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Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Bellwood, Illinois
St. Jerome Catholic Parish, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders has built a new pipe organ for the people of St. Jerome Catholic Parish in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Opus 226 contains 53 ranks, 42 stops, and 3,019 pipes. The project was made possible by the generosity of the people of St. Jerome Catholic Parish, as well as other benefactors and contributors from the community.
Plans to relocate St. Jerome Parish began in the fall of 1997 as it became clear that the parish was expanding beyond the physical limitations of their historic downtown church. By August 1998, the parish had purchased 37 acres of land and begun planning for a parish-wide campaign. The school was constructed first, and was dedicated on September 11, 2004. A second parish-wide campaign began in January 2005, resulting in the dedication of the church on November 15, 2008. The new 1,000-seat nave nearly tripled the previous sanctuary’s capacity of 350, and provided the parish with a bright, modern worship space with a more favorable acoustical signature.
From the onset of the project, it was clear the existing 1918 Kimball organ would need to be incorporated into the new instrument to minimize new pipe costs. The two-manual, 15-rank organ, located in the center of the rear balcony, was entirely installed in a case against the rear wall. Despite additions in the early 1980s, the organ was of typical early twentieth-century liturgical design. The stoplist incorporated six stops at 8′ pitch, two stops at 4′, and a 16′ Bourdon in the Pedal. Added ranks included a 22⁄3′ Quinte, 2′ Octave, and Mixture IV in the Great. Original voicing and pressures were retained on the Kimball pipes at the time when the organ was augmented, which did little to bridge the gap between the old and new pipes. Thankfully, the new pipes were under-voiced, which would give Berghaus ample latitude in tonal finishing. Additionally, the bottom octave of the 4′ Flute d’Amour was abandoned, and the pipes were shifted down to create a 2′ Flute in the Swell.
In the new church, the organ was planned to occupy both ends of the nave. Great, Swell, and Pedal divisions would be entirely new, and located in the rear gallery. The Antiphonal division would be installed in one chamber, above and to the left side of the chancel. We chose not to divide the resources of the Kimball, but rather use them to create the new Antiphonal division. Furthermore, the Antiphonal chamber would be situated at the same height as the gallery organ to promote tuning stability.
Special consideration was taken in planning pipe scales for the gallery instrument, with the intent that the Antiphonal organ would not be a dark distraction to the new organ. Our present tonal philosophy reflects an eclectic approach, which is conducive to blending early twentieth-century voicing styles. We took our cues from the best elements of late nineteenth-century English organs, tempered somewhat by elements of romantic French and early romantic German organbuilding. All flue scales in the gallery are variable, changing throughout the compass for acoustic and practical reasons. The result is an instrument that, while separated by distance, successfully works as a whole tonal concept, which in turn is able to effectively provide the combinations necessary for liturgical music and beyond. Differing foundation and flute resources are available for cantorial accompaniment, projecting close to the lectern. The Antiphonal also contains the softest string sounds for tonal effects in anthems and voluntaries. When the full resources of the Antiphonal are coupled to the gallery organ, the Antiphonal “carries” the sound of the gallery organ forward down the nave, while at the same time seamlessly blending with the gallery without detracting from its timbre.

Great
The Great division consists of 15 stops, 16 ranks, and is divided between one large slider chest and one electro-pneumatic chest. The division is located directly above the Swell enclosure, and is based on the 8′ Principal, which is located primarily in the façade and constructed of 75% tin, with spotted metal in the treble. The 8′ Principal is scaled near Normalmensur plus two, which on 80mm wind pressure fills the nave with a warm yet gentle tone. It is voiced full in the bass, and has clarity in the treble to reinforce the melody line. The Principal chorus is complete through a four-rank mixture, and includes mutations that are meant to reinforce the plenum. Flues are primarily in spotted metal with the intent to add warmth to the overall tone, yet allow for brightness in finishing.
Additional 8′ stops (Flute Harmonique, Bourdon, Gemshorn, and Gemshorn Celeste t.c.) complete the standard fonds d’orgue, as well as add the unique flexibility of a third, unenclosed celeste. Tonal considerations were made to allow the scaling of this hybrid pair to be generous, yet with a low cut-up to provide clarity of tone. The 8′ Trumpet is designed with German shallots to provide a blending quality, which is meant to enhance the plenum. By contrast, the horizontal Trompette en Chamade, which is mounted on the front of the case, is scaled and voiced to blend with full organ registration, and can be used as a solo stop for processionals and fanfares. Both reeds are voiced on 100mm pressure.

Swell
The Swell division consists of 17 stops, 15 ranks, and is also divided between one large slider and one electro-pneumatic chest. The division is based on the 8′ Diapason of spotted metal, which provides foundation to a complete principal chorus through the Plein Jeu. The scale of the Swell Diapason is three steps smaller and completely different in tone than the Great Principal. The Swell contains a wide variety of stops, ranging from French-style strings to a liquid 8′ Rohrflöte, which is unified at 16′ and made of wood. Mutations are broadly scaled to provide for a rich Cornet decomposée. We elected to use English construction for the 8′ Trompette in the Swell in order to provide a contrast in tone to the Great Trumpet.

Antiphonal
Restoration of the Kimball pipework involved restoration of each pipe in one form or another. While minor repair and remedial voicing work was necessary, the general pipe-making was excellent. Few pipes had been physically altered in previous rebuild efforts, which allowed for maximum flexibility in finishing. We replaced the leather on the stoppers of all wood pipes, and in the spirit of the original Kimball, we provided twelve bass pipes to the Flute d’ Amour, and returned it to 4′ pitch. We also replaced the low twelve pipes of the Open Diapason, which replaced the badly damaged pipes of the original façade. All spotted metal pipes were dunked in a restorative solution, and fitted with new stainless steel sleeves. Finally, an 8′ Vox Humana was provided by Dr. Lee Erickson, friend to the project.
The 8′ Open Diapason of this division provides the organist with yet another Diapason tone. Made from a high-lead alloy, these pipes provide the tone one would expect from a Diapason of this vintage. The pipes are cut dead-length and scrolled. Undoubtedly they would have been originally over-length and slotted. Deep nicks in the languid and lower lip allow for open-toe voicing, which allows this stop to truly enhance the gallery instrument.

Pedal
Consisting of 19 stops, 8 ranks, the Pedal provides a solid foundation to this full instrument. Through calculated borrowing and tonal finishing, this division provides an ample variety of timbres and volumes. The 16′ Principal in the Pedal division (façade) is made from a combination of zinc and 70% tin pipes, and is finished with a silver-tone patina. The Pedal is further supported by an impressive unit 32′ Kontra Posaune, which is voiced full in order to provide an equal blend of harmonics and fundamental. We used tin-faced German shallots throughout the compass of this reed, which provides unique overtones required to enhance the pedal plenum, particularly when considering this stop will be used in part in cantus firmus.

Chests and wind system
Flue pipes of the Great, Swell and Antiphonal sit on Berghaus slider and pallet chests. Reeds and offset chests are electro-pneumatic action. The entire organ is supported by an interior steel structure, which provides stability while allowing unimpeded access to interior parts of the mechanism. Wind to the pipes is supplied by two blowers—one blower for the gallery organ, and one for the Antiphonal. Our wind system provides absolutely steady wind through a balance of schwimmers and reservoirs. Wooden wind conductors help eradicate turbulence and are effective in eliminating noise. Slider chest wind pressures are 80 and 75mm, while reeds and Pedal are on 100mm.
The gallery organ case and organ console are constructed of maple, and are designed to incorporate architectural elements found throughout the worship space. Keyboards are in bone and rosewood, with African Kewazinga Bubinga stop jambs and coupler rail.
The construction of the organ at St. Jerome Parish was achieved through the dedication and teamwork of the entire Berghaus organization, which extends its sincerest gratitude to the people of St. Jerome Parish for enabling us to contribute to the life of their parish:

President: Brian Berghaus
Director of sales and marketing: David McCleary
Tonal design: Jonathan Oblander, tonal designer; Kelly Monette, head tonal finisher
Reed specialist: Steven Hoover
Structural and visual design: Steven Protzman
Shop foreman: Jeff Hubbard
Office manager: Jean O’Brien
Service coordinator: Joseph Poland
Construction/assembly/installation: Stan Bujak, Chris Czopek, Steve Drexler, Jeff Hubbard, Trevor Kahlbaugh, Kurt Linstead, Kelly Monette, David Mueller, Jonathan Oblander, Joseph Poland, Daniel Roberts, Tim Roney, Paul Serresseque, Ron Skibbe, Jordan Smoots, Paul Szymkowski, Mark Ber, Randy Watkins.

In addition, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders gratefully acknowledges the invaluable assistance of Scott R. Riedel & Associates, Ltd. in the project, as well as the expertise and leadership of Fr. John Yockey, pastor, and Tom Koester, past organist of St. Jerome Parish.
­—Kelly Monette & Jonathan Oblander
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders

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Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Bellwood, Illinois
La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona
Opus 224 (2008)

From the organbuilder
Overview
Berghaus opus 224 at La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church contains 91 ranks, 94 stops, and 5,067 pipes over four manuals and pedal. The instrument takes its place as one of the largest pipe organs in the state of Arizona. The majority of the instrument (Pedal, Great and Positiv) is located on the mezzanine level at the front of the sanctuary, on a concrete platform measuring 42 feet across. The enclosed Swell is located above the musician’s gallery in a resonant chamber measuring 14 by 18 feet, and the Antiphonal is divided and elevated on two sides of the rear gallery, flanking the large rear window.
The casework is constructed from light-golden, rift-cut oak. The design emulates contemporary shapes found elsewhere in the sanctuary. The visually striking façade, including polished tin Principals from the Pedal, Great, and Positiv divisions, takes its inspiration from the McDowell mountain range, located in the northeast corner of the Phoenix valley. A sense of depth is created with the mountain-like arrangement of flamed-copper 16′ Principal pipes from the Great and Pedal divisions. The façade also contains twelve non-speaking wood pipes, painted sage green, in homage to the majestic Saguaro cactus found in the region. Adding to the visual display is the asymmetrical layout of the Trompette en Chamade, constructed with flamed-copper resonators. The twin Antiphonal façades echo the details found in the main organ.

Tonal Approach
We designed an eclectic instrument, taking cues from the American Classic and Romantic traditions, that would be able to handle a comprehensive repertoire, including a wide range of expression, both dynamic and tonal. To that end, there are no less than five manual 8′ principals, ten different 8′ and 4′ flutes, strings and hybrid (tapered) stops of varying tone and construction. The versatility of this instrument results from our ability to treat each of these stops as a beautifully unique voice when used alone, as well as having the ability to blend well, thus creating new and desirable tones when used in combination. This is evident in the Great, which contains the standard French-Romantic foundation of Principal, String, Open Flute, and Stopped Flute.
Given the challenge of creating a large organ with only one expressive division, it was clear from the onset of the project that great care would have to be taken in the tonal finishing process to ensure a seamless crescendo and to create an organ with equally balanced manual divisions. The ranks of the unenclosed Positiv are designed and voiced to provide a remarkable degree of expressiveness, and to serve as a tonal bridge between the Swell and the Great. The overall effect in the crescendo is that of a seamless transition from ppp to fff without experiencing staggering dynamic or color steps.

Tonal Analysis
The Great division consists of 19 stops, 22 ranks, and is mostly divided between two large slider chests, one containing the principal chorus through mixture, the other containing the flute and string stops. The 8′ First Principal is of generous scale, and is constructed of 75% tin throughout. This creates a timbre that is simultaneously bright and full, and gives it a singing quality that provides a strong foundation upon which the subsequent ranks are built. The 16′ Sub Principal is scaled proportionally (smaller) to the First Principal and is extended to be available as an 8′ stop (Second Principal). This gives an alternative diapason tone that is more subdued than its larger neighbor, yet is large enough to be a lighter 8′ texture for the entire plenum. The principal chorus is completed with narrowly scaled mutations, and is crowned by two mixtures: a full 2′ V-rank Fourniture, and a sparkling 1⁄2′ III-rank Cymbale. The Flûte Harmonique is large scale, with harmonic pipes starting at no. 30, and is voiced with a very strong increase in the treble. Other flute stops include a metal 8′ Bourdon, a harmonic 4′ Flûte Octaviante, and a II-rank Gross Kornet, constructed of large-scale open flutes at 51⁄3′ and 31⁄5′ pitches to enhance the 16′ harmonic series. The 8′ Gamba is of slender scale and is gently voiced to be a blending stop. The 16′ and 8′ unit Kontra Posaune is a blending chorus reed of German construction. The 16′ and 8′ Trompette en Chamade contains schiffchen-style shallots, producing a sound reminiscent of older Spanish trumpets, yet it can be used as a crown for full organ. The Great provides a myriad of combinations suited for a range of demands from the liturgical service to the solo organ repertoire.
The Swell division contains 21 stops, 23 ranks, and is “double-stacked,” with the complete principal chorus, mutations, and reeds occupying the lower level. Flutes, strings, and celestes are mounted above. The principal chorus is based on an 8′ Diapason of spotted metal, crowned with a 2′ IV-rank Plein Jeu. The relatively low pitch of this mixture, combined with a narrow scale, allows the pipes to be blown full, which helps to produce a clear principal tone. Furthermore, the mixture is voiced softly enough to give the entire plenum a gentler quality suitable for choral accompaniment. The III-rank Cymbale is designed as a tierce mixture and voiced to its full potential to reinforce harmonics present in the fiery chorus reeds. It also blends well and can be used as a higher-pitched mixture with the principal chorus.
The Viole de Gambe is made of 75% tin and slotted for optimum harmonic development. The combination of this stop with its 61-note Voix Celeste is intended to produce true string tone, and not tone associated with narrow principals or stringy hybrid stops. This approach allows us to keep each of the tonal categories of the instrument separate and distinct. The Swell is also home to the softest rank of the organ, the 8′ Flûte Conique, which when paired with its celeste elicits a most haunting timbre. Other flutes in this division include the 8′ Flûte à Cheminée, which is wood in the bass and is extended to 16′ pitch, and a 2′ Octavin, which goes harmonic at no. 13. This 2′ flute is not intended to be used with the mixture, but rather with the 8′ and or 4′ flutes. However, it works equally well with the principals, as the scale is moderate and the voicing is light. The battery of reeds consists of a full-length 16′ Basson, an 8′ Trompette and 4′ Clairon of French construction, and an 8′ Hautbois featuring coned-in bells and parallel French shallots. When combined with foundation stops, the 8′ Hautbois becomes a most useful solo voice, especially for music from the French symphonic school. The Voix Humaine is of American Romantic construction.
The Positiv division is located adjacent to the Swell, which allows this division, along with the Swell, to accompany the choir. Totaling 19 stops and 19 ranks, the Positiv is based on an 8′ Prinzipal constructed of 75% tin and is complete through a 1′ IV-rank Scharf. The ranks of the plenum are narrower in scale than in the other divisions and provide a good secondary chorus to the Great, especially in Baroque music. The 8′ Gemshorn has a very wide mouth with a low cut-up and a 1/3 taper, giving it a string-like tone. A complete Cornet decomposée including Septième comprises pipes of various construction, from the 8′ Holzgedackt made of poplar to the 22⁄3′ chimneyed Rohrquinte. There are three solo reeds in the Positiv division, including an imitative 16′ English Horn, an 8′ Cromorne, and an 8′ Trumpet with English shallots.
The Antiphonal division comprises 9 stops and 10 ranks, and provides additional support for congregational singing as well as interesting echo effects to the main instrument. Placed on opposing sides of the gallery, the Antiphonal is higher in elevation in comparison to the main organ. The Antiphonal principals are voiced in a mild fashion, to give a sense of surrounding the listener while providing a supplemental role to the main instrument. This approach was preferred to bombarding the listener with sound from the gallery and purposely announcing the Antiphonal’s presence. Of note are the two solo flutes: the 8′ Doppelflöte and the 4′ Flauto Traverso (harmonic), both made of poplar. The organ’s heroic reed, the 8′ Trompette de Fête, is located in the Antiphonal division as well. The Trompette de Fête features hooded resonators and is voiced on 18 inches of wind.
The Pedal division comprises 26 stops and 17 ranks. The division is thoroughly complete to provide ample foundation tone in a variety of timbres and volumes. Fortunately, few of the pedal stops are borrowed, which gives tremendous flexibility to the division as a whole. The principal chorus is based on an open metal 16′ Principal, scaled according to classical principles (relative to the Great 8′ First Principal). The entire chorus provides a solid contrast to the Great and gives excellent support without being woofy. When a more penetrating foundation is desired, the generously scaled 16′ Open Wood is useful for larger combinations. Of particular note is the 31⁄5′ V-rank Pedal Mixture. The first rank of this stop is a tierce (16′ series), constructed of 2/3 tapered pipes. Voiced gently, this rank dramatically enhances the 16′ fundamental tone, while giving the overall plenum a pleasantly reedy tone. This helps to further clarify the Pedal line in contrapuntal textures. As with many of our larger instruments, an 8′ Spitzflöte is included to give a more pointed emphasis to the Pedal line in softer combinations. The reed chorus consists of a 32′ and 16′ Bombarde constructed with pine resonators, and a large-scale 8′ Trompette with English shallots. A 4′ Rohrschalmei is a very characteristic reed useful for cantus firmus solos.

