Organs in the Land of Sunshine: A look at secular organs in Los Angeles, 1906–1930

Michael Friesen, of Denver, Colorado, is an organ historian who specializes in the history of organbuilding in America in the 18th and 19th centuries. He was President of the Organ Historical Society from 2003 to 2007.

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Denver, Colorado, has announced that Spencer Organ Company, Inc. of Waltham, Massachusetts will restore the cathedral’s historic 5,949-pipe organ built by W. W. Kimball of Chicago. The four-manual, 96-rank Kimball organ, Op. 7231 of the firm, was dedicated on May 18, 1938, and was the last major instrument constructed before Kimball ceased organ-building operations in 1942 after the outbreak of World War II.
Founded in 1857, Kimball was a major manufacturer and supplier of musical instruments, primarily pianos and reed organs. Pipe organ manufacture began in 1891. Altogether, the company built and installed 7,326 organs throughout the United States and abroad. Most of the firm’s large instruments have been replaced, neglected, or substantially rebuilt. The Denver Kimball is now prized because of its completely original condition (not a pipe has been changed), preserving a rich English Cathedral aesthetic popular between the wars.
Although the instrument has been well maintained during its 71 years, it has developed the mechanical problems that come to all pipe organs with age and wear through heavy use. To preserve the instrument and keep it in optimal condition, the cathedral has committed to a comprehensive restoration process. Much of the organ was removed in June 2009, not only for restoration, but also to allow repairs and improvements to the organ’s chamber (built in a part of the cathedral intended as a temporary brick structure that has since become permanent). The organ restoration will include replacement of leather components, repair and renewal of mechanisms, and a thorough cleaning and re-regulation of all pipes.
The Spencer Organ Company, Inc., founded in 1995 by Joseph Rotella, specializes in the restoration of electro-pneumatic pipe organs. The Spencer firm, with eleven employees, has been entrusted with the restoration and maintenance of numerous Skinner, Aeolian-Skinner, and Kimball organs. The Denver project is a two-year program of staged work, beginning with the June removal and scheduled for completion in fall 2011.
The Kimball restoration is part of an effort at St. John’s to improve several aspects of the building in commemoration of its 150th anniversary in 2010–11, which includes the 100th anniversary of the cathedral building itself. (The parish was founded in 1860; the current cathedral building was dedicated in 1911.) Fund-raising for those projects and anniversary programs is underway. The cathedral is considering the commission of new organs for the rear gallery and St. Martin’s Chapel, details of which will be announced later. Throughout this process, St. John’s will continue its extensive music program without interruption.
St. John’s has purchased an instrument built in 1869 by the Boston, Massachusetts firm of E. & G. G. Hook, its Op. 476, for use as a temporary instrument while the 1938 Kimball organ undergoes restoration. The Hook was formerly in the First Methodist Church of Lawrence, Massachusetts, its original home. The congregation currently using that building did not need the Hook for their worship and offered it for sale through the Organ Clearing House.
The Hook is a two-manual, 17-stop, tracker-action instrument, contained in a free-standing walnut case with Victorian-stencilled façade pipes. Co-restorers are Richard C. Hamar of Norwich, Connecticut and Susan Tattershall of Denver, with additional materials and/or labor furnished by Norman Lane and Rick Morel of Denver, Rubin Frels of Victoria, Texas, Barbara Owen of Newburyport, Massachusetts, and Michael Quimby of Warrensburg, Missouri. In addition, over 1,400 hours have been contributed to the project by many parish volunteers and non-parishioner friends, from youth to adult, who have helped with various tasks, ranging from making new trackers, cleaning all parts of the organ, sanding the old varnish off the case, and re-stencilling the decorative components.
The restoration project follows the Organ Historical Society’s Guidelines for Conservation and Restoration for pipe organs. The pedal action, which was converted to tubular-pneumatic action in 1911 by the Hutchings Organ Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, has been returned to mechanical action in Hook style. Subsequent tonal alterations had included substituting a 22⁄3′ mutation stop and a 2′ flute for the 8′ Keraulophon and 4′ Violina ranks in the Swell, respectively, and a 4′ Flute d’Amour displaced the 16′ Bourdon on the Great, which was moved to a jump slide. The Keraulophon pipes were found in the organ, and have been repaired and restored to their original place; the jump slide and the Flute d’Amour were removed, with the Bourdon being returned to its original location, which required a redesign of the toeboard. The 2′ principal rank will remain in the organ for the time being until suitable replacement Violina pipes are found. The case has been given a new traditional shellac finish, and the façade pipes are being restored to their original color scheme. Thus the original musical aesthetic, mechanical functioning, and appearance of the Hook is being restored to the greatest extent possible.
Coincidentally, St. John’s had previous relationships with the Hook firm, purchasing two organs from them in succession: first, a small organ in 1875, which was used in its original church building in downtown Denver, and then a second, large three-manual organ in 1881 for the first cathedral located at 20th and Welton Streets, which burned in 1903.
The Hook organ has been placed on the floor of the nave in the back of the cathedral while repairs and refurbishing of elements of the cathedral chancel are undertaken. St. John’s began offering a recital series on the Hook in January 2010. Further concert dates will be announced. For additional information, contact the Cathedral Music Office at 303/577-7717. 

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral
Denver, Colorado
W. W. Kimball Company
Chicago, Illinois
Op. 7231, 1938
4 manuals, 96 speaking stops, 96 ranks, 5,949 pipes

Great (61 notes, Manual II, unenclosed, except as noted *)
16′ Double Diapason
16′ Quintaton*
8′ First Diapason
8′ Second Diapason
8′ Third Diapason*
8′ Harmonic Flute*
8′ Bourdon*
8’ Gemshorn*
4′ First Octave
4′ Second Octave*
4′ Flute Harmonique*
22⁄3′ Octave Quint
2′ Super Octave
IV Fourniture
III–V Full Mixture
16′ Contra Tromba*
8′ Tromba*
4′ Clarion*
Tremolo (for enclosed labial stops)
Chimes (Solo)

Swell (61 notes, enclosed, Manual III)
16′ Contra Salicional
16′ Echo Lieblich
8′ Geigen Principal
8′ Hohl Flöte
8′ Salicional
8′ Voix Celeste
8′ Rohrflöte
8′ Flauto Dolce
8′ Flute Celeste
8′ Aeoline
8′ Aeoline Celeste
4′ Octave Geigen
4′ Traverse Flute
22⁄3′ Twelfth
2′ Fifteenth
III Cornet
V Plein Jeu
16′ Waldhorn
8′ Trumpet
8′ Cornopean
8′ Oboe
8′ Vox Humana
4′ Clarion
Tremolo
Chimes (Solo)
Harp (Choir) 8′
Celesta (Choir) 4′

Choir (61 notes, enclosed, Manual I)
16′ Contra Dulciana
8′ Diapason
8′ Concert Flute
8′ Viola
8′ Dulciana
8′ Unda Maris
4′ Prestant
4′ Lieblich Flöte
4′ Viola
22⁄3′ Nazard
2′ Piccolo
13⁄5′ Tierce
16′ Bassoon
8′ Trompette
8′ Clarinet
8′ Orchestral Oboe
Tremolo
Harp (8′, 61 bars)
Celesta (4′, from Harp)
Chimes (Solo)

Solo (61 notes, enclosed, Manual IV)
16′ Contra Gamba
8′ Flauto Mirabilis
8′ Gamba
8′ Gamba Celeste
4′ Orchestral Flute
4′ Gambette
2′ Piccolo Harmonique
8′ Tuba Mirabilis
8′ French Horn
8′ Cor Anglais
4′ Clarion
Tremolo
Chimes (25 tubular bells)
Harp (Choir) 8′
Celesta (Choir) 4′

Pedal (32 notes, unenclosed [except for enclosed borrows])
32′ Open Diapason (ext.)
16′ Open Diapason
16′ Principal
16′ Double Diapason (Great)
16′ Geigen
16′ Violone
16′ Bourdon
16′ Contra Gamba (Solo)
16′ Contra Salicional (Swell)
16′ Echo Lieblich (Swell)
16′ Contra Dulciana (Choir)
8′ First Octave (ext. Op. Diap.)
8′ Second Octave
8′ Geigen (ext.)
8′ Cello (ext. Violone)
8′ Flute (ext. Bourdon)
8′ Stillgedeckt (Swell 16′ Echo Lieblich)
8′ Dulciana (Choir 16′ Contra Dulciana)
4′ Super Octave
4′ Flute (ext. Bourdon)
IV Mixture
32′ Contra Waldhorn (ext.)
16′ Trombone
16′ Waldhorn
16′ Tromba (Great)
16′ Bassoon (Choir)
8′ Trumpet
4′ Clarion
Chimes (Solo)

Antiphonal (Manual IV; prepared for, 21 blank drawknobs)

Antiphonal Pedal (prepared for, 7 blank drawknobs)

Summary
Division Stops Ranks Pipes
Great 18 25 1,489
Swell 23 29 1,973
Choir 16 16 1,132
Solo 11 11 791
Pedal 28 15+7 ext. 564

Total 96 96 5,949

Couplers and Accessories
# = indicator light provided

Couplers (by tabs on coupler rail):
Great Sub 16′
Great Super 4′
Swell Sub 16′
Swell Unison Off
Swell Super 4′
Choir Sub 16′
Choir Unison Off
Choir Super 4′
Solo Sub 16′
Solo Unison Off
Solo Super 4′
Great to Pedal 8′
Great to Pedal 4′
Swell to Pedal 8′
Swell to Pedal 4′
Choir to Pedal 8′
Choir to Pedal 4′
Solo to Pedal 8′
Solo to Pedal 4′
2 blanks [intended for Antiphonal to Pedal 8′, 4′]
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great 8′
Swell to Great 4′
Choir to Great 16′
Choir to Great 8′
Choir to Great 4′
Solo to Great 16′
Solo to Great 8′
Solo to Great 4′
Choir to Swell 8′
Solo to Swell 8′
Swell to Choir 16′
Swell to Choir 8′
Swell to Choir 4′
Solo to Choir 8′
Great to Solo 16′
Great to Solo 8′
Great to Solo 4′
5 blanks [intended for Antiphonal division coupling to be determined]

Reversibles (by thumb piston and toe stud):
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Choir to Pedal
Solo to Pedal
Antiphonal to Pedal
Swell to Great
Choir to Great
Solo to Great
#Mezzo Sforzando (settable)
#Sforzando (settable)
#32′ stops off
#16′ stops off

Combinations (by thumb piston):
General 1–10
Great 1–8
Swell 1–8
Choir 1–8
Solo 1–8
Antiphonal 1–6
General Set
Cancel

Combinations (by toe stud):
General 1–10
Pedal 1–8
Pedal to Combinations On/Off (all manual divisions)
Pedal to Combinations 1st/2nd Touch
Pedal Movements:
balanced Enclosed Great expression pedal
balanced Choir expression pedal
balanced Swell & Master expression pedal
balanced Solo expression pedal
#balanced Crescendo pedal
#Chimes Soft (hitchdown)
#Chimes Sustain (hitchdown)
#Harp Sustain (hitchdown)

