourdon. The 16′ Dulzian was moved to a new unit chest, and I added a new large-scale 8′ Flûte Harmonique. The Flûte Harmonique pipes were then voiced to be commanding as a solo stop in the treble, yet work well in the ensemble.

The Swell division only needed the addition of a new 8′ Diapason of adequate scale. Every other need in that division was addressed during the tonal finishing that was done later.

The Positiv division was next on the list. It was typical of the period, yet still an effective division. I moved the 8′ Geigen from the Choir to a new unit chest above the Great in order to provide some foundation at 8′ and 4′ pitches. As a result, we also discovered that it makes an impressive 16′ Double on the Great. The existing 11⁄3′ was of flute tone, so I replaced it with pipes from the old Great IV Mixture. The remaining issues again were done during the final tonal work.

The Choir division was an interesting challenge. It was originally designed as the enclosed division to partner with the Positiv. After the 1994 revision, the Choir was left on its own. It had the 8′ Geigen, a hybrid 4′ Gemshorn/Principal, a pair of Erzählers, a large 8′ Clarinet, and a 4′ Hautbois. It was not a lot to work with.

By the time we addressed the Choir, work on the other divisions had rapidly depleted funding for the project. Fortuitously, the church had several vintage ranks in storage from a donated Kimball, and I had several nice stops remaining from various earlier projects. For example, I had a lovely 8′ Reuter Spitz Principal that we installed on the now vacant 8′ Geigen chest. The church had a wonderful 8′ open wood Kimball Claribel Flute that was installed where the 8′ Krummhorn had been. I had a new chest built to hold a pretty 4′ Möller Flute d’Amour and III–IV Mixture, and Reuter built the bottom octave for the Hautbois to make it an 8′. We also added a lovely set of Kimball 8′ strings which reside in the enclosed Bombarde division that sits atop the choir. To increase versatility, there is now a knob that allows the Choir expression to operate the Bombarde expression when the strings are used on the Choir. Tonal finishing did wonders to tie together all the disparate pipework in the Choir. The division now has purpose and adds a great deal of color to the entire ensemble.

The Bombarde division also received a vintage 4′ Harmonic Flute. It adds color to the 8′ English Horn and sneaks in as a filler with the strings.

The Pedal division had the fewest needs, though we did add a larger scale 8′ Diapason to augment the existing 8′ Principal. This gave the Pedal a better 8′ line. The remaining work was done in the tonal finishing phase.

I cannot thank JR Neutel from Reuter enough for the marvelous job he did during the tonal finishing phase. I have worked with him on many instruments in the last twenty years. He has limitless energy coupled with complete mastery of dealing with pipework that appears to be hopeless. We spent over three weeks going through every pipe in the organ. The completed organ now has the weight to carry the length of the nave, but it is still nimble enough to play the lightest literature. I would also like the thank G. Mark Caldwell, Marty Larsen, Tom Birkett, and John Riester for their assistance in making the completed instrument possible.

—Roger Banks

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

From Reuter Organ Company

This project is unique in that it was not conceived in the typical relationship that many equate with a “main-line builder” and the “sales representative.” In this case, Roger Banks called upon us to consult with him—a partnership of equals. Together we discussed numerous ideas of how to tonally enhance the organ, culminating with all of the specific details needed to complete this tonal enhancement, including final pipe scales and wind pressures to achieve the objective. Reuter was then given the opportunity to provide the new pipes and chests that Roger needed. Reuter has been fortunate to develop similar relationships with other affiliates over the past decade.

While Roger has had a fifty-plus year relationship with Reuter, he and I began working together on numerous installations, most notably back to 2001, when he first assisted me with the voicing of our flagship instrument at Saint John’s Cathedral in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was honored when Roger asked me to take the lead on the revoicing of the organ at First Presbyterian Church. I also thank John Edwards for his confidence and support. With an instrument of this size the undertaking was daunting. Roger’s ability to “massage” new sounds out of old pipes as well as working with new pipes is second to none. With our combined abilities and weeks of on-site voicing time, the desired results were achieved.

This “new” organ at First Presbyterian, along with two other recently completed organ renovations in Oklahoma City (Christ the King Catholic Church and Oklahoma City University), and a soon to be completed project at Westminster Presbyterian Church, are the culmination of a rewarding partnership and friendship with Roger. We applaud Roger and his successful career as one of the central state’s leading organ specialists and extend our deep appreciation for his leadership on this project. The renewed organ stands as a landmark instrument in the area!

—JR Neutel

Reuter Organ Company

 

From John L. Edwards

Standing for over half a century on its northwest Oklahoma City site, the fourth house of worship of First Presbyterian Church is a grand Gothic structure of Tennessee limestone. In addition to its impressive stained glass windows, the building boasts four pipe organs: chapel (1956 Austin, two manuals, fifteen ranks); Watchorn Hall (1956 M. P. Möller, two manuals, four ranks); choir room (1965 Walcker, two manuals, eleven ranks); and sanctuary (1964 M. P. Möller, four manuals, seventy-one ranks; 2016 Banks-Reuter, four manuals, nintety-one ranks). The “4X4 Organ Concert” is unique and very popular to the Oklahoma City community, four organists playing four pipe organs moving from venue to venue.

From its 1889 beginnings, the church has regarded music as a primary form of worship and, to that end, has had many well-known church musicians leading that endeavor. John S. C. Kemp served as minister of music from 1949 to 1968 with encore service from 1983 to 1986. During these periods of service, his wife, Helen developed her expansive work with children as well as her soaring soprano voice. In their honor, the church now has a free concert series named for them. John Blackwell followed the Kemps’ first term of service. Organists have included Wilma Jensen and Samuel C. Hutchison. Several others served shorter terms or as music interns for a year of their undergraduate studies. Those include Elaine Warner Chard, Louise Bass, Dorothy Kosanke-Elder, Greg Funfgeld, Eric Howe, Mark Lawlor, and Glenn A. Miller, among others.

While meeting for Sunday worship in Watchorn Hall until completion of the sanctuary in 1964, an organ committee chaired by DeWitt B. Kirk and then-organist Gale Norman Enger chose the M. P. Möller Organ Co. of Hagerstown, Maryland, to build the new instrument for the 1,400-seat sanctuary. Completed in 1964, Opus 9862 had four manuals with seventy ranks in the chancel and one “En Chamade” rank at the rear of the church. Wilma Jensen oversaw
the installation.

In 1992 a decision was made to purchase a new console and solid-state operating system, with preparations for future additions. The console plus four ranks were added in 1994. Organ committee chair, Dargan Mayberry, organist John L. Edwards, and director of music Michael W. Yeager, along with consultants John Balka, Fred Haley, Jon Olin Roberts, Frederick Swann, and Laura van der Windt worked together with the McCrary Pipe Organ Service of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to complete this project.

By 2014 the pneumatics to the Swell expression shades had failed. It was decided to replace them with new electric motors for the operation that also allowed for expanded opening of the louvers. This improvement then led to the discussion of revoicing existing ranks and adding ranks of pipes to better facilitate the lack of fundamental tone experienced in the nave of the church. Roger A. Banks, current curator of the instruments at First Presbyterian Church, in conjunction with JR Neutel of the Reuter Organ Company, presented a plan for rescaling certain pipes, adding new pipework, and relocating several stops to alternate divisions. Additionally, some vintage pipework was available and incorporated into the instrument, notably from organs made by W. W. Kimball, Estey, M. P. Möller, Reuter, McManis, and even a Robert Morton Clarinet. The Hooded Tuba was sent to Reuter to be revoiced for a more commanding and appropriate Tuba quality. All in all, sixteen ranks were added in 2016, and the organ became an instrument of ninety-one ranks with 5,269 pipes. I was honored to present an inaugural recital on May 1, 2016, which also marked my twenty-fifth anniversary on staff at First Presbyterian Church.

Working closely with Roger Banks has been a highlight for me and for our church. He has become family to us. His knowledge and expertise are unsurpassed! Roger and JR Neutel, president of the Reuter Pipe Organ Company, went through every single pipe of the instrument, critically listening and voicing each to give the best and necessary response to the cavernous space of the sanctuary. The finished result is a warm and rich singing sound extending into the nave, especially noticed by stronger congregational singing.

­—John L. Edwards, organist

First Presbyterian Church

Photo credit: Kathy Rangel, except where noted

 

GREAT (Manual II)  

16′ Geigen (ext 8′, 1–12 electronic)

16′ Quintadena 73 pipes

16′ Claribel Flute (Ch)

8′ Principal 61 pipes

8′ Geigen  73 pipes

8′ Flûte Harmonique 61 pipes

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

8′ Quintade (ext)

51⁄3′ Quint (TC, fr 22⁄3′)

4′ Octave 61 pipes

4′ Koppelflöte 61 pipes

31⁄5′ Grossterz (TC, fr 13⁄5′)

22⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes

2′ Flageolet 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Seventeenth 61 pipes

IV Fourniture 11⁄3′ 244 pipes

III Scharf 1′ 183 pipes

16′ Dulzian 73 pipes

8′ Bombarde (Ped)

8′ Dulzian (ext)

Tremolo

Great to Great 16

Great Unison Off

Great to Great 4

Chimes (G2 – G4, volume 0–5)

Carillon

SWELL (Manual III, expressive)

16′ Rohrbass 73 pipes

8′ Diapason 73 pipes

8′ Viola Pomposa 61 pipes

8′ Viola Céleste 61 pipes

8′ Rohrflöte (ext)

8′ Flûte Céleste II 110 pipes

4′ Octave Diapason (ext)

4′ Praestant 61 pipes

4′ Flûte Harmonique 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Flachflöte 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

IV Plein Jeu 11⁄3′ 244 pipes

III Cymbal 1′ 183 pipes

32′ Contra Fagotto (TC, fr 16′)

16′ Fagotto 73 pipes

8′ Trompette 61 pipes

8′ Fagotto Oboe (ext)

8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes

4′ Clairon 61 pipes

Tremolo

Swell to Swell 16

Swell Unison Off

Swell to Swell 4

CHOIR (Manual I, expressive)

16′ Erzähler 73 pipes

8′ Spitz Principal 61 pipes

8′ Salicional (Bomb)

8′ Voix Céleste (Bomb)

8′ Erzähler (ext)

8′ Erzähler Céleste (TC) 49 pipes

8′ Claribel Flute 85 pipes    

4′ Gemshorn Principal 61 pipes

4′ Flauto d’Amore 61 pipes

2′ Claribel Fife (ext)

III–IV Mixture 2′ 190 pipes

8′ Clarinet 61 pipes

8′ Cromorne (Pos)

8′ Hautbois 61 pipes

Tremolo

Choir to Choir 16

Choir Unison Off

Choir to Choir 4

POSITIV (floating)

16′ Quintadena (Gt)

16′ Claribel Flute (Ch)

8′ Geigen (Gt)

8′ Holz Bordun 61 pipes

4′ Geigen (Gt)

4′ Rohrflöte 61 pipes

22⁄3′ Nazat 61 pipes

2′ Prinzipal 61 pipes

13⁄5′ Terz (GG) 54 pipes

11⁄3′ Quinte 61 pipes

1′ Sifflöte 61 pipes

III Zymbel 1⁄4′ 183 pipes

16′ Dulzian (Gt)

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

4′ Rohr Schalmei 61 pipes

Tremolo

BOMBARDE (Manual IV, expressive)

8′ Salicional Céleste II 122 pipes

8′ Orchestral Flute (TC, fr 4′)

4′ Salicet Céleste II (ext)

