New Organs

Austin Organs, 

Hartford, Connecticut

Opus 2344 (1961 and 2014)

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church,

New Canaan, Connecticut

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

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

 

From the musician

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

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

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

—Brian-Paul Thomas

Organist and Choirmaster

From the builder

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

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

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

 

Tonal matters

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

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

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

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

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

 

Conclusion

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

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

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

—Michael B. Fazio

Austin Organs, Inc.

President and Tonal Director

 

 

 

 

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Bellwood, Illinois

Trinity Lutheran Church, 

Auburn, Ilinois

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Bellwood, Illinois

Trinity Lutheran Church, 

Auburn, Ilinois

Located a few miles southwest of Springfield, Illinois, Trinity Lutheran Church is home to a new organ consisting of pipe resources from a 1958 Casavant, Opus 2490 (II/9), which was expanded by adding a new 8′ Trumpet and Mixture II–III to increase tonal flexibility. Originally installed in a large space, the organ had to be completely reconfigured in order to fit in to the compact accommodations that were available on the left side of the chancel. Swell and Pedal pipes are located in a pipe chamber, and Great pipes are located on a chest that is cantilevered into the nave.  

Great pipes were revoiced on 70mm wind pressure in order to compensate for the change in environment from the previous location. Existing flue pipes were voiced mildly with generous toe diameters, and the added mixture was scaled and voiced to add brilliance with a “reedy” quality, in the absence of a proper Great reed. Open wood pipes of the Great 8′ Hohlflöte (Melodia) were revoiced with lower cut-ups in order to give the stop some light articulation on the new wind pressure. The existing console was updated to include a new solid-state switching system, which includes record/playback capabilities, as well as MIDI input. Used primarily for the accompaniment of hymns and choir anthems, this organ is the first pipe organ for Trinity.   

Scott Riedel of Scott R. Riedel & Associates in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, served as consultant for the project. The organ was formally heard in recital in December 2011, with Berghaus’s tonal director Jonathan Oblander as organist. 

—Kelly Monette and 

Jonathan Oblander

 

Photo credit: Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders

 

 

Keith Williams

Buzard Pipe Organ Builders, Champaign, Illinois

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Charleston, South Carolina

1963 Noehren organ, St.
Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois

Robert Noehren (1910–2002) was an influential performer, recording artist, and teacher. He was for many years university organist and head of the organ department at the University of Michigan. Not satisfied with the work of contemporary American Neo-Baroque organbuilders, he founded his own enterprise, which built a total of 21 organs between 1954 and 1978. Noehren described his tonal style as an attempt to meld North German (Schnitger) principals with French classic and romantic reeds (Clicquot and Cavaille-Coll.)

Noehren himself performed the dedication recitals on his organ at St. Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois, on December 29, 1963. As originally installed, it had 1,885 pipes. Noehren also made recordings of the organ following its completion, which afford us insight into Noehren’s tonal philosophy and playing style on his own instrument. 

The organ remained basically unchanged over its 50 years at St. Richard’s. In 1996 the original electro-mechanical relay and setter board combination action were replaced with solid state equipment. At the same time a Zimbelstern was added and a 32’ Resultant stop was added to the Pedal, drawn from the original Subbass.

The instrument was installed above the gallery of the church, hanging from the ceiling on two beams in an exposed position. The Swell was enclosed at the rear of the beams, with the large, shared Great-Positiv windchest in front (see photograph below). The Pedal division was on two chests on the floor at the rear of the balcony.

By 2014 the congregation’s dynamic has changed, and they no longer required their organ and wished to find an appropriate new home for it. Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was in the market for an organ for their new sanctuary building and decided that the available Noehren organ would suit their needs admirably. Holy Spirit purchased the instrument and contracted with Buzard Pipe Organ Builders to remove and rebuild the organ for their new church.

The new installation required an entirely new layout for the organ, as well as casework sympathetic to the beautiful new sanctuary. The new casework carries all the new bass pipes of the Great and Pedal principals, replacing collapsed pipes that were formerly shared between both these stops. The organ was redesigned internally with a new layout, new floor and building frames, new Swell box, and a new and greatly augmented wind system and new blower.

The action in the organ is electro-mechanical. Originally the pipe valves were of the Reisner “floating valve” type patented by Roger Miles and George Gress. Despite the claim made by some that this kind of action never wears out, the valves in this organ were no longer reliable after 50 years. We have replaced all of the actions with new magnets and rewired the entire organ. This also enabled us to provide larger toe holes to properly wind bass pipes.