Accessories:
Expression Pedal Adjuster
#Signal Light
#Current Light

____________________________

St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral
Denver, Colorado
E. & G. G. Hook
Boston, Massachusetts
Op. 476, 1869
2 manuals, 17 speaking stops, 15 ranks, 772 pipes

Great (58 notes, CC–a3)
16′ Bourdon [TC]
8′ Open Diapason
8′ Stopped Diapason Bass
8′ Melodia [TC]
8′ Gamba [TC]
4′ Octave
2′ Fifteenth
II Mixture [11⁄3′ + 1′]

Swell (58 notes, CC–a3,
enclosed)
8′ Stopped Diapason Bass
8′ Stopped Diapason Treble [TC]
8′ Keraulophon [TC]
4′ Flute Harmonique
2′ Principal [originally 4′ Violina]
8′ Bassoon
8′ Oboe [TC]

Pedal (27 notes, CC–d1)
16′ Sub Bass
8′ Flöte

Couplers and Mechanicals
Swell to Great
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell Tremulant
Bellows Signal
Four Composition Pedals:
Great Forte
Great Piano
Swell Forte
Swell Piano

R. E. Coleberd is a contributing editor of The Diapason.

Introduction
This article is the second in a series exploring the role of the King of Instruments in American culture. The first article, “The Mortuary Pipe Organ: A Neglected Chapter in the History of Organbuilding in America,” was published in the July 2004 issue of The Diapason.1 (Others to follow will discuss organs in hospitals, hotels, soldiers’ homes and war memorials.) The era of the Masonic Lodge pipe organ, embracing close to 700 instruments, began in the 1860s, reached its zenith in the first three decades of the twentieth century, and with certain exceptions ended shortly after World War II.2 In the religious, ritualistic format of the Masonic movement, the pipe organ made a statement. It was deemed essential to crown the ambiance of the journey through the several chapters of the order (Blue Lodge, Royal Arch, Scottish Rite, Shrine and other “Rites”), and it complemented the majestic buildings, often architectural masterpieces, which contributed significantly to an attractive urban landscape. A closer look at the market, the instrument, and the builders reveals key features of this fascinating epoch, which surely belongs in the rich and colorful history of pipe organ building in America.

The Masonic Lodge
The Masonic Lodge was a broad-based, worldwide social and cultural movement with origins in antiquity, which counted the St. John’s Lodge in Boston, established in 1733, as its beginning in this country. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were Masons.3 Encompassing immigration, urbanization, social solidarity and individual identity, it satisfied a desire to belong. Lodge membership was a mark of recognition and status in the community, and a transcending emotional experience in ritual and décor in the otherwise anonymous atmosphere of urban life. A noted German sociologist, Max Weber, visiting America in 1905, spoke of voluntary associations “as bridging the transition between the closed hierarchical society of the Old World and the fragmented individualism of the New World” and saw them performing a “crucial social function” in American life.4 The well-known social commentator and newspaper columnist, Max Lerner, in his epic work America as a Civilization, saw one of the motivations behind “joining” as “the integrative impulse of forming ties with like-minded people and thus finding status in the community.”5 Ray Willard, organist at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Joplin, Missouri (M. P. Möller Opus 3441, 1922), observes that membership embraced all walks of life: from business and professional men, many of them community leaders and perhaps well-to-do, to everyday citizens.6 Masonic membership paralleled population growth and reached a peak in the first three decades of the twentieth century. New York State counted 872 lodges and 230,770 members in 1903.7 Pre-World War II Masonic membership in the United States totaled 3,295,872 in 1928.8
Of special interest is the long-recognized connection between the railroad industry and the Masonic Lodge. Railroad men were lodge men, and railroad towns were lodge towns. The railroad was the predominant conveyance in freight and passenger travel in the first decades of the last century. In 1916, railroad mileage in this country peaked at 254,000 miles, and in 1922, railroad employment reached over two million workers, the largest labor force in the American economy.9 These totals reflected the number of trains and crews, station, yard, and track workers, and the maintenance demands of the steam locomotive. The comparatively well-paid railroad workers were no doubt important in building Masonic temples. In 1920, average wages in the railroad industry were 33 percent above those in manufacturing.10 In one of what must have been numerous examples, Masonic employees of the Big Four Railroad in Indianapolis donated eight art-glass windows on the east wall of the second floor foyer of the Scottish Rite Cathedral there (q.v.).11

The market
The Masonic Lodge market differed significantly from other pipe organ markets. For the larger facilities in metropolitan locations, the Masonic building was typically a matrix of rooms, often on several stories, and each with a different décor, e.g., Corinthian Hall, Gothic Hall, Ionic Hall. Each chapter room required a pipe organ to support the ritual proceedings. The centerpiece of the building was the auditorium, manifestly different from a church sanctuary. Typically square in layout, it featured a large curtained stage in front, cushioned opera-chair seating on the main floor, and perhaps side and end balconies. The pipe chambers were quite often in the proscenium above the stage, with other divisions almost anywhere—in back of the stage, above a side balcony, in a rear balcony, etc. Occasionally, chambers with a pipe fence flanked either side of the stage. The organ console was on the floor in front of the stage.
It was especially important that the auditorium instrument look large. Just as an upright or spinet piano would have been out of place on the stage, so too would a two-manual organ console be inappropriate on the floor in front of the stage. It must be a concert grand piano on the stage and a three-manual, better yet a four-manual console on the auditorium floor, with lots of drawknobs or stop tabs for everyone to see. To achieve this image of “bigness” within the limitations of chamber space or perhaps budget, builders often resorted to extensive unification and duplexing.
The Masonic Lodge pipe organ era began in 1860 when E. & G. G. Hook built one-manual instruments for temples in Massachusetts: in Lawrence, 14 registers, Opus 275, and in New Bedford, 12 registers, Opus 281.12 In 1863, William A. Johnson built a one-manual instrument of nine registers, Opus 144, for the lodge in Geneva, New York.13 In 1867, Joseph Mayer, California’s first organbuilder, built an instrument for the “Free Masons” in San Francisco.14 The three organs built by Jardine in 1869 for New York City, in this case for the Odd Fellows Hall, marked the beginning of what would become a salient feature of the lodge market: multiple instruments for one building, often under one contract and several with identical stoplists.15 (See Table 1.) One particularly interesting example was the three instruments Hutchings built for the Masonic Lodge in Boston in 1899. The stoplists were identical (q.v.), but each one was in a different case to conform to the décor of the room. Wind from a single blower was directed to one instrument by a valve opened when the console lid was raised, turning on the blower.16
The pinnacle of the multiple contract practice came first in 1909, when Austin built twelve organs for the Masonic Lodge in New York City; in 1927, when Möller built nine for a temple in Cincinnati, Ohio. Eleven of the twelve Austins were identical two-manual instruments, eight of the nine Möllers.17 An Austin stock model that found its way into the Masonic market was the Chorophone, introduced in 1916. Austin sold nine of these instruments to Masonic Lodges. Opus 896 was exported to the lodge in Manila, the Philippine Islands, in 1920.18

The instrument
R. E. Wagner, vice-president of Organ Supply Industries, points out that the Masonic Lodge pipe organ followed closely—tonally and mechanically—the evolution of the King of Instruments in this country: from the one- and two- manual classic-style tracker organs of the nineteenth century to a brief sojourn with tubular-pneumatic action at the turn of the century, followed by the symphonic-orchestral tonal paradigm and sophisticated electro-pneumatic windchest and console action in the 1920s. It also followed a return to the American classic style beginning later in that decade.19 The liturgy-based nature of Masonic ritual would suggest a church-type instrument, one in which eight-foot pitch predominated. This was true in the beginning and in smaller instruments.
The three Hutchings instruments in Boston (q.v.), Opus 475–477, were each fourteen ranks.20 The eleven identical Austin instruments for New York City in 1909 had five ranks: an 8? Open Diapason on the Great with four ranks duplexed from the Swell (8? Stopped Diapason, 8? Dulciana, 8? Viol d’Orchestra, and 4? Harmonic Flute). There was no pedal. The twelfth organ on this contract was a 17-rank, three-manual organ with the Choir manual duplexed entirely from the ten-rank Swell manual. The seven stops of the Pedal organ were all extensions of manual stops.21 Austin’s two-manual Chorophone comprised four ranks—Bourdon, Dolce, Open Diapason and Viole—unified into 27 speaking stops from 16? to 2?.22
By the 1920s, the Golden Age of the Masonic Lodge pipe organ, the three- or four-manual organ in the lodge auditorium was frequently an eclectic instrument, embracing theatre stops and even toy counters in addition to traditional liturgical stops. Add to this a “quaint” stop now and then, i.e., a bugle call. Did you ever hear of Solomon’s Trumpet? (See 1926-2000 Kimball, Guthrie, Oklahoma q.v.) As Willard points out, these instruments were designed to play the marches, patriotic selections, and orchestral and opera transcriptions used in ritual work, as well as theatre organ and popular music of the day when the auditorium was used for entertainment.23
The mixing of liturgical and theatre stops reflected the fact that in the 1920s the concept of organ music was broadly defined, and with the introduction of the theatre organ, the distinction between liturgical and theatre voicing and sound was blurred. If anything, the eight-foot pitch tonal palette of the church organ, characterized then by wide-scale diapasons and flutes, narrow-scale strings, high-pressure reeds, and the absence of mutations and mixtures, served to further obscure this distinction.
Two stops particularly symbolic of this era and that disappeared until recently, the Stentorphone and the Ophicleide, were found in large lodge organs. Manuel Rosales, well-known California organbuilder, believes they can best be explained as items of fashion. “As the Hope-Jones ideas influenced the times with very large diapasons, the idea of the Stentorphone being a sort of superstar of the diapason family found its way into legitimate specifications. It was placed on the Solo manual rather than being put on the main divisions, and in that capacity wouldn’t destroy the balance between the stops on the Great. Couple the Solo to the Great and it works to beef things up.”24 With the tremolo on the Solo, the Stentorphone could also be used as a solo stop.
The ophicleide, a 19th-century brass orchestral instrument, was said to have been invented in Paris about 1817. It was popular in symphony and opera orchestras and in military bands of the 1830s and 1840s, being eventually replaced by the modern tuba. As a fashionable organ stop, the Ophicleide might appear on the Great manual as a powerful, high-pressure reed, a double tuba which, when coupled to the customary 8? Tuba on this manual, formed a chorus.25
The predominant characteristics of the three- and four-manual Masonic Lodge pipe organs, with the exception of those built by E. M. Skinner, seem obvious when viewed from the stoplists discussed below. They confirm our assumption that the Masonic Lodge instrument differed markedly from other pipe organs. Beginning with extensive unification and duplexing, the number of stops is double or more the number of ranks of pipes. Pedal divisions with only one or two independent ranks were typical, and duplicate consoles, the second perhaps a two-manual to control two divisions, were found. Sometimes second touch and a roll player were added to the console. The high-pressure reeds of the day, Ophicleide and Tuba, found on the Great division, required higher wind pressure than the flues to achieve their desired tone quality and power—ten inches versus six inchePs—and therefore were placed on a separate windchest. The Vox Humana was often placed in its own enclosure. Each manual division had a tremolo, and often individual stops such as the Diapason, Tibia and Vox Humana had separate tremolos. The entire instrument was often totally enclosed. Duplexing and unification were made possible by the complex and sophisticated switching in windchest and console innovations that marked the American builders during this period and that made their product by far the most technologically advanced in the world.
The three-manual Kimball organ, Opus 6781, in the Denver Scottish Rite Cathedral, now Consistory, with 19 ranks, 50 stops and 1,459 pipes, illustrates these features (see stoplist). On the Great division, five ranks comprise eleven speaking stops—four ranks with extensions—and only the 8? Tuba is an independent (one pitch) voice. The Diapason and Tuba each have their own tremolo. The Solo (second) division comprises 10 ranks and 20 stops, with the Gedeckt unified into six stops, from 16? to 13?5?. The third division, designated the Accompaniment manual, counts four ranks and seven unit stops duplexed from the Great. The organist, Charles Shaeffer, comments that the English Horn on the Accompaniment manual is unique to Kimball, voiced closer to the Oboe in contrast to an English Horn on theatre organs, which resembles an English Post Horn. He adds that the Marimba on the Solo is “reiterating,” meaning that it repeats rapidly and therefore contrasts with the single-stroke Harp on the Great.26 The String Mixture is wired from the Salicional, and the Orchestral Oboe from the Gedeckt and Viol d’Orchestra. The Tibia Clausa is independent and has its own tremolo. The nine-stop Pedal organ is entirely duplexed from the Great and Solo divisions. The bugle call is played by buttons above the keyboards. The manual compass is 73 pipes, adopted by many builders during this period to forgo upperwork and achieve brilliance through the 4? coupler, a primary registration aid.27 All divisions are enclosed, and each manual has at least one tremolo. The toy counter and pedal second touch complete the instrument.
The 8? Wald Horn on the Great, a departure from traditional pipework nomenclature, requires an explanation. A Wald Horn is customarily a chorus reed with English shallots, voiced somewhere between a Trumpet and an Oboe.28 In this example, unique to Kimball and employed briefly, 1922–1924, it is a spotted-metal tapered (one-half) open flue rank of medium scale. With more definition than a stopped flute, but with limited harmonics, it is horn-like and perhaps best described as a heavy spitzflute.29 Noteworthy in Kimball organs, and a lasting legacy of this builder, are the superb strings, the work of the legendary voicer George Michel. As the late David Junchen commented: “Michel’s strings set the standard by which all others were judged. Their richness, timbre and incredible promptness of speech, even in the 32? octave, have never been surpassed.”30