4′ Orchestral Flute 61 pipes

4′ Claribel Flute (Ch)

IV Harmonics 13⁄5′ 244 pipes

16′ Bombarde (TC, fr 8′)

8′ Bombarde 61 pipes

8′ Clarinet (Ch)

8′ Dulzian (Gt)

8′ English Horn 61 pipes

4′ Clairon 61 pipes

Tremolo

8′ Hooded Tuba (unenclosed) 73 pipes

4′ Tuba Clarion (ext)

Bombarde to Bombarde 16

Bombarde Unison Off

Bombarde to Bombarde 4

Chimes

HÉROÏQUE (floating, en chamade)

16′ Trompette Héroïque (TC, fr 8′)

8′ Trompette Héroïque 61 pipes

4′ Trompette Héroïque (ext)

PEDAL

64′ Gravissima (Bourdon resultant)

32′ Violone (electronic)

32′ Contre Bourdon 44 pipes

16′ Principal 32 pipes

16′ Geigen (Gt)

16′ Subbass (ext)

16′ Quintadena (Gt)

16′ Rohrbass (Sw)

16′ Erzähler (Ch)

102⁄3′ Bourdon Sub Quint (ext)

8′ Diapason 32 pipes

8′ Octave 44 pipes

8′ Geigen (Gt)

8′ Flûte Harmonique (Gt)

8′ Rohr Pommer 32 pipes

8′ Quintade (Gt)

8′ Rohrflöte (Sw)

8′ Erzähler (Ch)

51⁄3′ Bourdon Quint (ext)

4′ Choralbass (ext)

4′ Geigen (Gt)

4′ Nachthorn 44 pipes

2′ Geigen (Gt)

2′ Nachthorn (ext)

III Cornet 51⁄3′ 96 pipes

IV Rauschbass 21⁄3′ 128 pipes

32′ Contre Bombarde 85 pipes

16′ Bombarde (ext)

16′ Fagotto (Sw)

16′ Dulzian (Gt)

8′ Hooded Tuba (Bomb)

8′ Bombarde (ext)

8′ Fagotto (Sw)

8′ Dulzian (Gt)

4′ Clairon (ext)

4′ Fagotto Oboe (Sw)

4′ Rohr Schalmei (Pos)

4′ Cromorne (Pos)

2′ Clairon Doublette (ext)

2′ Rohr Schalmei (Pos)

Chimes

Carillon

Pedal Unison Off

Pedal to Pedal 4

BELLS

Glockenstern = a) Handbells; b) India Bells (a, b, or a & b)

Zimbelstern = fast/slow

COUPLERS

Great to Pedal 8, 4

Swell to Pedal 8, 4

Choir to Pedal 8, 4

Bombarde to Pedal 8, 4

Positiv to Pedal 8, 4

Héroïque to Pedal (drawknob)

Pedal Continuo to Great 8

Swell to Great 16, 8, 4

Choir to Great 16, 8, 4

Bombarde to Great 16, 8, 4

Positiv to Great 16, 8, 4

Héroïque to Great (drawknob)

Swell to Choir 16, 8, 4

Bombarde to Choir 16, 8, 4

Positiv to Choir 16, 8, 4

Héroïque to Choir (drawknob)

Choir to Swell 16, 8, 4

Bombarde to Swell 16, 8, 4

Positiv to Swell 16, 8, 4

Héroïque to Swell (drawknob)

Great to Bombarde 16, 8, 4

Positiv to Bombarde 16, 8, 4

Héroïque to Bombarde (drawknob)

REVERSIBLES

Great to Pedal (thumb and toe)

Swell to Pedal (thumb and toe)

Choir to Pedal (thumb and toe)

Bombarde to Pedal (thumb)

Positiv to Pedal (toe)

Tutti (thumb and toe)

Glockenstern (toe)

Zimbelstern  (toe)

32′ Contre Bourdon (toe)

32′ Violone (toe)   

32′ Contre Bombarde (toe)

COMBINATIONS (99 memory levels)

Generals: 1–10 (thumb and toe)

Generals: 11–20 (toe)

Great: 1–8 (thumb)

Swell: 1–8 (thumb)

Choir: 1–8 (thumb)

Positiv: 1–3 (thumb)

Bombarde: 1–5 (thumb)

Pedal: 1–3 (toe); 4–8 (thumb)

Combination Setter Button (thumb)

General Cancel (thumb)

ACCESSORIES

Drawknob console (movable)   

Swell/Choir/Bombarde expression pedals

Crescendo pedal (four crescendo sequences)

Tutti (programmable)

All Swells to Swell

Bombarde to Choir Expression (drawknob)

Tuba Non-Coupling On/Off (drawknob)

Great/Choir Transfer

Peterson Operating System and Piston Sequencer

Next/Previous Pistons (thumb and toe)

Héroïque Power On/Off (toggle switch)

Adjustable Bench, in memory of Wanda L. Bass

4 manuals, 91 ranks

M. P. Möller Opus 9862, 1964, 4 manuals, 71 ranks; 1994, new console, 4 manuals, 75 ranks; 2016, tonal revisions/additions by Roger A. Banks and Reuter Organ Co. Tonal finishing by Roger A. Banks and JR Neutel, president, Reuter Organ Co.

Great 1,195 pipes

Swell 1,366 pipes

Choir 702 pipes

Positiv 725 pipes

Bombarde 683 pipes

Heroïque 61 pipes

Pedal 537 pipes

Total: 5,269 pipes

Church website: https://fpcokc.org.

A. Thompson-Allen Company, LLC, New Haven, Connecticut;

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts

From the builder

Having tuned and maintained the organ for about ten years, we had a good idea of what was needed to get the organ back into first class condition. There were a number of dead notes, and the organ would not stay in tune. The organ had survived remarkably well, having very little work done to it since 1928 when it was installed as Skinner Organ Company Opus 736.

Normal wear and tear combined with some water damage from the tower made it clear the time had come to give the organ a full restoration to its original condition. Before this could happen, the organ’s environment had to be addressed. There were three covered windows within the chamber that were collapsing, leaking, and drafty. These could only be repaired by first removing the entire instrument. We did so in 2017, and while all of the components of the organ were in our shop in New Haven, Connecticut, we fully restored the organ without any changes to the pipes or the chassis. All of the perishable materials in the organ mechanism have been fully replaced. Skinner organs are world famous for being the very finest that money could buy, and Opus 736 is no exception. Now restored, its beauty of tone can again be fully appreciated. It truly is a masterpiece!

The windows have been fully restored, and the Saint Cecilia window in the tower has been fitted with LED lights so that it can be seen from the outside of the church. This window had been sealed up since the organ was installed in 1928. The two side windows, which were plain glass, have been removed and filled in with matching stone. The roof and tower have all been properly repaired to keep the interior of the church and the organ dry and free from plaster debris.

The interior of the organ chamber has been repaired and fully painted. New work lights have been installed as well. The oak case and pipes, which had been painted the same color as the wall, have been fully restored to their original appearances. The original blower has been restored by Joseph Sloane with a new three-phase motor.

This beautiful instrument is now ready for another ninety to one-hundred years of service, at which time, this can all be done again. The organ is so well designed and constructed out of the very finest materials that it can be renewed over and over.

The rededication recital of the organ was performed by Thomas Murray on October 6. Professor Murray is a very well-known organist and expert on Skinner organs, having held the position of university organist at Yale University for the last thirty-eight years. Yale is home to the incredible 12,600-pipe Skinner organ from 1928 in Woolsey Hall, Opus 722.

The restoration could not have happened without the full support of the Diocese of Worcester, Elizabeth Noone (director of music), Father Richard Trainor, The Bradley Foundation, Broome and Company, LLC, Royal Finishing Company, and the members of Blessed Sacrament Church.

Please visit our website for a detailed specification of the organ.

We at the A. Thompson-Allen Company are very grateful for the opportunity to renew this superb instrument.

—Nicholas Thompson-Allen, Co-Director

A. Thompson-Allen Company, LLC

Curators of Organs at Yale University

Pipe Organ Maintenance and Restoration

From the organist

On first visiting the Opus 736 Skinner, Nicholas Thompson-Allen remarked that it was in pristine condition for restoration. The organ had been maintained throughout its history, but nothing had ever been altered.

A complete, historic restoration seemed like a dream. It is now a dream realized.

The quality of the original construction was such that, though clearly in need of restoration, the instrument was playable and in continuous use right up until its removal to New Haven.

The first time I played the fully restored instrument I was astounded! I expected the sound to be cleaner and brighter. I did not expect to feel that I was hearing the instrument for the first time!

The genius of E. M. Skinner’s tonal design is now fully apparent, everything is balanced and suitable to the space, from the magnificent 16′ Waldhorn in the Swell to the delicacy of the string combination in the Choir. The full tonal spectrum can now be heard. All of the voicing was done using the specifications original to this specific instrument, so we truly have a sense of what it sounded like in 1928. I find the results comparable to the restoration of an old master’s painting: it was already wonderful, but restoration brings to light a whole new world of beauty.

Professor Thomas Murray’s October 6 re-dedication recital was truly a joyous, celebratory event.

The instrument is a delight to play and we look forward to its music in service to the parish and concert use for years to come.

We at Blessed Sacrament are so grateful to everyone at the A. Thompson-Allen Co., the Joseph Bradley Foundation, and all those who worked on this project.

—-Elizabeth Noone, Organist and Director of Music

Blessed Sacrament Church

From the pastor

Liturgy is the work of the people. The work of all the people that brought about the total restoration of our E. M. Skinner organ reminded me of the craft guilds of the Middle Ages in Europe. At the level of Master Craftman was the hallmark of these workers who restored the wonderful warm sounds of this instrument. Our Faith Community now makes an even more “Joyful sound unto the Lord.”

—Rev. Richard F. Trainor, Pastor

Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Worcester, Massachusetts

Builder’s website:

www.Thompson-Allen.com

Church website: blessedsacrament.us

GREAT ORGAN (Manual II)

16′ Bourdon  (Pedal, 56 pipes; 5 pipes)

8′ First Diapason  (43 scale, 1/4 mouth, linen lead, 2′ C = 6)

8′ Second Diapason  (45 scale, 1/5 mouth, linen lead, 2′ C = 7)

8′ Flute Harmonique  (“new” scale, Cavaillé-Coll type, spotted metal, 2′ C = 9)

4′ Octave  (58 scale, 1/5 mouth, linen lead, 2′ C scant 7)

II Grave Mixture  (C-11, 1/5 mouth spotted metal, 22⁄3′ 53 scale, scant 9; 2′ C 50 scale, scant 9)

CHOIR ORGAN (Manual I, enclosed, vertical shutters)

8′ Concert Flute  (“new” scale, C1–B12 stopped wood; C13–B36 open wood; C37–C61 harmonic metal; C#62–C73 not harmonic, all plain metal)

8′ Dulciana  (56 scale,1/5 mouth, zinc and spotted metal, 2′ C = 13)

8′ Unda Maris  (TC; same as Dulciana)

4′ Flute  (#2 harmonic flute, plain metal, harmonic at middle C, 2′ C = 10)

8’ Clarinet  (common)

Tremolo

SWELL ORGAN (Manual III, enclosed, horizontal shutters)

8′ Diapason  (46 scale, 1/4 mouth, spotted metal, 2′ C = strong 8)

8′ Rohrflöte  (common, Willis III type, wood and stopped plain metal with bored stoppers)

8′ Salicional  (60 scale, 1/5 mouth, spotted metal, 2′ C = 14, soft on account of no Flute Celeste)

8′ Voix Celeste  (CC, same as Salicional)

