New Organs

Glück Pipe Organs, 

New York, New York

Immanuel United Church of Christ, West Bend, Wisconsin

The new pipe organ in Immanuel United Church of Christ was built as part of a program of improvements to the congregation’s 1922 building. Scott Riedel of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, served as consultant, focusing on structural reinforcement, acoustical enhancement, thermal insulation, and the replacement of the pipe organ. In the past, an addition had been made to the church to accommodate the instrument when it was moved from another location. With its foundation sinking, the chamber had separated from the church, and the old organ would have been too large to be returned after the structure was repaired and insulated.

The church investigated all possibilities for the organ’s replacement. They chose my proposal to remain with an all-pipe organ and incorporate some pipes from the serially rebuilt two-manual instrument they already owned. The quality, scaling, voicing, and suitability to purpose of the accumulated ranks varied, but some of the stops could be cleaned, rebuilt, and revoiced for inclusion in the organ to provide continuity of heritage.

I examined Ernest M. Skinner’s ideas for small three-manual organs during the mid-1920s, with Choir divisions distilled to as few as four ranks, and it became obvious that there was significant merit to this arrangement. I designed a three-manual instrument with two enclosed divisions for organ literature, anthem accompaniments, and service playing. In the end, the church chose to redirect the design toward the two-manual configuration now in place.

The Great Diapason chorus provides correlation between what is seen and what is heard, a new aesthetic in a church that had always had its organ pipes concealed. The Swell is in the expression enclosure centered behind the unenclosed Great, with the Enclosed Great to the right and the Pedal in a corresponding position on the left side. The blowing plant is inside the organ, delivering four inches of wind pressure to the bulk of the instrument, with the Swell and Pedal voiced on five inch wind. The organ plays via traditional American electro-pneumatic action from a mobile choirmaster console with compasses of 58/30.

The visual and tonal design was by Sebastian M. Glück, in cooperation with Marlene Wondergem, organist of the church. The organ was installed under the supervision of Albert Jensen-Moulton, general manager of Glück Pipe Organs, with the assistance of David Beyer, Joseph DiSalle, Peter Jensen-Moulton+, John Meyer, Nick Schroeder, and Phil Swartz. Voicing and tonal finishing were completed by Sebastian M. Glück, tonal director.xa

—Sebastian M. Glück