A peculiarity of Noehren’s original design was a sharing of low octaves throughout the instrument. For example, the bottom octave (1–12) of the Great 4′ Octave borrowed the tenor octave (13–24) of the 8′ Principal. The cumulative effect of these compromises (which Noehren felt were justified because they reduced cost and saved space) was a weakening of tone throughout the instrument’s lower range. We undertook to provide additional pipework in almost all cases to correct these deficiencies, and so new, independent bottom octaves have been provided for the Great 4′ Octave, 4′ Spitzfloete, and 2′ Octave, as well as the Positiv 8′ Gedeckt and 2′ Principal. The Swell flutes have retained the old system of borrowing, due to space limitations; however, their blend and balance have been carefully refined.

The organ has gained a new 4′ Koppel Flute in the Positiv; a new, large-scaled Subbass rank in the Pedal, and new Chimes. A new Oboe rank, specially designed with a Baroque influence, replaces the original Swell Trompette. This Oboe has an interesting character, somewhere between an Oboe and an English horn. It can both color the flues in the Swell in combinations, as well as providing an excellent solo sound.

Some rescaling was undertaken, as well as numerous repairs and very careful regulation of all the pipework, especially removing inconsistencies in the flue voicing. The Cromhorne and Trumpet ranks were rebuilt for speech and tuning stability. The Mixture stops, originally each of five (!) ranks, were reconfigured. The Swell Plein Jeu was lowered significantly in pitch and now cleverly works as both the expected “crown” of the division as well as providing a much more useful substitute principal chorus in combination with the Swell foundations.

Installation of the organ was completed in autumn of 2016, the final stage of which was a comprehensive tonal finishing of the organ in the superb and lively acoustic of the new church. The end result is a still-bright but much warmer sound, which fills the handsome new sanctuary admirably. The organ can lead the congregation in hymns and liturgy, accompany choral anthems, and serve as a convincing vehicle for a wide range of solo organ repertoire. The sound of the instrument is by no means typical of the sound of a new Buzard instrument, but we are proud to have been able to make this instrument much more versatile and put it into as-new condition for the Holy Spirit congregation. 

The organ was dedicated in a worship service and recital by Stephen Buzard on Sunday, February 12. A dinner and introduction to the organ was held at the church for the local American Guild of Organists chapter the following evening.

The organ as rebuilt comprises 26 independent stops, 37 ranks, and 1,853 pipes.

—Keith Williams

 

Buzard staff that were involved in the Holy Spirit project included:

John-Paul Buzard, President & Artistic Director

Charles Eames, Vice-President & General Manager

Brian Davis, Tonal Director

Keith Williams, Service Director

David Brown, Service Foreman

Shane Rhoades, Production Department Foreman

Mark Dirksen, Business Manager

Riley Ano, Tonal Assistant

Trevor Dodd, Service Technician

Viktoria Franken, Tonal Associate

Christopher Goodnight, Cabinetmaker

Max Konrad, Service Technician

Michael Meyer, Cabinetmaker

Dennis Northway, Service & Sales Associate

Jeremy Taylor, Cabinetmaker

Stuart Weber, Senior Service Technician

John Wiegand, Service Technician

 

Bibliography

Schnurr, Stephen J., Jr., and Dennis E. Northway. Pipe Organs of Chicago, Volume II. Oak Park, IL, Chauncey Park Press, 2009, pp. 109–111.

Houghton, Richard. “The Organs of Robert Noehren—Simplicity, practicality and economy.” Journal of American Organbuilding, Vol. 10, No. 3 (September 2015), pp. 8–14.

 

Original (1963) stoplist

GREAT (21⁄2″ w.p.)

16′ Quintadena (TC) 44

8′ Principal (1–12 Pedal) 44

8′ Rohrfloete 56

4′ Octave (1–12 from 8′) 44 

4′ Spitzfloete (1–12 from 8′) 44 

22⁄3′ Nasat (TC, Positiv Larigot)

2′ Octave (1–12 from 4′) 44

2′ Spillfloete (1–12 from Fl 4′) 44 

13⁄5′ Terz (TG) 37

III–V Mixture 244

16′ Dulzian (TC, Pos. Cromhorne) 

8′ Trumpet 56

SWELL (21⁄2″ w.p.)

8′ Bourdon 56

8′ Gamba 56

8′ Voix Celeste (TC) 44

4′ Flute Octaviante (1–12 Bdn) 44 

2′ Octavin (ext 4′) 12 

III–V Plein Jeu 244

8′ Trompette 56

4′ Clairon (ext) 12

Tremulant 

POSITIV (21⁄2″ w.p.)