4′ Octave  (60 scale, 1/5 mouth, linen lead, 2′ C = 8)

4′ Flute Triangulaire  (common, 2′ C = 11)

III Mixture  (C-14, 1/5 mouth, spotted metal, 15-19-22)

C–A 15 – 19 – 22   = 22 notes 8 – 15 – 22 50 scale

A#–F 12 – 15 – 19   = 20 notes 12 – 19 52 scale

F#–C   8 – 12 – 15   = 19 notes

61 notes

16′ Waldhorn  (common, English)

8′ Trumpet  (common, English)

8′ Oboe  (common, bells with no caps)

Tremolo

PEDAL ORGAN

16′ Diapason  (common)

16′ Contre Basse  (common)

16′ Bourdon  (common)

8′ Octave  (ext 16′ Diapason)

8′ Gedeckt  (ext 16′ Bourdon)

4′ Flute  (ext 16′ Bourdon)

PEDAL COUPLERS

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Choir to Pedal

Swell to Pedal 4

UNISON COUPLERS

Swell to Great

Choir to Great

Swell to Choir

OCTAVE COUPLERS

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great 4

Swell to Choir 16

Swell to Choir 4

Choir to Great 16

Choir to Great 4

Choir 16

Choir 4

Swell 16

Swell 4

DIVISIONAL PISTONS

Swell 6

Great 4

Choir 4

Pedal 4

MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS

General Cancel

Sforzando reversible

Great to Pedal reversible

Pedal to Manual on Great

Pedal to Manual on Swell

Pedal to Manual on Choir

Set

 

23 stops, 26 ranks, 1,696 pipes

Emery Brothers, Allentown, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Adam F. Dieffenbach

Our installation of this organ was scheduled to commence on March 16, 2020. As stay-at-home orders and other government measures came into effect, these plans changed. However, this was hardly the first detour for the mighty Möller on its path to Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral.

Opus 6425 was installed in Schwab Auditorium at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania, in 1936. Designed by Möller’s illustrious, imported tonal director Richard Whitelegg, the organ’s thirty-three ranks are replete with warm, bold diapasons, evocative flutes, colorful and varied strings, and four iconic reeds, all at eight-foot pitch: Trumpet, Oboe, Clarinet, and Vox Humana. The organ was fully enclosed, including all three open 16′ flue ranks—Wood Diapason, Metal Diapason, and Gemshorn. It also included, and retains today, a set of Deagan Class-A chimes and a forty-nine-note harp. When the stylistic demands of the organ world changed, this broad-shouldered organ fell into disuse, the console cable was eventually severed, and benign neglect allowed it to survive the ravages of mid-century revisions and replacements. It was in this pristine—although inoperable—condition that we first came to know Möller Opus 6425.

Our relationship with the instrument began in 2013 when we were invited to collect its constituent parts, already dismantled by another firm, with a view to restoring the organ and installing it in a church in Philadelphia. In fact, my first day as an employee at Emery Brothers was spent unloading the last truckload of parts from State College. It took some time for restoration and relocation plans to come into focus, but we eventually entered into a contract for just that: restoring the organ to like-new condition, with no tonal changes, but with an updated solid-state control system, and a redesigned layout to fit the new space.

However, plans to install the organ in this first location were discontinued, and with roughly three-quarters of the restoration work done, Möller Opus 6425 went back into storage, its future uncertain. Then, over the next few years we continued to keep our eyes open for a new home for the organ while we continued to work through our existing backlog of projects.

At the same time, we were caring for an ailing, heavily modified and digitally hybridized 1903 Austin organ at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. Wind leaks from the Universal windchests, now over 110 years old, were so loud that the blower had to be turned off during the service to allow the spoken word to be heard in the church. When discussions around a long-term plan for the organ began, we immediately thought of Möller Opus 6425. All the windchests and reservoirs had been releathered, the reed pipes restored by Sam Hughes, and all the flue pipes cleaned and ready for voicing.

Some additions would be needed, including a new console and an organ in the rear gallery to support congregational and choral singing from that location. The decision was made early on to call this part of the instrument the “Nave Organ” because it has an important role as a standalone organ to support singers in the nave of the church. The decision was also made to add a few select ranks to Opus 6425 to fill out its specifications towards use in the cathedral. These were:

• 16′/8′ Tromba/Trombone (Great/Pedal)

• 32′ Harmonics (12 notes extending Trombone, 36 pipes, Pedal)

• 32′ Bourdon (12 pipes, extending existing 16′ Bourdon, Pedal)

• 16′ Double Trumpet (Swell)

• 8′ Tuba (Choir)

Around this time, we also learned of Möller Opus 6512, a two-manual Whitelegg Möller organ in a church building that was up for sale. This donor instrument provided the Tromba/Trombone pipes we added to Opus 6425 in the Great/Pedal chamber, and also allowed us to populate the Nave Organ with voices sympathetic to Opus 6425. Most of the other ranks added to Opus 6425 to create the Nave Organ came from the existing cathedral Austin. For instance, cathedral organist Wesley Parrott cleverly pointed out that the Austin Swell 4′ Traverse Flute, sub-coupled and matched to the Austin Choir 8′ Melodia, created a beautiful flute celeste effect, which we placed in the Nave Great.

In addition to its role in supporting congregational and choral singing from the rear gallery, the Nave Organ houses many of the organ’s solo voices, such as the Flugelhorn, Cromorne, Doppelflute, and Cornet (decomposé). The Nave Organ was installed first, and while assembly of the Chancel Organ was still underway, was the only organ in the cathedral for several months. Its sixteen ranks do a remarkable job of filling the room. Its design is perhaps the only real departure from a true Whitelegg installation, as the diminutive organ chambers would likely have housed an Echo or Celestial division. As it stands, several of the boldest flue voices in the organ reside in the Nave Great, including the largest diapason in the organ (42 scale, linen lead).

In its new arrangement, Opus 6425 surrounds the chancel, referred to in the cathedral as the presbyterium. the Great and Pedal divisions share an elevated chamber on the north side of the presbyterium. The Swell and Choir are stacked in the south chamber, with the Choir below and the Swell above. Each of these three divisions has two shade fronts—one facing the nave and one facing the presbyterium. The Nave Organ is split between two matching cases eleven feet above the gallery floor, with the Great in the north case and the Swell in the south case. Basses of both the 16′ Diapason and 16′ Gedeckt are mounted along the back wall, framing the rose window.

With five expressive divisions, eight shade fronts, and a total of 145 individual shades, expression control is an important aspect of our design for this installation. This is accomplished by way of an expression matrix, with a default setting and four settable expression pistons. While this isn’t the first time a church organ has had an expression matrix, to our knowledge this is the first range- and direction-settable expression matrix. In other words, any of the organ’s eight shade fronts can be set to function in either direction, for any range of travel on any of the four expression shoes in the console. This has led to a lot of experimentation and will provide endless flexibility in expression control for this deeply expressive organ. For instance, one of the settings currently in use has all shades assigned to one swell shoe, with all shades closed at the midpoint of its travel. As it is pushed forward, the Chancel Organ shades all open. Push the heel down, and the Nave Organ shades all open.

Having recently completed our relocation of Aeolian-Skinner Opus 878 into Stoneleigh, headquarters of the Organ Historical Society in Villanova, Pennsylvania [featured on the cover of the December 2019 issue of The Diapason], we elected to work with a partner to do some of the “heavy lifting” for the much larger cathedral installation. JR Neutel and the staff of Reuter Organ Company proved an excellent choice for this role, providing the new four-manual console, as well as the engineering and the lion’s share of the onsite installation labor for the project, and any new windchests and reservoirs required for added stops. As Pennsylvania and other states began reopening, we rescheduled and then commenced installation in September of 2020. The organ was dedicated in an inaugural recital featuring Tyrone Whiting, Jeff Brillhart, and Clara Gerdes-Bartz on October 24, 2021.

This project was made possible by generous funding from the Wyncote Foundation as recommended by Fred Haas and Rafael Gomez. We are also deeply grateful for the support of the cathedral community, including The Right Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez, Bishop; The Very Rev. Judith A. Sullivan, Dean; Canon for Music and the Arts Thomas Lloyd; Cathedral Organist Wesley Parrott; Canon for Administration Lynn Buggage; and Sexton Lamont Murray. Our network of suppliers and subcontractors for this project included Sam Hughes, Reuter Organ Company, Opus Two Instrument Control Systems, Organ Supply Industries, Rudewicz & Associates, and COE Percussion.

GREAT

16′ Double Open Diapason 12 pipes (ext Second Open Diapason)

8′ First Open Diapason  73 pipes

8′ Second Open Diapason   73 pipes

8′ Claribel Flute 73 pipes

8′ Gemshorn 73 pipes

4′ Octave 73 pipes

4′ Harmonic Flute 73 pipes

2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes

III Mixture 183 pipes

16′ Trombone¹ (ext Tromba) 12 pipes

8′ Tromba¹ 73 pipes

Tremolo

8′ Tuba (Ch)

Chimes (G–g) (25 tubes)

Great 16 - Unison Off - 4

Nave Swell on Great

Nave Great on Great

Nave on Great Pistons

Pedal Combinations on Great

SWELL

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 73 pipes

8′ Geigen Principal 73 pipes

8′ Rohr Flute 73 pipes

8′ Salicional 73 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste (TC) 61 pipes

4′ Principal 73 pipes

4′ Triangular Flute 73 pipes

IV Mixture 244 pipes

16′ Double Trumpet² 73 pipes

8′ Trumpet 73 pipes

8′ Oboe 73 pipes

8′ Vox Humana 73 pipes

Tremolo

Swell 16 - Unison Off - 4

Nave Swell on Swell

Nave Great on Swell

Nave on Swell Pistons

Pedal Combinations on Swell

CHOIR

8′ Concert Flute 73 pipes

8′ Viola 73 pipes

8′ Viola Celeste (TC) 61 pipes

8′ Dulciana 97 pipes

8′ Unda Maris (TC) 61 pipes

4′ Flute d’Amour 73 pipes

4′ Dulcet (ext Dulciana)

2-2⁄3′ Dolce Twelfth (ext Dulciana)

2′ Dolce Fifteenth (ext Dulciana)

8′ Clarinet 73 pipes

Tremolo

16′ Trombone (Gt)

8′ Tromba (Gt)

8′ Tuba (by F. J. Rogers, 15 inches pressure) 73 pipes

8′ Harp (TC) (49 bars)

Chimes (Gt)

Choir 16 - Unison Off - 4 - 22⁄3

Nave Swell on Choir

Nave Great on Choir

Pedal Combinations on Choir

PEDAL

32′ Bourdon 12 pipes

32′ Resultant

16′ Diapason 32 pipes

16′ Double Diapason (Gt)

16′ Bourdon 32 pipes

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)

16′ Gemshorn (Gt) 12 pipes

8′ Octave (ext Diapason) 12 pipes

8′ Major Flute (ext Bourdon) 12 pipes

8′ Claribel Flute (Gt)

8′ Gemshorn (Gt)

4′ Triangular Flute (Sw)

32′ Trombone (ext 16′ Trombone, 1–12 III Harmonics) 36 pipes

16′ Trombone (Gt)

16′ Double Trumpet (Sw)

8′ Tromba (Gt)

8′ Double Trumpet (Sw)

8′ Tuba (Ch)

4′ Double Trumpet (Sw)

Chimes (Gt)

NAVE GREAT

8′ Open Diapason1 61 pipes

8′ Doppleflute 49 pipes (Roosevelt, 1–12 from Melodia)