Four and five manuals
The four- and five-manual Masonic Lodge era began in 1912, when Hook & Hastings built a 53-rank, 62-stop, five-manual instrument for the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Dallas. Far less unified than later work and with a 61-pipe compass for manual stops, it reflected the church organ background of this eastern builder. But it did contain a Stentorphone and Ophicleide, two consoles, and a player mechanism.31 The next year, 1915, Austin built a five-manual, 74-rank, 89-stop, 4,860-pipe organ, Opus 558, for the Medinah Temple in Chicago. Now in storage, this instrument was for many years the largest Masonic Lodge pipe organ in America and was, perhaps, the best known among the organist fraternity.32
The four- and five-manual market was largely the province of the nationally known major builders Austin, Estey, Kimball, Möller and Skinner (see Table 2). They used large lodge installations in their sales pitch, and buyers were no doubt influenced by them in their choice of builder. Describing their four-manual Möller, Opus 3441, 1922, in Joplin, Missouri, the Scottish Rite Cathedral states: “There were five four-manual organs built by Möller in the early 1920s similar to the Joplin organ. They are in the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., the Scottish Rite pipe organ in San Antonio, Texas, Temple Beth-El, New York City, and the Masonic Building, Memphis, Tennessee.”33 Michael Brooks, recent Sovereign Grand Inspector General of the St. Louis Scottish Rite Cathedral, points out that his temple is the proud owner of one of four Kimball four-manual lodge organs. The others are Guthrie, Oklahoma (q.v.), Minneapolis (now in storage), and Oklahoma City.34
The lodge market also reflected the work of John A. Bell (1864–1935), a prolific designer, who in 1927 was said to have drawn up specifications for over 500 pipe organs in the eastern United States. Bell, a Mason, was organist at the First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh for over 40 years.35 Allen Kinzey, Aeolian-Skinner veteran, says Bell’s stoplists typically included a large-scale, heavy-metal, leather-lipped, unenclosed 8? Diapason on the Great. Also, all manual stops of 16? and 8? pitch (excluding celestes) had 73 pipes, while stops of 4? pitch and above had 61.36 Bell designed instruments for Masonic temples in Cincinnati and Dayton and the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis.37 (q.v.)
Indianapolis
The Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner five-manual, eight-division, 77-rank, 81-stop, 5,022-pipe organ in the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, Opus 696-696B, is the largest instrument in the Masonic movement in America today (see stoplist). The building’s title is appropriate because it is most likely the largest such edifice ever built in this country and is beyond doubt the most lavishly appointed, replete with Masonic symbolism at every turn: stone carvings and figurines, 70 art glass windows, and elevator door decoration. This architectural masterpiece is crowned by a 212-foot main tower, housing a 63-bell Taylor (Loughborough, England) carillon. The Medieval Gothic interior features imported Carpathian white oak, Russian curly oak, and Italian, Tennessee and Vermont marble.38
This signature instrument was built in 1929 by E. M. Skinner, with four manuals, 65 ranks, 68 stops, 4,365 pipes.39 Skinner had defined his instrument in building church organs and he stayed very close to this paradigm in his lodge installations. With comparatively limited unification and duplexing, this organ features a mixture, mutations and principal chorus on the Great. This organ reflects the influence of John Bell (q.v.). Manual compass is 73 notes for foundation stops, 8? and below, and 61 notes for 4? stops and above. The First Diapason on the Great is 38 scale, heavy metal and leather-lipped. The Second Diapason is 40 scale, a customary scale for the first diapason. These two stops plus the 16? Open Diapason and 8? Gross Flute are unenclosed. The tremolo on the Great is described as high and low wind, reflecting the difference in wind pressure between the flues and the reeds. The Great reeds are on 12-inch wind as is the entire Solo manual, the latter likely because of the Stentorphone there, also 38 scale, heavy metal, and leathered. The Solo Tuba Mirabilis is on 20 inches of wind and not affected by the tremolo. The Diapason on the Swell is also 40 scale and leathered. The 4? Celestial Harp on the Great is subject to sub and super (octave) couplers. The Cathedral Chimes on the Echo has 25 tubes, from tenor C. A description in The Diapason commented: “Couplers and pistons will increase the number of playing devices at the command of the performer to 158.”40 In 1949, Aeolian-Skinner enlarged this instrument with two new divisions of four ranks each.41 A new five-manual console by Reisner was installed in 1969.42

St. Louis
The four-manual Kimball in the Scottish Rite Cathedral in St. Louis, now awaiting restoration, illustrates other features of the lodge pipe organ (see stoplist). With 113 speaking stops from 54 ranks of pipes, a virtually complete toy counter plus piano, marimba, xylophone, harp, chimes and orchestral bells, it is perhaps the apex of the four-manual lodge instrument, a veritable music-making machine. In this organ, the basic manual stop compass is 61 notes and the 8? pitch dominates the tonal palette. Among the 24 stops from ten ranks on the Great, the Principal Diapason is wood and the Twelfth and Fifteenth are taken from the Waldhorn (q.v.). This instrument doesn’t have a mixture on the Great or pretend to have a principal chorus; it is a collection of orchestral colors, including the luxury of three 16? open flues on the Swell, all oriented to fundamental tone as illustrated by the Phonon Diapason there, which emphasizes the eight-foot tone.43 The unit Gedeckt on the Swell speaks as six stops, from 16? to 13?5?. The Swell has separate tremolos for the Tibia Clausa and the strings. The Vox Humana vibratos on the Swell and the Echo are a tremolo. The Pedal organ counts 25 stops derived from two ranks; a 32? Bourdon, and a 32? Bombarde with three extensions. The rest are borrowed from or extensions of manual stops.

The builders
The lodge market was important to American builders in new installations, repeat sales, replacing trackers with modern instruments, additions and upgrades. The bulk of these organs were, not surprisingly, two-manual instruments, and some were stock models, designed to accommodate what we have elsewhere called the commodity segment of the market.44 For small instruments, there was scarcely any brand preference or real or imagined product differentiation to the buyer. To these lodges an organ was an organ and the sooner the better. As in other markets, a second-hand trade emerged with instruments sold to Masonic Lodges from elsewhere.
Table 3 portrays the work of thirteen builders, names familiar today. The larger firms—Austin, Estey, Kimball and Möller, well known coast-to-coast through numerous installations and with aggressive sales representation—accounted for the majority of lodge instruments. Factory production dominated the industry during this period, and these builders could meet any requirement: budget, placement and timetable. Regional builders Hillgreen-Lane and Pilcher also enjoyed lodge business, as did many local firms. In 1917, Reuben Midmer & Sons counted six organs for the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn. Lewis & Hitchcock built instruments for Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.45 In California, an early last-century firm, the Murray M. Harris Company, built lodge organs for Fresno, Oakland, and San Francisco, California as well as for Santa Fe, New Mexico.46 In 1928, the Rochester Pipe Organ Company built two identical three-manual, 20-rank instruments for the Masonic Temple in Rochester, New York.47 In 1908, the Adrian Organ Company rebuilt a nine-rank, one-manual organ, from two prior locations, for the Masonic Temple in Adrian, Michigan.48
The lodge market also figured in the locational history of the American organ industry. In 1859, the Pilcher Brothers, then in St. Louis, built a one-manual organ for the Golden Rule Lodge there. In April 1863, perhaps in search of a market opportunity, they moved to Chicago where, in September, they contracted to build a one-manual organ for the Oriental Lodge there.49 In 1919, the Reuter-Schwartz Company of Trenton, Illinois built an instrument for the Masonic Temple in Lawrence, Kansas. This prompted their move to Lawrence, having found a source of capital in the Russell family who, in turn, found a business opportunity for their son Charlie, just graduated from the University of Kansas. Charlie Russell became the bookkeeper at Reuter, and the Russell family owned Reuter for many years.50
Many of the larger instruments, sources of pride for these lodges, are regularly serviced and updated as needed, perhaps with major funding from prominent members. When the signature 1926 Kimball in the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Guthrie, Oklahoma (four manuals, 67 ranks, 72 speaking stops, 5,373 pipes)51 required renovation in 1990, Judge and Mrs. Frederick Daugherty financed the project. The work, by long-time curators McCrary Pipe Organ Company of Oklahoma City, included solid-state switching and relays, new keyboards, and new stop and combination action. A digital recording and playback unit was installed, so the instrument can be played for tours of the building—a common practice in large temples. Completing the project was installation of a full-length 32? Pedal Bombarde, built by F. J. Rogers in England, and a horizontal trumpet, dutifully called Solomon’s Trumpet, reflecting the role of King Solomon and his temple in Masonic ritual.52

Summary and conclusions
The Masonic Lodge pipe organ is another illustration of the role of the King of Instruments in American culture. The Masons, a culturally and socially prominent feature of American life, found the instrument an economic and efficient vehicle in meeting the musical needs of their ritual proceedings. The tonal resources of the larger instruments afforded almost unlimited capabilities in the full spectrum of instrumental music. This was made possible by technological advances in organbuilding, which mark a singular achievement of the American industry. In many locations, these magnificent instruments enjoy the respect and admiration of today’s Masonic membership, and in the larger organ world are recognized as a vital segment in the rich and colorful history of pipe organ building in America.