Wind System and Chests
The vast majority of flue stops in this organ are placed on slider and pallet chests, which we believe speak to the heart (and origins) of good organ building. Principals and flutes in each division (sans Antiphonal), are placed on separate chests. This helps to solidify each respective chorus. We have insured absolutely steady wind by incorporating a large number of bellows and schwimmers. By contrast, reeds are placed on electro-pneumatic chests, allowing wind pressures to vary to suit the tonality of each reed. Furthermore, wood wind conductors are used throughout the organ, which helps to eliminate turbulence and the resulting wind noise. Pneumatic pedal and offset chests are supplied with their own regulators and concussion bellows.

Console
Design elements of the four-manual console were taken from architectural themes found in the church. The contemporary English-style drawknob console is low profile, and contains state of the art controls for the combination action and record/playback systems. Controls were placed inside a drawer to the organist’s right in order that the console be visually free of electronic clutter. The shell is made of light-golden, rift-cut oak to match casework. Drawknob jambs are made of burled walnut. Keyboard coverings are bone and feature top-resistant tracker touch.

Construction Timeline
The creative journey to construct opus 224 began late fall 2007, with final voicing completed spring 2009. The organ was dedicated in a festival service organized by Dr. Jennaya Robison, director of music, and played by Dr. Homer Ashton Ferguson III. Dr. Weston Noble conducted the combined choirs. The organ was also featured at the 2009 Region IX AGO convention.
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders wishes to thank the members of La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona, and the following individuals: Pastor Andrew Garman, senior pastor; Dr. Jennaya Robison, director of music; Dr. Homer Ashton Ferguson III, organist; and Dr. William Barnett, prior organist.
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders also wishes to thank members of its staff for their countless hours and dedication to this instrument:
President: Brian Berghaus
Director of sales and marketing: David McCleary
Tonal design: Jonathan Oblander, Kelly Monette
Head tonal finisher: Kelly Monette
Reed specialist: Steven Hoover
Structural and visual design: Steven Protzman
Shop foreman: Jeff Hubbard
Logistics: Jean O’Brien
Construction / assembly / installation: Mark Ber, Mitch Blum, Stan Bujak, Kevin Chunko, Chris Czopek, Steve Drexler, Trevor Kahlbaugh, Kurt Linstead, David Mueller, Joe Poland, Daniel Roberts, Tim Roney, Paul Serresseque, Ron Skibbe, Jordon Smoots, Paul Szymkowski, Randy Watkins.
—Kelly Monette, David McCleary, and Jonathan Oblander

Photo credit: David McCleary

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Bellwood, Illinois
La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona
Opus 224 (2008)

GREAT – Manual II (unenclosed, 90 mm wind pressure)
16′ Sub Principal (façade) 61 pipes flamed copper and 75% tin
8′ First Principal (façade) 61 pipes 75% tin
8′ Second Principal (façade) 12 pipes (extension of 16′ Sub Principal)
8′ Flûte Harmonique 49 pipes 1–12 from Bourdon, harmonic @ f30
8′ Bourdon 61 pipes 52% tin
8′ Gamba 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin
4′ Octave 61 pipes 52% tin
4′ Flûte Octaviante 61 pipes 52% tin; harmonic @ c25
22⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes 52% tin
2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes 52% tin
13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes 52% tin
51⁄3′ Gross Kornet II 88 pipes 51⁄3′ and 31⁄5′, 52% tin; c13 to g56
2′ Fourniture V 305 pipes 75% tin (15-19-22-26-29)
1⁄2′ Cymbale III 183 pipes 75% tin (29-33-36)
16′ Kontra Posaune 61 pipes 1–12 L/2, resonators zinc and 52% tin
8′ Trompete 12 pipes (extension of 16′ Kontra Posaune)
Tremulant
Zimbelstern 5 bells with adjustable delay, speed, and volume
16′ Trompette en Chamade 61 pipes 1–12 L/2, flamed copper resonators
8′ Trompette en Chamade 12 pipes (extension of 16′)
8′ Trompette de Fête (Antiphonal)

SWELL – Manual III (enclosed, 80 mm wind pressure)
16′ Bourdon 24 pipes poplar (extension of 8′ Flûte à Cheminée)
8′ Diapason 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin
8′ Viole de Gambe 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 75% tin; slotted
8′ Voix Celeste CC 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 75% tin; slotted
8′ Flûte à Cheminée 49 pipes 40% tin, 1–12 from Bourdon
8′ Flûte Conique 61 pipes 75% tin
8′ Flûte Celeste TC 49 pipes 75% tin
4′ Prestant 61 pipes 52% tin
4′ Flûte Ouverte 61 pipes 40% tin
22⁄3′ Nasard 61 pipes 52% tin
2′ Octavin 61 pipes 75% tin; harmonic @ c13
13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes 52% tin
2′ Plein Jeu IV 244 pipes 75% tin (15-19-22-26)
1′ Cymbale III 183 pipes 75% tin (22-24-26)
16′ Basson 61 pipes L/1, resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8′ Trompette 61 pipes resonators of 75% tin
8′ Hautbois 61 pipes resonators of 52% tin
8′ Voix Humaine 61 pipes 52% tin
4′ Clairon 61 pipes resonators of 75% tin
Tremulant
8′ Trompette de Fête (Antiphonal)
16′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)
8′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)

POSITIV – Manual I (unenclosed, 70 mm wind pressure)
16′ Quintaton 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 75% tin
8′ Prinzipal (façade) 61 pipes 75% tin
8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin; 1/3 taper
8′ Holzgedackt 61 pipes poplar
4′ Oktav 61 pipes 75% tin
4′ Koppelflöte 61 pipes 52% tin
22⁄3′ Rohrquinte 61 pipes 52% tin
2′ Oktav 61 pipes 75% tin
2′ Blockflöte 61 pipes 40% tin
13⁄5′ Terz 61 pipes 52% tin
11⁄3′ Larigot 61 pipes 52% tin
11⁄7′ Septième 61 pipes 52% tin
1′ Scharf IV 244 pipes 75% tin (22-26-29-33)
16′ English Horn 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8′ Trumpet 61 pipes 52% tin
8′ Cromorne 61 pipes 52% tin
Tremulant
8′ Trompette de Fête (Antiphonal)
16′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)
8′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)

ANTIPHONAL – Manual IV (unenclosed, 75 mm wind pressure)
8′ Principal (façade) 61 pipes 1–12 flamed copper, 13–61 75% tin
8′ Doppelflöte (façade) 61 pipes poplar
4′ Octave (façade) 61 pipes 75% tin
4′ Flauto Traverso 61 pipes poplar; harmonic @ c25
2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes 75% tin
11⁄3′ Fourniture IV 244 pipes 75% tin (19-22-26-29)
Tremulant
16′ Trompette de Fête 61 pipes hooded resonators, 18 inches wind pressure
16′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)
8′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)

PEDAL (unenclosed, 90 mm wind pressure)
32′ Untersatz 7 pipes poplar
16′ Open Wood 32 pipes poplar
16′ Principal (façade) 32 pipes flamed copper and 75% tin
16′ Sub Principal (Great)
16′ Subbass 32 pipes poplar
16′ Quintaton (Positiv)
16′ Bourdon (Swell)
8′ Octave (façade) 32 pipes 75% tin
8′ Principal (Great)
8′ Spitzflöte 32 pipes 75% tin, 4/5 taper
8′ Metallgedackt 32 pipes 52% tin
8′ Bourdon (Swell)
4′ Octave 32 pipes 75% tin
4′ Spillflöte 32 pipes 52% tin
2′ Nachthorn 32 pipes 52% tin
31⁄5′ Mixture V 160 pipes 52% tin (10-12-15-19-22)
32′ Contre Bombarde 12 pipes (extension of 16′ Bombarde)
16′ Bombarde 32 pipes resonators of pine
16′ Posaune (Great)
16′ Basson (Swell)
8′ Trompette 32 pipes 52% tin
8′ Posaune (Great)
4′ Rohrschalmei 32 pipes 52% tin
Tremulant (slider chest stops only)
8′ Trompette de Fête (Antiphonal)
16′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)
8′ Trompette en Chamade (Great)

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Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders,
Bellwood, Illinois

St. Benedict’s Catholic Church,
Chesapeake, Virginia

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From the builder

As most organ projects go, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders’ instrument for St. Benedict’s Catholic Church proceeded at a rapid pace. The organ was completed just two years and one week after organist, conductor, author, and consultant to the parish Peggy Kelley Reinburg made initial contact with us in June 2012. From our very first meeting in which creative ideas were freely shared, our firm was enthusiastic about collaborating with Ms. Reinburg. Her insight into pipe organs, and in particular her thoughts on tonal design, proved to be invaluable resources. After long conversations with her and consulting her book, Arp Schnitger, Organ Builder: Catalyst for the Centuries (1982, Indiana University Press), we were confident that we could present an instrument with a heart of simplicity and clarity, rooted in North German tradition, that also possessed a distinctive voice, as our company has provided to clients for many years. 

Following the signing of the contract in the fall of 2013, construction was executed over a six-month period, and the organ components were delivered to Chesapeake the day after Easter, 2014.Installation of the organ commenced over a five-week period, and tonal finishing took place over one month.

Our initial site visit revealed an existing south organ chamber that would eventually contain the Hauptwerk. For engineering and site preparation, the church contracted with Spiegel Zamecnik & Shah Inc. of Washington, D.C., to engineer the design and with Sussex Development Corp. of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to penetrate a tone opening for the existing chamber and create a second chamber on the other side of the rose window for the Schwellwerk and Pedal. Berghaus designer Michal Leutsch planned façade pipes and screens to complement the church architecture while hiding the dual enclosures. Initially, we intended to create a cloth screen barrier above the three pipe towers on each side. However, the logistics of creating such a screen prior to the arrival of the organ became impractical, and so its construction became part of the organ installation. Rather than use the ubiquitous grille cloth, we chose stamped metal screening, which would allow for better tonal egress.

Wind pressures are moderately low throughout, measuring 75 mm for the Hauptwerk, and 90 mm for the Schwellwerk and Pedal. This allows for a voicing style on classical lines, and yields pipes that work together with natural, unforced tone. Each chamber is equipped with a single horsepower Ventus blower, which provides ample and steady wind to all chests while keeping a simple yet effective winding plan for the entire instrument. Manual stops are primarily located on Berghaus slider and pallet windchests, which are controlled by Heuss electric pulldown magnets. Within each main chest is a large schwimmer, which provides stable wind. Pedal and unit ranks are located on electro-pneumatic windchests, also constructed by the Berghaus firm.Expression boxes are constructed from 1-3/4 thick tongue and groove poplar, which allows for a wide range of dynamic possibility.

Both chambers are adorned by rift-cut red oak casework with accented trim, stained to match the church furnishings.The organ is played from a custom-built console of red oak and burled walnut. Keyboards are constructed of maple and walnut, and manuals utilize tracker touch. The combination action is controlled by the ICS-4000 system by Peterson Electro-Musical Products, and contains many features, including a piston sequencer and record/playback.

In the Hauptwerk, the principal chorus is moderately scaled and voiced without gimmicks to improve presence or warmth. Façade pipes are made of 75% tin and continue as such throughout the compass of the stop. The elevated position of the slider chest allowed us to treat pipes without fear that the choir would be offended by full registration, and at the same time, individual voices seem to bloom from within the chambers. The 8 Hohlflöte is designed to act as a chameleon in registration, and is made from three distinct types of pipe construction: the bass octave is constructed as a stopped flute, the tenor octave is constructed as a Koppelflöte, and the upper octaves are constructed as a Hohlflöte. Deliberate voicing with attention to blending construction types was necessary to the successful finishing of this stop. The result is a flute that morphs well with many registrations. The Hauptwerk mutations are scaled to match the Mixtur IV–V and provide the light clarity of a Sesquialtera, thus providing a Germanic cornet décomposée for the division. In our shop, Berghaus constructed a Bourdon of poplar as our manual 16 tone, and provided an 8Trumpet, which is voiced as a blending reed. Shallots are tapered German and provide warmth and fullness.

Schwellwerk flues are voiced full to support the generosity of the large scale mutations. Strings are made from 75% tin, and are generously scaled to provide adequate foundation tone, while also giving a satisfying sizzle that clarifies homophonic passages found in many pieces of Romantic and 20th-century repertoire. The 8 Rohrflöte is scaled with large diameter chimneys, which are fully 1/3 of the diameter of the pipe.Together, these foundation stops provide remarkably solid grounding to the division. Once again, the substantial scaling of the mutations provides a powerful and nasal French-sounding Cornet. The Krummhorn is scaled generously to provide fullness to the mutations and is also available in the Pedal at 4 pitch. The Oboe is designed with a French parallel shallot and is voiced moderately to blend well with the mutations. The Cromorne is scaled and voiced to provide fullness throughout the register.

As is often the case, available space made the luxury of a full and independent Pedal out of the question, and we therefore chose to unify the major principal and flute of the division. The pipes of the 16-8-4 Principal wander back and forth between the Schwellwerk chamber and façade, which contains notes of the 8 Octave. The bottom twelve notes are made from zinc and use interior Haskell tuners. The façade portion and above are made from 75% tin, as is the Pedal Mixtur. The 16 Subbass is generously scaled, and was constructed of poplar by Berghaus craftsmen. The 16 Fagott is made with pine resonators and used an historic Schnitger shallot with very wide reed tongues. The sound of this stop seems to have equal parts fundamental and harmonic development, and so it lends itself well to a broad spectrum of repertoire.