8′ Melodia² 61 pipes

8′ Bois Celeste² (TC) 49 pipes

4′ Octave¹  73 pipes

2′ Super Octave¹ (ext 4′ Octave)

II Grave Mixture¹ 122 pipes

8′ Flugelhorn 61 pipes (from Reuter, revoiced)

8′ Cromorne³ 61 pipes

Tremolo

8′ Tuba (Ch)

Tower Bells (13 bells)

Chimes (Gt)

Great on Nave

Nave Great 16 - Unison Off - 4

NAVE SWELL

16′ Gedeckt¹ (ext 8′ Gedeckt) 12 pipes

8′ Viole² 73 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste² (TC) 61 pipes

8′ Gedeckt¹ 73 pipes

4′ Open Flute³ 73 pipes

2-2⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes

2′ Piccolo¹ (ext 8′ Gedeckt) 12 pipes

1-3⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes

16′ Fagotto⁴ (ext 8′ Fagotto) 12 pipes

8′ Fagotto⁴ 73 pipes

Tremolo

Zimbelstern

Nave Swell 16 - Unison Off - 4

NAVE PEDAL

32′ Resultant

16′ Open Diapason (Nave Gt) 12 pipes

16′ Gedeckt (Nave Sw)

8′ Open Diapason (Nave Gt)

8′ Gedeckt (Nave Sw)

4′ Open Diapason (Nave Gt)

4′ Gedeckt (Nave Sw)

16′ Fagotto (Nave Sw)

8′ Fagotto (Nave Sw)

4′ Cromorne (Nave Gt)

COUPLERS

Great to Pedal 8, 4

Swell to Pedal 8, 4

Choir to Pedal 8, 51⁄3, 4

Nave Great to Pedal 8, 4

Nave Swell to Pedal 8

Swell to Great 16, 8, 4

Choir to Great 16, 8, 5-1⁄3, 4, 2-2⁄3

Nave Great to Great 8, 4

Nave Swell to Great 8, 4

Swell to Choir 16, 8, 4

Nave Great to Choir 8, 4

Nave Swell to Choir 8, 4

Choir to Swell 8, 4, 2-2⁄3

Nave Great to Swell 8

Nave Swell to Swell 8

Great/Choir Transfer

Notes

1. From 1937 M. P. Möller Op. 6512

2. From 1903 Austin Organ Company Opus 73

3. From inventory

4. From 1960 M. P. Möller Op. 9453

 

53 ranks, 86 stops, 3,606 pipes

 

Photo credit: Adam F. Dieffenbach

Stephen Schnurr

Stephen Schnurr is editorial director and publisher for The Diapason; director of music for Saint Paul Catholic Church, Valparaiso, Indiana; and adjunct instructor of organ at Valparaiso University.

Editor’s note: much of the information in this article was delivered as a lecture for the Ernest M. Skinner Sesquicentennial Conference on April 25, 2016, in Evanston, Illinois. The conference was sponsored by the Chicago, North Shore, and Fox Valley Chapters of the American Guild of Organists, the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Organ Historical Society, the Music Institute of Chicago, and The Diapason.

The first part of this series appeared in The Diapason, April 2021, pages 14–20. The article focused on the first contracts of the Skinner firm in the Chicago area.

Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church of Evanston, Illinois, was founded in July 1885 as a mission of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, also of Evanston. The new congregation’s first services were conducted in Ducat’s Hall. Within a month, a store was rented on Chicago Avenue for services.

In October 1886, ground was broken for the congregation’s first church building of frame construction at the northeast corner of Lincoln Avenue (later Main Street) and Sherman Avenue. The building was occupied for services in May of the following year. The church was consecrated on November 10, 1889, and it would be expanded twice. Saint Luke’s was given parish status on January 1, 1891.¹

This building was served by a small organ by an unknown builder. In February 1894, the church purchased Hook & Hastings Opus 1605, a two-manual, twelve-stop instrument (twenty-one registers), at a cost of $1,840.

The parish began construction for the present building in 1906 with an estimated cost of $125,000. Considered by many to be the best design of the oeuvre of architect John Sutcliffe (1853–1913), the edifice was erected in several stages and was apparently modeled on Tintern Abbey in Wales. Sutcliffe, a native of England, was active in Chicago from 1892 until his death in 1913. Among his other commissions was Grace Episcopal Church of Oak Park, Illinois.

In the first stage of the new construction, the walls of the church were built to a height of ten feet, accomplished in 1907. In 1910, the Lady Chapel was completed. Four years later, the nave of the main church was completed to a height of seventy feet. The interior decoration of the nave was never completed. The fifteen-foot-high hanging rood was carved by Johannes Kirchmayer, a native of Oberammergau, Germany, who worked in Boston, Massachusetts. Saint Luke’s Church was used as the pro-cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago from 1932 until 1941. The Bishop of Chicago at that time was the Right Reverend George Craig Stewart, who had previously served as rector of Saint Luke’s.

When the first portion of the church was finished in 1907, Saint Luke’s purchased an organ from Coburn & Taylor of Chicago, an instrument that is known to have utilized the case and façade pipes of the Hook & Hastings organ (and perhaps, if not likely, more). The two-manual instrument had fourteen stops. It cost $2,600, less $1,800 for the Hook & Hastings. The Coburn & Taylor was installed temporarily behind the pulpit on the chancel floor, now a part of the south ambulatory. It was used until 1922, and its fate is unknown.

For the Lady Chapel, Casavant Frères of Canada installed its Opus 386, a two-manual, twelve-stop, tubular-pneumatic-action organ, finished in 1910.²

1910 Casavant Frères Opus 386

GREAT (Manual I)

8′ Open Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Melodia 61 pipes

8′ Dulciana 61 pipes

SWELL (Manual II, enclosed)

16′ Bourdon 61 pipes

8′ Stopped Diapason 61 pipes

8′ Salicional 61 pipes

8′ Voix Celeste 61 pipes

8′ Aeoline 61 pipes

4′ Dolce Flute 61 pipes

8′ Oboe 61 pipes

Tremulant

PEDAL

16′ Gedeckt

16′ Bourdon (Sw)

Couplers

Great to Pedal 8

Swell to Pedal 8

Great to Great 4

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great 8

Swell to Great 4

Swell to Swell 16

Swell to Swell 4

Accessories

2 Great pistons

3 Swell pistons

Great to Pedal reversible

Balanced Swell expression shoe

Balanced Crescendo shoe

The need for a pipe organ worthy of the new church edifice

When the nave of the church was completed to its intended height, the Coburn & Taylor organ was found to be inadequate for the much larger space. In early 1920, Herbert Hyde was appointed organist and choirmaster for Saint Luke’s. Hyde was an accomplished musician who had served Saint John’s, Ascension, and Saint Peter Episcopal parishes in Chicago as well as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and had studied with Clarence Dickinson, Charles-Marie Widor, and Joseph Bonnet. Plans and fundraising were commenced practically immediately by the rector, Father Stewart, and Hyde for a substantial new instrument. Fortunately, the church’s archives contain a fountain of interesting letters and documents related to this process.

Negotiations for the organ quickly focused on the Skinner Organ Company of Boston, Massachusetts. Surviving correspondence in the church archives between the church and the organbuilder are primarily between Hyde and William Zeuch, Skinner vice-president. Zeuch had until recently lived in Chicago (his family was still there) and was good friends with Hyde. (The Zeuch family residence at 2833 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, would see Skinner Opus 424 installed in 1923, a two-manual, twenty-two-rank organ that replaced a 1905 Marshall-Bennett organ.) Hyde and Zeuch referred to each other in correspondence as “Bert” and “Bill,” respectively. Despite the lack of letters from Ernest Skinner, one cannot discount his interest in the design and construction of the organ, as it was to be the largest installation by the firm in the Chicago region to that date.

The first surviving letter is from Zeuch to Hyde, May 13, 1920, noting that Hyde had submitted two specifications, one on May 6, the other on May 11. Hyde’s specifications were created with the consultation of his teacher Joseph Bonnet, Eric DeLamarter of Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago (which housed 1914 Skinner Opus 210), and Zeuch. Zeuch felt the second specification was much better, except for:

. . . the lack of a large scale string, such as a Gamba and Gamba Celeste on the Solo Organ. . . . You mention a large scale Viol d’ Orchestre. Could this not serve as one rank of such a string? Permit me to call your attention to the fact that all our Celestes run through to low C (of the manual keyboard) except the Unda Maris and the Flute Celeste. I have a slight personal preference for a Flute Celeste made with a Spitz on the Swell Organ. The scale and voicing of the stops of that name on my organ are of remarkably subtle charm, which I am sure you would be quick to appreciate.

I am with you without reservation on the “no borrowing” idea. I resort to this expedient only on small 2 manual specifications, where it is desirable to have several accompanimental stops on the Great Organ under expression.

For the price tag of $47,950 without casework, this would, Zeuch declared, provide “a perfect specification, and would give you the greatest organ in the country. It is not given to many organists to have an organ built just as they want it, and I congratulate you that you are to have this great fortune.”

Price would be a point of considerable discussion between the church and the builder, as Hyde stated in his letter to Zeuch, December 9, 1920, the church vestry “refuse to have the cost of the organ exceed $49,999.99,” which was a large sum for an organ in that day (nearly $675,000 in today’s currency). In this same letter, Hyde wanted the specification altered to remove the 8′ Dulciana from the Choir at a savings of $580; addition of a Dulcet II in its place at $828; addition of 16′ Violone/8′ Cello in the Pedal at $1,242; addition of Chimes at $993; and duplexing the Harp/Celesta on the Swell for $180; bringing the total cost of the organ to $52,613, without casework. Hyde embarrassingly asks the Skinner firm if they would kindly build the organ for less than $50,000.

A memorandum dated December 30, 1920, indicates that Zeuch had come to the Chicago area in order to meet with key people of Saint Luke’s Church. Between December 9 and the meeting, the Skinner firm offered to build the organ with the changes except the Chimes to be left prepared at the console at a cost of $49,998. The church further convinced Zeuch to allow a 5% discount for cash, amounting to $2,499.90, pending vestry approval.

A contract with the Skinner Organ Company and the church dated January 4, 1921, was signed on January 14 in the amount of $47,500 for a four-manual, 83-stop instrument of 5,343 pipes, Opus 327. (The Chimes were included, a memorial to William N. Cotterell.) Zeuch signed for the builder; Gabriel F. Slaughter, chairman of the music committee, signed for the church. Completion was set for January 10, 1922. The first payment of $10,000 was due on October 1, 1921, with the balance of $37,500 due “on completion and acceptance by a committee of three; one to be appointed by organ builders, one member by the church, these two to select a third member.”

The arrival of the Skinner organ

The blower arrived at the church December 9, 1921, well ahead of the rest of the instrument. It was clear in a letter from Zeuch on December 21, 1921, that the organ was behind schedule:

The organ is in the works and making good progress, tho I am sorry to say it is not yet sufficiently advanced to leave the factory. A few weeks more will suffice for that so that you will soon have tangible evidence of a new organ. Your suggestion to put more men on the work is interesting, if not practical. If you know of any skilled and experienced organ builders that would like a job with us send on as many as you care to. There is plenty of work for them.

As far as being late with our contracts is concerned, we are not the only ones. I don’t know of an organ concern in the country that meets their deliveries as called for. It isn’t possible in the nature of the business. Besides there is another side to the story. Last year we had six organs in storage all completed and ready for installation but held up because the buildings were not ready to receive them. At present moment we have two such cases. If we had the gift of prophecy it would indeed be helpful.

