Hupalo & Repasky to rebuild 1968 Werner Bosch practice organ at Stanford

Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs, LLC, San Leandro, California
Zion Lutheran Church,
Piedmont, California

Church history
The Zion Lutheran congregation established itself in Oakland in 1882 and by 1886 had purchased their first house of worship. From the beginning, education and music have been important elements of the church’s mission. To this day, the church provides Christian education for kindergarten through the eighth grade, with music being a large part of the educational program at Zion Lutheran School.
During the 1920s, the congregation renewed their Victorian facilities in Oakland with a new parsonage, parish hall, school, and worship facility. It is here, in the church’s second worship facility, that in 1930 M. P. Möller built their opus 5769. This two-manual organ contained thirty-one registers.
In 2007, Piedmont was named “Best Place to Live” in the United States by Forbes. It was in this residential area surrounded by Oakland that the congregation of Zion Lutheran Church dedicated their most recent site on April 4, 1954. The current church complex is situated atop a high bluff, with a background of stone hills with pockets of dense shrubs and trees. Attached to the Mediterranean-style church is a bell tower, offices, school classrooms, meeting rooms, kitchen, barbeque area, library, and gymnasium. The church edifice is designed to accommodate 350 persons.

The church’s 1930 Möller pipe organ
Möller’s opus 5769 was brought from the parish’s second church in Oakland, relocated to their present site, and placed in two chambers with separate expression in the rear balcony behind the terraced choir seating area. As there was no façade, the choir “enjoyed” watching the two sets of vertical shades open and close. From the congregation’s vantage point, the organ looked like two rather large jalousie windows caged by wooden framing.
As with many organs of the 1950s and ’60s, Zion’s Möller organ was enlarged with several high-pitched ranks, and some of the original ranks were replaced with neo-Baroque substitutes. With actions and console parts failing, by 2005 plans were underway to provide Zion Lutheran Church with a new and reliable instrument. As part of this plan, many of the ranks of the extant organ were to be incorporated into their new instrument. The 1930 Möller organ with its additions served the parish until it was removed by us in July 2006. With the organ removed, we loaned the church our large seven-rank continuo organ.

Another Möller organ
Also, as part of the plans for Zion’s new organ, the pipework and offset chests were removed from the 1946 Möller organ, opus 7370, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco. This organ became available because of the retrofitting of the church and plans by the parish to purchase a new Taylor & Boody organ. It was noted that Richard Purvis was the organist at St. Mark’s during the time this three-manual organ of twenty-four ranks was installed. It is with these two instruments (the augmented Möller opus 5769 and opus 7370) that Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs rebuilt, rescaled, and revoiced pipework that provided the new organ for Zion Lutheran Church.

Tonal design of the new instrument
Our concerns were to provide the church with a tonally versatile and cohesive musical instrument, which would have a visual presence in the room, and would be reliable and serviceable. Using many ranks from Möller’s opus 5769 and opus 7370, the original conception for Zion’s new pipe organ envisioned a three-manual organ of forty ranks. This organ would have included a Rückpositiv. However, the organ committee decided instead to plan for a large two-manual instrument.
In working with the organist, David Babbitt, it was decided that the new organ would have a Pedal based on a 16′ Principal. The Great would have a 16′ plenum, the Swell an 8′ plenum, and there would be an assortment of unison tone. There would be a wide variety of flute tone (stopped, chimneyed, open, harmonic) represented. Also included in the tonal design was a selection of wide and narrow strings. Mutation ranks would be drawn from the flute and principal families. This two-manual organ would boast five 16′ ranks. Benefiting the Great plenum, a new German-style Trumpet would be built. For the Swell, a harmonic-rich French-style Trumpet would be provided.
Unfortunately, Mr. Babbitt passed away during the planning stages of the organ. This was a great loss not only to Zion, but also to the musical community in the Bay Area. The church soon found an admirable organist/choir director, Dr. David Hunsberger. It was his opinion that the Cornet Composée in the Swell should be a little stronger. Recalling how he enjoyed the sound of the Cornet on the Silbermann-style organ at the University of Michigan, it was decided to change the ranks to the larger scales used by the Fisk company. So, with the help of Stephen Kowalyshyn, we replaced the Swell mutation ranks with pipes based on Mr. Kowalyshyn’s information.
During the installation it was decided that the beautiful Clarinet from opus 7370 was too similar in volume to the Oboe. So, a full-throated Cromorne replaced the Clarinet. John Hupalo also decided to use French “tear drop” shallots in the new Cromorne. The generous inclusion of four reed voices in the Swell division of this moderate-sized two-manual organ provides both variety in color and a progression in volume.
Physical layout
The previous organ at Zion was installed in two non-communicating chambers. With the removal of opus 5769, the in-between area was opened up to allow placement for the Pedal ranks and to allow pitch transfer from one division to the other during tuning. This was virtually impossible on the previous organ. To aid tonal projection, the chambers were lined with two layers of 5/8″ sheetrock and then painted. The Swell chamber was placed in the left, the unenclosed Great in the right chamber, and the Pedal ranks placed in the center area.