Overall, the organ’s resources create a myriad of tonal combinations, each at home announcing or complementing chant during High Mass, or in performing repertoire from Bach to Distler, from Couperin to Alain. Having both chambers enclosed further enhances the tonal palette and increases its flexibility as an accompanying instrument.

The organ was blessed on August 22 by Msgr. Walter Barrett, followed by Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with Rev. Neal A. Nichols, FSSP, presiding. Peggy Kelley Reinburg served as organist and Jeanne Dart, director of music, led the choir. A dedicatory recital will be performed on November 22 at 3:00 p.m. by Crista Miller, director of music and organist at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Houston, Texas.

The entire team at Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders is extremely grateful for the collaborative efforts of everyone involved in the organ project. In particular, we appreciate the support we received from Fr. Nichols, Jeanne Dart, members of the choir, and parishioners who assisted in the unloading and various stages of installation. Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders’ sincerest gratitude goes out to all who helped make this a truly exciting and rewarding project. Soli Deo Gloria!

—Jonathan Oblander, Tonal Designer & Kelly Monette, Head Tonal Finisher, on behalf of the entire Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders team

 

From the consultant

After accepting the challenges of serving as organ consultant for a project with the all-too-common and severe limitations of the potential funding base, of being engaged after a new church structure was beyond any major architectural changes, and of having the responsibility of educating the clergy, the musicians, and the congregation regarding the advantages of committing to a pipe organ, I began to become aware of the positive realities of the project at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. 

First, it was revealed that the pastor, the Rev. Neal A. Nichols, FSSP, and the director of music, Jeanne Dart are both from Richmond, Virginia, my own hometown; and then we discovered we all had been educated, though for different lengths of time, at St. Benedict’s Elementary School! As we began to converse and to follow the natural order of organ consulting, I began to learn of the freedom I was being offered to guide my ninth organ project through its total evolution with no artistic constraints. Financial constraints can cause you apoplexy, but creative hamstringing can damage your soul!

The goals of this project were: 

1) An organ built by a distinctive builder without financially drowning the parish

2) An organ that could support the numerous schools of organ and choral literature while underpinning the rich liturgical heritage of the Latin Mass

3) The creation of an instrument with its own identity, possessing the silvery sheen of a Baroque North German instrument yet supported by an enveloping warmth capable of bringing the worshippers and listeners to the depths of faith and to the heights of emotion

4) A Hauptwerk Prinzipal chorus that would make the congregation want
to sing

5) Provision of four primary reed stops: Krummhorn 8, Hautbois 8, Trompete 8′, and Fagott 16′, and of two Cornets décomposé, one scaled and voiced in the French manner and one in the German

6) Consistent nomenclature for the instrument

7) A beautiful encasement and console, which also would be visual works of art

8) Key and stop actions that would enable a marriage of the instrument and musician and also provide a comfortable playing and conducting situation. Mechanical action was desired, but eventually that preference had to be abandoned due to existing gallery design and spatial limitations.

After preliminary visits onsite with five major American mechanical-action builders and two builders known primarily for their other actions, the fact of a too-shallow gallery for an independent encasement and inadequate space for any future choir growth, coupled with cost comparisons, eventually were the deciding factors. The selection of a builder  was also made difficult because of my personal acquaintances and friendships with all but one of the builders represented! Ironically, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders was the only firm with which I had not had a previous connection; and after performing a recital on their instrument for St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, for the Northern Virginia and Potomac AGO chapters, I was convinced that the firm should be considered. 

Every memo I wrote based on involvement with organs and organ building throughout my career and every wish included on my organ “bucket list” has been a consideration in consulting on this particular instrument. The lack of funding for three manual divisions resulted in enclosing both manual divisions and allowing console space for a third, a Rückpositiv, which it is hoped may be added someday. If it is not, the disposition of the organ as it stands has already created the illusion of the presence of a third manual division.

The opportunity of meeting at the workshop the majority of craftsmen who participated in this project and the pleasure of building a working relationship with them during the installation have been added delights. I have enormous respect for so many, especially those who have added to my deeper understanding and enjoyment of this facet of our beloved profession. I have only the utmost respect for the director of engineering and operations, Michal Leutsch, and for the tonal gurus, Kelly Monette, head tonal finisher, Jonathan Oblander, tonal designer, and Steven Hoover, tonal finisher and reed specialist. The gorgeous console with its burled walnut music desk and stop jambs is the exquisite work of console artist Jordan Smoots. Transformation of thousands of components into the organ as an entity was due also to the skilled work of Joe Poland, Ron Skibbe, Mitch Blum, Eric Hobbs, Kurt Linstead, and Casey Robertson. The administrative coordinator, Dawn Beuten, is embracing her new role in the company with enthusiasm; the firm’s office manager for six years and newly named vice president, Jean O’Brien, is the epitome of organization, efficiency and graciousness; and Brian Berghaus, president, leads the firm with admirable business acumen and a firm hand, peppered with a calming sense of humor, in his journey to maintain the integrity of the history of organ building while introducing the best of new technological developments to this art.

—Peggy Kelley Reinburg

Organ Consultant

 

All photos credit Deborah P. Spidle except as noted

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Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Bellwood, Illinois
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, Bethesda,
Chevy Chase, Maryland

From the organbuilder
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, is located just minutes away from Washington National Cathedral on the border between Bethesda and Chevy Chase, Maryland. St. John’s began in 1873 as a small mission congregation in what was then rural Bethesda. By 1895, the church had been elevated to parish status within the newly formed Diocese of Washington. Throughout its history, St. John’s has been dedicated to “building community at the crossroads of faith and life.” Today, the parish continues to honor this tradition by offering beautiful, liturgically oriented worship services and by providing a wide variety of programs that minister to the diverse needs of the congregation and community.
Prior to the renovation of St. John’s 500-seat Georgian-style sanctuary, the nave presented a feeling of light-filled openness, while the deep and narrow chancel appeared both dark and restrictive. In typical fashion, choir stalls were divided on both sides of the chancel, with the high altar placed against the front wall. The existing organ consisted of three manual divisions with the Great, Swell, and Pedal installed in chambers along the east wall, and the Choir placed on the west wall. Throughout its history and despite the best intentions of the parish, the organ suffered several major incidents involving water damage. With the east wall of the chancel positioned directly beneath the bell tower, it was determined that the tower was, in fact, the root of the problem. Although the tower had previously undergone extensive renovation, water was continuing to find its way into the chambers. At the urging of then director of music Douglas Beck, an organ committee was formed and charged with the task of identifying possible solutions. The committee was also asked to investigate and recommend several organ builders. The committee also felt that it would be wise to engage an organ consultant and did so by involving Donald Sutherland from the Peabody Institute. The initial findings of the committee can be summed up in the following two recommendations. First, the repair of the existing organ would not represent a sound artistic or economic option. Second, a new instrument should not be returned to the existing chambers. Based on these parameters, the committee proceeded to identify a select group of organ builders and to ask each builder to submit their vision for an instrument that would not only meet the liturgical requirements of the parish, but allow the parish to further expand its role in offering artistic expressions of faith to the greater community.
As discussions continued relative to the placement of the organ, it became increasingly clear that installing the organ in any other area of the sanctuary would require changes to the structure of the building. It was also at this point that the clergy and many of the parishioners suggested that the parish consider a comprehensive renovation of the chancel. Given this suggestion, a second committee, called the Architectural Review Committee, was formed to oversee the process and to investigate potential architects and contractors. With the selection of Kerns Group Architects and Forrester Construction, the “ARC” noted that a final decision regarding an organ builder should be made so that all parties could work in a collaborative fashion. On the recommendation of the organ committee, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc. was selected to build the new instrument. Recognizing that the combined project including renovations to the building and the construction of a new pipe organ would require a significant financial commitment, St. John’s vestry authorized the formation of a third committee to oversee the fund raising process. The combined efforts of the Organ Committee, Architectural Review Committee, and the Capital Campaign Committee were incorporated under the theme “Enhance, Renew, Rejoice!”
Early in the process of examining the space, it was determined that placing the organ in the gallery would be difficult and limiting. The lack of height and depth would require that the entire rear portion of the church be rebuilt. There was also a great deal of concern expressed about the necessity of moving the choir to the gallery. Although some members of the parish had initially favored this approach, they quickly grasped the complexities involved and shifted their support to the possibilities represented by the chancel. Above and beyond the issue of the organ, enhancing the worship space was an important ingredient in St. John’s view that worship should involve a greater sense of community. One option was to open and enlarge the chancel, creating an inviting space for various forms of worship. Another was to bring the altar forward and install a new communion rail such that it would bring the communion experience closer to the congregation and enable more of those present to take communion at the rail. The ARC was also hopeful that natural light could find its way into the chancel so that the space would have the same warm, inviting feel currently attributed to the nave. This eventually led the architect to modify two of the former organ chambers and add skylights so that the chancel is bathed in soft, natural light. Another transforming suggestion involved moving the choir out of its traditional split arrangement and facing them towards the congregation. With the adoption of these suggestions, it was decided that the ideal placement of the new pipe organ was along the central axis of the building. The new organ would thereby occupy approximately 12 feet of the existing depth at the front of the chancel. This effectively moved the chancel forward placing parishioners, clergy, musicians, etc. in closer proximity. Obviously this change also provided the means for both music and the spoken word to be heard in a clear and full fashion.
St. John’s began its journey to rejuvenate the life of the congregation not only by overhauling the chancel and replacing the organ, but also by enhancing and renewing their relationship with the Creator. Staying close to its roots as a mission congregation, the early parish embraced a low-church form of worship. In the 1970s, under rector William A. Beal, the congregation experimented with a variety of new worship styles, including the Episcopal Church’s trial liturgies. This “new tradition” included the use of the 1979 Prayer Book. The move towards higher church expression continued into the 1980s and 1990s under Rev. Duane Stuart Alvord, and continues today under the leadership of the current rector, Rev. Susan M. Flanders, and the associate rector, Rev. Harrison West. The beautiful construction of the current worship form and the growing excellence of the music program as initially developed under the auspices of former director of music, Douglas Beck, and built upon by the current director of music, Anne Timpane, made it apparent that the new instrument would be required to provide ample support for congregational singing, but must also be an instrument that supports the Anglican choral repertoire. The organ committee’s visits to a wide variety of instruments across the full spectrum of builders pointed to the fact that the parish desired an instrument of great breadth of tone and timbre, with a sound that would fill the space, but not entirely overpower it. It was also important that the organ contain the subtle stops necessary to accompany children’s choirs while having the ability to uphold the congregation with a sense of majesty and power. However, it was also the desire of the former director of music that the instrument should be French-inspired, both in its specification and in its appearance. Given the design of the building, we chose to represent the visual aspect of this request in the design of the console.
The new Berghaus pipe organ at St. John’s Episcopal Church contains 58 speaking stops and 63 ranks over three manuals and pedal. The placement of the instrument along the central axis of the nave allows for optimal sound projection while enhancing the visual impact of the chancel space, most notably as natural light from the skylights reflects off the polished zinc façade. The painted, incised hardwood case is accented with solid walnut trim and gold-leafed pipe mouths. The case also features columns that emulate the columns found throughout the nave. The layout of the organ was intended to give each division its proper musical placement while providing easy access for tuning and service. The Grand-Orgue and Pédale are situated just behind and at the top of the façade, while the expressive Récit and Positif divisions are at the mid or impost levels. This arrangement establishes a leadership role for the Grand-Orgue and Pédale in accompanying congregational singing, while the Récit and Positif, placed at a lower level, are suitable for accompanying choral literature. Set at the very top of the case is a large semicircular arch that continues the barrel vault design of the nave, and allows for full projection of the Grand-Orgue chorus. While not strictly adhering to a particular historical period, the organ, both in terms of its stoplist and tonal approach, is a synthesis of the classical and romantic styles. This synthesis emphasizes a clear, singing quality in the individual stops, while providing depth and warmth when stops are used in combination. Each division contains a complete principal chorus, characteristic flute stops and a full battery of reeds that range from the very subdued to the fiery. Those who have experienced this instrument firsthand remark on how the organ increases in fullness as more stops are drawn. The favorable, but not overly reverberant acoustic is obviously helpful in this instance. The use of Berghaus custom slider and pallet windchests for the majority of the fluework and for certain reeds allows for a natural, unforced sound that ensures favorable blending qualities and excellent tuning stability. Much of the pipework in the organ is scroll and cone tuned. Stops on slider windchests are voiced on 3¼? of wind, while the majority of the reeds are voiced on pressures that range between 3½? and 4?.
The Grand-Orgue is based on a large-scaled 8? Montre constructed from 75% tin. This stop has a rich, full, singing quality, while at the same time providing articulation and clarity to the rest of the chorus. The 8? Gambe is a soft string with moderate sizzle. When combined with the full-bodied 8? Bourdon, it creates a secondary principal-like timbre. The 8? Flute Harmonique is an open flute throughout the compass and becomes harmonic at g32. It is well suited as a blending stop in the jeux de fonds combination, or as a solo stop when required by the Romantic repertoire. The 4? Flute Octaviante is a lighter and softer alternative to the 8? Flute Harmonique. Mutations in this division are based on principal scales and constructed from 52% tin. These stops are voiced to enhance the harmonic series present in the plenum. When used in combination with the flutes, the mutations provide a lighter, brighter cornet in contrast to the Mounted Cornet. The 8? Trompette is constructed from 52% tin, and contains English tapered shallots. Since the organ has a strong solo trumpet, this Trompette was voiced to blend with the flue stops within the division. The Mounted Cornet is scaled and constructed based on the French classical school. The 8? rank is a bourdon, with subsequent ranks being open. The 13?5? rank is proportionally the largest in scale. This stop, with its compass from c13 to g56, is musically successful in literature ranging from Byrd and Buxtehude, to Couperin and DuMage. The Trompette Royale is the organ’s crowning solo reed. Voiced on 10? of wind, the stop contains resonators that are hooded for maximum projection. Overall, the Grand-Orgue sets the tone of the entire instrument. Its placement at the center of the long axis provides an ideal vantage point for strong musical leadership, particularly in accompanying congregational singing. One stop from the former instrument was used in the new instrument. A 16? mahogany Quintaton was extensively rebuilt and revoiced to add a light 16? timbre to the Grand-Orgue.
The musical demands of the Anglican service require that an instrument have a wide variety of voices and dynamic possibilities, particularly in music for choir and organ. Given this situation, entire tonal divisions were designed to work as a unified whole. The Positif Expressif is also based on an 8? Principal of 75% tin and is designed to function as a secondary chorus to the Grand-Orgue. The gentle and singing nature of these principals provides ideal color for Baroque and Renaissance literature. Because of its enclosed placement, the chorus is extremely useful in accompanying choirs and instrumental ensembles. Flute stops include an 8? Bourdon (wood) and a 4? Flûte à Fuseau. In contrast to the Grand-Orgue, the mutations of the Positif are scaled to blend well with flutes versus principals. The 22?3? Nasard relies on Koppelgedackts in its bass octave. The 2? Quarte de Nasard is essentially a hybrid stop, beginning as a light principal, than taking on a bright flute tone in the treble range. The four-rank 1? Cymbale is useful as a chorus mixture, as well as offering a bell-like timbre to lighter textures. The two reeds include a narrow-scale 8? Trompette designed to blend with the principal chorus and an 8? Cromorne, which can be used successfully in either classical or romantic repertoire.
The Récit contains a wide variety of stops, each with its own unique construction. The Salicional and Voix Celeste are small in scale and slotted to give the pair a decidedly French sound. The 8? Flûte à Cheminée features long, wide chimneys for optimal harmonic development. The 4? Flûte Conique is of the Spitzflöte variety and is made of 40% tin. Perhaps one of the most unique stops is the 2? Flûte à Bec, or Block Flute, which incorporates large-scale pipework. Another unique feature of the Récit is the ability to combine the 8? Flûte à Cheminée with the 8? Voix Celeste. The separation that exists between the two ranks provides the slow undulating pattern typically heard in flute celestes. Since an 8? Principal does not exist in this division, the five-rank, 2? Plein Jeu is designed to reinforce the 8? and 4? pitches at earlier points than generally found in typical mixture compositions. The 8? Trompette and 4? Clairon are fiery reeds in the Cavaillé-Coll style, featuring ring and nut construction and resonators of 70% tin. The 8? Hautbois is reminiscent of the English variety. The 16? Basson is voiced to add gravity to the Swell reed chorus while introducing a lighter reed character in the Pédale. The entire reed chorus is placed at the back of the expression chamber with reeds voiced on 4? of wind.
The Pédale is based on the 16? Montre located in the façade. Given the variety of independent stops of varying dynamics and timbre, the Pédale division provides unusually full support for the demands of the manual divisions. The 32? Basse Acoustique is derived from the 16? Montre (unison) and the 16? Soubasse (quint). As an alternative to the 8? Pedal Octave, the 8? Cor de Chamois (Gemshorn) is suitable for giving the 8? line a more pointed emphasis, especially in Baroque combinations. The 32? and 16? Bombarde have wood resonators for maximum fundamental.
All aspects of the organ console, including the bench and music rack, were specifically designed for this instrument. The detail associated with the console complements not only the casework but many of the features that exist within the worship space. Since the director of music at St. John’s is both organist and choirmaster, the profile of the console needed to be low enough to allow the organist to direct the choir from the console. The low-profile French terraced design is constructed from solid walnut with added walnut veneers to insure the consistency of the grain pattern. Curved terraces are made from book-matched, burled walnut and are home to the oblique-face, pau ferro drawknobs. Stops are logically laid out with plenum and major reeds to the organist’s right; flutes, strings, mutations, and minor reeds to the left. Keyboards with maple naturals and walnut sharps feature top-resistant touch for maximum responsiveness. To keep the console free of electronic clutter, the memory level, record/playback and clochette controls are contained in a swivel drawer located on the right-hand side of the console.
The blessing of the new Berghaus organ and the newly renovated chancel was presided over by Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Diocese of Washington. In attendance were representatives from the Lift High the Cross Capital Campaign, the Organ and Architectural Review committees, Kerns Group Architects, Forrester Construction, and Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders. The organ itself was dedicated on Saturday, May 10, and featured nine prominent organists from the greater Washington area.
The completion of the organ is the culmination of many years of planning, preparation, and hard work by the individuals and committees at St. John’s, as well as the organ builder, architect, and general contractor. The result of this work is a grand worship space that uniquely fits the needs of the parish, and an instrument that will serve and inspire the congregation as well as the larger community for generations to come. Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders wishes to thank all those who helped make this project possible. We wish to thank The Reverend Susan Flanders, rector; The Reverend Harrison West, associate rector; Christine Walz-Dallaire, senior warden 2006–07; Ken Lee, senior warden 2007–08; Cynthia Stroman, organ committee chair; Suzanne Welch, architectural review committee chair and project manager; Bill Fry and Richard Saltsman, co-chairs of the Lift High the Cross capital campaign committee; Mike McConihe, chancellor; Douglas Beck, former director of music ministries; Anne Timpane, director of music ministries; Brian Briggs, parish administrator; and the many parishioners who gave of their time, talent, and treasure. Berghaus also wishes to thank Tom Kerns and Koji Hirota of Kerns Group Architects and Bassem Melham, Bill Morrissette, and Will Durham of Forrester Construction.
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders also wishes to thank members of its staff for their countless hours and dedication to this project:
Brian Berghaus, president
David McCleary, director of sales and marketing
Tonal design: Jonathan Oblander, Kelly Monette
Visual design and layout: Steven Protzman
Voicing and tonal finishing: Kelly Monette, Jonathan Oblander, Mitch Blum
Construction: Stan Bujak, Chris Czopek, Steve Drexler, Jeff Hubbard, Trevor Kahlbaugh, Kurt Linstead, David Mueller, Daniel Roberts, Tim Roney, Paul Serresseque, Ron Skibbe, Jordan Smoots, Paul Symkowski, Mark Ber, Randy Watkins, Andy Schach.
Jonathan Oblander
Tonal director
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders

From the director of music ministries
In January 2007, St. John’s signed a contract with Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders to build a new instrument that would fulfill and expand the music ministry’s mission and vision:

to explore the journey of faith and life through music; unite parishioners . . . by embracing and cultivating talents and gifts . . . enliven liturgy and community, nourish the musical and creative spirit . . .; inspire the people of St. John’s . . . strengthening relationships with God and one another.

St. John’s has had a pipe organ for more than 80 years. Organ music has enhanced important events in the life of the parish, from weekly worship services, to special holiday music, to baptisms, weddings, funerals and other occasions. However, progressive structural deterioration of the existing organ had caused significant wear and damage to the instrument’s infrastructure. The organ became increasingly unreliable, and so the decision was made not only to replace the instrument but also to think creatively about the chancel’s architectural design. Taking into consideration the size of the room, the number of people that the room will accommodate, and the desired uses of the instrument, it was decided to place the new organ on the central axis of the church for optimal sound projection and flexibility within the space. Berghaus worked in conjunction with our architectural review committee to find a harmonious blend of the advantages and challenges associated with the organ placement and chancel reconfiguration. The result is our stunning new three-manual custom-made work of art.
Berghaus was chosen by our organ builder selection committee after extensive information gathering and evaluation of the proposals submitted by several prominent organ builders. Berghaus’s excellent reputation, design philosophy, and character made them the stand out choice for St. John’s. Their attention to detail, dedication to craftsmanship, and ability to work within our timeframe and cost considerations resulted in an instrument that is not a reflection of me, or Berghaus, but of St. John’s and its parishioners.
Through the generosity of our donors, the work of Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, and the talents of the guest organists who helped dedicate the instrument, we have built an instrument that will enrich our worship and give music to lift our spirits for year to come.
Anne Timpane
Director of music ministries

_________________________________________________________________________________

GRAND-ORGUE – Unenclosed – Manual I. 31?4? wind pressure
16? Quintaton 61 pipes existing, mahogany, revoiced
8? Montre 61 pipes 75% tin throughout
8? Gambe 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin
8? Flûte Harmonique 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, harmonic @ g32
8? Bourdon 61 pipes 52% tin
4? Prestant 61 pipes 52% tin
4? Flûte Octaviante 61 pipes 75% tin, harmonic @ c25
22?3? Quinte 61 pipes 52% tin
2? Doublette 61 pipes 75% tin
13?5? Tierce 61 pipes 75% tin
8? Cornet V 220 pipes 52% tin, c13–g56
11?3? Fourniture IV 244 pipes 75% tin (19-22-26-29)
8? Trompette 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
Tremblant
16? Trompette Royale 1–12 from Ped 16? Bombarde; 13–61 from 8? Trompette Royale
8? Trompette Royale 61 pipes hooded resonators, voiced on 10? wind
Clochettes 5 bells (with adjustable delay, speed, and volume)

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF – Enclosed – Manual III. 31?4? (flues) and 4? (reeds) w.p.
8? Salicional 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, slotted
8? Voix Céleste FF 56 pipes 6–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, slotted
8? Flûte à Cheminée 61 pipes 52% tin
4? Prestant 61 pipes 52% tin
4? Flûte Conique 61 pipes 40% tin
2? Flûte à Bec 61 pipes 52% tin
2? Plein Jeu V 305 pipes 75% tin (15-19-22-26-29)
16? Basson 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin, 1–18 L/2
8? Trompette 61 pipes resonators of 70% tin, parallel open shallots
8? Hautbois 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8? Voix Humaine 61 pipes resonators of 52% tin
4? Clairon 61 pipes resonators of 70% tin, parallel open shallots
Tremblant
8? Cornet V — (G.O.)
8? Trompette Royale — (G.O.)

POSITIF EXPRESSIF – Enclosed – Manual II. 31?4? wind pressure
8? Principal 61 pipes 75% tin throughout
8? Bourdon 61 pipes poplar
8? Flûte Celestes II (console preparation)
4? Octave 61 pipes 52% tin
4? Flûte à Fuseau 61 pipes 52% tin
22?3? Nasard 61 pipes 52% tin
2? Quarte de Nasard 61 pipes 52% tin
13?5? Tierce 61 pipes 52% tin
11?3? Larigot 61 pipes 52% tin
1? Cymbale IV 244 pipes 75% tin (26-29-33-36)
8? Trompette 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8? Cromorne 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
Tremblant
8? Cornet V — (G.O.)
8? Trompette Royale — (G.O.)

PÉDALE – Unenclosed. Wind pressure 31?4? except Bombarde (4?)
32? Basse Acoustique — derived from 16? Montre and 16? Soubasse
16? Contrebasse (console preparation)
16? Montre (façade) 32 pipes 1–25 polished zinc, 26–32 75% tin
16? Soubasse 32 pipes poplar
16? Quintaton — (G.O.)
8? Octave 32 pipes 75% tin throughout
8? Cor de Chamois 32 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–32 52% tin
8? Bourdon 12 pipes (extension of 16? Soubasse)
4? Basse de Choral 32 pipes 75% tin
4? Bourdon 12 pipes (extension of 16? Soubasse)
22?3? Fourniture IV 128 pipes 75% tin (12-15-19-22)
32? Contre Bombarde 12 pipes L/2 resonators of pine (extension of 16? Bombarde)
16? Bombarde 32 pipes L/1 resonators of pine
16? Basson — (Récit)
8? Trompette 32 pipes
4? Clairon 32 pipes
8? Trompette Royal — (G.O.)

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Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Bellwood, Illinois
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, Bethesda,
Chevy Chase, Maryland