8′ Gedeckt (1–12 Gt Rohrfloete) 44 

4′ Rohrfloete (Gt) 12

2′ Principal 56

11⁄3′ Larigot 56 

III–V Scharff 244

8′ Cromhorne 56

PEDAL (21⁄2″ w.p.)

16′ Subbass 32

8′ Principal 32

4′ Octave 32

2′ Octave (ext) 12

V Mixture 128

16′ Posaune (ext) 12

8′ Trumpet (Gt)

4′ Trumpet (Gt) 

 

Couplers

Sw/Gt

Pos/Gt

Sw/Pos

Sw/Gt 16

Gt/Ped

Pos/Ped

Sw/Ped

 

Setterboard pistons 1–4 all divisions and generals

 

34 stops

42 ranks

1,885 pipes

 

2017 stoplist

GREAT (21⁄2″ w.p.)

16′ Quintade (rescaled, in Sw box) 56 

8′ Principal (1–24 new, 1–21 façade) 56

8′ Rohrfloete 56

4′ Octave (1–12 new) 56

4′ Spitzfloete (1–12 new) 68

22⁄3′ Nasat (TC, Positiv Larigot)

2′ Octave (1–12 new) 56

2′ Spillfloete (ext)

13⁄5′ Terz (TG) 37

IV Mixture (11⁄3′) 224

16′ Dulzian (TC, Pos. Cromorne)

8′ Trumpet 56

SWELL (3″ w.p.)

8′ Bourdon 56

8′ Gamba 56

8′ Voix Celeste (TC) 44

4′ Flute Octaviante (1–12 Bdn) 56

2′ Octavin (ext 4′)

IV Plein Jeu 224

8′ Oboe (new) 68

4′ Clairon (ext)

Tremulant

POSITIV (21⁄2″ w.p.)

8′ Gedeckt (1–12 new) 56

4′ Floete (new, wood & metal) 56

2′ Principal  56

11⁄3′ Larigot 56

III Scharf 168

8′ Cromorne 56

Zimbelstern

Chimes (new)

PEDAL (21⁄2″ w.p., 4″ Subbass)

32′ Resultant (Subbass & Quintade)

16′ Subbass (new, larger scale) 32

16′ Quintade (Gt)

8′ Principal (1–21 new in façade) 32

8′ Quintade (Gt)

4′ Octave 44

2′ Octave (ext)

IV Mixture 128

16′ Posaune (ext, 1–12 1/2-length) 12

8′ Trumpet (Gt)

4′ Trumpet (Gt)

 

Couplers

Great to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

Positiv to Pedal

Swell to Great 16

Swell to Great

Positiv to Great

Swell to Positiv

 

Accessories

General Cancel (thumb)

Combination adjuster (thumb)

Memory Lock (key)

Balanced Swell expression shoe

Zimbelstern volume adjustment knob

 

26 independent stops

37 ranks

1,853 pipes

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, 

Bellwood, Illinois

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 

St. Paul, Minnesota

The 31-rank organ at Pilgrim Lutheran, St. Paul, Minnesota, originally began its life as Schantz Organ Company Opus 1828 for Community Reformed Church, Zeeland, Michigan. In 2011, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders transplanted the organ to Pilgrim Lutheran, and reconfigured it to fit within its new home.  

The Great and parts of the Pedal are located at the front of the chancel, which contains the Pedal 16′ Principal as façade pipes. Newly appointed casework, designed to enhance the chancel furnishings, was custom-built by Berghaus. The Swell division and remaining stops of the Great and Pedal are located in left chamber speaking into the chancel. Existing Schantz chests were repaired and combined with a new winding system to accommodate the new configuration. 

Given the new unencumbered tonal placement of the Great principal chorus, the pipes were revoiced utilizing lower pressures and a moderately open-toe style to yield a sound that is full, singing, and unforced. Warm flutes at 8′ and 4′ pitch, as well as a pair of Gemshorns, round out this division. The Swell, voiced on 4 inches wind pressure, remained unchanged, except for the addition of a III-rank Scharf to crown the minor principal chorus and reeds. The refurbished console was created by refinishing the existing Schantz shell and outfitting it with new solid-state components, including a Peterson Duo-Set combination action with 128 levels of memory and twelve-stage transposer.  

Scott Riedel of Riedel and Associates in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, served as the consultant, and the organ was formally dedicated in December 2011.