For research assistance and critical comments on earlier drafts of this paper, the author gratefully acknowledges: Jack Bethards, E. A. Boadway, Michael Brooks, Mark Caldwell, John Carnahan, Ronald Dean, Dave Fabry, Steuart Goodwin, Keith Gottschall, Allen Kinzey, Fred Kortepeter, Dennis Milnar, Rick Morel, George Nelson, Albert Neutel, Orpha Ochse, Don Olson, Louis Patterson, Michael Quimby, Michele Raeburn, Robert Reich, Gary Rickert, Manuel Rosales, Dorothy Schaake, Kurt Schakel, Alan Sciranko, Charles Shaeffer, Jack Sievert, Richard Taylor, R. E. Wagner, Martin Walsh and Ray Willard.

Glück New York,
New York, New York
Leon Lowenstein Memorial Auditorium, Congregation Emanu-El, New York, New York
The Fox Memorial Pipe Organ began its career as M. P. Möller’s Opus 9718 of 1962, designed by Dr. Robert S. Baker in collaboration with John H. Hose, tonal director of the Möller firm. The instrument was installed behind draperies in the amphitheatre choir loft of the 1,100-seat auditorium, which is designed to transform from a concert and lecture venue into a fully equipped summer sanctuary. Only the 16' Contrebasse and 16' Hélicon are partially visible from the auditorium. The placement of the instrument near the choir’s microphones (also used for radio broadcasts) forced an unhappy situation of under-scaled and feebly winded pipes, with closed toe holes and mouth heights as low as 1/6 cut-ups.
After 45 years, the temple contracted with Glück New York to tonally redesign the instrument and replace its mechanical systems. The solid-state drawknob console retains the original ivory keyboards and tiger maple pedalboard. The organ’s remote pneumatic relays and combination stacks were replaced with solid-state equipment.
The new tonal design moved from a typical American church organ of the period toward a warmer, fuller, rounder sound. Some of the mid-century tonal concepts that were of no use in the synagogue service (such as the two pseudo-baroque 4' reeds) were replaced by voices more essential to the liturgy. Many of the flue pipes had been left with untreated languids and were cut up only high enough to get them to speak. Furthermore, they had not had their toe holes opened, and could be considered essentially new and unvoiced, an added bonus in the context of the project. The unusual Shofar stop was designed by W. Adolph Zajic (1909–1987) and built with only six pipes; the organ’s new relay is prepared to fill out the stop in the future.
The new specifications were drawn up by Sebastian M. Glück, artistic and tonal director of the firm, who also carried out the voicing and tonal finishing. Albert Jensen-Moulton, general manager, was responsible for all technical aspects of the project. The three other pipe organs in the temple complex include a IV/135 in the sanctuary and a III/35 in Beth-El Chapel, both by the Glück firm. A fourth pipe organ, a II/7 Wilfred Lavalée in Greenwald Hall, was removed in the 1990s.
—Sebastian M. Glück

Fox Memorial Pipe Organ
Leon Lowenstein Memorial Auditorium, Congregation Emanu-El, New York, New York

GRAND-ORGUE
Manual II, unenclosed, 31'4' wind
16' Bourdon
8' Montre
8' Bois ouverte
8' Violon sourdine
4' Prestant
2' Doublette
Plein jeu IV
8' Shofar
Tremblant
Jeux empruntés:
8' Bourdon (Pos)
8' Voix angélique (Pos)
8' Voix mystique (Pos)
4' Flûte (Pos)
8' Hautbois (Réc)

RÉCIT-EXPRESSIF
Manual III, enclosed, 4' wind
8' Viole de gambe
8' Voix céleste
8' Flûte à cheminée
4' Prestant
4' Flûte harmonique
2' Flûte à bec
Fourniture III
16' Basson
8' Trompette
8' Hautbois
Tremblant
8' Trompette de fête (Pos)

POSITIF-EXPRESSIF
Manual I, enclosed, 4' & 6' wind
8' Violon sourdine (G-O)
8' Voix angélique
8' Voix mystique
8' Bourdon
4' Prestant (prep)
4' Flûte
22'3' Nazard
2' Quart de nazard
13'5' Tierce
8' Clarinette
Tremblant
8' Trompette de fête

PÉDALE
Unenclosed, 4' wind
16' Contrebasse
16' Sous basse
16' Violoncelle sourdine (ext G-O)
16' Bourdon (G-O)
8' Octavebasse
8' Flûte
8' Bourdon (Pos)
8' Violon sourdine (G-O)
4' Quinzième
4' Cor de nuit
Mixture II
32' Aliquots graves
16' Hélicon
16' Basson (Réc)
8' Trombone
8' Basson (Réc)

Fabry, Inc., Antioch, Illinois
Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Milwaukee, Immanuel Presbyterian Church has held a place of honor on Yankee Hill, overlooking Lake Michigan. In 1881 the church purchased what is now the core of the present instrument. Nearly all of the unison voices and lower are from the original instrument, including the 16' Double Open Diapason and 16' Principal, both of which are wood. During the next 120 years, additions and rebuilds occurred, bringing the instrument to its current state, still preserving over 75% of the original instrument. In 1965, the organ was fitted with a used Austin three-manual console. While the console worked well for a time, it was clear a new console was needed. When Fabry, Inc. was contacted to do the work, the previous curator had left many parts, tools and pipes in the organ area. Among these items was an 8' French Horn, purchased by the church and awaiting installation.
Fabry, Inc. undertook the following to improve the usability and tonal palette of the organ. An all-new three-manual drawknob console was custom crafted by David G. Fabry to control the 67-rank, 71-stop instrument. Utilizing the ICS-4000 combination action and relay system, this console and interface brings the 1881 Hook & Hastings into the 21st century. The aforementioned French Horn received a new chest built by David G. Fabry, and was installed in the String division with its own dedicated electric tremolo. A new electric extension of the 16' Bassoon in the Swell was installed, fully utilizing this rescaled 8' stop to a greater degree. Other smaller jobs, such as bracing and reworking the ventilation system were also completed at this time. While one half of the organ had been re-wired with PVC-coated wiring, the other half was brought up to standard.
Fabry, Inc. would like to thank the Rev. Deborah A. Block, pastor; Steven J. Jensen, organist; and John S. Komasa, director of music.
—Phil Spressart

GREAT
16' Open Diapason
16' Bourdon
8' Open Diapason
8' Chimney Flute
8' Doppel Flute
8' Aeoline (TC)
8' Gamba
8' Gemshorn
4' Octave
4' Harmonic Flute
22'3' Twelfth
2' Fifteenth
2' Waldflöte
2' Mixture IV
16' Double Trumpet
8' Trumpet
8' Tuba Mirabilis (Ped)
4' Clarion
Cathedral Chimes
Great 4
Great Unison Off
Great 16

SWELL
16' Lieblich Gedeckt
8' Open Diapason
8' Stopped Diapason
8' Viole d’Gambe
8' Viole Celeste
4' Octave
4' Flute Traverso
22'3' Nazard
2' Flautino
13'5' Tierce
11'3' Plein Jeu III
16' Bassoon (1–12 elec.)
8' Hautbois
8' Trumpet
8' Vox Humana
4' Clarion
Tremolo
Swell 4
Swell Unison Off
Swell 16

CHOIR
8' Geigen Principal
8' Melodia
8' Viol d’Amour
8' Viol Celeste
4' Octave
4' Stopped Flute
2' Piccolo
11'3' Larigot
22'3' Mixture II
8' Clarinet
8' Tuba Mirabilis (Ped)
8' Harp Celeste
Mockingbird
Cymbelstern
Tremolo
Choir 4
Choir Unison Off
Choir 16

STRING
8' Dulciana
8' Violon Cello
8' Cello Celeste
8' Violin Sordo
8' Violin Celeste
8' French Horn
Tremolo

PEDAL
32' Violone (1–12 elec.)
32' Contra Bourdon (1–12 elec.)
16' Double Open Diapason
16' Principal
16' Bourdon
16' Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)
16' Violone (Gt)
8' Octave
8' Bass Flute
8' Holzgedeckt
8' Violin Cello
4' Fifteenth
2' Mixture III
32' Bombarde (1–12 elec.)
32' Contra Trombone
16' Bassoon (Sw)
16' Double Trumpet (Gt)
16' Trombone
8' Tromba
4' Tromba

Schoenstein & Co., Organ Builders, San Francisco, California
Christ Church Episcopal,
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Schoenstein & Co., Benicia, California, were honored to be invited by one of the nation’s oldest and most famous parishes to propose a new organ, but the situation gave us pause: a very dry acoustic; a convoluted, L-shaped, deep, side chamber with poor tone openings; an historic church that could not be changed; and a hard act to follow—Aeolian-Skinner. (The organ to be replaced was the Aeolian-Skinner where E. Power Biggs had served as organist and which had been featured on Aeolian-Skinner’s recording, Studies in Organ Tone.)
The organ chamber is located in an addition off of the right side of the chancel with an extension tone chute over an entry hall. The chamber speaks not directly into the chancel, but into the side aisle. It was a tonal prison cell. Given the need for strict historical preservation of the building, there was no opportunity to create space for a large free-standing instrument or a new chamber.
The client’s request was for an Anglo-American symphonic-style organ to lead and support their modern Anglican services. Obviously, the architecture and the nature of the parish called for tone of nobility and refinement. Getting the sound out of the chamber, without it sounding harsh and forced, was the problem.
Certain design principles produce successful enchambered sounds. These include stoplists emphasizing bright, colorful diapason tones, strings and open flutes, with the main power of the ensemble dominated by chorus reeds rather than high mixtures. High pitches do not travel well around corners! An acoustically dry room reacts well to tone that is smooth, warm and rich. It helps to make up for the lack of resonance. Adequate wind pressure to provide intensity and projection of tone—not loudness—is vital. Pipe scaling and voicing must be bold. Finally, the organ must be laid out so that the sound gets out of the chamber through a large, fully opening shade front.
To ensure the success of the new organ, major renovation work was accomplished in the existing organ chamber and blower room. The largest and most important division in the organ, the Swell, was placed along the entire front section of the chamber, parallel to the front wall of the chancel. The main Swell windchests are placed in the full-height area of the chamber, with the double enclosed Inner Swell behind this. The double expression system of the Swell makes available a very broad dynamic range without changing stops. It is possible to add just a touch of reed tone (so little that the youngest soloist would not be overpowered), to hush the Flute Celestes to less than a whisper, and to harness the 32′ reed so that it may accompany even gentle string-toned stops; and yet its batteries enable the organist to achieve enormous power when necessary. Such tools for subtle beauty and precise control elevate the value of the organ in accompanying a service.
The Great and Choir divisions are located at floor level parallel to the side aisle and partially below the case impost level. All but two of the Great stops are enclosed, adding to the versatility and dynamic range of the organ.
The large wood Pedal pipes are stacked horizontally on the roof of the organ. This allows the manual divisions a more spacious layout and puts the bass pipes in a favorable position for a direct line of sight projection into the church.
Of the finished result, Stuart Forster, the director of music and organist, said: “It is necessary to document what a pleasure it is to play, and to listen to, this organ. The splendor of its individual voices (note the variety of flutes!), the cohesion and clarity of its choruses, the many effects and, of course, its colossal variety of expression in timbre and dynamics unite to create a musical instrument surpassing every hope of the committees, parishioners, donors, musicians, observers and visitors involved in this organ’s creation and service.”
—William Vaughan