On Christmas Eve, Slaughter wrote to the Skinner firm as to when to expect the organ to be shipped:

Since it takes several weeks to install the organ, and as you may know the Ecclesiastical kalendar is strictly observed, and Lent arrives on the first of March, you will realize our anxiety lest any continued delay might make it impossible for us to open the new organ with an appropriate series of recitals.

The first railcar of the organ was not shipped until April 7, 1922. (Easter Sunday occurred April 16.) In all, a total of twelve railroad freight cars were dispatched to Evanston’s Main Street station, two blocks from the church. The organ was announced on the front page of The Diapason’s March 1, 1921, issue, along with a specification and a picture of Herbert Hyde.

When the Skinner organ was installed in the nave, the action of the Casavant organ in the Lady Chapel was electrified, and this instrument was made playable from the main organ console as an Echo division. Skinner added an 8′ Vox Humana to the Echo. The Skinner main console of four manuals was movable within a radius of twelve feet, situated in the choir stalls of the chancel. The chapel organ had a new console installed for use in that space. In the main organ chamber, the Choir and Pedal divisions were installed at the bottom, with the Great and Solo above, and the Swell at the top.

Installation of the organ was supervised by William S. Collins. Regulating, tuning, and “delicate voicing” was accomplished by Gust Bergkvist. Simplified casework was installed, with the more complex casework designed by the architect Thomas Tallmadge of Chicago’s Tallmadge & Watson created later. As eventually completed, the main façade facing the chancel includes some eighty-six speaking pipes from the Great and Pedal diapasons. A smaller façade in the south aisle is composed of non-speaking pipes.

The instrument was dedicated on Sunday, October 15, 1922, in a service presided over by the Right Reverend Sheldon Munson Griswold, Suffragan Bishop of Chicago, with Hyde at the console. The choir sang Hyde’s composition for the occasion, “O Praise the Lord of Heaven.” In the afternoon, assistant organist Mack Evans gave a brief program. That evening, Hyde presented a recital to the public, which was a capacity crowd.

Mr. Evans’s program was as follows:

Grand Choeur, Guilmant

Prayer and Cradle Song, Guilmant

Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, Bach

Variations on “Saviour, Breathe” and “Evening Blessings,” Thompson

Processional March, Rogers

 

Mr. Hyde’s program was as follows:

Caprice Heroique [sic], Bonnet

Reverie, Bonnet

Romance sans Paroles, Bonnet

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Bach

The Guardian Angel, Pierne [sic]

Slumber Song, Seely

Menuet à l’Antico, Seeboeck-Hyde

To a Wild Rose, MacDowell

Chromatic Fantasie, Thiele

Vision, Rheinberger

Cradle Song, Grieg

Le Bonheur, Hyde

 

This was the first day in a series of four that included programs that more than filled the church. The Diapason of November 1, 1922, stated:

The new Skinner organ in Saint Luke’s Church at Evanston, rated as the largest organ in any church in Chicago or vicinity, was inducted into service in a manner befitting the size and quality of the instrument . . . . None of the recitals was attended by fewer than 1,000 people and the night of the services under the auspices of the Illinois chapter, A. G. O., hundreds stood in the aisles throughout the performance.

The front-page article included a picture of the console.³

The six other recitalists heard in this series were Eric DeLamarter of Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago; Palmer Christian, then of Northwestern University and Fourth Presbyterian Church, formerly of Kenwood Evangelical Church, Chicago, and shortly thereafter at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Tina Mae Haines of Saint James Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago; Stanley Martin of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, Evanston; William Lester of First Baptist Church, Evanston; and Mrs. Wilhelm Middelschulte of First Presbyterian Church, Evanston.

Monday, October 16, was “Evanston Organists” recital night, with appearances by Martin, Middelschulte, and Lester. Peter C. Lutkin of Northwestern University, Evanston, delivered an address, “The Education of the Soul,” as noted in The Diapason, “in which he dwelt on the need of cultivating the soul through music and art as being as essential to humanity as the training of the mind.”

Mr. Martin’s program:

Suite in F, Corelli-Noble

Contrasts, J. Lewis Browne

Scherzo, Fifth Sonata, Guilmant

 

Mrs. Middelschulte’s program:

Prelude and Nocturne, Bairstow

Toccata, Grison

 

Mr. Lester’s program:

Invocation (dedicated to Herbert Hyde), Lester

In Indian Summer, Lester

Venetian Idyl, Andrews

Andante con moto, Bridge

Heroic Overture, Ware

 

Tuesday, October 17, featured a “Recital by Chicago Organists Under the Auspices of the Illinois Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.” DeLamarter, Haines, and Christian were the featured performers.

Mr. DeLamarter’s program:

Chant de Printemps, Bonnet

Intermezzo, DeLamarter

Legende, Zimmerman

Finale, Sixth Symphony, Widor

 

Miss Haines’s offerings:

Matin Provencale [sic], Bonnet

Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy (Nut-Cracker Suite), Tschaikowsky [sic]

Meditation at Ste. Clotilde, James

Fantasie on Spanish Themes, Gigout

 

Mr. Christian’s appearance included:

Dreams, Strauss

Rhapsodie, Rossetter G. Cole

A Cloister Scene, Mason

Scherzo Caprice, Ward

 

The series closed on Wednesday evening, October 18, Saint Luke’s Day, with a program by Hyde, assisted by the church choir:

Sonata 1, Borowski

Meditation, Klein

Bourée, Bach

Suite Gothique, Boëllmann

O Praise the Lord of Heaven, Hyde (with the choir)

Berceuse, Dickinson

Caprice (manuscript), Seely

Toccata, Fifth Symphony, Widor

 

For many years, the organ was the venue of many important recital events. It was featured during the 1925 national convention of the American Guild of Organists and the 1933 national convention of the National Association of Organists. It was also a demonstration instrument for the builder, especially as Hyde became the western representative for Skinner.

Mr. Skinner exhibited great pride in the instrument over decades. In The Composition of the Organ, co-authored with his son Richmond H. Skinner, he wrote of Opus 327:

The Diapasons of the Great division of the organ in St. Luke’s Church, Evanston, Illinois, are most satisfactory to me and are of ideal Diapason character. There are three of eight foot pitch; First Diapason, scale 41 [sic], second 43 [sic], third 45. Later judgment suggests that the smallest be scale 48.

The church has fine acoustics and, in their locations, these Diapasons have an indescribable glow and richness, making them exceptionally churchly. All have a 1⁄5 mouth, cut up 5⁄12 their width. This is reduced in the trebles. All are tuned with sliding sleeves. The first, and I believe the second, has a thickened upper lip and structurally is of good weight of metal, including 22% tin. They have a pronounced octave harmonic and no flavor of thickness, nor have they any of the string quality characteristic of the German Diapason. The[y] differ again from the English types, which to me suggest the American Melodia, having little foundation and few harmonics and which M. Dupré calls “Gemshorns.”⁴

As the years passed . . .

Dr. Thomas Matthews became organist and choirmaster of Saint Luke’s Church in May 1946. Shortly thereafter, and in cooperation with William H. Barnes, organ consultant and author of the many editions of The Contemporary American Organ, some alterations were made to the Skinner organ. The Solo 8′ Philomela was replaced by an 8′ Doppel Flute from the 1889 Roosevelt organ removed from the Auditorium Theater of Chicago in 1942. Barnes ordered an 8′ Trompette from Gieseke in Germany to replace the Swell 8′ Cornopean. (The Cornopean was placed in safe storage at the church.)⁵

On December 18, 1956, Matthews wrote to Zeuch at the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company about the possibility of addition of a horizontal trumpet to Opus 327. Joseph S. Whiteford, then tonal director for Aeolian-Skinner, replied in acknowledgment on January 3, 1957. On March 15, 1957, Thomas V. Potter, Midwest representative for Aeolian-Skinner, wrote to Matthews proposing a “Fanfare Trumpet” with several options. The preferred option was installation at the rear of the nave, above the entry door and below a window, for $4,000, including a blowing plant. A second option was installation behind the main altar reredos, which would cost $2,250 without a second blower, or $2,500 with blower. Delivery would be within one to two years.

It was agreed to install the trumpet at the rear of the nave, and a contract was sent to the church in the amount of $4,000, for completion by March 1, 1959. A down payment of $400 was due on signing, $1,080 when construction began, $1,080 when the trumpet arrived at the church, and the balance due upon completion. The reed pipes were harmonic from middle C, and the wind pressure was between 7-1⁄2 and 8 inches.

Materials were finished for shipping to Evanston in April 1958, but a strike by truckers stalled shipment until May 19 as noted in the church’s newsletter, The Parish Visitor, June 1958.⁶ The stop was first used on June 15 for the arrival of the Most Reverend Joost de Blank, Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, for his visit to Saint Luke’s Church. Final payment was received by Aeolian-Skinner on July 7 of that year. Saint Luke’s possessed the first Aeolian-Skinner fanfare trumpet in the Midwest, the fourth created by the builder. (Earlier examples were the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Saint Thomas Church, New York City, and First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore, Texas.)

The trumpet stop was dedicated September 28, 1958, during a Eucharist service that featured a newly composed choir anthem by Thomas Matthews, “The Trumpeters and Singers Were As One.” The trumpet was named in memory of Joseph G. Hubbell. It is played from the Choir manual, its drawknob replacing the original 8′ Harp knob.

In November 1959, The Parish Visitor announced that William H. Barnes of Evanston, “a non-Episcopalian but a great admirer of St. Luke’s organ and music,” donated a new Chorus Mixture in memory of the late Herbert Hyde, who had died August 25, 1954, at the age of 67.⁷ The article stated:

Dr. Barnes is a nationally known organ architect and author of the book, “The Contemporary American Organ.” The new stop was built to his special specifications in Holland at an approximate cost, including installation, of $2,000. . . . Through the years, he has done much to keep our organ in good repair, and several years ago he gave a new Doppel Flute to replace an old one in the organ.

The addition of the new Chorus Mixture stop is the first step in modernizing the main organ. The next step will be the installation of three new sets of French reed pipes in the swell division as soon as the necessary funds become available.

The original Skinner III Mixture on the Great division was disconnected and the stop action reconnected to the new Chorus Mixture. The Skinner mixture pipework was removed, and it eventually disappeared.