Temperament
Another suggestion of Dr. Hunsberger was that the organ should be tuned in a well temperament. The Thomas Young temperament was chosen for its purer major thirds and playability in all keys. Like a good choral ensemble, this tuning helps the organ lock pitch in the more common keys.

Pipework
It was evident from the first that much of the Möller pipework was of excellent quality, especially the pre-World War II zinc pipes. The wooden pipes were cleaned and refinished. The stopped pipes were releathered. The Great 8′, 4′, 22⁄3′, and 2′ plenum ranks were rescaled as appropriate to the tonal scheme of the organ. The Great principals also received new languids. The removal of the old languids had the advantage of lowering the cut-ups, allowing us to revoice the Great plenum. This turned the old Möller diapasons into clear-toned principals. To provide a tonal contrast to the Great principals, the Swell diapasons are voiced and scaled towards a more neo-Romantic sound. The neo-Baroque 8′ Principal from opus 5769 was rescaled and made into the Great 8′ Gamba. Length and slotting were added to these pipes patterned after the Gambas of Cavaillé-Coll. Besides the two manual trumpets, Cromorne, and the Swell Nazard and Tierce, the other newly made stops for this organ include the Great Harmonic Flute and the Swell mixture.

Chests
Both the new Great and Swell main chests are slider chests with magnet pull-downs. It is our philosophy that these traditional-style chests provide a noticeable ensemble for the pipework. Even Ernest Skinner later in his life recognized the benefits of slider chests, with each note sharing a common channel of wind.
Many of the electro-pneumatic bass offset chests from opus 7370 were releathered and incorporated into the new organ. Given the large size of the pallets, they provide a lightning-fast response for the lower notes of the organ.

Façade
To match the architectural style of the church, it was decided to fashion the façade in the American Craftsman style. The center five-pipe flat is flanked on both sides by three flats of five pipes each. The styles, rails, toe boards, and corbels are of quarter-sawn white oak proportioned in the Craftsman manner. The styles are punctuated with medallions. The molding is highlighted by areas of crimson red.
Starting with low F-sharp of the Pedal 16′ Principal, the façade incorporates the lowest pipes of the Pedal 16′ and Great 8′ Principal. To provide visual uniformity, these zinc pipes were mottled in a terra cotta color, with the upper and lower lips in painted verdigris.

Console and control system
The console is our standard terraced-style, roll-top design, with three rows of drawknobs on either side of the keyboards. The shell is made of quarter-sawn white oak, with French polished European pearwood used in the stop jamb and nameboard area. The drawknobs are of ebony, as are the sharps. The manual key covers are of bone. The console is placed in a fixed central position in the choir loft to provide the organist with space for conducting both choir and instrumentalists.
A computerized system controls the combination action, memory, and the complex switching system of the organ. It provides the organist with a transposer, 99 levels of memory, a piston sequencer, and MIDI In and Out, as well as many programmable features.