GREAT
16′ Gamba
8′ First Open Diapason
8′ Second Open Diapason
8′ Harmonic Flute
8′ Gamba
8′ Gamba Celeste (TC)
8′ Bourdon
4′ Principal
4′ Bourdon
22⁄3′ Twelfth
2′ Fifteenth
13⁄5′ Seventeenth
11⁄3′ Mixture III–IV
8′ Trumpet (Choir)
8′ Clarinet (Choir)
8′ Tuba (Choir)
Chimes (Walker)
Cymbelstern

SWELL
16′ Lieblich Bourdon
8′ Open Diapason
8′ Stopped Diapason
8′ Echo Gamba
8′ Vox Angelica
4′ Gemshorn
4′ Harmonic Flute
2′ Flageolet
8′ Oboe
Tremulant
Stops Under Double Expression
8′ Flauto Dolce
8′ Flute Celeste (TC)
4′ Flauto Dolce
4′ Flute Celeste
2′ Mixture III–V
16′ Contra Fagotto
8′ Cornopean
4′ Clarion
8′ Vox Humana

CHOIR
16′ Dulciana
8′ Open Diapason (Great)
8′ Concert Flute
8′ Lieblich Gedeckt
8′ Dulciana
8′ Unda-Maris (TC)
4′ Fugara
4′ Forest Flute
22⁄3′ Nazard
2′ Harmonic Piccolo
13⁄5′ Tierce (TC)
8′ Trumpet
8′ English Horn
8′ Clarinet
Tremulant
Tremulant B Variable
8′ Tuba
8′ Tuben (III)
Harp (Walker)
Celesta (Walker)

PEDAL
32′ Sub Bass
16′ Open Wood
16′ Sub Bass
16′ Gamba (Great)
16′ Dulciana (Choir)
16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell)
8′ Principal
8′ Flute (Great)
8′ Stopped Diapason (Swell)
8′ Dulciana (Choir)
4′ Fifteenth
4′ Flute (Great)
32′ Contra Fagotto (Swell)
16′ Ophicleide (Choir)
16′ Contra Fagotto (Swell)
8′ Tuba (Choir)
8′ Trumpet (Choir)
4′ Tuba (Choir)
4′ Trumpet (Choir)

Schoenstein & Co.,
Benicia, California
Schermerhorn Symphony Center,

Nashville, Tennessee

Music City’s New Symphony Hall Organ
In its February 1982 issue, The Diapason published an article that challenged conventional wisdom. (See reprint of the article on pages 27–28 of this issue.) In it, Calvin Hampton made a convincing argument that an organ designed to be an instrument of the symphony orchestra must be radically different in many respects from a church organ or even a concert organ intended for solo use. A “normal” organ, even a fine one, could not pass his audition for symphony hall use. This really caught my attention. Since my background had included playing in and managing symphony orchestras, I was keenly aware of the uneasy relationship between orchestras and pipe organs. To managements, the organ was a headache. It used up too much space and too much money. Stagehands didn’t like the extra hassle of set-ups and working out quiet time for maintenance. Musicians didn’t like tuning to the organ or listening to its quinty mixtures and other thin, shrill sounds. Conductors never seemed satisfied with either the tone color or volume produced. Comments heard over and over again were: “I like that tone, can it be louder?” “Good balance, but I’d like a fuller, darker tone.” “Please(!)—keep with my beat!” The organist’s answers usually provoked frustrated and sometimes colorful comments about the inflexibility of the organ. The poor organist had even more problems than these: scarce rehearsal time, balance problems if the console was attached to the organ, poor sightlines if the console was on stage but too large or placed off in a corner.
The biggest problem of all was disappointment for the audience. The power of a modern symphony orchestra is so immense that most concert hall organs could not add to the drama of a fortissimo tutti. Against the gravity of the full orchestra, an ordinary organ can sound pathetically thin and upside down in balance, with trebles screaming out over the top of the ensemble. I had wondered for a long time why no one had attempted to solve all of these problems with an innovative approach. Calvin Hampton’s article gave me hope that someone would. About ten years later the tide began to turn. The musical issues were being addressed and many of them quite successfully. However, as a former instrumentalist and symphony manager, I thought that a more radical approach was needed.

Solving problems
Most of the behind-the-footlights practical problems can be solved by adopting an obvious, but, in some quarters, unpopular guideline: employ the fewest stops necessary to get the musical job done. This means an instrument that takes up less space, is less costly to purchase and more efficient to maintain. The case or chamber can be shallow for best tonal egress. Layout can be arranged for temperature—and thus tuning—stability; for example, all chorus work on one level, all reeds on one level. The console can be more compact, promoting sightlines and ease in setting and striking. The concept is easy enough to adopt, but what is that magic number of stops? What is the musical job to be done? How can we produce adequate power that will satisfy the audience?
First, it should be established that we are considering an instrument primarily for the Romantic and Modern repertoire. A properly equipped symphony hall should have one or two mechanical action stage organs to take care of the earlier repertoire. Previous experiments to include a “baroque” division with a small console as part of a large instrument have not been successful.
The primary use of the organ will be with orchestra. As a solo instrument, it might be used on occasion for choral accompaniment, silent movies as part of a pops series, and some special events. The solo organ recital has turned out to be a rarity in symphony halls. This is also true of other instrumental or vocal recitals. The reasons are simple: economics and scheduling.
If this musical job description is accurate, then an instrument in the size range proposed by Calvin Hampton (46 voices) would be ideal. Certainly any well-designed instrument of that size should also be able to render a very convincing recital program when needed. The key to a great performance is great tone, not great size.
If client and builder have the discipline to follow this Multum in Parvo plan rigorously, the question of tonal design becomes a matter of selecting stops that are absolutely essential and living without those that would be nice to have. Several classes of stops can be excluded with ease because they are duplicated in the symphony orchestra. Certainly there is no need for multiple strings and celestes or for orchestral reeds such as French Horn, English Horn, and Orchestral Oboe. The organ does not need items that would be considered necessities in a comprehensive church organ or in one specialized for some branch of the organ solo repertoire or for transcriptions.
What, then, are the elements that a symphony hall organ must have? Understanding what musical value the organ can add to the orchestra leads us to the answer. There are three characteristics of the organ that differentiate it very clearly from the orchestra. First, its frequency range is far greater. It can extend octaves below and above the orchestra. Extending the bass range has been the feature most appreciated by composers and orchestrators; however, increasing the treble range can be attractive, provided that it doesn’t get too loud! The second special characteristic of the organ is its unique tone—the diapason. This is a tone that cannot be produced by the orchestra and should, therefore, be the backbone of the organ when heard with the orchestra. The third element that should be most intriguing to composers is the organ’s ability to sustain indefinitely. This feature is most artistically displayed in connection with good expression boxes. A long, continuous diminuendo or crescendo can be most effective.

Four vital design points
Since there is a general understanding of basic organ tonal elements common to composers who write for orchestra as well as for the organ, a good symphony hall organ must include the minimum architecture of a normal three-manual traditional Romantic organ: diapason choruses and chorus reeds on each manual, representatives of stopped, open and harmonic flutes, a string with celeste, flute mutations, and the most common color reeds (Oboe, Clarinet, and Vox Humana). To make the organ capable of working in partnership with a modern symphony orchestra, the following tonal elements must be incorporated into this traditional scheme:
1. Profound Pedal. This is the most important element an organ can add to a symphony orchestra—bass one or two octaves below the double basses, bass tuba and contra bassoon. There must be at least one stop of such immense power that it will literally shake the floor. Stops of varying colors and dynamics with some under expressive control complete the Pedal.
2. Solo stops unique to the organ. These may be tones not found in the orchestra such as a diapason, stopped flute, and cornet or imitative stops that can be voiced at a power level not possible from their orchestral counterparts, such as solo harmonic flutes, strings, clarinets, and high pressure trumpets and trombas.
3. One soft stop capable of fading away to a whisper. Perhaps best in this role is a strongly tapered hybrid (or muted) stop.
4. An ensemble of exceptionally high power under expression. This cannot be raw power. It must be power with beauty, centered in the 8′ and 4′ range to give a sense of solidity and grandeur. Since symphony halls are generally drier acoustically than the typical organ and choral environment, it is even more important that this power be concentrated in the mid-frequency range and be of warm tonal character. The false sense of power created by excessive emphasis in high-pitched tones should be avoided. Orchestras don’t rely on a battery of piccolos for power, why should the organ? Piccolos can dominate an orchestra and so can mixtures, but that doesn’t make either effect beautiful. The kind of power needed comes from moderate to high wind pressures and stops voiced with rich harmonic content for good projection. Upperwork should be for tonal color rather than power. At least one diapason chorus should include a very high pitched mixture, a tone color unique to the organ, but it must not be loud. Eight-foot diapasons, chorus reeds, open flutes and strings should work together to create an ensemble capable of standing up to a full symphony orchestra. As someone who has sat in the midst of a symphonic brass section, I have a clear idea of the kind of power that is generated by trumpets, trombones and horns at fff. To compete without sounding shrill and forced requires high pressure diapasons and reeds, including a 32′ stop—all under expression to fit any situation.

Good tonal design must be supported by a mechanism that helps the organist solve all the performance problems mentioned above—an instrument that is as easy as possible to manage. The organ builder should employ every device at his command to give the organ musical flexibility so that it can take its place as an equal among the other instruments of the orchestra.