The 1910 Casavant Lady Chapel organ was discarded in favor of an M. P. Möller organ of two-manuals, fourteen-ranks, playable from the Skinner console as well as a new two-manual console of tilting-tablet control in the chapel. The contract for Möller Opus 9244 was dated May 16, 1958, with completion set for August 1, 1959, at a cost of $16,950. Henry Beard was the builder’s legendary representative for the Chicago region. Wind pressures were three inches for the Great and Pedal divisions and 3-1⁄2 inches for the Swell. The Casavant organ became the property of Möller, but was apparently discarded. (The Möller organ was sold in 1986 to Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, Rosemont, Illinois.) Funds for the new chapel organ were given in memory of Gabriel and Jessie Slaughter. Mr. Slaughter had served as chair of the parish music committee when the Skinner organ was procured and was a longtime vestryman.⁸

1959 M. P. MЪller Opus 9244

GREAT (Manual I, unenclosed)

8′ Rohrflöte 73 pipes (scale 54, halve on 20th, 12 zinc basses, remainder spotted metal)*

8′ Gemshorn (Sw)

8′ Unda Maris (Sw)

4′ Principal 73 pipes (scale 60, halve on 18th, spotted metal)*

III Rks. Mixture 183 pipes (“Spec. Formula ‘A’,” halve on 17th, spotted metal)*

SWELL (Manual II, enclosed)

16′ Gedeckt 73 pipes (scale 44, halve on 20th, 24 zinc basses, remainder spotted metal)

8′ Gedeckt (ext 16′)*

8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes (scale 52, 1⁄3 taper, halve on 17th, 12 zinc basses, remainder spotted metal)*

8′ Unda Maris 54 pipes (GG, scale 56, 2⁄3 taper, halve on 17th, 5 zinc basses, remainder spotted metal)*

4′ Nachthorn 61 pipes (scale 60, halve on 20th, spotted metal)*

2′ Prinzipal 61 pipes (scale 72, halve on 18th, spotted metal)*

II Rks. Cymbale 122 pipes (26–29, Spec. Formula “B,” halve on 17th, spotted metal)*

8′ Trompette 61 pipes (2-1⁄4″ scale, halve on 42nd)*

Tremolo

PEDAL

16′ Bourdon 12 pipes (CCC scale 40, CC scale 54, halve on 20th, 12 pipes, ext Gt 8′)*

16′ Gedeckt (Sw)

8′ Geigen 44 pipes (scale 46, halve on 18th, 17 zinc basses, remainder spotted metal)*

8′ Gedeckt (Sw)

4′ Octave (ext 8′)

2′ Gedeckt (Sw)

* stops available at the Skinner console

Couplers

Great to Pedal

Great to Pedal 4

Swell to Pedal

Swell to Pedal 4

Great 4

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great

Swell to Great 4

Swell 16

Swell Unison Off

Swell 4

Accessories

3 General pistons

3 Great and Pedal pistons

3 Swell and Pedal pistons

Great to Pedal reversible

Balanced Swell expression shoe

Balanced Crescendo shoe with indicator light

 

Great Mixture “Formula ‘A’”

1–30 15 19 22

31–42 12 15 19

43–61 8 12 15

Unison scale 48 at 8′ CC, ¼ mouth

Quint scale 49 at 8′ CC, 2⁄9 mouth

Swell Cymbal “Formula ‘B’”

1–12 26 29

13–24 22 26

25–36 19 22

37–48 15 19

49–61 12 15

Unison scale 50 at 8′ CC, ¼ mouth

Quint scale 51 at 8′ CC, 2⁄9 mouth

Around 1960, in the Choir division of the Skinner organ, the 8′ Melodia was replaced by an 8′ Gedeckt, the 4′ Flute d’Amour replaced by a 4′ Rohr Flute, and the two-rank 8′ Dulcet replaced by a II Cymbal. This work was supplied by the Tellers Organ Company. A Cymbala or cymbelstern of four bells was installed in memory of Eliza C. Akeley. In the 1970s, Frank J. Sauter & Sons of the Chicago region repitched the Choir 8′ Diapason to 4′ and reinstalled the Swell 8′ Cornopean.⁹ At some point, the Swell Mixture was recomposed, and the 2′ stops in the Swell and Choir divisions were swapped. The organ was honored with the Organ Historical Society’s Historic Organ Citation #161.

In 1986 a restoration of the historic building and its nave was carried out. The project included removal of four-inch-thick horsehair and burlap padding from the wooden ceiling, installed in 1914. The result was a remarkable nearly four seconds of reverberation. Around the same time, the church acquired a one-manual, four-stop, portable, mechanical-action pipe organ from Karl Wilhelm.

Bringing the Skinner organ back to its origins

Most of the alterations to the Skinner organ were reversed in a restoration project by the A. Thompson-Allen Company of New Haven, Connecticut, begun in 1994 and completed in 1998. The first phase of the project included removal of the Swell division for restoration, the remainder of the instrument completed in time for Christmas 1998. Several of the ranks that were removed from the organ and stored in the church in previous decades were reinstated in the organ, namely, the three Choir division stops noted above. The Swell and Great mixture stops were recreated with new pipework.¹⁰ All of the original Skinner reed ranks were restored by Broome & Company of East Granby, Connecticut. Thompson-Allen added a General Cancel piston, as the console never had one.

The organ was rededicated on September 12, 1999. A series of recitals occurred in the 1999–2000 year; featured performers included Marilyn Keiser, Gillian Weir, Karel Paukert (a former organist and choirmaster of Saint Luke’s Church), and Richard Webster, organist and choirmaster of Saint Luke’s.

In 2013, the original blower for the organ was replaced. The parish completed a $1.8 million restoration of the church nave in 2016.

In anticipation of the organ’s centennial year and celebrations in 2022, the Thompson-Allen firm returned to Evanston in May and October 2021 for minor repairs. Centennial celebrations began February 25 of this year, with Jackson Borges accompanying the silent film feature of Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr. Friday through Sunday, October 14–16 will see a weekend of events, including a hymn festival with Richard Webster and a newly composed work by Malcolm Archer, both of whom will be present for the festivities.

1922 Skinner Organ Company Opus 327, as restored by A. Thompson-Allen Company¹¹

GREAT (Manual II, 7-1/2″ wind pressure)

16′ Diapason 73 pipes (scale 32, 1–29 zinc, 30–73 common metal)

8′ First Diapason 73 pipes (scale 40, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 linen lead, 1/5 mouth, leathered lips)

8′ Second Diapason 73 pipes (scale 42, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 linen lead, 1⁄5 mouth, leathered lips)

8′ Third Diapason 73 pipes (scale 45, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 spotted metal, 1⁄5 mouth)

8′ Claribel Flute* 73 pipes (1–12 stopped wood, 13–36 open wood, 37–73 open metal)

8′ Erzähler 73 pipes (1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal, 1⁄4 taper)

4′ Octave 61 pipes (scale 58, 1–5 zinc, 6–61 spotted metal, 2⁄9 mouth)

4′ Harmonic Flute* 61 pipes (1–5 zinc, 6–61 common metal, harmonic 25–49)

2-2⁄3′ Twelfth* 61 pipes (scale 69, spotted metal)

2′ Fifteenth* 61 pipes (scale 70, spotted metal)

Chorus Mixture IV 244 pipes (added 1959, revoiced by A. Thompson-Allen in 1998)

Mixture III (A-9)* 183 pipes (original removed; replicated by A. Thompson-Allen in 1998)

16′ Trombone* 73 pipes (4-1⁄2″ @ 8′ C, 1–6 wood resonators, 6–61 zinc and Hoyt metal, 43–61 harmonic, 62–73 open spotted metal flues)

8′ Trumpet* 73 pipes (4-1⁄2″, 1–56 reeds, zinc and Hoyt metal, 31–56 harmonic, 57–73 spotted metal flues)

4′ Clarion* 61 pipes (3-1⁄4″, 1–44 reeds, zinc and Hoyt metal, 19–44 harmonic, 45–61 spotted metal flues)

Chimes (from Solo)

* enclosed

SWELL (Manual III, enclosed, 7-1/2″ wind pressure)

16′ Bourdon 73 pipes (1–61 stopped wood, 62–73 open common metal)

8′ Diapason 73 pipes (scale 45, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 common metal, 2⁄9 mouth)

8′ Salicional 73 pipes (scale 64, 1–12 zinc, 13–71 spotted metal)

8′ Voix Celeste 73 pipes (draws 8′ Salicional, scale 64, 1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal)

8′ Gedeckt 73 pipes (1–43 stopped wood, 44–73 open common metal)

8′ Spitz Flute 73 pipes (1–17 zinc, 18–61 tapered common metal, 62–73 cylindrical common metal)

8′ Flute Celeste (TC) 61 pipes (13–17 zinc, 18–61 tapered common metal, 62–73 cylindrical common metal)

8′ Aeoline 73 pipes (scale 60, 1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal)

4′ Octave 61 pipes (scale 60, 1–5 zinc, 6–61 common metal)

4′ Traverse Flute 61 pipes (1–5 zinc, 6–61 common metal, 25–49 harmonic)

2′ Flautino 61 pipes (scale 70, spotted metal)

III Mixture III 183 pipes (original A-9 mixture removed; replicated to a slightly later C-15 Skinner formula by Austin/ A. Thompson-Allen, 1998)

16′ Contra Posaune 73 pipes (4-1⁄2″ @ 8′ C, 1–6 wood resonators, 7–61 zinc and Hoyt metal, 55–61 harmonic, 62–73 open spotted metal flues)

8′ Cornopean 73 pipes (4-1⁄2″, 1–32 zinc and Hoyt metal, 33–56 Hoyt metal, 43–56 harmonic, 57–73 spotted metal flues)

8′ Oboe 73 pipes (zinc, common metal, spotted metal, 1–56 reeds, 57–73 spotted metal flues)

8′ Vox Humana 73 pipes (zinc and Hoyt metal, 1–56 reeds, 57–73 spotted metal flues)

4′ Clarion 61 pipes (3-1⁄4″, 1–44 reeds, 31–44 harmonic, 45–61 spotted metal flues)

Tremolo

Harp (Ch)

Celesta (Ch)

CHOIR (Manual I, enclosed, 6″ wind pressure)

8′ Diapason 73 pipes (scale 44, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 linen lead)

8′ Melodia 73 pipes (1–12 stopped wood, 13–43 open wood, 44–73 common metal)

8′ Dulcet II 146 pipes (scale 75, 1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal)

8′ Kleine Erzähler 134 pipes (celeste TC, 1–31 stopped wood, 32–73 open common metal)

4′ Flute d’Amour 61 pipes (“#2,” 1–5 zinc, 6–73 common metal, 25–49 harmonic)

2-2⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes (slotted spotted metal, 1–49 tapered, 50–61 cylindrical)

2′ Piccolo 61 pipes (common metal, 13–49 harmonic)

1-1⁄3′ [sic] Tierce 61 pipes (slotted spotted metal, 1–41 tapered, 42–61 cylindrical)

8′ Clarinet 73 pipes (1–56 common metal, 57–73 open spotted metal flues)

8′ Orchestral Oboe 73 pipes (1–56 zinc and Hoyt metal, 57–73 open spotted metal flues)

Tremolo

Harp (61 bars, first octave repeats)

8′ Fanfare Trumpet 61 pipes (7-1⁄2″ wind pressure, 1–12 zinc, 13–56 spotted metal, 25–56 harmonic, 57–61 flues)

SOLO (Manual IV, enclosed, 10″ wind pressure)

8′ Diapason 73 pipes (scale 40, leathered lips, 1–17 zinc, 18–73 linen lead)

8′ Philomela 73 pipes

8′ Gross Gamba 73 pipes (scale 50, flared 4 notes, 1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal)

8′ Gamba Celeste 73 pipes (scale 50, flared 4 notes, 1–12 zinc, 13–73 spotted metal)

8′ French Horn 73 pipes (7″, large scale, 1–49 zinc and common metal, capped, 50–73 open spotted metal flues)

8′ English Horn 73 pipes (single bell-type, 1–49 zinc and common metal, double-conical capped, 50–56 lidded conical resonators, 57–73 open spotted metal flues)

4′ Tuba Clarion 61 pipes (1–49 zinc and Hoyt metal, 7–49 harmonic, 50–61 open spotted metal flues)

Tremolo

8′ Tuba Mirabilis 73 pipes (20″ wind pressure, 1–61 zinc and Hoyt metal, 19–61 harmonic, 62–73 open spotted metal flues)

Chimes (25 tubes)

PEDAL (6″ wind pressure)

32′ Diapason (open wood) 68 pipes

16′ First Diapason (ext 32′ Diapason)

16′ Second Diapason 32 pipes (1–29 zinc, 30–32 linen lead)

16′ Violone 44 pipes (1–12 bearded open wood, 13–32 spotted metal with rollers)