From the organbuilder
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Norwood Parish, is located just minutes away from Washington National Cathedral on the border between Bethesda and Chevy Chase, Maryland. St. John’s began in 1873 as a small mission congregation in what was then rural Bethesda. By 1895, the church had been elevated to parish status within the newly formed Diocese of Washington. Throughout its history, St. John’s has been dedicated to “building community at the crossroads of faith and life.” Today, the parish continues to honor this tradition by offering beautiful, liturgically oriented worship services and by providing a wide variety of programs that minister to the diverse needs of the congregation and community.
Prior to the renovation of St. John’s 500-seat Georgian-style sanctuary, the nave presented a feeling of light-filled openness, while the deep and narrow chancel appeared both dark and restrictive. In typical fashion, choir stalls were divided on both sides of the chancel, with the high altar placed against the front wall. The existing organ consisted of three manual divisions with the Great, Swell, and Pedal installed in chambers along the east wall, and the Choir placed on the west wall. Throughout its history and despite the best intentions of the parish, the organ suffered several major incidents involving water damage. With the east wall of the chancel positioned directly beneath the bell tower, it was determined that the tower was, in fact, the root of the problem. Although the tower had previously undergone extensive renovation, water was continuing to find its way into the chambers. At the urging of then director of music Douglas Beck, an organ committee was formed and charged with the task of identifying possible solutions. The committee was also asked to investigate and recommend several organ builders. The committee also felt that it would be wise to engage an organ consultant and did so by involving Donald Sutherland from the Peabody Institute. The initial findings of the committee can be summed up in the following two recommendations. First, the repair of the existing organ would not represent a sound artistic or economic option. Second, a new instrument should not be returned to the existing chambers. Based on these parameters, the committee proceeded to identify a select group of organ builders and to ask each builder to submit their vision for an instrument that would not only meet the liturgical requirements of the parish, but allow the parish to further expand its role in offering artistic expressions of faith to the greater community.
As discussions continued relative to the placement of the organ, it became increasingly clear that installing the organ in any other area of the sanctuary would require changes to the structure of the building. It was also at this point that the clergy and many of the parishioners suggested that the parish consider a comprehensive renovation of the chancel. Given this suggestion, a second committee, called the Architectural Review Committee, was formed to oversee the process and to investigate potential architects and contractors. With the selection of Kerns Group Architects and Forrester Construction, the “ARC” noted that a final decision regarding an organ builder should be made so that all parties could work in a collaborative fashion. On the recommendation of the organ committee, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc. was selected to build the new instrument. Recognizing that the combined project including renovations to the building and the construction of a new pipe organ would require a significant financial commitment, St. John’s vestry authorized the formation of a third committee to oversee the fund raising process. The combined efforts of the Organ Committee, Architectural Review Committee, and the Capital Campaign Committee were incorporated under the theme “Enhance, Renew, Rejoice!”
Early in the process of examining the space, it was determined that placing the organ in the gallery would be difficult and limiting. The lack of height and depth would require that the entire rear portion of the church be rebuilt. There was also a great deal of concern expressed about the necessity of moving the choir to the gallery. Although some members of the parish had initially favored this approach, they quickly grasped the complexities involved and shifted their support to the possibilities represented by the chancel. Above and beyond the issue of the organ, enhancing the worship space was an important ingredient in St. John’s view that worship should involve a greater sense of community. One option was to open and enlarge the chancel, creating an inviting space for various forms of worship. Another was to bring the altar forward and install a new communion rail such that it would bring the communion experience closer to the congregation and enable more of those present to take communion at the rail. The ARC was also hopeful that natural light could find its way into the chancel so that the space would have the same warm, inviting feel currently attributed to the nave. This eventually led the architect to modify two of the former organ chambers and add skylights so that the chancel is bathed in soft, natural light. Another transforming suggestion involved moving the choir out of its traditional split arrangement and facing them towards the congregation. With the adoption of these suggestions, it was decided that the ideal placement of the new pipe organ was along the central axis of the building. The new organ would thereby occupy approximately 12 feet of the existing depth at the front of the chancel. This effectively moved the chancel forward placing parishioners, clergy, musicians, etc. in closer proximity. Obviously this change also provided the means for both music and the spoken word to be heard in a clear and full fashion.
St. John’s began its journey to rejuvenate the life of the congregation not only by overhauling the chancel and replacing the organ, but also by enhancing and renewing their relationship with the Creator. Staying close to its roots as a mission congregation, the early parish embraced a low-church form of worship. In the 1970s, under rector William A. Beal, the congregation experimented with a variety of new worship styles, including the Episcopal Church’s trial liturgies. This “new tradition” included the use of the 1979 Prayer Book. The move towards higher church expression continued into the 1980s and 1990s under Rev. Duane Stuart Alvord, and continues today under the leadership of the current rector, Rev. Susan M. Flanders, and the associate rector, Rev. Harrison West. The beautiful construction of the current worship form and the growing excellence of the music program as initially developed under the auspices of former director of music, Douglas Beck, and built upon by the current director of music, Anne Timpane, made it apparent that the new instrument would be required to provide ample support for congregational singing, but must also be an instrument that supports the Anglican choral repertoire. The organ committee’s visits to a wide variety of instruments across the full spectrum of builders pointed to the fact that the parish desired an instrument of great breadth of tone and timbre, with a sound that would fill the space, but not entirely overpower it. It was also important that the organ contain the subtle stops necessary to accompany children’s choirs while having the ability to uphold the congregation with a sense of majesty and power. However, it was also the desire of the former director of music that the instrument should be French-inspired, both in its specification and in its appearance. Given the design of the building, we chose to represent the visual aspect of this request in the design of the console.
The new Berghaus pipe organ at St. John’s Episcopal Church contains 58 speaking stops and 63 ranks over three manuals and pedal. The placement of the instrument along the central axis of the nave allows for optimal sound projection while enhancing the visual impact of the chancel space, most notably as natural light from the skylights reflects off the polished zinc façade. The painted, incised hardwood case is accented with solid walnut trim and gold-leafed pipe mouths. The case also features columns that emulate the columns found throughout the nave. The layout of the organ was intended to give each division its proper musical placement while providing easy access for tuning and service. The Grand-Orgue and Pédale are situated just behind and at the top of the façade, while the expressive Récit and Positif divisions are at the mid or impost levels. This arrangement establishes a leadership role for the Grand-Orgue and Pédale in accompanying congregational singing, while the Récit and Positif, placed at a lower level, are suitable for accompanying choral literature. Set at the very top of the case is a large semicircular arch that continues the barrel vault design of the nave, and allows for full projection of the Grand-Orgue chorus. While not strictly adhering to a particular historical period, the organ, both in terms of its stoplist and tonal approach, is a synthesis of the classical and romantic styles. This synthesis emphasizes a clear, singing quality in the individual stops, while providing depth and warmth when stops are used in combination. Each division contains a complete principal chorus, characteristic flute stops and a full battery of reeds that range from the very subdued to the fiery. Those who have experienced this instrument firsthand remark on how the organ increases in fullness as more stops are drawn. The favorable, but not overly reverberant acoustic is obviously helpful in this instance. The use of Berghaus custom slider and pallet windchests for the majority of the fluework and for certain reeds allows for a natural, unforced sound that ensures favorable blending qualities and excellent tuning stability. Much of the pipework in the organ is scroll and cone tuned. Stops on slider windchests are voiced on 3¼' of wind, while the majority of the reeds are voiced on pressures that range between 3½' and 4'.
The Grand-Orgue is based on a large-scaled 8' Montre constructed from 75% tin. This stop has a rich, full, singing quality, while at the same time providing articulation and clarity to the rest of the chorus. The 8' Gambe is a soft string with moderate sizzle. When combined with the full-bodied 8' Bourdon, it creates a secondary principal-like timbre. The 8' Flute Harmonique is an open flute throughout the compass and becomes harmonic at g32. It is well suited as a blending stop in the jeux de fonds combination, or as a solo stop when required by the Romantic repertoire. The 4' Flute Octaviante is a lighter and softer alternative to the 8' Flute Harmonique. Mutations in this division are based on principal scales and constructed from 52% tin. These stops are voiced to enhance the harmonic series present in the plenum. When used in combination with the flutes, the mutations provide a lighter, brighter cornet in contrast to the Mounted Cornet. The 8' Trompette is constructed from 52% tin, and contains English tapered shallots. Since the organ has a strong solo trumpet, this Trompette was voiced to blend with the flue stops within the division. The Mounted Cornet is scaled and constructed based on the French classical school. The 8' rank is a bourdon, with subsequent ranks being open. The 13'5' rank is proportionally the largest in scale. This stop, with its compass from c13 to g56, is musically successful in literature ranging from Byrd and Buxtehude, to Couperin and DuMage. The Trompette Royale is the organ’s crowning solo reed. Voiced on 10' of wind, the stop contains resonators that are hooded for maximum projection. Overall, the Grand-Orgue sets the tone of the entire instrument. Its placement at the center of the long axis provides an ideal vantage point for strong musical leadership, particularly in accompanying congregational singing. One stop from the former instrument was used in the new instrument. A 16' mahogany Quintaton was extensively rebuilt and revoiced to add a light 16' timbre to the Grand-Orgue.
The musical demands of the Anglican service require that an instrument have a wide variety of voices and dynamic possibilities, particularly in music for choir and organ. Given this situation, entire tonal divisions were designed to work as a unified whole. The Positif Expressif is also based on an 8' Principal of 75% tin and is designed to function as a secondary chorus to the Grand-Orgue. The gentle and singing nature of these principals provides ideal color for Baroque and Renaissance literature. Because of its enclosed placement, the chorus is extremely useful in accompanying choirs and instrumental ensembles. Flute stops include an 8' Bourdon (wood) and a 4' Flûte à Fuseau. In contrast to the Grand-Orgue, the mutations of the Positif are scaled to blend well with flutes versus principals. The 22'3' Nasard relies on Koppelgedackts in its bass octave. The 2' Quarte de Nasard is essentially a hybrid stop, beginning as a light principal, than taking on a bright flute tone in the treble range. The four-rank 1' Cymbale is useful as a chorus mixture, as well as offering a bell-like timbre to lighter textures. The two reeds include a narrow-scale 8' Trompette designed to blend with the principal chorus and an 8' Cromorne, which can be used successfully in either classical or romantic repertoire.
The Récit contains a wide variety of stops, each with its own unique construction. The Salicional and Voix Celeste are small in scale and slotted to give the pair a decidedly French sound. The 8' Flûte à Cheminée features long, wide chimneys for optimal harmonic development. The 4' Flûte Conique is of the Spitzflöte variety and is made of 40% tin. Perhaps one of the most unique stops is the 2' Flûte à Bec, or Block Flute, which incorporates large-scale pipework. Another unique feature of the Récit is the ability to combine the 8' Flûte à Cheminée with the 8' Voix Celeste. The separation that exists between the two ranks provides the slow undulating pattern typically heard in flute celestes. Since an 8' Principal does not exist in this division, the five-rank, 2' Plein Jeu is designed to reinforce the 8' and 4' pitches at earlier points than generally found in typical mixture compositions. The 8' Trompette and 4' Clairon are fiery reeds in the Cavaillé-Coll style, featuring ring and nut construction and resonators of 70% tin. The 8' Hautbois is reminiscent of the English variety. The 16' Basson is voiced to add gravity to the Swell reed chorus while introducing a lighter reed character in the Pédale. The entire reed chorus is placed at the back of the expression chamber with reeds voiced on 4' of wind.
The Pédale is based on the 16' Montre located in the façade. Given the variety of independent stops of varying dynamics and timbre, the Pédale division provides unusually full support for the demands of the manual divisions. The 32' Basse Acoustique is derived from the 16' Montre (unison) and the 16' Soubasse (quint). As an alternative to the 8' Pedal Octave, the 8' Cor de Chamois (Gemshorn) is suitable for giving the 8' line a more pointed emphasis, especially in Baroque combinations. The 32' and 16' Bombarde have wood resonators for maximum fundamental.
All aspects of the organ console, including the bench and music rack, were specifically designed for this instrument. The detail associated with the console complements not only the casework but many of the features that exist within the worship space. Since the director of music at St. John’s is both organist and choirmaster, the profile of the console needed to be low enough to allow the organist to direct the choir from the console. The low-profile French terraced design is constructed from solid walnut with added walnut veneers to insure the consistency of the grain pattern. Curved terraces are made from book-matched, burled walnut and are home to the oblique-face, pau ferro drawknobs. Stops are logically laid out with plenum and major reeds to the organist’s right; flutes, strings, mutations, and minor reeds to the left. Keyboards with maple naturals and walnut sharps feature top-resistant touch for maximum responsiveness. To keep the console free of electronic clutter, the memory level, record/playback and clochette controls are contained in a swivel drawer located on the right-hand side of the console.
The blessing of the new Berghaus organ and the newly renovated chancel was presided over by Bishop John Bryson Chane of the Diocese of Washington. In attendance were representatives from the Lift High the Cross Capital Campaign, the Organ and Architectural Review committees, Kerns Group Architects, Forrester Construction, and Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders. The organ itself was dedicated on Saturday, May 10, and featured nine prominent organists from the greater Washington area.
The completion of the organ is the culmination of many years of planning, preparation, and hard work by the individuals and committees at St. John’s, as well as the organ builder, architect, and general contractor. The result of this work is a grand worship space that uniquely fits the needs of the parish, and an instrument that will serve and inspire the congregation as well as the larger community for generations to come. Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders wishes to thank all those who helped make this project possible. We wish to thank The Reverend Susan Flanders, rector; The Reverend Harrison West, associate rector; Christine Walz-Dallaire, senior warden 2006–07; Ken Lee, senior warden 2007–08; Cynthia Stroman, organ committee chair; Suzanne Welch, architectural review committee chair and project manager; Bill Fry and Richard Saltsman, co-chairs of the Lift High the Cross capital campaign committee; Mike McConihe, chancellor; Douglas Beck, former director of music ministries; Anne Timpane, director of music ministries; Brian Briggs, parish administrator; and the many parishioners who gave of their time, talent, and treasure. Berghaus also wishes to thank Tom Kerns and Koji Hirota of Kerns Group Architects and Bassem Melham, Bill Morrissette, and Will Durham of Forrester Construction.
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders also wishes to thank members of its staff for their countless hours and dedication to this project:
Brian Berghaus, president
David McCleary, director of sales and marketing
Tonal design: Jonathan Oblander, Kelly Monette
Visual design and layout: Steven Protzman
Voicing and tonal finishing: Kelly Monette, Jonathan Oblander, Mitch Blum
Construction: Stan Bujak, Chris Czopek, Steve Drexler, Jeff Hubbard, Trevor Kahlbaugh, Kurt Linstead, David Mueller, Daniel Roberts, Tim Roney, Paul Serresseque, Ron Skibbe, Jordan Smoots, Paul Symkowski, Mark Ber, Randy Watkins, Andy Schach.
—Jonathan Oblander
Tonal director
Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders

From the director of music ministries
In January 2007, St. John’s signed a contract with Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders to build a new instrument that would fulfill and expand the music ministry’s mission and vision:

to explore the journey of faith and life through music; unite parishioners . . . by embracing and cultivating talents and gifts . . . enliven liturgy and community, nourish the musical and creative spirit . . .; inspire the people of St. John’s . . . strengthening relationships with God and one another.

St. John’s has had a pipe organ for more than 80 years. Organ music has enhanced important events in the life of the parish, from weekly worship services, to special holiday music, to baptisms, weddings, funerals and other occasions. However, progressive structural deterioration of the existing organ had caused significant wear and damage to the instrument’s infrastructure. The organ became increasingly unreliable, and so the decision was made not only to replace the instrument but also to think creatively about the chancel’s architectural design. Taking into consideration the size of the room, the number of people that the room will accommodate, and the desired uses of the instrument, it was decided to place the new organ on the central axis of the church for optimal sound projection and flexibility within the space. Berghaus worked in conjunction with our architectural review committee to find a harmonious blend of the advantages and challenges associated with the organ placement and chancel reconfiguration. The result is our stunning new three-manual custom-made work of art.
Berghaus was chosen by our organ builder selection committee after extensive information gathering and evaluation of the proposals submitted by several prominent organ builders. Berghaus’s excellent reputation, design philosophy, and character made them the stand out choice for St. John’s. Their attention to detail, dedication to craftsmanship, and ability to work within our timeframe and cost considerations resulted in an instrument that is not a reflection of me, or Berghaus, but of St. John’s and its parishioners.
Through the generosity of our donors, the work of Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, and the talents of the guest organists who helped dedicate the instrument, we have built an instrument that will enrich our worship and give music to lift our spirits for year to come.
Anne Timpane
Director of music ministries

GRAND-ORGUE – Unenclosed – Manual I. 31'4' wind pressure
16' Quintaton 61 pipes existing, mahogany, revoiced
8' Montre 61 pipes 75% tin throughout
8' Gambe 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin
8' Flûte Harmonique 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, harmonic @ g32
8' Bourdon 61 pipes 52% tin
4' Prestant 61 pipes 52% tin
4' Flûte Octaviante 61 pipes 75% tin, harmonic @ c25
22'3' Quinte 61 pipes 52% tin
2' Doublette 61 pipes 75% tin
13'5' Tierce 61 pipes 75% tin
8' Cornet V 220 pipes 52% tin, c13–g56
11'3' Fourniture IV 244 pipes 75% tin (19-22-26-29)
8' Trompette 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
Tremblant
16' Trompette Royale 1–12 from Ped 16' Bombarde; 13–61 from 8' Trompette Royale
8' Trompette Royale 61 pipes hooded resonators, voiced on 10' wind
Clochettes 5 bells (with adjustable delay, speed, and volume)

RÉCIT EXPRESSIF – Enclosed – Manual III. 31'4' (flues) and 4' (reeds) w.p.
8' Salicional 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, slotted
8' Voix Céleste FF 56 pipes 6–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin, slotted
8' Flûte à Cheminée 61 pipes 52% tin
4' Prestant 61 pipes 52% tin
4' Flûte Conique 61 pipes 40% tin
2' Flûte à Bec 61 pipes 52% tin
2' Plein Jeu V 305 pipes 75% tin (15-19-22-26-29)
16' Basson 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin, 1–18 L/2
8' Trompette 61 pipes resonators of 70% tin, parallel open shallots
8' Hautbois 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8' Voix Humaine 61 pipes resonators of 52% tin
4' Clairon 61 pipes resonators of 70% tin, parallel open shallots
Tremblant
8' Cornet V — (G.O.)
8' Trompette Royale — (G.O.)

POSITIF EXPRESSIF – Enclosed – Manual II. 31'4' wind pressure
8' Principal 61 pipes 75% tin throughout
8' Bourdon 61 pipes poplar
8' Flûte Celestes II (console preparation)
4' Octave 61 pipes 52% tin
4' Flûte à Fuseau 61 pipes 52% tin
22'3' Nasard 61 pipes 52% tin
2' Quarte de Nasard 61 pipes 52% tin
13'5' Tierce 61 pipes 52% tin
11'3' Larigot 61 pipes 52% tin
1' Cymbale IV 244 pipes 75% tin (26-29-33-36)
8' Trompette 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
8' Cromorne 61 pipes resonators of zinc and 52% tin
Tremblant
8' Cornet V — (G.O.)
8' Trompette Royale — (G.O.)

PÉDALE – Unenclosed. Wind pressure 31'4' except Bombarde (4')
32' Basse Acoustique — derived from 16' Montre and 16' Soubasse
16' Contrebasse (console preparation)
16' Montre (façade) 32 pipes 1–25 polished zinc, 26–32 75% tin
16' Soubasse 32 pipes poplar
16' Quintaton — (G.O.)
8' Octave 32 pipes 75% tin throughout
8' Cor de Chamois 32 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–32 52% tin
8' Bourdon 12 pipes (extension of 16' Soubasse)
4' Basse de Choral 32 pipes 75% tin
4' Bourdon 12 pipes (extension of 16' Soubasse)
22'3' Fourniture IV 128 pipes 75% tin (12-15-19-22)
32' Contre Bombarde 12 pipes L/2 resonators of pine (extension of 16' Bombarde)
16' Bombarde 32 pipes L/1 resonators of pine
16' Basson — (Récit)
8' Trompette 32 pipes
4' Clairon 32 pipes
8' Trompette Royal — (G.O.)