The Nashville project
We were given an opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of these ideas in our project for the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. This was one of those projects that went smoothly from beginning to end, with everything falling into place and no road blocks in the way. Of the greatest importance to the success of this job was the client’s clear musical goal and realization that a really great organ can’t be all things to all people. We had a well-defined mission: to build an instrument that is a member of the orchestra. To this end we worked from the beginning with Andrew Risinger, organ curator and symphony organist and also organist/associate director of music at West End United Methodist Church in Nashville.
We were appointed, at the very beginning of the project, to the design team that included acoustician Paul Scarbrough of Akustiks in Norwalk, Connecticut and design architects David M. Schwarz, Architectural Services of Washington, D.C. I had worked with both as organ consultant for the Cleveland Orchestra in the renovation of Severance Hall and its E. M. Skinner organ. The design team, under the skillful management of Mercedes Jones, produced a hall that could not be more perfect from our point of view. Seating 1,872, it is beautiful in its traditional design, excellent proportions, and fine materials. It is of the traditional “shoebox” shape that everyone knows is perfect but that few architects are willing to employ. Since, under the direction of Paul Scarbrough, all of the traditional acoustical rules were followed, the result is, indeed, perfect.
Reverberation time is controlled by dampening material that may be added or subtracted at will. There is excellent balance, clarity, and pleasing resonance even in the lowest reverberation setting. With all dampening material lifted out of the way at the press of a button, the hall is ideal for most organ and choral repertoire. In addition, there is one very unusual and practical feature that has an added impact for the organ. The orchestra seating section can be converted to a flat open floor for pops concerts and special events. Most of the transformation is accomplished automatically through a labyrinth of gigantic machinery in the basement. The huge expanse of polished wood flooring adds significant reverberation. This feature also, interestingly enough, increases the usage of the organ. The hall is often rented for weddings. This is perhaps the only symphony hall organ in the world that has a reason to play the Mendelssohn and Wagner marches!
The organ is in an ideal position just above the choral risers at the rear of the stage. The casework was designed in close cooperation with the architectural team and Paul Fetzer whose company, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork of Salt Lake City, built the façade along with the other woodwork of the hall. It affords full tonal egress from the open front chamber behind it, which is shallow for accurate unforced projection. The organ is arrayed on three levels. Most flues are on the first level. Reeds, celestes, some flutes and offsets are on the second, and Pedal on the third, with the exception of the Trombone and Diaphone, which occupy a space extending all three levels. The bass octave of the 32′ Sub Bass is in a most unusual spot—located horizontally underneath the patron’s boxes to the left and right of the stage apron! These large scale pipes produce a soft 32′ tone that is felt as well as heard throughout the entire auditorium. The 32′ Trombone is in its own expression box, and the Swell includes our double-expression system, wherein the softest and most powerful voices are in a separate enclosure at the rear of the Swell with shades speaking into the Swell. The Vox Humana is in its own expression box inside the double expressive division of the Swell and so is, in effect, under triple expression. Accurate climate control has been provided, keeping the organ at constant humidity and temperature. The blower room in the basement has its own cooling system to neutralize the effects of blower heat build-up. Intake air is filtered.
The instrument employs our expansion cell windchests and electric-pneumatic action. This allows uniform, fast and silent action for all pipes no matter their pressure as well as easy console mobility and the borrowing of stops for maximum flexibility. Obviously borrowing is employed heavily in the Pedal, but it is also used on the Great, where the high pressure diapasons 8′ and 4′, string, stopped flute, Cornet and Solo reeds are all available independently. It also makes practical the extension of Pedal stops into the Solo and facilitates an interesting effect, the Tuben stop, which borrows the Swell reeds onto the Solo at unison pitch (Posaune up an octave at 8′ and Clarion down an octave at 8′ along with the 8′ Trumpet).
The console has the usual playing aids, but has been kept as simple and straightforward as possible to facilitate efficient rehearsals. There is a record-playback system—helpful for rehearsals and also for house tours; the playback mechanism can be remotely controlled by tour guides. With the press of a button they can start the blower and select a demonstration piece to be played for public tours, which are a popular attraction in Music City.

Tonal design
The two pillars of tone are diapasons and trumpets. The manual diapason choruses contrast in tonal color and power. The Swell chorus (Manual III) is based on a slotted 8′ Diapason of moderate power with a slightly tapered 4′ Principal and a 2′ Mixture, which is under double expression. The Great (Manual II) has a large scale 8′ Diapason with upperwork through 1⁄3′ Mixture and a slotted, smaller scale double. The Solo (Manual I) has the largest scale and most powerful chorus, all under expression and at 10″ pressure. Its mixture can be drawn with and without a tierce. The trumpets range from closed, tapered shallots on 10″ wind in the Swell to open parallel shallots on 5″ wind in the Great to open parallel shallots on 15″ wind in the Solo, where tromba-type tone is added by the Tubas and Trombone. Built around these pillars is an ensemble of stops with color, definition and sinew that project well to produce power in a manner similar to the orchestral instruments and centered at the orchestra’s pitch. Note that 64% of the stops are at 8′ and 4′ pitch. A most rewarding comment on this subject came after the opening concert in Nashville from the visiting executive director of one of the world’s leading orchestras, who remarked that he didn’t know that it was possible for an organ to be so powerful and at the same time so beautiful.
There are several special tonal features including a newly developed stop—the Diplophone. We wanted to include solo stops of heroic power from each family of tone. Our usual solo Gambas, Symphonic Flute (which employs five different types of pipe construction throughout its compass including double mouth and double harmonic pipes), Tibia Clausa, Corno di Bassetto and Tuba Magna represented the string, open flute, stopped flute, color reed, and chorus reed families, but we needed a solo diapason of equal power. We tested normal stentorphone pipes and then double-languid pipes without achieving the character of tone and power we were after. We then tried a double-mouth diapason. Mouths on either side of the pipe allow a greater mouth width than is possible with a single opening. This, combined with high pressure, produces tremendous power with smoothness and beauty. Finally, we included a powerful mounted Cornet (unusual for us) because it is a tone color completely outside the range of the orchestra and should offer interesting possibilities to contemporary composers.
For a stop that can fade away to nothing, we added our Cor Seraphique and Vox Angelique. These are very strongly tapered stops of the muted (or hybrid) variety. They are neither strings nor flutes and have a mysterious quality that is very attractive, with a harmonic structure that promotes projection when the Swell boxes are open, but is soft enough to disappear with both boxes closed. This stop is extended to 16′ to provide the same effect in the Pedal.
The Pedal includes all classes of tone at 16′ pitch: open wood, open metal, string, hybrid, stopped wood, and two different weights of chorus reed tone, both under expression. One of the most important 16′ voices is the Violone, which gives a prompt clear 16′ line to double and amplify the basses of the orchestra. The most unusual, and in some ways most important, stop of the organ is the 32′ Diaphone. Diaphones have a tone quality that ranges from a very dark, almost pure fundamental to a slightly reedy quality. Since this organ is equipped with a 32′ Trombone under expression, the Diaphone is voiced for pure fundamental tone of magnificent power. It produces more solid fundamental bass than a large open wood diapason and it speaks and releases promptly.
Our Pizzicato Bass stop, which gives a clean pointed bass line when added to other stops playing legato, is included because of its value in choral accompaniment. There is a special Sforzando coupler that is engaged only when the Sforzando lever, located above the swell shoes, is touched. It allows Solo stops to be momentarily added to the Great for accent. The Solo has a variable speed tremulant.

Installation and debut
The organ was installed in several phases, which went very smoothly due to the outstanding cooperation and support of the symphony staff, led by president and CEO Alan D. Valentine and general manager Mark F. Blakeman, as well as the excellent building contractors, American Constructors, Inc. The atmosphere was collegial and, yes, there is such a thing as southern hospitality. The casework, display pipes, blowers and large pedal pipes were installed in February–May 2006. We completed the mechanical installation of the organ during the summer of 2006. Tonal finishing was carried out during the summer of 2007. The leisurely and well-spaced schedule avoided the conflicts and last minute scrambles that usually cut tonal finishing time.
The organ was presented to the public at the opening night gala of the 2007–08 season with Leonard Slatkin, conductor, and Andrew Risinger, organist. The program included the Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Duruflé Prelude and Fugue on the Name Alain, Barber Toccata Festiva, and the Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3. It was recorded for broadcast on SymphonyCast. The exceptionally active Nashville chapter of the AGO has co-sponsored events starting with a lecture-demonstration evening and including the “International Year of the Organ Spectacular” recital featuring Vincent Dubois. The orchestra has presented several programs including a “Meet the Organ” demonstration for students, a “Day of Music” free to the community, a series of noontime recitals, and Thomas Trenney playing accompaniments to the silent films Phantom of the Opera at a Halloween program in 2007 and The Mark of Zorro in 2008. The organ has been used to accompany the symphony chorus in concert and also in several additional orchestra subscription concerts including works by Elgar and Respighi. The 2008–09 season has already presented Andrew Risinger in the Copland Symphony for Organ and Orchestra with new music director Giancarlo Guerrero conducting, the noon recital series continues, and more programs are on the way.
The instrument has been greeted with enthusiasm from the artistic staff of the orchestra and the musicians. The public has embraced it warmly and we look forward to the 2012 AGO convention, where it will be one of the featured instruments.
—Jack M. Bethards
President and Tonal Director
Schoenstein & Co.

On behalf of Louis Patterson, V.P. and Plant Superintendent; Robert Rhoads, V.P. and Technical Director (retired); Chuck Primich, Design Director; Mark Hotsenpiller, Head Voicer;
department heads Chet Spencer, Chris Hansford and Mark Harter;
and technicians David Beck, Filiberto Borbon, Peter Botto, Dan Fishbein, Oliver Jaggi, George Morten, Humberto Palma, Tom Roberts, Dan Schneringer, Patricia Schneringer, Donald Toney, William Vaughan and William Visscher.

Cover photo by Louis Patterson

Schoenstein & Co.