Personnel
The following craftsmen assisted in the construction of our opus 3: Mark Dahlberg (technical designer), Robin Fox, John Haskey, Robert Hoffmann, John Hupalo, Bruno Largarce, Gerard Montana, Steve Repasky, Bob Schertle, Lawrence Strohm, William Visscher, Shayne Ward, and David H. Zechman.

Organ dedication
The organ was dedicated to a full house in a solo recital on Sunday afternoon, January 25, 2009 by Stanford University Organist Robert Huw Morgan.
Dedication program:
Dialogue, L. Marchand
Fantasia in f, K. 608, W. A. Mozart
Homage to Handel, S. Karg-Elert
Prelude in E-flat, S. 552, J. S. Bach
An Wasserflüssen Babylon, S. 653, Bach
Sonata V in C, S. 529, Bach
Fugue in E-flat, S. 552, Bach
—Steve Repasky

Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs, LLC, 2008, 35 stops, 33 ranks

GREAT
16′ Hohl Flute 61 pipes
8′ Principal 61 pipes
8′ Harmonic Flute 49 pipes
8′ Gamba 61 pipes
4′ Octave 61 pipes
4′ Röhr Flute 61 pipes
22⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes
2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes
13⁄5′ Seventeenth 61 pipes
Mixture IV 244 pipes
8′ Trumpet 61 pipes
Chimes 25 tubes

SWELL
8′ Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Stopt Diapason 61 pipes
8′ Salicional 61 pipes
8′ Celeste 61 pipes
4′ Principal 61 pipes
4′ Flute 61 pipes
22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes
2′ Piccolo 61 pipes
13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes
Plein Jeu III 183 pipes
16′ Fagot 61 pipes
8′ Trompette 61 pipes
8′ Oboe 61 pipes
8′ Cromorne 61 pipes
Tremolo

PEDAL
16′ Principal 32 pipes
16′ Bourdon 32 pipes
8′ Octave 12 pipes
8′ Bourdon 12 pipes
4′ Choral Bass 12 pipes
4′ Bourdon 12 pipes
16′ Posaune 32 pipes
16′ Fagot Swell
8′ Trumpet 12 pipes
4′ Schalmei Fagot

Couplers
Unison, sub, and super couplers provided on tilting tablets

Accessories
6 general thumb pistons and toe studs
5 divisional thumb pistons for each of the three divisions
Setter and general cancel thumb pistons
Up and down thumb pistons
3 reversible thumb and toe pistons for unison couplers
Reversible thumb and toe pistons for full organ
Crescendo pedal
Zimbelstern: 8 bells

Tuning
Thomas Young

Photo credit: John Hupalo

Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs
510/483-6905
www.hupalorepasky.com

Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs, LLC, San Leandro, California

St. Maria Goretti Parish, Scottsdale, Arizona

Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs bring Möller Opus 10,731 into the 21st century
Located due east of Phoenix, the Scottsdale parish of St. Maria Goretti today boasts a healthy membership of 1,200 families. Established in 1967, by 1971 the parish had constructed its present church building based on the floor plan of a Greek cross. Going up from the cross arms of the floor are four hyperbolic arches, which meet to form a center dome rising to a height of 70 feet. In 1973 M. P. Möller, Inc. completed its Opus 10,731 for St. Maria Goretti parish consisting of 39 ranks in five divisions.

Visually the Möller design at St. Maria Goretti is reminiscent of the Cadet Chapel organ in Colorado Springs. At St. Maria Goretti, the Great, Choir, Swell, and Pedal are installed in a gallery over the north transept. Speaking from a balcony in the west transept is the Nave division. The large four-manual console was placed in the choir area between the main part of the organ and the sanctuary.