 

 

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders

 

Messiah Lutheran Church, 

Seattle, Washington

Marceau Pipe Organ Builders, Ltd., Seattle, Washington

Opus 32, 2014

Marceau Pipe Organ Builders has completed their Opus 32, a two-manual and pedal organ for Messiah Lutheran Church in the Wedgewood neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. This instrument is the first pipe organ for the church, replacing an ailing electronic substitute. The speakers were housed in what is now the Swell chamber. In order to accommodate the unenclosed Great and Pedal, a steel beam was installed, supported by the ceiling beams. In addition, a back wall was installed to help reflect the sounds of both the organ and choir into the nave. The existing carpeting in the balcony was also removed and replaced with hardwood flooring. These two significant changes help to improve the sound projection into the room quite successfully.

The tonal design of the organ is influenced by the Lutheran liturgy and the need for strong congregational participation in the singing of the hymns and service music. Both Principal choruses are based on 8′ pitch and when coupled deliver a most energetic result. The flutes are varied and colorful; the Swell Cornet II adds its own uniqueness and when the 4′ and 2′ flutes are added, takes on a much more French classic timbre. The Great 8′ Gemshorn was revoiced to add a much-needed accompaniment. This enhances the 8′ Gedeckt and is also a dynamic and color foil to the Swell strings. The reeds add richness to the Principal choruses; when the Swell reeds are combined, they provide a successful contrast to the Great Trumpet. The addition of a 16′ extension (Posaune) caps off the full ensemble. One of the unique elements of the tonal design is that all of the pipes were chosen from the pipe inventory of Marceau Pipe Organs. Given the variety of pipe makers, much time was given into proper scaling, voicing, and on-site regulation to achieve a unified musical ensemble.

All of the new windchests are of direct valve design and were built in the Marceau shop. The console was originally built by a reputable supply house, with an exterior of red oak. A new exterior of white oak was laminated onto the old surface with very successful results. The new stop rail and keycheeks are bubinga, providing a nice contrast to the white oak.

Projects of this nature cannot succeed without the efforts of many individuals. I wish to thank Noel Channon, organist at Messiah Lutheran, for his encouragement and trust in the project and his willingness to help out whenever needed. James Leary was instrumental in the installation of the support beam and providing exceptional help whenever needed. I am grateful to my staff for their efforts, especially Sean Haley, Tom Krisinski, Jim Van Horn, Gerrit Duys, Rusty Knorr, and Derek Curtis-Tilton. The completed organ was heard for the first time with a members recital presented by the Seattle AGO chapter.

—René A. Marceau

President and Tonal Director

 

GREAT

16′ Bourdon (ext Sw 8 St Diap) 12 pipes 

8′ Principal 61 pipes (1–11, 13–18 in façade) 

8′ Gedeckt 61 pipes (1–12 wood, 13–61 planed lead)

8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes (1–12 zinc, 13–61 50% tin)

8′ Harmonic Flute (1–12 from 8′ Viola and St. Diap, 13–61 from Sw. 4′ Fl)

4′ Octave (70% polished tin) 61 pipes 

4′ Koppelflute (50% tin) 61 pipes 

2′ Super Octave (from Mixture IV)

2′ Mixture IV (50% tin) 244 pipes 

8′ Trumpet 61 pipes  (1–12 zinc, 13–61 50% tin)

8′ Krummhorn (Sw)

SWELL

8′ Geigen (ext 4′ Principal) 12 pipes 

8′ Stopped Diapason (wood) 61 pipes 

8′ Viola 61 pipes (1–12 zinc, 13–61 50% tin)

8′ Viola Celeste, TC (50% tin) 49 pipes 

4′ Principal (60% lead) 61 pipes 

4′ Harmonic Flute (50% tin) 61 pipes 

22⁄3′ Cornet II (50% tin) 122 pipes 

2′ Octavin (50% tin) 61 pipes 

11⁄3′ Plein Jeu IV (50% tin) 244 pipes 

8′ Hautbois (50% tin) 61 pipes 

8′ Krummhorn (copper) 61 pipes 

PEDAL

16′ Subbass 32 pipes (3-8 in façade)

16′ Bourdon (from Sw 16′ Bourdon)

8′ Principal (from Gt 8′ Principal)

8′ Gedeckt (from Gt 8′ Gedeckt)

8′ Viola (from Sw 8′ Viola)

4′ Principal (from Gt 8′ Principal)

4′ Gedeckt (from Gt 8′ Gedeckt)

16′ Posaune (ext Gt 8′ Trumpet) 12 pipes 

8′ Trumpet (from Gt 8′ Trumpet)

4′ Clarion (from Gt 8′ Trumpet)

 

25 ranks 

1,520 pipes

René A. Marceau and Sean Haley

Marceau Pipe Organ Builders,

Seattle, Washington, Opus 35

University Lutheran Church, 

Seattle, Washington 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—René A. Marceau 

President/Tonal Director

—Sean Haley

Operations Manager