The Martin Foundation Organ
The Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Nashville, Tennessee
47 voices, 64 ranks
Electric-pneumatic action

GREAT – II (5″ wind)
16′ Double Open Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Diplophone (Solo)
8′ Grand Open Diapason (Solo)
8′ First Open Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Second Open Diapason 12 pipes
8′ Gamba (Solo)
8′ Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes
8′ Salicional (Swell)
8′ Bourdon (metal) 61 pipes
8′ Lieblich Gedeckt
(borrow with Bourdon bass)
8′ Cor Celeste II (Swell)
4′ Octave (Solo)
4′ Principal 61 pipes
4′ Lieblich Gedeckt 61 pipes
2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes
11⁄3′ Mixture IV 200 pipes
1⁄3′ Mixture III 146 pipes
8′ Trumpet 61 pipes
4′ Clarion 61 pipes
8′ Cornet V (Solo)
8′ Tuba Magna (Solo)
8′ Tuba (Solo)
8′ Corno di Bassetto (Solo)

SWELL – III (enclosed, 5″ wind)
16′ Lieblich Bourdon (wood) 12 pipes
8′ Open Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Stopped Diapason (wood) 61 pipes
8′ Echo Gamba 61 pipes
8′ Vox Celeste 61 pipes
8′ Salicional 49 pipes
(Stopped Diapason bass)
4′ Principal 61 pipes
4′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes
22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes
2′ Harmonic Piccolo 61 pipes
13⁄5′ Tierce 54 pipes
8′ Oboe 61 pipes
Tremulant
Stops under Double Expression†
16′ Cor Seraphique 12 pipes
8′ Cor Seraphique 61 pipes
8′ Voix Angelique (TC) 49 pipes
2′ Mixture III–V 244 pipes
16′ Posaune 61 pipes
8′ Trumpet 61 pipes
4′ Clarion 61 pipes
8′ Vox Humana†† 61 pipes
†Flues and Vox 6″ wind; Reeds 11½″
††Separate Tremulant; separate expression box

SOLO – I (enclosed, 10″ wind)
8′ Grand Open Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Symphonic Flute† 61 pipes
8′ Gamba 61 pipes
8′ Gamba Celeste 61 pipes
4′ Octave 61 pipes
2′ Quint Mixture IV
2′ Tierce Mixture V 270 pipes
8′ Tuba† 61 pipes
8′ Harmonic Trumpet† 61 pipes
8′ Tuben III††
8′ Corno di Bassetto† 61 pipes
Tremulant
Tremulant (variable)
Unenclosed Stops
8′ Diplophone 29 pipes
(ext Pedal Open Wood)
8′ Tibia Clausa 29 pipes
(ext Pedal Sub Bass)
8′ Cornet V (TG, 5″ wind) 185 pipes
16′ Trombone 5 pipes
(ext Pedal Trombone)
8′ Tuba Magna† 61 pipes
†15″ wind
††Swell Posaune, Trumpet and Clarion at 8′ pitch

PEDAL (4½″, 5″, 7½″, 10″, 15″ wind)
32′ Diaphone 12 pipes
32′ Sub Bass 12 pipes
16′ Diaphone 32 pipes
16′ Open Wood 32 pipes
16′ Violone 32 pipes
16′ Diapason (Great)
16′ Cor Seraphique (Swell)
16′ Sub Bass 32 pipes
16′ Bourdon (Swell)
8′ Open Wood 12 pipes
8′ Open Diapason (Swell)
8′ Principal 32 pipes
8′ Violone 12 pipes
8′ Gamba (Solo)
8′ Flute (Great)
8′ Sub Bass 12 pipes
8′ Bourdon (Swell)
4′ Fifteenth 32 pipes
4′ Flute (Great)
8′ Pizzicato Bass†
32′ Trombone†† 12 pipes
16′ Trombone†† 32 pipes
16′ Posaune (Swell)
8′ Tuba Magna (Solo)
8′ Trombone†† 12 pipes
8′ Posaune (Swell)
4′ Trombone†† 12 pipes
4′ Corno di Bassetto (Solo)
†8′ Sub Bass with Pizzicato Relay
††Enclosed in its own expression box

Couplers
Intramanual
Swell 16, Unison Off, 4
Solo 16, Unison Off, 4

Intermanual
Great to Pedal 8
Swell to Pedal 8, 4
Solo to Pedal 8, 4
Swell to Great 16, 8, 4
Solo to Great 16, 8, 4
Swell to Solo 16, 8, 4
Solo to Swell 8

Special
Pedal Tutti to Solo
Solo to Great Sforzando
All Swells to Swell
Manual I/II transfer piston with indicator

Mechanicals
Peterson ICS-4000 system with:
256 memory levels
62 pistons and toe studs
programmable piston range for each memory level
Piston Sequencer
10 reversible controls including Full Organ
Four balanced pedals with selector for expression and Crescendo
Record/Playback system with remote control
Adjustable bench

Mixture Compositions
Great IV
C1 A10 D15 A#35 G#45
19 15 12
22 19 15 12
26 22 19 15 12
29 26 22 19 15

Great III
C1 A10 D15 C25 A#35 G#45 B48 F#55
33 29 26
36 33 29 26 22 19 15 12
40 36 33 29 26 22 19 15

Swell III–V
C1 C#14 B24 A#47 D#52
15 8 8
19 15 12 8
22 19 15 12 8
22 19 15 12
22 19 15

Solo V
C1 A46 C#50 F#55
12
15 12
17 15 12
19 17 15 12
22 19 17 15

Solo IV derived from Solo V, without tierce

Tonal Families
Diapason† 17 36%
Open Flutes 7 15%
Stopped Flutes 4 9%
Strings 5 11%
Hybrids 2 4%
Chorus Reeds 9 19%
Color Reeds 3 6%
47 100%

†Includes Diaphone and Salicional

Pitch Summary
Sub
32′ 3 6%
16′ 6 13% 19%

Unison
8′ 22 47%
4′ 8 17% 64%

Super
22⁄3′ 1 2%
2′ 4 9%
Above 3 6% 17%
47 100% 100%

Robert P. Rapp has combined careers in medicine and music, earning his M.D. degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1956. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he went into private practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Rapp has been active in the American Guild of Organists since age 14, serving as dean of the Austin chapter 1979–81. He studied organ in Galveston 1937–46 with Norman Niles and Georgia Anne Rahe, with Lee Norrell in San Antonio (1946–47), Anthony Rahe in Houston (1949–50), Walter Haacke in Wiesbaden, Germany (1958–60), and Jerald Hamilton at the University of Texas (1961–62). He has held church organist positions at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Galveston; St. Joseph’s German Church, Galveston; the Shrine of the Little Flower, San Antonio; First Baptist Church, Galveston; St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Austin; and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Austin. Dr. Rapp acted on behalf of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Amarillo, Texas, beginning in 1996, to purchase the Aeolian-Skinner organ from the University of Texas, and worked closely with the UT Dean of Fine Arts, Dr. David Deming.

“The largest pre-war (World War II) Aeolian-Skinner built by G. Donald Harrison remaining almost entirely as built has been acquired by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Amarillo, Texas.” Thus starts the article in The Tracker (Journal of the Organ Historical Society), volume 41, number 3, 1997.
In 1938, Dr. Ezra William Doty, at the age of 31, was hired to be the first dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas in Austin. At the time there was no faculty, no curriculum, no building, and a $64,000 budget for assembling all of these. In 1940, a new Music Building was built—the only air-conditioned building on the campus—and by 1942 Dean Doty had assembled an art, music, and drama faculty that combined professional expertise with academic credentials.
The October 1, 1941 issue of The Diapason reports that Aeolian-Skinner was awarded the contract to build a new instrument for the Music Building in the summer of that year at a price of $35,000.1 Their Opus 1024 quickly became the “crown jewel” of the school. Dr. Palmer Christian, professor of organ at the University of Michigan and with whom Dean Doty had studied, played the dedication on November 10, 1942.
In various issues of The American Organist in 1944, there are detailed accounts of the recital hall and the organ, along with much information long forgotten. Dr. Christian is quoted:

The new Aeolian-Skinner is an excellent job, one of the best yet. The clarified ensemble does not sound like a horrified ensemble—there is orchestral color. The Orchestral Oboe is excellent. The floating Positiv is a fine achievement, likewise the floating String Organ. Full organ is perfectly tempered to the size of the room—106 stops in a room seating 504—and the climaxes do not blow one out of the seats.2

Opus 1024 was described in the University of Texas campus newspaper The Daily Texan as being