Unfortunately, the organ was installed without service lights in the organ chambers. Any service person walking into the organ was not only faced with the formidable task of tuning a multi-layered organ, but also with attempting to fix numerous note failures. Without proper lighting, these undertakings would have overwhelmed even the most seasoned organ technician. The increasing inability to properly maintain the organ coupled with the popularity of guitar and piano accompaniments led the organ down a path toward oblivion. Its salvation lay in the organ’s stunning visual design (a constant reminder to the parishioners that they actually had a pipe organ) and the vision of a handful of people.
Inspired by the new guidelines on music for the Roman Catholic Church, Ann Weiss, director of music and liturgy for the church, decided to take action. With the help and support of the pastor, Fr. Greg Schlarb, Weiss formed a plan to save the organ. A generous benefactor was found within the parish who provided the funds for a restoration and had the forethought to include provisions for future maintenance. With the blessings of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, the project to renovate the organ took shape.

In April of 2005, Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs (H&RPO) were contacted to evaluate the organ’s condition. It was found that the Nave division, bearing the full brunt of the late afternoon sun, had suffered the most leather deterioration. The remainder of the organ, located in the north transept, was not far behind in this respect. The church is cooled by a large swamp cooler. Normally, an air-conditioning system reduces humidity in a building, but the swamp cooler does the opposite. This added humidity in the room caused severe corrosion on the metal tuners and the surface of the exposed pipework. The large four-manual console also exhibited typical leather failure, worn bushings, and corroded contacts.

By May of 2005, the church had decided to retain and restore the original Möller chest actions and layout without alterations. The console, however, was another matter. Due to its size, there was no sight line for the organist to any spot in the church. A four-manual drawknob console is not easy to see over. The bulky console also hindered the pianist’s view to the sanctuary.

Ann Weiss asked if we could build a smaller console yet have all the controls of the old Möller console. The new console would also need to be easily movable. Now for the question that may have been the deal breaker. Could we finish releathering the entire instrument and provide a new console by September 1, 2005? The answer was no. A compromise was therefore in order. We could releather the organ and have it playing by September. The new low-profile solid-state console would by ready for the rededication on December 1. An agreement was reached, and we started the work in May.

The project began with the removal of the numerous reservoirs; there were at least three per division. The term “impacted molar” took on an entirely new meaning. The intricate web of wind trunks was then removed. Next, all bottom boards came down. All pipes were taken out for cleaning and fitted with new stainless steel tuning slides. Washing of the pipes was begun outside the church. As soon as the temperature reached 115°, Fr. Greg, acting like a good shepherd, moved us into a more comfortable air-conditioned space in the parish hall.

By the end of the very hot summer of 2005, all the cleaned pipes with their new tuners were placed back in the organ after service lights were installed and all the toe and rack boards were vacuumed and cleaned. Before the releathered pouch boards were installed, all the pitman valves and retainers were replaced. Next, the numerous releathered regulators were put in place and wind lines reattached. The organ was then made (minimally) playable to the old four-manual console.

As far as the new console was concerned, everyone at H&RPO agreed a terraced drawknob console would solve the sight line problems. A maximum height of 48" was our goal. Mark Dahlberg, our design/engineer, was given the job of designing the console. He developed a plan incorporating casters directly inside the console thus eliminating the need for a rolling platform. For the new console, it was decided to eliminate the top Nave manual and make it a floating division. When completed, the new three-manual console measured 47" from floor to the top of the console lid. We installed a solid-state switching and combination system in conjunction with optical key sensing.