16′ Bourdon (stopped wood) 56 pipes

16′ Echo Bourdon (Sw 16′ Bourdon)

8′ Octave (ext 32′ Diapason)

8′ ’Cello (ext 16′ Violone)

8′ Gedeckt (ext 16′ Bourdon)

8′ Still Gedeckt (Sw 16′ Bourdon)

4′ Super Octave (ext 32′ Diapason)

4′ Flute (extension, 16′ Bourdon)

32′ Bombarde 68 pipes (15″ wind pressure, 16″ x 16″ @ low C, 1–24 wood resonators, remainder zinc and Hoyt metal)

16′ Trombone (ext 32′ Bombarde)

8′ Tromba (ext 32′ Bombarde)

4′ Clarion (ext 32′ Bombarde)

Couplers

Great to Pedal 8

Great to Pedal 4

Swell to Pedal 8

Swell to Pedal 4

Choir to Pedal 8

Solo to Pedal 8

Solo to Pedal 4

Swell to Great 8

Choir to Great 8

Solo to Great 8

Swell to Choir 8

Great to Solo 8

Swell to Solo 8

Great to Great 16

Great to Great 4

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great 4

Choir to Great 16

Choir to Great 4

Solo to Great 16

Solo to Great 4

Choir to Choir 16

Choir to Choir 4

Swell to Choir 16

Swell to Choir 4

Swell to Swell 16

Swell to Swell 4

Solo to Solo 16

Solo to Solo 4

Great to Solo 16

Great to Solo 4

Accessories

5 General pistons (thumb and toe)

9 Great pistons (1–9 thumb, 1–4 toe)

9 Swell pistons (1–9 thumb, 1–4 toe)

7 Choir pistons (1–7 thumb, 1–4 toe)

7 Solo pistons (1–9 thumb, 1–4 toe)

4 Pedal pistons (toe)

General Cancel (thumb, added by A. Thompson-Allen, 1998)

Couplers Off (thumb)

Combination setter button (thumb)

Great to Pedal reversible (thumb and toe)

Swell to Pedal reversible (thumb)

Choir to Pedal reversible (thumb)

Solo to Pedal reversible (thumb and toe)

Solo to Great reversible (thumb and toe)

3 buttons: Chapel, Off, Both on Great

3 buttons: Chapel, Off, Both on Swell

3 buttons: Great Box to Solo, Off, Great Box to Choir

2 buttons: all Swells to Swell shoe, Off

Balanced Swell expression shoe

Balanced Choir (and Great) expression shoe

Balanced Solo (and Great) expression shoe

Balanced Crescendo shoe (with indicator light)

Sforzando reversible (toe, with indicator light)

Cymbala (knob in Swell stop jamb)

 

Great IV Chorus Mixture

1–17 15 19 22 26

18–24 12 15 19 22

25–49 8 12 15 19

50–61 8 8 12 15

Great III Mixture

1–18 15 19 22

19–30 12 15 19

31–61 8 12 15

Swell III Mixture

1–22 15 19 22

23–42 12 15 19

43–61 8 12 15

 

Church website: stlukesevanston.org

Organ website: opus327.org

 

Notes

1. Newton Bateman and Paul Selby, ed., Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Evanston, Volume II (Chicago, Illinois: Munsell Publishing Company, 1906), 374–375.

2. David McCain, “St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, Illinois: A History of the Organs,” The Stopt Diapason, Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society, volume 3, number 3, whole number 15 (June 1982): 26–32.

3. “Great Feast of Music Ushers in Huge Organ: Busy Week for Evanston, Recitals Draw Upward of Thousand People Every Evening—Hyde and Other Organists heard on Skinner Instrument,” The Diapason, November 1, 1922: 1–2.

4. Ernest M. Skinner and Richmond H. Skinner, The Composition of the Organ, ed. by Leslie A. Olsen (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Melvin J. Light, 1980), 26.

5. McCain, “St. Luke’s,” 26–32.

6. “Delivery of Fanfare Trumpets delayed by truck strike,” The Parish Visitor, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, volume 2, number 2 (June 1958): 5.

7. “Dr. Barnes donates organ stop,” The Parish Visitor, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, volume 2, number 12 (November 1959): 80.

8. “St. Luke’s to be given new chapel organ in memory of Gabriel & Jessie Slaughter,” The Parish Visitor, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, volume 2, number 7 (June 1958): 3.

9. McCain, “St. Luke’s,” 26–32.

10. “St. Luke’s Organ Rededication: September 12, 1999, Evanston, Illinois,” pamphlet published by St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1999.

11. “Saint Luke Episcopal Church,” Organ Handbook 2002 (Richmond, Virginia: The Organ Historical Society, 2002): 167–173.

 

Bibliography

Bateman, Newton, and Paul Selby, ed. Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Evanston, Volume II. Chicago, Munsell Publishing Company, 1906: 374–375.

“Delivery of Fanfare Trumpets delayed by truck strike,” The Parish Visitor, St. Luke’s Church, Evanston, Illinois, June 1958, volume 2, number 2: 5.

“Dr. Barnes donates organ stop,” The Parish Visitor, November 1959, volume 2, number 12: 8.

“Great Feast of Music Ushers in Huge Organ: Busy Week for Evanston, Recitals Draw Upward of Thousand People Every Evening—Hyde and Other Organists heard on Skinner Instrument,” The Diapason, November 1, 1922: 1–2.

McCain, David. “St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Evanston, Illinois: A History of the Organs.” The Stopt Diapason, Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society, volume 3, number 3, whole number 15 (June 1982): 26–32.

“Saint Luke Episcopal Church,” Organ Handbook 2002. Richmond, Virginia, The Organ Historical Society, 2002: 167–173.

“St. Luke’s Organ Rededication: September 12, 1999, Evanston, Illinois,” published by the church.

“St. Luke’s to be given new chapel organ in memory of Gabriel & Jessie Slaughter,” The Parish Visitor, volume 2, number 7 (June 1958): 3.

Schnurr, Stephen. “Organ News.” The Stopt Diapason, Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society, whole number 65 (August 1999): 6–12.

Schnurr, Stephen J., Jr., and Dennis Northway, Pipe Organs of Chicago, Volume 1. Oak Park, Illinois, Chauncey Park Press, 2005: 94–97.

A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company, Lithonia, Georgia; Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Fort Pierce, Florida

As I contemplated writing this article about the new pipe organ for Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, many things came to mind, several of them cathartic and all of them personally important. Fort Pierce is a location where, as they say, I have “roots.” I was born in the Fort Pierce area in 1967, and was baptized at the First United Methodist Church. In the ensuing years, my family would continue to come back to this community to visit, to rest, and for recreation. It was an important enough location to me that when I got married in the early 1990s, I brought my young wife to one of the barrier islands near Fort Pierce for our honeymoon. This area was special to me, and I wanted to share it.

Moving forward to 2022 and a country still in the grip of Covid, I am glad that, in light of the pandemic, the building of this instrument occurred at a time and place that is familiar, and that I was working for a congregation and clergy that are some of the finest people on this planet. One cannot have endured the last couple of years without considering the pandemic and its effects on the world, our houses of worship, and on many of us personally. This church and its people buoyed us. They have offered unyielding prayer, support, and an unbridled excitement for the completion of this project.

The commission to build this instrument started out in a world that was Covid-free. By the time we were taking out the old organ, we were in masks, with travel and work restrictions and navigating a brave new world. In the meantime, we continued our work with a myriad of social, business, and personal interaction changes.

Along with the personal challenges (and losses) that have been endured, we also have had to deal with supply chain and vendor issues. There have been several suppliers and major vendors that were not able to weather this disruptive period and ceased operations. We have been fortunate with our depth of resources, the excellence of our staff, and full order books, that we have been able to navigate this period in a way that not all have been able to do. This is and has been a very real blessing. As I write this, I am hoping that we are in the waning period of the pandemic, but we are still in masks, and there are still many in the hospital from this malady.

How it started

When we were approached to evaluate the original organ at Saint Andrew’s, we arrived to find an instrument that was in a failing condition. We made a detailed study of the entire instrument with its mechanical condition, scaling, and tonality, balanced with the church’s musical needs. We also looked at the organ layout, the chamber spaces, and the acoustics.

The former organ was an electric-action, open-toe instrument that was built in the late 1970s. The organ did have some nice moments and some good materials, but, as a whole, with its stoplist and tonal design, it was not well suited to support the choral and congregational needs of this Episcopal church. In its later years, the organ had been damaged in a hurricane and endured some unfortunate attempts by others to repair, augment, and change it. The organ had a number of older relay components along with a console that had been rebuilt by others with a used solid-state combination system of various ages of materials. Its condition had been further exacerbated by lightning strikes to its systems. The console and relays were not reliable and could not be made so without heroic work that simply could not be justified.

The layout of the original instrument caused multiple tuning and tonal issues. This was due to a Choir division that was double stacked with the main air return of the church in front of this division, the Great division located four feet above the choir loft floor, directly behind the choristers and below a stained-glass window, and the Swell division in a freestanding box in an organ chamber fronted with a fabric grille. All of this conspired to create major tuning issues inter- and intra-divisionally, as well as a lack of tonal focus.

Our plan

We proposed to work with a clean sheet in design that would fully support worship along with a new façade and case to provide visual enhancements to the chancel. With the proximity of the church to the coastline, we chose a façade design that was evocative of the billowed boat sails that one sees in the waters around the church. The center of the case includes quatrefoils and moulding details found in the stained-glass windows from the original church building. The center case features an open top to allow the central window to be seen with minimal occlusion. The façade pipes are built of polished aluminum and include 16′ and 8′ bass pipes of the Pedal and Great divisions.

The design of the new organ moved the divisions and the return ducts, placed a roof over the center division to mitigate the effects of the central stained-glass window, and generally has placed the pipework on a similar thermocline. There are openings behind the façade pipes to allow a free exchange of heat and air to the chamber spaces.

The church and its contractor must be commended for their revisioning of the chancel and renovation of the worship center of the church. Notably, this included the removal of carpet and the installation of marble in the altar area. The choir area was finished with custom tile and individual chairs replacing fixed pews. Not only is the area more functional, it is visually beautiful and aurally supportive to the organ and the choir. This church acoustic gives back to the listener, and it has gotten even better.

The new stoplist was envisioned first and foremost to support the musical needs of this church and its English choral tradition. There has always been a hope to use the music ministry for community outreach, so while focused on the choral and congregational worship needs of the organ, the stoplist is purposely eclectic in design, allowing it to support many different schools of organ and choral music.

As we designed the new organ, we did look at some of the existing pipes. The pipework contained in the old organ was generally of high quality with low cut-ups and an absence of nicks and other voicing techniques that were permanent to the pipes. It was, in a way, raw media waiting to be voiced. As a company, we have never shied away from evaluation of extant pipework for consideration. Equally important is that one should never—I emphasize, never—design an organ around the pipes that are present with this being the only consideration. It was clear to us that some of the pipework, for purposes of stewardship, could and should be considered for reuse as long as it did not compromise the overall tonal design. It was also clear that some pipework would not, and indeed should not, find a home in the new instrument. Our approach was to design the specification and scaling that should be at the church, and only then did we look afresh at the existing pipework to see if it could be recast. The pipes that were reused were revoiced, rescaled, and/or repitched for their new role. Many of these allowed the fiduciary luxury of additional pedal resources and mutations.

The specification is designed around a Great division with a well-developed, leading principal chorus. The design includes a second 8′ Geigen Principal to allow a differing root structure in the chorus or doubling of the 8′ pitch line. The flutes are designed to fold hand in glove with the chorus while maintaining an individual identity and voice for melodic solo lines. The reeds of the Choir-Positiv and Swell are duplexed to the Great.