eight organs in one: there is the Positiv, an authentic 17th-century instrument, and a Great organ which is designed in 18th-century tonal style. The usual Swell, Choir, Solo and Pedal organs are included, but these have a choice collection of orchestral solo stops. The other organs included in the one instrument are the Bombarde, which contains heavy reed stops, and a floating String division, both of which may be drawn on any of the four manuals or pedal. The console has four keyboards of 61 notes each and a pedal board with 32 notes. The round and square pipes are made of tin, lead, zinc, and wood.3
Thus began the life of this magnificent, state-of-the-art instrument, containing 6,173 pipes, 103 ranks, 106 stops and 84 voices, with 45 couplers and 70 combination pistons. It quickly became the landmark organ for Aeolian-Skinner. Organists and organ committees from afar came to play, listen, and gain insight into organ planning, construction, and choices of specifications.
As Opus 1024’s fame grew, so did Aeolian-Skinner’s reputation as the maker of highly esteemed organs. Opus 1024 stands out with its famous Aeolian-Skinner kin in Texas as a masterwork of American organ building. G. Donald Harrison last visited Opus 1024 on July 26, 1954. In his letter to Henry Willis (in London), he remarked that the temperature was an astounding 113 degrees!
The music library at the University of Texas verifies that 130 individual organists had performed 293 programs on Opus 1024 over the years 1942–1981. Among the famous organists presented were Catharine Crozier, Alexander Schreiner, Arthur Poister, David Craighead, Marcel Dupré, Carl Weinrich, Virgil Fox, Flor Peeters, Claire Coci, Fernando Germani, Marilyn Mason, Jean Langlais, E. Power Biggs, Robert Noehren, Jeanne Demessieux, George Markey, Vernon de Tar, Jack Ossewarde, John Weaver, Jerald Hamilton, Robert Baker, William Teague, Heinz Wunderlich, William Whitehead, Pierre Cochereau, André Marchal, John Rose, Peter Hurford, Gillian Weir, and Michael Murray.4
In 1965, after countless hours of heavy use for over 23 years by students and visiting artists, it became obvious that renovation was required. Aeolian-Skinner provided a new console, a new combination action, some mechanical repairs and revoicing of reeds, and some revoicing of flues at a total cost of $65,000.5
Following this, the organ was once again heard by the public. These performances were popular (and free), giving the listening public an opportunity to enjoy classical pipe organ music constantly, and continued until 1975. (Michael Murray was the last noted recitalist to perform in the series.) In 1979, Opus 1024 ceased to be used for degree performances. The churches about the campus were used instead. In 1981, the last public hearing of the organ was played by American Guild of Organists members, with Dean Doty in attendance.
In 1983 a new music building was completed (Bates Recital Hall), and a large tracker organ was installed there. The old Music Building recital hall was used for lecture space by the Architecture Department. Various music programs were given there, but the organ sat silent on stage, console locked, with façade pipes still visible.
So ends one chapter of Opus 1024; now begins the next. On February 11, 1996, an accidental fire destroyed St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo, Texas. It was at this time that it was brought to the attention of Margaret Lacy, the organist of St. Andrew’s, that perhaps the UT organ could be purchased and become a part of the new sanctuary.
After many inquiries and contacts with the UT regents and staff, in 1997 Opus 1024 was rescued from its “retired” status and bought by St. Andrew’s Church. The church chose Schoenstein & Co. to rebuild the organ because of the company’s Aeolian-Skinner connection (Louis Schoenstein worked for
E. M. Skinner, and Lawrence Schoenstein was the West Coast representative for Aeolian-Skinner).
From the very beginning of the construction of the new St. Andrew’s sanctuary, acoustics and placement for the instrument were of utmost importance. Space for the organ was prepared, similar in size to the organ chamber as it existed in the recital hall in Austin, but with better tonal egress. Thanks to the joint efforts of Margaret Lacy and the church’s forward-looking leaders, Jack Bethards, president and tonal director of Schoenstein & Co., Ewart “Red” Wetherill, acoustical consultant, and the Overland Partners, architects, of San Antonio, Texas, Opus 1024 was on its way to having a truly favorable environment to enhance its American Classic tones, which G. Donald Harrison had labored so hard to achieve.
In its Austin home, the only drawback the organ had was that the hall was without reverberation (planned that way by “experts”), so that G. Donald Harrison was never pleased with its placement. In fact, a news article in The Daily Texan of November 11, 1942 quotes a comment gleaned from audience criticism: “the auditorium is too completely lacking in echo.” Now, in Amarillo, it would have the luxury of 3–4 seconds of reverberation, thus giving all the qualities of sound that its original designer had hoped for.
Schoenstein & Co. meticulously made sure that the 1942 Harrison installation was true to the maker’s original tonal ideas. Any changes made in configuration were to the betterment of the pipe locations, with correct speech being maintained. These were as follows:
1) The huge pipes of the 32′ Contra Bourdon were put on the third level above the enclosed boxes for the Choir, Swell, String and Solo divisions, thereby giving them direct speech into the nave rather than being placed in a far left alcove as in Austin;
2) The 32′ Kontra Posaune pipes were likewise placed directly in front of the exposed chests (Pedal, Great, and Positiv divisions), giving them a similar clarity rather than being muffled as in the original layout;
3) The Solo Tuba 8′ did not fit properly on the Solo chest, and was placed unenclosed also in front of the exposed chests described above, thereby giving it direct egress (Research in Aeolian-Skinner records fails to reveal why the Tuba had been placed on a toe board that was too small. It may have been a last minute change, an error, or one of the 1964 changes.);
4) On the Solo chest in the Tuba position Schoenstein added their beautiful Symphonic Flute 8′, thus providing an open solo flute to complement the stopped one;
5) There were two complete changes. The Great mixture, Fourniture III–V, was of extremely large scale in the trebles and at full volume would have been too loud for its new home. Therefore 285 new pipes were made and the original pipes were carefully wrapped and boxed and are in the storage area of the new sanctuary. The same was true of the treble pipes of the Great Quint, which were replaced.
The organ has two additions other than the Symphonic Flute: a Cymbelstern and a medium-volume, medium-scale Pedal 16′ Bourdon. The original stopped Subbass of huge scale was too large in the responsive acoustics of the church and could be used only in large combinations. Its name was changed to Major Bass.
All this makes the organ absolutely complete, lacking nothing for any organist or literature being played. There should be no complaints from any source as to these enhancing changes to an instrument so well respected.
In August 2002, the new sanctuary was completed, and in September 2004 the installation of Opus 1024 began. The huge van arrived containing the vast cargo of the instrument. This included all eleven chests, along with the Vibraharp mechanism, the 62-year-old sugar pine wood for the structure and expression boxes (Choir, Swell, Solo, String, and Bombarde divisions), the reservoirs, tremulants, expression motors, and other parts that had been completely restored to their original pristine condition by Schoenstein over the prior three years.
Work was under the direction of vice president and plant superintendent, Louis Patterson. Tonal finishing was by Jack Bethards with Mark Hotzenpiller and Steuart Goodwin with Wendell Bolltyme. Other key Schoenstein personnel were David Beck, Peter Botto, Chris Hansford, Oliver Jaggi, Joe Lamberana, George Morten, Robert R. Rhoads and Chet Spencer. To provide mobility and multiple memories, the console was equipped with a Peterson ICS control system (replacing the original combination action and relay) and Harris stop knob actions.
Over the next several months, the people of St. Andrew’s marveled at the installation process, and eagerly awaited the day that they could hear Opus 1024. That day came in November 2004, when 25 ranks of the Swell and Choir were playing. Margaret Lacy played it for the first time and was just amazed. She said, “It was a glorious sound, and with over three seconds of reverberation time. Opus 1024 had been given a vibrant and thrilling new voice.” (Seventy-eight ranks were yet to be heard!) In February 2005 the installation was completed. All 103 ranks were in and playing. The Aeolian-Skinner was brought back to life.
The Amarillo Globe-News reported the event of the organ’s arrival as “An Unusual Organ Transplant.”6 There can never be a happier group than those people living in the city of Amarillo who weekly (and quite often daily) get to enjoy the tones of one of the most spectacular organs ever produced by the Aeolian-Skinner company.
The list of organists who have played Opus 1024 in its new home keeps growing, with each performer declaring what a thrill it is to play. The transition from Austin to Amarillo made all the difference and extended the playing life of Opus 1024.
The exciting inaugural event occurred in June 2005 with Thomas Murray performing solo and in conjunction with the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra (playing Handel’s Concerto in F and Poulenc’s Concerto in G). The future of the organ is nothing but exciting as Margaret Lacy continues to bring the brightest and best musicians to come and enjoy the renovated and renewed powerful and beautiful tones of Opus 1024, first heard 63 years ago.
Thus the organ has reached its final destination and fulfilled the dreams of not only its designer, but the dreams of a vast number of organists and non-organists in the west Texas city of Amarillo. It is waiting for any and all who desire to hear what a “vintage” Aeolian-Skinner can sound like in the electronic age. Nothing can compare to what you will experience when you sit in St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on South Georgia Street.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Amarillo, Texas
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Opus 1024
84 voices, 103 ranks

GREAT (3″ wp)
16′ Double Open Diapason*
16′ Quintaten
8′ Diapason
8′ Principal
8′ Bourdon
4′ Octave
4′ Rohrflöte
22⁄3′ Quint
2′ Super Octave
13⁄5′ Tierce
III–V Fourniture
III Cymbel
Vibra-Harp (Choir)
Harp (Choir)
Chimes (Solo)
Harp-Celesta (Choir)
Bombarde on Great
String on Great
* Rank to be added when casework is completed.

SWELL (3¾″ wp)
16′ Rohrgedeckt
16′ Contra Salicional
8′ Geigen Prinzipal
8′ Stopped Flute
8′ Flauto Dolce
8′ Flute Celeste
8′ Salicional
8′ Voix Céleste
4′ Oktave Geigen
4′ Flauto Traverso
22⁄3′ Nazard
2′ Flautina
13⁄5′ Tierce
IV Plein-Jeu
16′ Fagotto
8′ Trompette
8′ Oboe
8′ Vox Humana
4′ Clarion
Vibra-Harp (Choir)
Harp (Choir)
Harp-Celesta (Choir)
Tremulant
Bombarde on Swell
String on Swell
Swell 16′
Swell Unison Off
Swell 4′

CHOIR (3¾″ wp)
16′ Contra Viola
8′ English Diapason
8′ Concert Flute
8′ Viola
8′ Viole Sourdine
8′ Viole Celeste
8′ Dulciana
8′ Unda-Maris
4′ Fugara
4′ Harmonic Flute
2′ Zauberflöte
16′ Bassoon
8′ Clarinet
8′ Cor Anglais
Vibra-Harp
Harp
Chimes (Solo)
Harp-Celesta (Toe lever with indica- tor for dampers)
Tremulant
Bombarde on Choir
String on Choir
Choir 16′
Choir Unison Off
Choir 4′

BOMBARDE (7″ wp)
16′ Bombarde
8′ Trompette Harmonique
4′ Clarion Harmonique
IV–VI Grand Choeur

SOLO (10″ wp)
8′ Symphonic Flute
8′ Doppelflöte
8′ Violoncello
8′ Violoncello Céleste
4′ Concert Flute
8′ French Horn
8′ Orchestral Oboe
Chimes
Tremulant
8′ Tuba (Unenclosed)
Bombarde on Solo
String on Solo
Solo 16′
Solo Unison Off
Solo 4′

POSITIV (2½″ wp)
8′ Nachthorn
4′ Koppelflöte
22⁄3′ Nasat
2′ Prinzipal
13⁄5′ Terz
1′ Sifflöte
III Zimbel
Cymbelstern

STRING (10″ wp)
16′ Contre Viole
8′ Viole de Gambe
8′ Gambe Celeste
8′ Viole d’Orchestre
8′ Viole Celeste
8′ Gemshorn
8′ Gemshorn Celeste
4′ Violina

PEDAL (5″ wp)
32′ Contra Bourdon (ext. Major Bass)
16′ Principal
16′ Major Bass
16′ Sub Bass
16′ Contra Salicional (Swell)
16′ Contre Viole (String)
16′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell)
8′ Principal
8′ Gedeckt Pommer
8′ Still Gedeckt (Swell)
8′ Salicional (Swell)
51⁄3′ Quint
4′ Super Octave
4′ Nachthorn
2′ Spitzflöte
V Mixture
32′ Kontra Posaune
16′ Posaune
16′ Bombarde (Bombarde)
16′ Bassoon (Choir)
8′ Trumpet
4′ Clarion
2′ Rohrschalmei
Chimes (Solo)
Bombarde on Pedal
String on Pedal

Couplers
Great to Pedal 8′
Swell to Pedal 8′
Swell to Pedal 4′
Choir to Pedal 8′
Choir to Pedal 4′
Solo to Pedal 8′
Solo to Pedal 4′
Positiv to Pedal 8′

Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great 8′
Swell to Great 4′
Choir to Great 16′
Choir to Great 8′
Choir to Great 4′
Solo to Great 16′
Solo to Great 8′
Solo to Great 4′
Positiv to Great 8′

Swell to Choir 16′
Swell to Choir 8′
Swell to Choir 4′
Solo to Choir 8′
Positiv to Choir 8′
Pedal to Choir 8′

Great to Solo 8′
Swell to Solo 8′

Great/Choir Transfer

Console
Peterson ICS-4000, capture combination action: 100 memories and lock
16 General pistons (13 duplicated by toe studs)
10 Great pistons
10 Swell pistons
10 Choir pistons
10 Solo pistons
10 Pedal pistons
4 Coupler pistons
1 Set piston
1 General Cancel piston
Programmable piston range for each memory

Swell to Great reversible piston and toe stud
Positiv to Great reversible piston
Choir to Great reversible piston
Solo to Great reversible piston
Swell to Choir reversible piston
Positiv to Choir reversible piston
Solo to Choir reversible piston
Great to Solo reversible piston
Swell to Solo reversible piston
Great to Pedal reversible piston and toe stud
Swell to Pedal reversible piston and toe stud
Choir to Pedal reversible piston and toe stud
Positiv to Pedal reversible piston
Solo to Pedal reversible piston and toe stud
32′ Posaune reversible toe stud
32′ Bourdon reversible toe stud
All Swells to Swell reversible piston and toe lever with indicator
Manual 16s and Pedal 32s Off reversible piston and toe lever with indicator
Mixtures Off reversible piston and toe lever with indicator
Reeds Off reversible piston and toe lever with indicator
Cymbelstern reversible toe lever
Full Organ reversible piston and toe lever with indicator

Three balanced expression pedals
Crescendo pedal with indicator
Pedal on Solo combinations
Pedal on Swell combinations
Pedal on Great combinations
Pedal on Choir combinations

Peterson ICS-4000 relay system