The cabinetry of the console incorporated the finest quality materials. They were selected not only to match the case of the existing instrument, but also to blend with the details of the environment. The console shell is made from quarter-sawn white oak with a tung oil finish. A six-sided marquetry design taken from the church’s cast bronze doors was incorporated into the upper side and back panels. The jambs and nameboard are European pear wood with a French polish. To accentuate the connection between the organist’s fingers and the keys, we prefer to use organic materials for key coverings. The natural keys therefore were made of polished bone. The sharps are made of the darkest ebony known (diospyros mollis, often used in black dyes). Rosewood key cheeks were chosen to contrast with the pear wood. Ebony was used for the hand-turned stop knobs. To distinguish the MIDI stops, mesquite, a native tree of the Southwest, was selected. The console connects the organist with the pipes in order to create music. Because of this, it is necessary for the console to be a pleasing and well-planned tactile environment for the musician. The music rack, stop faces, pedalboard, and the adjustable bench must be all carefully and ergonomically located in order to work together and assist the organist’s ability to communicate through the instrument.

By November, the new console was in Scottsdale ready to be connected and by the first of December it was ready for its debut. Dr. Robert Huw Morgan, Stanford University Organist, was chosen to be the rededication recitalist.

The following personnel and suppliers were involved in this successful project: Rick Celestino, Mark Dahlberg, John N. Hupalo, Bill Klinger, Joe Lamberina, Steve Repasky, Samuel Rohas, Jan Rowland, William Visscher, Shayne Ward, Classic Organ Works, F. Booth & Son, Ltd., P&S Supply Company, and Organ Supply Industries.

—John Hupalo & Steve Repasky




Blessing and Program, December 1, 2005

St. Maria Goretti Parish, Scottsdale, Arizona

Bishop Thomas Olmsted

Fr. Greg Schlarb, V.P., pastor

St. Maria Goretti Music Ministry Choir, Ann Weiss, director; David McDaniel, accompanist

Robert Huw Morgan, organ recitalist



Blessing Service

Let Us Go Rejoicing, B. Hurd

Psalm 66—Let All The Earth, M. Haugen

Gloria, A. Vivaldi




Organ Recital

Marcia from Symphony No. 3, C. M. Widor

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, D. Buxtehude

Fantasia in F minor, W. A. Mozart

Fantasia and Fugue on ‘Ad nos ad salutarem undam’, F. Liszt




GREAT

8’ Principal

8’ Bourdon

8’ Gemshorn

4’ Octave

2’ Waldflöte

IV Mixture

Chimes

MIDI


CHOIR

8’ Holz Gedeckt

8’ Dulciana

8’ Unda Maris

4’ Koppelflöte

2’ Flöten Principal

11⁄3’ Larigot

8 Zajic Regal

8 Trompette en Chamade

Tremolo

MIDI


SWELL

16’ Flute Conique (ext)

8’ Flute Conique

8’ Viole d’Gambe

8’ Viole Celeste

4’ Geigen Octave

4’ Flute Triangular

22⁄3’ Nazard

2’ Harmonic Flute

13⁄5’ Tierce

III Plein Jeu

8’ Trompette

4’ Clarion (ext)

Tremolo

MIDI


NAVE

16’ Quintaten (prep)

8’ Montre

8’ Bourdon

8’ Erzähler & Celeste

4’ Italian Principal

2’ Flachflöte

III Cymbale (prep)

MIDI


PEDAL

32’ Untersatz (digital)

16’ Violone

16’ Bourdon

16’ Flute Conique (Sw)

8’ Octave Violone (ext)

8’ Major Flute (ext)

8’ Conique Flute (Sw)

4’ Spitz Principal

2’ Spitz Principal (ext)

16’ Contra Trompet (ext, Sw)

16’ Zajic Regal (ext, Ch)

8’ Trompet (Sw)

4’ Clarion (Sw)

MIDI


NAVE PEDAL

16’ Montre (ext)

16’ Subbass (main Ped Bourdon)

16’ Quintaton (prep)

8’ Octave Bass (manual)
4’ Super Octave (manual)