The Great division is located at the cantilevered façade level of the organ case, which allows the sound to bloom forward of the choir. To help focus the Great division, the Bourdon chest and upper walkboard act as a canopy above the Great to project this division.

The Choir-Positiv division sits in the former central location of the old Great division, and was conceived as a diminutive, dual-natured division. Its design supports text painting under the choir while also supporting the literature bias of an unenclosed Positiv division. With a secondary principal chorus rooted with the 8′ Holzgedeckt and 8′ Erzahler, it acts as a counter chorus voice to the Great and Swell divisions. The 2′ Schweigel and 1-1⁄3′ Quint allow the chorus to have “mixture texture” that is unweighted and some of the first upperwork available in building the organ to its full voice.

The 8′ Erzahler was chosen because it allows a voice that is at one time a diminutive string while at another time a soft accompanimental voice that can be broadened with the 8′ flute line. It is given an 8′ celeste of similar scale and construction, and becomes one of the voices in the ether of the church acoustics.

The flutes of the Choir-Positiv include the 8′ Holzgedeckt and 4′ Gedeckt-Pommer that are voiced to retain a degree of chiff and puckishness while still folding in with their string and principal neighbors. The Choir-Positiv mutations and 2′ Schweigel are stops that walk the line between principal and flute. As hybrid voices, the 2-2⁄3′ Nasat, 2′ Schweigel, 1-3⁄5′ Terz, and 1-1⁄3′ Quint allow for a great deal of color, building of multiple solo stops, and upperwork support for chorus registers.

The color reed in the Choir-Positiv is an 8′ Cromorne with parallel shallots and lift lids. It supports a generous vowel cavity that allows it to be a chameleon stop: it can be a piquant solo voice that easily is broadened into the woodwind timbre of a Clarinet when compounded with the Holzgedeckt or drawn into the Great as a weightless ensemble reed to add color and complexity to the principal chorus.

The Swell division is designed with a secondary principal chorus that is harmonically rich and complements the leading voices of the Great. The Swell Mixture III is pitched at 2′ to allow for the logical completion of its principal chorus. As a lower-pitch enclosed mixture, it is the first mixture that can be drawn in building a seamless crescendo. As with the Choir-Positiv, the Swell was designed with a flute chorus of differing voices that allows color and a multiplicity of compound registers.

The Swell reeds have English shallots and are unified to develop the 16′-8′-8′-4′ reed chorus. For the desired color and tuning stability, all of the reeds are on an individual winding system to allow higher pressures and tremolos separate from the flue voices.

The Pedal division is grounded with an independent 16′-8′-4′ principal chorus and independent and duplex flute registers at multiple pitches. The Pedal reed is an independent 16′ Posaune that can be combined with the duplex registers of the Swell and Choir-Positiv reeds.

To provide 32′ weight in the Pedal we included the discrete use of some custom digital voices to allow for this pitch register where there was not space to accommodate the pipes. With the “genie out of the bottle” we opted to also include the color of several additional companion strings and celestes along with the ubiquitous 8′ Vox Humana to allow the building of a string organ within the Swell division. Please note that we have allowed the physical space in the Swell chamber for these pipe additions, minimizing the compromise.

The 8′ Festival Trumpet is one of several stops gifted from the Schlueter family to the church. This particular stop is given in honor of my wife, Stephanie Schlueter, whom I brought to Florida for our honeymoon so many years ago and who has personally supported me in the building of instruments for over thirty years. It is located in the Choir-Positiv expression box and includes console controls to allow it to independently float to all manual divisions and the Pedal. Being enclosed in the box provides for wide dynamic control that allows this reed to be used as an ensemble voice with the expression box closed. It is my hope that this signature stop is used often in the coming years to support weddings and festive occasions with church worship.

Much of the emotive quality of an instrument is not only the quality of the voices but also how they project from the organ chamber and their reaction to enclosure in an expression box. The expression boxes were carefully designed to be as sonically transparent as possible when open and to fully contain the divisions when closed. We also functionally use the expression shades to direct sound when they are open. In the Choir-Positiv we used horizontal expression shades on the front and on top of the expression box to direct the pipe speech up and forward of the choristers and, importantly, out to the congregation. In a like but disparate fashion, the Swell division with its off-axis location was designed with a very large two-story shade front that opens bi-directionally. This evenly focuses the voices of the Swell to the choir and congregation along the center core of the church.

The windchests on the organ are electro-pneumatic slider and electro-pneumatic unit action. The winding system is our normal combination of spring and weighted reservoirs with independent concussion bellows on the windchests. This church’s generous acoustic allowed us to use moderate wind pressures on the organ ranging from 2½ to 4 inches.

To control the instrument, we built a three-manual console with terraced drawknobs. It was constructed of sapele mahogany with drawknobs custom turned from African blackwood. With its low profile, it allows excellent sightlines to the choristers, and the inbuilt castors permit it to be moved as needed. For a control system, the console features the Syndyne 8400 system, which supports a large number of functions.

As I started this article, I mentioned that building this instrument was a cathartic exercise. One year prior to this, I was at Saint Simons Island Presbyterian Church finishing an instrument and received the imposition of ashes on my forehead for Ash Wednesday. At that time, I was still recovering from a bout of Covid that saw me hospitalized just prior to that installation. I was well reminded about my mortality. One year later, I was in Fort Pierce working on the completion of this instrument—again, on Ash Wednesday. When one is an organ builder, it is invariable that the church becomes the worksite. It was therefore my good fortune to have an opportunity for worship where I entered the church as a congregant. I was able to sit contemplatively in the church and see an image of Christ in the center window framed and focused by the new organ façade. I heard the music of the church. I heard the recitations of the members of the church mixed with my own voice. Again, I received the imposition of ashes on my forehead from a congregation that has adopted me as their own. This was followed by the communion and the bounty of grace it represents. On this day the instrument’s voice began to come alive to support the worship of this ministry. As pipe organ builders, the work that all of us do is to design and build instruments that will outlive us as they support worship and praise in the church. On this particular Ash Wednesday, it was personally brought home to me how welcome it is to see the sign of the Cross on my forehead and realize how truly fortunate I am as a father, husband, organ builder, and a Christian.

As always there are too many people to thank with a project like this one. First and foremost I would like to thank the Reverend Canon Ellis E. Brust, rector; Mr. Peter Charles and Mr. Andrew Hemmer, senior wardens; Mrs. Karen Kozac and Mr. Chris Kasten, organ committee chairs; Mr. Larry Clancey and Mr. Richard Stable, treasurers; Dr. Jerry Davidson, organist/choir director; and Kirk Carlson, general contractor.

I would also like to extend a thank you to our staff: Arthur E. Schlueter, Jr., Arthur E. Schlueter III, John Tanner, Marc Conley, Patrick Hodges, Jeremiah Hodges, Marshall Foxworthy, Peter Duys, Kerry Bunn, Shan Dalton-Bowen, Michael DeSimone, Al Schroer, Dallas Wood, Josse Davis, Bob Weaver, Preston Wilson, Clifton Frierson, Kelvin Cheatham, Ruth Lopez, Elio Lopez, Chad Sartin, Sara Cruz, Ruth Gomez, Yolanda Sandoval, Kymoni Colbourne, Juan Hardin, Demitrius Hardin, Rico Hardin, and Angie Lindsey.

Visit www.pipe-organ.com for more information or to contact A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company.

—Arthur E. Schlueter III, Visual and Tonal Direction, A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Co.

 

GREAT (manual II)

16′ Sub Principal (1–12 Ped 16′ Sub Princ, 13–61 Gt 8′ Geigen Princ)

8′ Principal 61 pipes

8′ Geigen Principal 49 pipes (1–12 Ped 8′ Octave)

8′ Bourdon 61 pipes

4′ Octave 61 pipes

4′ Hohlflöte 61 pipes

2′ Super Octave 61 pipes

V Cornet TC*

1-1⁄3′ Mixture IV 244 pipes

16′ Contra Oboe (Sw)

8′ Trumpet (Sw)

8′ Oboe (Sw)

8′ Cromorne (Ch)

CHOIR-POSITIV (manual I, enclosed)

8′ Holzgedeckt 61 pipes

8′ Erzahler 61 pipes

8′ Erzahler Celeste (TC) 49 pipes

8′ Schwebung II*

4′ Prinzipal 61 pipes

4′ Gedeckt Pommer 61 pipes

2-2⁄3′ Nasat (from G1) 54 pipes

2′ Schweigel 61 pipes

1-3⁄5′ Terz (from G1) 54 pipes

1-1⁄3′ Quint 61 pipes

8′ Cromorne 61 pipes

Tremolo

Zimbelstern (multiple bells)

Chimes

SWELL (manual III, enclosed)

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes (ext 8′ Rohr Flute)

16′ Flauto Dolce*

8′ Viola Pomposa 61 pipes

8′ Viola Celeste II 49 pipes (draws Viola Pomposa)

8′ Muted Violes II*

8′ Aeoline Celeste II*

8′ Rohr Flute 61 pipes

4′ Principal 61 pipes

4′ Spindle Flute 61 pipes

4′ Unda Maris II*

2-2⁄3′ Nazard (TC) 49 pipes

2′ Flageolet (ext 8′ Rohr Fl) 24 pipes

1-3⁄5′ Tierce (TC) 49 pipes

2′ Mixture III 183 pipes

16′ Contra Oboe (TC, from 8′)

8′ Trumpet 61 pipes

8′ Oboe 61 pipes

4′ Oboe (ext 8′ Oboe) 12 pipes

8′ Vox Humana*

Tremolo (Vox)

Tremolo (Main)

FANFARE (floating division)

16′ Festival Trumpet (TC) 49 notes

8′ Festival Trumpet 61 pipes

4′ Festival Trumpet 49 notes

Fanfare On Pedal

Fanfare On Great

Fanfare On Swell

Fanfare Off Choir-Positiv

PEDAL

32′ Untersatz*

16′ Sub Principal 32 pipes

16′ Bourdon 32 pipes

16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)

8′ Octave 32 pipes

8′ Bourdon 32 pipes

8′ Gedeckt (Sw)

4′ Choral Bass (Gt)

4′ Gedeckt (Sw)

2′ Gedeckt (Sw)

32′ Bombarde*

16′ Posaune 32 pipes

8′ Trumpet (Sw)

4′ Oboe Clarion (Sw)

* Digital stop/prepared for pipe additions

Couplers

Great to Pedal 8

Great to Pedal 4

Swell to Pedal 8

Swell to Pedal 4

Choir-Positiv to Pedal 8

Choir-Positiv to Pedal 4

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great 8

Swell to Great 4

Choir-Positiv to Great 16

Choir-Positiv to Great 8

Choir-Positiv to Great 4

Choir-Positiv to Choir-Positiv 16

Choir-Positiv Unison Off

Choir-Positiv to Choir-Positiv 4

Swell to Choir-Positiv 16

Swell to Choir-Positiv 8

Swell to Choir-Positiv 4

Swell to Swell 16

Swell Unison Off

Swell to Swell 4

MIDI (as preset stops)

MIDI on Pedal

MIDI on Great

MIDI on Swell

MIDI on Choir-Positiv

60 stops, 38 ranks, 2,147 pipes

Builder’s website: www.pipe-organ.com

Church’s website: www.mystandrews.org/

 

Cover photo: Arthur E. Schlueter III; article photos contributed by the Reverend Canon Ellis E. Brust and the staff of A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company