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Russell & Co. Organ Builders,
Chester, Vermont
First Presbyterian Church, Ithaca, New York

From the builder
The term magnum opus is often used in the organbuilding trade to denote the apotheosis of an organbuilder’s career. It is an impressive expression, and the organs that receive such an accolade are usually equally impressive. It is interesting to note, however, that the distinction of magnum opus can be an ephemeral one. What a builder thinks of as his ‘biggest and best’ may be eclipsed just a few years later with an opus magnum novum. In any event, at the outset of a project an organbuilder has termed his magnum opus, he inevitably approaches the creation of the instrument with great reverence and dedication. When we received the contract to build our opus 47 for First Presbyterian Church in Ithaca, New York, we knew this would be our magnum opus and, regardless of whether a grander organ would leave our shop in years to come, took on the project in this way, making no little plans to design and build a pipe organ worthy of this special moniker.
First Presbyterian is a grand Romanesque stone structure built in 1894 and located in the heart of downtown Ithaca. The sanctuary seats 500 under a high barrel vault, coffered and richly ornamented with plaster florets. The church enjoys a large, vibrant congregation and an equally active music program, including a sizable adult choir, children’s choir, and handbell choir. In conjunction with the organ project, the sanctuary was renovated to remedy the less-than-desirable acoustics. Previously, the entire floor of the room was carpeted, and the pews were cushioned in heavy velvet. A completely new ceramic tile floor, new and less-absorbent seat cushions, hardened wall surfaces, and a new rear wall designed to reflect sound randomly all contribute to a lively and supportive acoustic, approaching three seconds of reverberation.
The preceding instrument began its life in 1901 as Austin’s opus 39—a three-manual instrument of 47 ranks, including a five-rank Echo organ added in 1930. The organ was installed in the front of the church behind a handsome white oak case crowned with a magnificent central tower rising nearly the full height of the sanctuary. Designed in traditional early 20th-century style, the organ contained the typical myriad of foundation stops, with sparse trimmings of upperwork, undergirded by an ample and satisfying pedal department. Sixty-five years later, Austin was called to rebuild the organ in keeping with the tonal thinking of the day. The result was completely new pipework typical of late 1960s construction and voicing; the Echo organ, thanks to the organist, Dorothy Arnold, was retained and unchanged. With many manual stops sharing common basses, and the pedal division largely borrowed from the manuals, there was little foundation tone. The scaling of the new pipework exacerbated this condition, with halving ratios that resulted in a thin bass and a treble ascendancy unwelcome in so dry a room. The impressive 16¢ and 8¢ 1901 façade was completely replaced by much narrower-scaled pipes with English bay mouths, leaving large, odd-looking gaps between the pipes.
By the 1990s, the organ proved to be inadequate for the many demands the church’s music program placed upon it. Mounting mechanical problems toward the end of the decade that rendered the instrument increasingly unreliable led the church’s organist, George Damp, and the director of music, Larry Doebler, to realize that a completely new instrument was needed to correct the tonal inadequacies of the existing instrument and to fill the needs of the extensive music program. The church named John Schwandt as consultant on the project. Dr. Schwandt recommended requesting proposals from lesser-known builders of high quality. After a national search, Russell & Co. of Chester, Vermont was selected in late 2002 to build the new organ.
A profusion of new romantic organs in recent years, as well as a renewed reverence and interest in the work of early 20th-century American builders, specifically Skinner, was the milieu for the design and construction of this instrument. While Russell & Co. have built several large instruments along French romantic lines, an American romantic/ symphonic organ presented a new challenge: how to take all the lessons learned from our previous instruments, combine them with a century of progress in American organbuilding, and produce an organ capable of accompanying congregational song, playing choral and orchestral literature, and still be able to play the solo organ repertoire, all the while staying true to a ‘symphonic’ ideal.
This challenge was met valiantly with an effective partnership between our firm and George Damp. Having spent all his professional life as an organist, teacher, and church musician, George brought years of experience and a clear idea of what he wanted to the drawing board—a grand, large-scale organ that would make Ernest Skinner proud, but would also not disappoint the likes of G. Donald Harrison. While orchestral voices and ensembles were of great importance, so too was the presence of well-developed and blended choruses in each division.
Our initial proposal was for a three-manual organ with a separately enclosed Solo and Choir sharing one manual. However, during our early discussions with the church music staff, it became clear that to fill all the demands placed upon it, a significantly larger, four-manual instrument would be better suited and would eliminate several reluctant compromises in the original design. Having completed the rebuild of a four-manual Æolian-Skinner, opus 1433, for First Unitarian Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the building of a new, large three-manual French romantic organ for the Cathedral of St. Paul, also in Worcester, we felt ready to tackle our first new four-manual organ. During the selection process, George visited Worcester’s First Baptist Church, home to a rebuilt Reuter for which we constructed a new, large four-manual Skinner-style console. Skinner consoles have long been renowned for their visual elegance, impeccable craftsmanship, and intuitive and comfortable ergonomics. It was agreed First Presbyterian should possess such a console to complement the new organ.
First Presbyterian has long been host to performances of choral and chamber music by numerous local ensembles, and the acoustical renovation that preceded the organ installation only made the space more attractive for outside groups’ use. Knowing this, we included in the initial proposal a small division designed for use as a continuo organ at chancel level. George was hesitant at first—it seemed like a water and oil situation to have such a division included in a grand romantic organ. However, with a large, higher-pressure instrument as the main organ, George and Larry Doebler agreed that it would be futile to attempt to use it in continuo playing, and not only agreed to the division’s inclusion, but encouraged its enlargement. What started out as a small five-stop division grew into a full-fledged low-pressure Positiv, complete with a Sesquialtera and a very gently voiced four-rank Scharff. Its elegant case makes use of the crown and columns of the large throne chair that used to sit in the middle of the chancel, blending the case with the rest of the chancel decoration.
While spacious, the two front organ chambers had previously housed 47 ranks of pipes, including a very small pedal division. One of the project’s greatest challenges was to make 79 ranks of pipes fit in these same chambers—including a large-scale independent pedal division with three 32' stops—while maintaining easy access to each pipe and mechanism. After much experimenting in the forgiving world of computer-aided design, a layout that achieved both of these goals was reached. Aside from the Antiphonal and Positiv, the entire instrument is installed behind the organ case, with the Great, Solo and Choir divisions to the congregation’s left, and the Swell and Pedal on the right. There is no ceiling over these chambers, allowing for a great deal of sound to ascend into the barrel vault over the chancel, creating a wonderful blending chamber of sorts, which then projects the sound well into the room. Even from the center of the chancel, it is difficult to tell from which side sounds are coming.
The Antiphonal organ is located high up in the right rear corner of the sanctuary. The Antiphonal Swell division, consisting of the original Echo organ with two additions, is housed in the former Echo organ chamber. The two stops of the Antiphonal Great sit on a newly constructed ledge in front of the chamber, with the pipes from the 8' Prestant forming a simple and elegant façade.
The console constructed for opus 47 models the console at First Baptist in Worcester. Built of quarter-sawn red oak and walnut with a hand-rubbed oil and stain finish, it complements the elegance of the renovated sanctuary and restored organ case. With manual keys of 10th-cut ivory and ebony, and pedals of maple and ebony, the console immediately has a luxurious tactile feel. Through many consultations with George as well as with the organists working in our own shop, the selection and layout of controls were designed to be as intuitive to the player as possible. The stopjamb layout takes its cue from the tall consoles of English cathedrals; this provides the vertical space to lay out the complete choruses of each division in one line, making drawing every plenum quick and straightforward. Though a complete list of playing aids and mechanicals accompanies the specification, several are worth noting here. With the choral accompanist in mind, the Swell is provided with ten divisional pistons, and pedal-to-manual combination couplers with discrete memories are available on each division. A 99-level combination action is included with 16 general pistons and a sequencer; additionally, each piston can be easily modified as to which stops it affects, releasing the player from the distinction and restraints of divisional and general pistons. Divisional cancels are also provided by pushing the division nameplate on the stopjamb.
The key and stop action throughout the instrument is electro-pneumatic, a departure from our usual practice of employing slider and pallet chests. The chests are modeled on late 1960s Aeolian-Skinner pitman chests, with several of our own modifications. Even the Positiv, speaking on 23⁄4" pressure, plays on a pitman chest and works beautifully, resulting in quick and desirable pipe speech, ideal for its anticipated continuo use.
A design goal from the outset of the project was to make the organ large enough to have four complete manual divisions (seven, including the Positiv and Antiphonal Great and Swell), but to keep costs manageable, all the while not sacrificing quality. To this end, we looked to the existing Austin pipework, all having been new (with the exception of the Echo) in 1969, to see what might be reused in the new organ. While hard to believe this neo-baroque pipework could blend its way into an American romantic organ, we found much of the pipework was well constructed and cut up low enough to permit its successful rescaling and revoicing in a very different style.
Of the 40 completely new ranks of pipes added to the organ, all new choruses and flutes are constructed of 94% lead alloy, a practice we have long employed, allowing our voicers to achieve a degree of tonal superiority unattainable with the use of lighter, higher tin content alloys. In general, this allows the 8¢ line to be weighty and warm, progressing through a velvety chorus to light and silvery upperwork—all mixtures in the organ are also of the same high-lead content. The epitome of this construction and voicing style is the 8¢ Montre on the Great, a 42-scale Diapason more English than French, despite its name. Being placed outside the Great expression box, the Montre’s tone is commanding, warm and strong, and is paired with the enclosed 44-scale 8' Principal for lighter choruses. True to the design objective, choruses through at least 4¢ were provided in the three main manual divisions (Great, Swell, Choir), resulting in three very independent divisions that terrace and blend successfully for the performance of French literature. With the old Great 8' Principal revoiced as the Swell Diapason, and the 45-scale English Diapason in the Choir of special variable scale, the five combined 8' Diapasons create a rich, singing tone that serves as a lush solo color, as well as the basis for the aforementioned well-blended choruses.
One of the hallmarks of an American symphonic organ is the abundance of orchestral reeds, so carefully developed by the likes of Skinner a century ago. Fittingly, opus 47 has a delicious array of imitative stops spread out amid the manual divisions. The demand for these stops allowed us to use several ranks we had been storing in our stockroom for many years while the popular organ style called for very different reed stops. In the Choir division, the Clarinet finds its traditional home, and comes to Ithaca as a restored Johnson Bell Clarinet. In our study of early 20th-century American organs, a common finding was that the Choir division, while potentially having enough foundation tone, nearly always lacked the trumpet-class reed timbre to assert itself against the Swell organ. In this light, the second Choir reed deserves special note as an unusual stop, even in this age of rediscovered orchestral sounds. The 8' Waldhorn uses restored Aeolian pipes from the Higgins estate in Worcester, Massachusetts. This medium-scaled, capped trumpet is not quite a French Horn, and not quite a Trumpet, but something in between. It has a chameleon-like quality in that it is a beautiful and haunting solo voice, but when drawn with the full Choir, it acts as a chorus reed, giving the Choir a definite presence amidst full organ.
Two new reeds, the English Horn in the Solo, and the Orchestral Oboe in the Antiphonal Swell, were beautifully voiced by Chris Broome, turning out exactly as we had wanted them, and possessing striking imitative qualities.
For climactic moments in both repertoire and accompaniments, two solo chorus reeds are provided in the Solo division. The enclosed Tuba Mirabilis has harmonic resonators from tenor F# and is voiced on 15" pressure, providing the traditional dark, smooth and powerful tone suggested by its name. The 8' Silver Trumpet, played on 10" pressure, serves to contrast with the Tuba for a different effect. Envisioned in the same manner as the Solo Trumpet Harmonique at Yale’s Woolsey Hall, the pipes are constructed with French shallots and placed outside the Solo enclosure, yielding a brighter and brassier tone. While neither stop is oppressively loud, when combined they yield a tone of refined power that can top full organ with single notes.
Another criterion from early on in the project was to have a profusion of string stops of varying power and brightness to enable a truly orchestral string crescendo from pp to ff. While there are the usual strings sprinkled throughout the Choir and Swell, the Solo strings truly cap the string chorus, possessing incredible intensity and brilliance. Although the Solo was originally designed with one pair, the discovery of two ranks of Skinner orchestral strings in our stockroom led to the addition of a second set to be the pinnacle of the string chorus. Voicer Ted Gilbert worked wonders with these two pairs—the Gamba is the quieter of the two, possessing an almost woody quality, whereas the Cello represents the extreme limit of bright, powerful, shimmering string voicing. Twelve ranks of string or undulating tone in the organ, from the Swell Flauto Dolce through the Solo Cello, provide a seamless powerful crescendo, made even more effective with the use of double expression in the Solo.
No symphonic organ is complete without an expression system that can fully restrain the power of the instrument and instantly change the dynamic of the stops drawn. To this end, no fewer than six Skinner-replica whiffletree expression motors are used in this organ. While the Swell, Choir, and Antiphonal Swell are enclosed and expressive as expected, the Solo and Great warrant description of their expressive capabilities. From the outset, we had designed the Great to be partially enclosed, mainly the reeds and upperwork. Additionally, the Solo was to speak through its own shades into the Great box, providing the division with the aforementioned double expression.
The Great organ’s expressive capabilities were expanded early on with the decision to enclose the entire division with the exception of the 8' Montre and 16' Principal. Through careful scaling and voicing, the division doesn’t suffer its enclosure with the shades open, and contains the tonal resources necessary to lead enthusiastic congregational singing with all 500 seats filled, as well as serving its traditional role in the performance of organ literature. However, with the added benefit of 16-stage expression, these same tonal resources can be manipulated to match any congregation size, as well as provide another enclosed division of power for choral accompaniment.
At the same time, to give the Solo and Great more independence from each other, we added a second set of shades to the Solo, allowing the division to speak directly into the chancel. This provides the Solo division with a third expressive option. As installed, the Solo swell box is behind the Great box and four feet higher. The primary Solo shades open into the Great, with the Solo chancel shades being at the very top of the Solo box, four feet high, and opening directly into the room. While giving an acceptable dynamic range, these smaller shades provide an enormous timbral range, noticed especially with the strings. With the full Solo string chorus playing and the main Solo shades open, the full weight of the 8' stops comes through—one can almost hear bows drawn across the strings. However, when the upper shades open, the full range of upper harmonics from these stops erupts from the box, filling out the sound just when you thought it couldn’t be any brighter and more sonorous.
The control of all these expression options is met with four swell shoes, including the crescendo shoe. The Solo shoe normally controls the chancel shades. However, when the “Solo Double Expression” drawknob is drawn, the Solo shoe operates both sets of Solo shades, as well as the Great shades, in a set sequence to give the maximum crescendo possible. Additionally, a second drawknob closes the Solo chancel shades should that be desired, and sets the Solo shoe to control only the main Solo shades. The Great and Antiphonal Swell expression functions are independently assignable to any shoe, including crescendo. When not assigned, the shades default to a position settable by the organist. Harris Precision Products retrofitted two of their standard drawknob units with potentiometers to set these defaults, and thus these controls are seamlessly integrated into the console via rotating drawknobs. All Swells to Swell is provided to afford simple control over the entire dynamic range of the organ, and indicators are provided below the coupler rail to show the position of each set of shades.
The use of such sophisticated expression functions allows the organist to present the full dynamic range of the orchestra, and the use of the smaller Solo chancel shades allows for the ultimate in dynamic and timbral expression, a feature unique to this organ, and one we hope to further develop and use in subsequent installations.
To complement the varied and colorful manual divisions, a large, independent Pedal division affords the appropriate bass sonority for whatever registration is drawn on the manuals. Consisting of eleven independent ranks and 29 stops, the Pedal organ is augmented by judicious borrowing from the manuals. Four 32' stops are provided to underpin the instrument and provide a true feeling of gravitas. From the initial planning phases of the project, it was made clear that no digital voices were to be used in the organ; thus, all 32' stops play real pipes, or are derived. The Bourdon, of generous scale, is voiced gently for use with the softest registrations, but with enough quint in its tone to be made stronger as more pedal stops are added. The 32' Principal, an extension of the 16¢, uses Haskell pipes to GGGG#, the rest of the 32' octave being a resultant. The full-length 32' Contra Posaune, also masterfully voiced by Chris Broome, gives plenty of weight and power to full organ, but without being brash or rattling. For a ‘second’ 32' reed, the Harmonics is a 102⁄3' cornet, derived from the Great 16' Double Trumpet and 16' Gemshorn, giving the semblance of 32' reed tone underneath smaller tutti registrations.
With the added features of sophisticated expression, as well as the inclusion of more fully developed choruses, First Presbyterian’s instrument represents a logical and successful extension and merging of the two dominant styles of 20th-century American organbuilding: the symphonic and American classic schools. The instrument serves as a platform for the successful performance of a wide body of organ literature, as well as fulfilling its accompanimental roles. In its design, construction, voicing and tonal finishing, we feel truly proud to call this instrument our magnum opus, regardless of what instruments leave our shop in years to come, and thank First Presbyterian for the opportunity to set our sights high and build an organ we have so long dreamed of creating. We therefore commend this instrument to the glory of God and the people of First Presbyterian Church as a product of our finest craftsmanship. May it long bring joy and inspiration to those who hear and play it, just as it has inspired us as organbuilders in its creation.
Those working on the project included: Stephen Russell, David Gordon, Gail Grandmont, Carole Russell, Theodore Gilbert, Jonathan Ortloff, Larry Chace, Frank Thompson, Matthew Russell, Peter Walker, Allan Taylor, Eric Johansson, and Andrew Lawrence.
—Jonathan Ortloff