MIDI

Christ the King Lutheran Church, Walnut, California
Knight Organ Company, builder, San Diego, California
Manuel Rosales Organ Builders, voicer, Los Angeles, California
The congregation received the gift of its first and only organ from First Lutheran Church in Monrovia, California at the end of 1968. This three-rank Möller Artiste was purchased by First in 1950 and used in their small chapel. When the large sanctuary was built in 1968, First Lutheran gave Christ the King their 28-year-old pipe organ for their new building. The Möller opus 4300-13 comprised three ranks of pipes—8′ Diapason (76 pipes), 8′ Viole (72 pipes), 8′ Gedeckt (97 pipes), 16′ Bourdon (12 pipes)—and Schulmerich electronic chimes.
When the small Möller arrived at Christ the King, the console, pipes, and pipe case were placed in an open room west of the chancel. In 1981 when Paul Schuricht became organist, it was decided to move both the choir and organ to the rear of the nave. The wood chamber that contained the pipes was modified and placed above the Mother’s Room. A 4′9″ by 4′3″ opening was cut in the wall over the Mother’s Room for the sound of the organ to egress, with 15 new Principal pipes installed in the façade.
Because the 8′ Viole and 8′ Diapason were not conducive to leading the choir and the congregation, Paul Schuricht purchased an 8′ Principal (73 pipes) and a 4′ Gemshorn (73 pipes) along with a new set of 24 Gedeckt treble pipes to replace damaged ones; the new pipework was built by A. R. Schopp’s and Sons, Inc., of Alliance, Ohio. The renovation of the organ—including galvanized pipe for the wind duct, organ cable, chime relay, and the metal enclosure for the blower that would sit outside on the east side of the church—was to cost $3,500. On Sunday morning, June 13, 1982, the dedication service of the rebuilt pipe organ installed by Paul Schuricht, the organist, took place.
By December 2007 when the present organist, Michael Doyle, arrived, the organ had many problems: the wooden Gedeckt pipes’ stoppers needed to be releathered as they wouldn’t stay in tune; because the blower sat outside the church drawing in either hot or cold air, it was difficult to keep the organ in tune; the leather on the reservoir and chests needed to be replaced because it was 57 years old; the stop tabs were breaking off; and the organ had so few stops that it lacked tonal color. In April 2008, the blower was moved into the Mother’s Room, encasing it in a new cabinet that helped to keep the organ in tune.
Bids were submitted at the end of 2008 to enlarge and rebuild the Möller organ for $36,000; Manuel Rosales’s bid to rebuild the organ and add nine ranks of pipe was accepted. Mr. Rosales suggested that Robert Knight of Knight Organ Company in San Diego do the work, and Rosales would do the final voicing and tonal regulation. The specification was designed by the church organist, Michael Doyle, in consultation with Robert Knight and Manuel Rosales.
The rebuilding of the console and chests, and the new chests, woodwork around the façade, new pipe tower, and the new electronics were done by Mr. Knight, with the tonal voicing and tonal finishing by Mr. Rosales. The preparations started on January 19, 2009, when Bob Knight and his crew came to dismantle the Möller organ. The pipes were packed in crates, the chests were removed, the wood chamber walls were dismantled, and the organ was taken to San Diego to be rebuilt and enlarged in the Knight Organ Company shop. On Saturday, January 31, a crew of men from the congregation began work building the new organ chamber walls. Over the next six weeks, men and women of the congregation worked during the week and on Saturdays to complete the chamber walls, install insulation, double wallboard the interior walls, paint the walls with high-gloss enamel, enlarge the front opening of the chamber, and install lighting and a door to the chamber. The organ console platform was rebuilt with hardwood flooring.
The organ has 12 ranks of pipes and 38 stops. The oldest pipework in the organ is the three-rank Mixture that was produced by W. D. B. Simmons in 1863 and voiced during Abraham Lincoln’s first presidential term. The 8′ Salicional and 8′ Voix Celeste came from the 1913 Estey organ at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church in San Diego, along with the 8′ Principal, a set of gold façade pipes that never spoke. The 8′ Trumpet came from the 1960 rebuild of the organ at First Baptist Church in San Diego, and was built by Durst Organ Supply of Erie, Pennsylvania. The 13⁄5′ Terz was made by Estey–Aeoline. The large swell shutters were from a 1920 Kimball organ, and the swell motor is from First Baptist Church in San Diego. A newer 1-hp blower was used to replace the old, inadequate Möller blower. The 16′ Subbass was built for a large college organ in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by M. P. Möller in 1950. The 16′ Trumpet 12-pipe extension is new and was made by Organ Supply of Erie, Pennsylvania. The original 8′ Principal was rescaled to become the 4′ Octave, and the 4′ Gemshorn was rescaled to become the 4′ Spitzflöte. On the back wall of the nave are the 8′ Principal pipes in the original case, along with a three-pipe Principal tower that is new. There are a total of 787 pipes in the organ.
The rebuilt Möller organ console has been rewired with a new Opus-Two relay system, new keyboard and pedal contacts, and has a new tilting tablet assembly. There are now 41 tilting stop tablets, 5 pistons on Manual I, 5 pistons on Manual II, 10 general combination pistons, 10 general toe studs, setter piston, general cancel piston, and one toe stud for the 11-bell Zimbelstern. The organ also has a set of Maas-Rowe chimes that were given by Trinity Lutheran Church, Montclair, California. A family in the congregation gave funds for the Zimbelstern, Voix Celeste, and 16′ Trumpet extension. With the gift of the aforementioned items, the total cost of the organ was $45,050.
The organ was dedicated on Sunday, August 23, 2009, at the 9:00 a.m. service. Michael Doyle, the church organist, played music of Armsdorf, Bach, Buxtehude, Burkhardt, Cherwien, Manz, and Walther at the dedication hymn festival at 4:00 p.m.
—Michael Doyle