From the organist
Now in my fifth decade of deep affection for the pipe organ, its music, and its role in worship, I am brought to this point of extraordinary magnificence in the creation of the opus 47 Russell & Co. organ. During these five decades, I have witnessed many trends and fads in organbuilding. The commitment of this church to the pipe organ as its primary medium for the leading of congregational song is all the more inspiring to me.
This instrument transcends the fads of recent decades. The organ/sanctuary committee, formed by this church in the fall of 2000 and guided by our organ consultant, John Schwandt, selected several organbuilders to consider for the project. This committee authorized my colleague Larry Doebler and me to travel far and wide to experience the work of the builders we had selected as finalists, each of whom subsequently visited the church to inspect the sanctuary space and existing organ. In the end, we all had no doubt that Russell & Co. was the appropriate choice for us.
While we were confident that our new organ would be very fine indeed, we could not have anticipated the level of magnificence that has been achieved here by Stephen Russell and his colleagues. In my 50 years of playing pipe organs, I have never been privileged to play an organ so elegant, expressive and versatile as this one. The word synergy is one that I have never before been comfortable using. This powerful word, meaning “combined or cooperative action or force,” is the perfect term to describe the wondrous emergence and continuing presence of this organ. Beginning with the collective sharing of the original committee, the guidance of Anita Cummings, pastor of this church at the outset of the project, the beneficence of Mrs. Dorothy Park, church member and donor of funds for this organ, the courage and vision of church members to undertake and fund the acoustical transformation of the sanctuary from sonically “dead” to vibrant and moderately reverberant, and the mutual respect and creative sharing of organbuilder, consultant and resident organist, have resulted in the ultimate synergy: the harmonious blending of thought, craft, sound and space that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
I offer gratitude and the highest of commendations to master organbuilder/voicer, Stephen Russell, his dedicated staff, and the many others who have had a hand in the three-year process of the emergence of opus 47!
—George Edward Damp

From the church
The history of our new Russell organ begins with the construction of our current sanctuary in 1894. In 1901, the Austin Company installed our first permanent organ (the oak façade that currently supports the visible organ pipes behind the choir is part of that original installation). In 1930, the Echo organ (above the southwest entrance to the sanctuary) was added. In 1969, Austin built a completely new organ in the chancel, one typical of that period—an instrument that, with its sheer power and rough voicing, overwhelmed our beautiful, but acoustically rather dead, sanctuary.
Problems with the Austin organ started to appear in the early 1990s. Minor problems continued to occur, and it was clear that something needed to be done. An organ/sanctuary committee was formed that, early in its existence, possessed the keen insight that the sanctuary itself was a part of the organ (the box that the organ’s voice is dispersed into), and that any renovations to the organ must be accomplished within the acoustical framework of the sanctuary.
As a result, the committee hired an organ consultant, John Schwandt, and an acoustical consultant, Scott Riedel, to guide them through the decision-making process of repairing our organ. Each made an initial, individual presentation to the committee, but most memorable was their joint participation in a lengthy “town meeting” with the committee and members of the congregation. The meeting ended with a focus for the project—to improve our worship experience by enhancing both music and the spoken word through renovations to both the organ and the sanctuary.
Early on in this process, then-pastor Anita Cummings and organist George Damp approached Mrs. Dorothy Park with the invitation to become a supporter of this exciting adventure for the church. After several subsequent discussions, Mrs. Park indicated that the church deserved the finest organ created by the finest builder, and that she would cover the cost of the organ if the congregation would pay for the acoustical renovations.
A clear consensus decided that Stephen Russell was the right person to build the new organ. At the same time, Schickel Architecture of Ithaca was selected to design the renovations to the sanctuary. Several significant changes to the sanctuary were implemented to improve the acoustical environment. Certainly the most outstanding component of the sanctuary renovations is the reconstruction of the rear wall of the sanctuary. Its subtle sunburst pattern surrounding a high circular window is both extremely pleasing to the eye as well as functional in randomly scattering sound.
Suffice it to say, every aspect of the organ, from its general layout to the voicing of each individual pipe (all 5,000 of them) was accomplished with the unique features of our sanctuary in mind. The outcome is truly a gift for the ages, something that First Presbyterian Church can share with Ithaca and the surrounding area for decades to come. One can only hope that the generosity of Mrs. Park and the efforts of those involved in this project will be more than repaid by the joy and exhilaration shared by all those who experience our wonderful new organ.
—Tom Owens,
Elder and member of session,
First Presbyterian Church

From the consultant
It is a privilege to offer a few words regarding Russell & Co. opus 47. In a world that so desperately hungers for and needs beauty, it is satisfying to have been a part of a long process that has ultimately yielded a thing of great beauty that will inspire the generations yet to come.
My primary involvement in this project occurred before contract-signing. It is my fervent belief that consultants should provide general education and thereby enable church committees to make an informed decision about what is best for their congregation’s worship and community life. However, before we could start to talk about organs, it was very important to have the bigger picture in perspective, namely the inferior acoustical properties of the room. The committee wisely considered the importance of good acoustics that benefit congregational prayer, singing, oratory, as well as but not limited to instrumental music. Scott Riedel provided acoustical consultation; the action taken on most of his recommendations yielded a vastly improved sacred space.
The pipe organ, while not the only possible instrument for worship, remains the best single instrument to lead corporate worship because of its ability to sustain tones from soft to loud and from every pitch level. A well-designed and constructed pipe organ should enable an organist to creatively and expressively accomplish this musical leadership, often interpreting music of many different styles. It was my recommendation that an organ of rich, warm tone and with ample variety of color from all pipe families (principal, flute, string, and reed) be considered. The great organbuilders of the past were not striving to build instruments after someone else’s style, but to create organs suited to the rooms in which they were installed and reflecting the cultural identity of their time and place. That Russell opus 47 resembles in some aspects organs of the early half of the 20th century is entirely irrelevant. The fact remains that it is not an E. M. Skinner organ, an Æolian-Skinner organ, a Kimball organ, or any other organ. Rather, I believe that this instrument transcends labeling of any kind. Opus 47 has richness of color, overall warmth, and clarity. In previous periods of organ building, rich fundamental tone and clarity were thought to be mutually exclusive attributes; one could not have both. The refined voicing and the mechanical perfection of the pitman windchest exemplify an organ that will allow for music of any style. Congratulations are due to the committee and congregation for investing in their future so well!
—John D. Schwandt

Russell & Co. Organ Builders, Opus 47
First Presbyterian Church, Ithaca, New York, May 2006

GREAT – II (Expressive)
16' Principal* 49 pipes, 1–12=Pedal
16' Gemshorn* 12
8' Montre* 61
8' Principal 61
8' Bourdon 61
8' Flûte Harmonique 49
8' Gemshorn 61
4' Octave 61
4' Rohrflöte 61
22⁄3' Nasard 61
2' Fifteenth 61
11⁄3' Fourniture IV–V 297
16' Double Trumpet 61
8' Trumpet 61
Chancel Great Off
MIDI on Great
*Unenclosed

SWELL – III (Expressive)
16' Lieblich Gedeckt 61
8' Diapason 61
8' Bourdon 61
8' Viola 61
8' Viola Celeste 61
8' Flauto Dolce 61
8' Flute Celeste 49
4' Octave 61
4' Nachthorn 61
2' Octave 61
2' Plein Jeu IV–V 296
16' Fagotto 61
8' French Trumpet 61
8' Oboe d’Amour 61
8' Vox Humana 61
4' Clarion 61
Tremulant
MIDI on Swell
Swell Sub
Chancel Swell Off
Swell Super

CHOIR – I (Expressive)
8' English Diapason 61
8' Hohlflöte 61
8' Quintadena 61
8' Erzahler 61
8' Erzahler Celeste 49
4' Octave 61
4' Koppelflöte 61
22⁄3' Nazard 61
2' Flute 61
13⁄5' Tierce 61
16' Corno di Bassetto 12
8' Waldhorn 61
8' Clarinet 61
Chimes Ant. Swell
Tremulant
Choir Sub
Choir Off
Choir Super
MIDI on Choir

POSITIV – I
8' Gedeckt 61
8' Spillflöete 61
4' Prestant 61
2' Principal 61
11⁄3' Quint 61
22⁄3' Sesquialtera II 122
1' Scharff III–IV 232
Tremulant
Zimbelstern
Positiv Off

SOLO – IV (Expressive)
16' Cello 12
8' Concert Flute 61
8' Cello 61
8' Cello Celeste 61
8' Gamba 61
8' Gamba Celeste 61
8' English Horn 61
8' Tuba Mirabilis 61
8' Silver Trumpet* 70, double trebles
Chimes Ant. Swell
Tremulant
Solo Sub
Solo Off
Solo Super
MIDI on Solo
*Unenclosed

ANTIPHONAL GREAT – II
8' Prestant 61
8' Stopped Flute 61
Antiphonal Great Off
Antiphonal Great Super

ANTIPHONAL SWELL – III
8' Gedeckt 61
8' Viole Aetheria 61
8' Vox Angelica 49
4' Flute d’Amour 61
8' Orchestral Oboe 61
8' Vox Humana 61
Chimes
Tremulant
Antiphonal Swell Sub
Antiphonal Swell Off
Antiphonal Swell Super

PEDAL
32' Principal (GGGG#) 4
32' Contra Bourdon 12
16' Open

Russell & Co. Organ Builders,
Chester, Vermont
First Presbyterian Church, Ithaca, New York

Cover feature

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J.H. & C.S. Odell Opus 645

United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston,

Westport, Connecticut

From the builder

I first looked over the 1968 Angell pipe organ at the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston in the winter of 2005, having been recommended to the church by our friend K. Bryan Kirk. What we found in Westport was an organ with many pipes that were well made, but in some cases unusually constructed and, by our standards, only roughly voiced. The flue pipes were made mostly with a high content of tin. We suspect Tim Koelewijn was the original pipemaker. Just about everything else in the organ had been made by domestic and foreign supply houses. Overall, quality varied widely. Some things were very neatly done.

Though by our standards not altogether under-scaled, the organ did suffer in just about every other way from the prevailing trends of the era when it was built. Wind pressures were low: less than two inches in the Great and three in the Swell. Looking at the original stoplist, we noted that none of the choruses in the organ were complete, though the organ did boast two Célestes and a triple-overblowing Zauberflöte. The reed complement for the organ consisted of a double-blocked French style 8’ Trompette (extended to 16’ in the Pedal) and a 4’ Rohr Shalmei.

The windchest mechanism was a problematic plunger-type solenoid system that had been giving trouble for years. The console was a veneered plywood supply house unit already years beyond its life expectancy. The open contact switching system was dispersed throughout the organ; some of its components had already failed. The wind supply for the entire Great division was provided by a single 18≤ by 24≤ reservoir whose internal volume was largely dedicated to its curtain valve.
After an initial tuning of the organ, the church’s new music director and organist, Todd Simmons, pressed me as to what could be done to make the organ better. I pointed out that the organ had mechanical and tonal issues, to be sure, but there was something to work with here, some raw material, which with proper attention could be the basis for a good pipe organ. In my wife Holly’s words, the existing pipework possessed “unrealized potential.”

Weeks later we met with the trustees to present our findings, expecting that at some point in the future funds could be raised to finance the organ project. One can imagine my surprise when Mr. Simmons called me a few weeks later to say that a single anonymous donor had stepped forward. How soon could we start? Thus we found ourselves sweating in the summer heat on a stretch of days the following July, packing and removing the pipes that would become the basis for our Opus 645.
In the design process we developed a new specification with input from K. Bryan Kirk. We instinctively sought first to meet the essential requirements of a liturgical instrument, something we believe to be utterly crucial, especially in the case of smaller pipe organs. Given the limited space for the organ, we felt a two-manual scheme with few frills would be best. We resisted a request for digital augmentation, instead focusing on a design that would be pipe only.

Certain early decisions seemed obvious. Given the dry acoustic of the church, the baseline scale of the Great chorus needed to be increased. This chorus was also completed with the addition of appropriately scaled new pipework from 22⁄3’ pitch upward. The cutup schedule of the existing Great capped flute was raised, arched, and the stop entirely revoiced. A new independent 4’ Harmonic Flute (based on the unique and very successful scale found in our historic Opus 178 at St. Charles Borromeo in Brooklyn) was constructed and voiced. Over the course of the project nearly every zinc pipe in the organ made its way through our pipe shop: frozen metal caps were freed, tuning inserts and toes replaced, seams and scrolls repaired. Being left in a raw state, many of the zinc pipes had an unsightly powdery white oxidation. We removed this, and gave all zinc basses a sealing coat of varnish to protect them.
The wind pressure of all manual divisions was raised to a more moderate four inches. Holly, then pregnant with our son Caleb, did her usual superb job of revoicing all the other existing and new flue pipework, managing to do so before reaching her final trimester. During this past winter we joked more than once: which would be given birth first, our son Caleb or the organ for Westport?

Where, before, the Great division of the organ had seven ranks, it had now eleven. To provide for this expanded division adequately, we built a new, larger reservoir. The rest of the organ’s wind system was rebuilt and reengineered as the new design required.

In dealing with the Swell division, again certain decisions seemed obvious. The 4’ Rohr Shalmei, only marginally useful, was replaced with an 8’ Oboe, expertly voiced by Sam Hughes. Proceeding as she did in the Great, Holly revoiced all of the existing Swell flues and voiced the new pipework for the Swell flute chorus, which was completed to 13⁄5’ pitch. The existing Trompette was kept, though carefully cleaned up and regulated in a cooperative effort between Sam and Holly.

In our recently expanded East Hampton shop I concentrated on the construction of the console, while our shop foreman John Williams constructed new windchests whose design was first developed for our organ at St. Ann’s in Bridgehampton. The unusually short feet of the 8’ old flute basses made for some interesting pipesetting. New offset chests were provided for everything save the original Pedal Subbass, a mammoth mahogany affair that only needed rebuilding.

The new console was based on our current terrace-jamb design with several embellishments. Improvements on the existing design include a slightly deeper cabinet with an added horizontal stile, raised panel work, additional applied moldings, hand-carved brackets, a two-piece knee panel and solid walnut music desk, the latter being picture-framed with the same quarter-sawn white oak used for the carcass and façade.

The console features an integrated solid-state capture and control system with fully programmable features, MIDI interface, and our standard complement of rear-fulcrum keyboards with basswood levers. The oblique drawknob heads are a reproduction of our 19th-century design. Respected organists who have played it have described our console at Westport as “elegant and comfortable.”
My design of the façade was in part born of necessity. Since both the manual and pedal principal stops were being rescaled, new bass pipes would be required. We naturally needed to make the most of the existing chamber space, and one of the simplest ways to do that was by moving the basses of these stops out into a façade.

Every pipe in the façade is functional. The bass notes of the Great and Pedal principals are polished aluminum, made to our specifications by Matters, Inc. of Hermosa, South Dakota. The pipes are arranged in three towers and two flats and the overall height of the case tops out at 15 feet, mounted roughly 10 feet above the sanctuary floor. The style of the casework is deliberately simple, so as to be in harmony with the appointments of the church sanctuary.

The façade performs a very important function in giving one a visual focal point. It declares the organ present, and urges one to consider it rather than wonder from where behind the grille cloth the organ might be. Its cruciform arrangement also reflects elements of sacred numerology: three towers with three pipes each for the Trinity, ten pipes located within the inner flats for the Commandments.

The sanctuary space in Westport could be described as a postwar-modernist take on the “Akron Plan,” less the adjoining Fellowship Hall. Four sets of pews radiate from the altar and pulpit up front, with organ and choir off to the left. The space over the altar is open with a ceiling height of approximately 35 feet. This intersects with a lower A-frame suspended transversely over the pews. From there the ceiling slopes downward to the rear of the pews to meet a northeasterly facing wall that is mostly glass. The floor is a simple concrete aggregate. Thankfully, carpet was absent. More simply described, it is a space with a great deal of cubic volume, but not overly reverberant.

Throughout the process we gave a great deal of thought to what levels of power would be appropriate for the various tonal resources of the organ. Our concerns about sufficient tonal egress from the chambers were put to rest when we experienced how well the organ spoke into the room. In the tonal finishing process we were pleased to discover how our scaling and voicing decisions suited the space. With a well-balanced variety of 8’ tone available, the organ easily leads congregational singing in a variety of settings.

Overall, we are very happy with what we have achieved in Westport. I would be remiss not to mention others who have contributed to this project: my wife and business partner Holly Odell was responsible for revoicing all existing pipework and voicing of new pipework. John Williams built nearly all the windchests and was responsible for all pipesetting. John and I collaborated on the wind reservoirs and organ case elements. In addition to overall mechanical design and layout, I milled, built and finished the console and casework as well as handling most other finishing duties. Working out of our pipe shop, Stewart Skates handled all pipe repairs. Luc Ladurantaye of Lac Saguay, Quebec, built the new metal pipes to our specifications. Gordon Auchincloss assisted in the wiring and final assembly of the console, and Thomas White assisted in windchest construction and wiring. John Williams, Thomas White, and myself handled the installation. Tonal finishing duties were divided between Holly and myself, with occasional assistance from Richard Hamar and Fred Heffner.

—Edward Odell



From the music director

In my third year as choir director and first year as organist of the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston, I was introduced to Edward Odell by K. Bryan Kirk, as we were in search of someone local to assume the maintenance of our Angell pipe organ. While I was not dissatisfied with the firm maintaining our organ at that time, I knew it was only a matter of time before a major overhaul was needed, and no one had ever made a complete inspection and report on our instrument. Given the current condition of our organ, I felt comforted in knowing someone local could resuscitate it at a moment’s notice.

After a thorough tuning and evaluation of the organ, I was encouraged by Mr. Odell’s report that although there were serious electrical and tonal issues present, the pipes themselves were well made and could be repaired and voiced (apparently for the first time ever) if we had the means to fund an organ project. Having just completed a fund-raising campaign for a new grand piano, our church did not have extra money to start an organ building fund-raiser, and we felt uncomfortable asking the congregation to dig into their wallets again so soon. This was discouraging as we knew that time was close at hand; in recent years our organ had become increasingly undependable.

Not long after we began exploring these issues, it happened one Sunday morning that the entire organ pedalboard suddenly made itself unusable. Having little alternative, I decided to play that morning’s service on the piano. This coming just a few weeks after Mr. Odell’s presentation to our trustees, there was (understandably) a certain degree of panic, since we were totally unprepared financially to fund an organ project this soon. Even though our organ was one of the longest surviving Angell pipe organs in the area, we had hoped (and expected) it to last longer. It was more and more apparent that something had to be done soon. Before we even had a chance to strategize, I received a call the next day from the pastor informing me that a donor wishing to remain anonymous had left a very large check on his desk with the intention of funding the organ project.

As has been elsewhere stated, our previous instrument suffered from a lack of tonal finishing and the pipes themselves had never been voiced properly. The pipes being of relatively small scale, we were used to a thin, shallow sound that did not possess enough power to adequately fill our worship space, even when I registered full organ. At the start of the project, I had doubts as to whether any new organ would be strong enough, given the room’s difficult acoustics and the location of the organ chambers. Mr. Odell assured us that once the new organ was installed, we would be amazed at the difference.
One of the most impressive enhancements with the new organ, aside from the exquisite façade, is the quality of sound as well as the power behind it. We now have an instrument that adequately leads our congregation in singing, as well as providing full, but subtle, accompaniment for the choir anthems. I can honestly say that at every step of the way, Mr. Odell and his firm have not only met but exceeded my expectations with our new organ and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to deliver an instrument that is even better than the original proposal stated.

It is a testament to his excellent work that not only do the trained musicians in the congregation appreciate this new pipe organ, even the untrained listeners have noticed a huge improvement over the previous instrument. One member (who at one time happened to be unsupportive of the project) admits that now she could not imagine our service without a pipe organ. The church is well pleased, as am I, and we celebrate at every Sunday service this work of art courtesy of the firm of J.H. & C.S. Odell.

—Todd Simmons, organist and music director, United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston



From the consultant

When I began teaching in 1988 at a music school in Westport, Connecticut, I was naturally curious about local pipe organs. Over the years, I became more familiar with the organ at a nearby church: the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston. The instrument was in poor mechanical condition: it exhibited a failing combination action, frequent ciphers, tuning instability and other frustrations, even though periodic maintenance was given. Being a product of its time, it was very thin in sound, had little bass response (as did the room) and few solo colors. Most importantly, there was no sense of real ensemble, even when the tutti was drawn. The instrument was also limited in its dynamic range for choral accompaniment and congregational singing, and was weak when trying to blend with other instruments. Overall, the organ did not make a strong impact.

A few years later a new organist and choir director was hired, Todd Simmons, one of my teaching colleagues from the music school. As the organ continued to deteriorate, he and the church became even more disappointed with the organ’s unreliability and marginal tonal resources. Knowing I had done other consulting work, Todd asked me to work with him and the church regarding the organ. Realizing the inherent problems, both musical and mechanical, we began an in-depth study of what could be done to either rebuild or replace the organ with something that would not only offer more tonal possibilities but also fill the room and excite the strong congregational singing potential we knew was there.

As we talked, it was apparent that virtually a new organ would be the best option, although much of the existing pipework could be retained if it were rescaled, revoiced and placed on a new, reliable chassis. The organ needed to be reliable and have a wider dynamic range, more tonal colors and a strong sense of presence in the room. It had to strongly lead and accompany congregational singing and sensitively render choral, solo and instrumental accompaniment.

From the outset, one of my pervading concerns was the church’s acoustic, which, while fine for chamber music, was a bit dry for organ and choral music and congregational singing. Having noted the difference in the acoustic when the room was more fully occupied, I knew the challenge of filling the room efficiently would be a mandate for the builder.

Our task began to take shape. Meetings were held and candidate builders were vetted. As work continued, a stop-list began to emerge, while we kept in mind budget and space limitations. One of my thoughts was to ask for a façade, as the previous organ had nothing visible but for a console in a lowered pit in the choir area. I reasoned that a façade would reinforce the impression that the church was getting something new, better and different. We agreed from the beginning that the organ should remain an all-pipe instrument.

After naming a few candidates, one firm was clearly the most interested, experienced and willing to work with us and on this organ. Having known the Odells and their fine lineage of historic instruments as well as their excellent work on new organs and various projects over many years, I was happy to welcome their presence.

The church had Edward and Holly Odell give the organ a full tuning and submit a proposal for either rebuilding or a new organ. As the Odells looked through the organ, they determined that a new console, chassis and electrical system would be required, and that it would be possible to rebuild one small windchest, but otherwise new windchests would be required throughout. By adding a façade for visual interest, some new pipework and retaining about half the existing pipework (though carefully rescaled and revoiced), the organ could take on a new character that would be far more flexible and of greater quality than its predecessor. This concept, coupled with their thorough proposal, helped to land them the contract.

As the new organ design was developed, the specification was refined. Among the ideas we discussed was the clever suggestion to borrow the Great 4’ Octave as an 8’ Second Principal stop on the Great, creating a secondary 8’ Principal for smaller combinations. The stop could also be used to fill out foundation tone when needed. As we continued to explore various tonal issues, it was noted that the old organ had no soft reed color or solo flute color. Among other things, Odell suggested adding an 8’ Oboe and building a new Harmonic Flute, patterned after historic Odell examples, but carefully adapted for the flute scales at Westport.

My early recommendations had included new 22⁄3’ and 2’ principal stops to replace the existing flute-scaled 2’ in the Great. The Odells suggested going further to install a new Mixture to create a full Principal chorus, giving the organ a sense of ensemble, a true plenum, something it never had.
Having listened to the result, I can state these stops create a truly full-sounding principal chorus, finally integrating the instrument into the room. The organ as conceived by the Odells has made a huge difference for hymn and repertoire playing and can now “ring the room” more effectively.

The Great also contains the revoiced 8’ Bourdon, now sounding more like a continuo stop, suitable in choral music or to accompany the Swell’s cornet decomposée. The Gemshorn and its Celeste were retained for flexibility in accompanying and providing more soft colors.

The Swell received “the Odell treatment,” in that all the pipework was revoiced. The flues, strings and mutations were all transformed by voicer Holly Odell, and the reeds were reworked to make a dramatic difference. The strings and 8’ Rohrflute now have more presence and can fully support the choir, as well as contribute to the ensemble. The Swell cornet decomposée is now nicely balanced, and the flutes have a more piquant character.

The new 8’ Oboe offers a nice color for softer choral accompaniment and foundation combinations, as well as providing a new solo stop. The existing 8’ Trompette, originally extended to 16’ for the Pedal, was also cleaned, revoiced and regulated into a stop that now serves a dual-purpose chorus/solo reed. The 16’ octave, now reconditioned, adds more gravitas to the Pedal and the full ensemble.
The full ensemble now fills the church worship space with a richer, warmer and well-blended tone. The softer sounds are more usable and possess a wider dynamic range, so the possibilities for choral, vocal and instrumental accompaniment are greatly enhanced.

As a concerned observer, I paid close attention to the project throughout the building process. The Odells always welcomed my inquiries and kept all parties informed with frequent photographs from their shop. Once the installation commenced, it was exciting to see how beautifully designed and well made all components of the organ were, both inside and out. During the tonal finishing, it was gratifying to witness the attention to detail in balancing each stop and the various ensembles. Further, it was refreshing to hear from the builder that materials and workmanship were never an issue; they simply insisted that in every aspect things be done thoroughly, with the highest level of attention to detail.

The organ is now in regular use and a series of dedication concerts have been planned. My thanks go to Edward and Holly Odell, their associates, to Todd Simmons and the United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston, Connecticut, and the donor for having me work with them in a collaborative effort to complete this important project to enrich the worship and outreach of this vibrant congregation.

—K. Bryan Kirk, advisor/consultant


J.H. & C.S. Odell Opus 645

United Methodist Church of Westport and Weston, Westport, Connecticut



Great (Wind pressure 4")

8’ Principal CC–AA en façade, otherwise 70% tin, 61 pipes

8’ Second Principal 1–12 from Principal 8’, 13–49 from Octave 4’

8’ Bourdon 70% tin, arched cutup, 61 pipes

8’ Harmonic Flute 1–12 from Bourdon 8’, 13–61 from Harmonic Flute 4’

8’ Gemshorn 70% tin, 2/3 taper, 61 pipes

8’ Gemshorn Céleste 70% tin, 2/3 taper, 49 pipes

4’ Octave 70% tin, 61 pipes

4’ Harmonic Flute 55% spotted metal, special Odell scale, harmonic at
middle C, 61 pipes

22⁄3’ Quint 55% spotted metal, 61 pipes

2’ Super Octave 55% spotted metal, 61 pipes

III Mixture 55% spotted metal, 19-22-26, 183 pipes

Chimes. 25 tubes


Swell (Expressive, in existing chamber, wind pressure 4")

16’ Rohr Gedeckt wood, 13–61 from Rohr Flute 8’, 12 pipes

8’ Rohr Flute 70% tin, chimneyed, 61 pipes

8’ Gamba 70% tin, bearded, 61 pipes

8’ Gamba Céleste 70% tin, bearded, 49 pipes

4’ Spitz Principal 70% tin, 2/3 taper, 61 pipes

4’ Flute 55% spotted metal, 2/3 taper, 61 pipes
22⁄3’ Nazard 70% tin, capped and chimneyed to middle C, 61 pipes

2’ Block Flute 70% tin, 61 pipes

13⁄5’ Tierce 55% spotted metal, 2/3 taper, 61 pipes

8’ Trompette double blocked, French shallots, 56 reeds, 61 pipes

8’ Oboe dual taper resonators, English shallots, 49 reeds, 61 pipes

Tremulant


Pedal

16’ Subbass wood, 32 pipes

16’ Rohr Gedeckt from Swell

8’ Octave CC–GG# en façade, otherwise 70% tin, 32 pipes

8’ Bourdon extension, Subbass, 12 pipes

8’ Rohr Flute from Swell

4’ Choralbass extension, Octave 8’, 12 pipes

4’ Flute from Swell

16’ Trompette extension to Swell Trompette, 12 pipes

8’ Trompette from Swell

8’ Oboe from Swell

4’ Clarion from Swell

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