Christ the King Lutheran Church,
Walnut, California
GREAT—Manual I
16′ Lieblich Gedeckt
8′ Principal
8′ Gedecktflöte
8′ Salicional
4′ Octave
4′ Gedecktflöte
2′ Octave
III Mixture
8′ Trumpet
4′ Trumpet
Chimes
Positive to Great

POSITIVE—Manual II
8′ Gedecktflöte
8′ Salicional
8′ Voix Celeste
4′ Principal
4′ Spitzflöte
4 Salicet
22⁄3′ Nasat
2′ Spitzflöte
2′ Octave
13⁄5′ Terz
11⁄3′ Quint
1′ Sifflöte
8′ Trumpet
Tremulant

PEDAL
32′ Resultant
16′ Subbass
16′ Lieblich Gedeckt
8′ Principal
8′ Flöte
8′ Salicional
51⁄3′ Quint
4′ Choralbass
4′ Flöte
2′ Spitzflöte
II Mixture
16′ Trumpet
8′ Trumpet
4′ Trumpet
Great to Pedal
Positive to Pedal

Summary of Pipes
16′ Subbass 44 pipes
16′ Lieblich Gedeckt 12 pipes
8′ Principal 61 pipes
8′ Gedecktflöte 73 pipes
8′ Salicional 61 pipes
8′ Voix Celeste 49 pipes
4′ Principal 61 pipes
4′ Spitzflöte 73 pipes
13⁄5′ Terz 49 pipes
III Mixture 183 pipes
16′ Trumpet 12 pipes
8′ Trumpet 73 pipes

_______________________________________________

Lewis & Hitchcock, Beltsville, Maryland
Christus Victor Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland
Christus Victor Lutheran Church has a Wicks organ. The pipe cabinet is on the left side of the chancel, and the console is on the right side. The console had no combination action, and the only accessory was the crescendo shoe. The desire was to add a combination action, and to reunify the five ranks to make a more flexible specification. Working with director of music Dr. Joseph Birdwell, we planned and installed a multiplex relay in the organ cabinet and a combination action with multiple layers of memory in the console, controlled by a full set of pistons and toe studs. The result is a much more flexible instrument, easily able to provide the right sound for the music.
—Gerald Piercy

GREAT
8′ Principal
8′ Rohr Gedeckt
8′ Gemshorn
8′ Gemshorn Celeste TC
4′ Principal
4′ Copula
2′ Octave
2′ Gemshorn
III Mixture
8′ Trumpet
Swell to Great

SWELL
8′ Rohr Flute
8′ Gemshorn
8′ Gemshorn Celeste TC
4′ Flute
4′ Gemshorn
22⁄3′ Quint
2′ Block Flute
13⁄5′ Tierce
11⁄3′ Larigot
1′ Gemshorn
8′ Trumpet
Tremolo

PEDAL
16′ Subbass
16′ Lieblich Bourdon
8′ Principal
8′ Rohr Gedeckt
4′ Choral Bass
2′ Flute
8′ Trumpet
4′ Clarion
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
2 manuals, 5 registers, 5 ranks

 

Cover

Lauck Pipe Organ Company, Otsego, Michigan

Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights,
Illinois

Trinity Christian College is a four-year liberal arts college founded in
1959 and located in Palos Heights, Illinois, a suburb 25 miles southwest of
Chicago. It is dedicated to providing students with a quality higher education
in the Reformed Christian tradition. The college has grown extensively in
recent years with many new buildings erected. In 2001, the college dedicated a
new 1,200-seat auditorium: The Martin and Janet Ozinga Chapel. The chapel is
also the home of the college's music department with faculty offices, rehearsal
rooms, a recital hall, a music computer lab, and practice rooms. An organ for
the auditorium was envisioned from the building's conception.

Under the chairmanship of music department chair Helen Van Wyck, a committee
was formed to choose a builder for the organ. Paula Pugh Romanaux was selected
as the consultant to work with the committee. After visiting several of our organs,
Lauck Pipe Organ Company was chosen to build the organ. Working with the
builder, the committee decided that the instrument would be located at the back
of the stage and would occupy the central position. The committee felt that an
organ with a detached console would prove more flexible, especially when used
with orchestra and to accompany small ensembles.

Several designs for the organ case were prepared ranging from traditional to
contemporary, the latter being chosen. The proportions of the case are generous
in order to fill the expansive rear wall of the stage area. The façade
consists of the 16' Principal, 8' Pedal Octave and the 8' Great Diapason,
with  pipes of polished tin. The
casework is arranged so that the Pedal division occupies the center and two
outer towers. Between the left and center tower is the Great Principal chorus
with the Choir division above. Between the right and center towers are the
Great flutes and reed with the Swell division above. A shallow case with
expression shades capable of a full range of motion allow for excellent egress
of sound. The emblem at the top of the center tower is the college's logo done
in relief and gilded.

Over the past 30 years, we have built many French-terraced consoles with
curved terraces, but Marilyn Mulder, the school's organ instructor, suggested a
console based on a design she saw at Chicago's Orchestra Hall. From her
photograph, we designed and built a console with straight, oblique terraces.
The woodwork is of cherry to match other furnishings in the chapel. The
terraces, keycheeks, manual and pedal sharps, and drawknobs are all of
rosewood. The manual naturals are of bone. Peterson supplied the MIDI system
and combination action. Lauck manufactured the coupler and relay systems, as
well as the electric expression servos.

The room, alas, suffers from insufficient reflection of sound. As we worked
with the acoustician and architect, the organ committee and I realized we would
not be able to have all of our requests granted; the acoustician was more
interested in absorbing rather than reflecting sound. The architect and
building committee did agree that the expansive drywall ceiling would be well
supported and made up of a double layer glued together so as to not absorb the
lower frequencies. Preliminary acoustical tests of the room proved that we
needed a lot of sound to fill it. The organ had to be scaled very boldly, with
variable scales and higher cut-ups being freely employed. In addition, generous
wind pressures, especially in the reeds, would be used. Our tonal concept was
to establish well-developed Principal choruses in each division, colorful and
contrasting flute choruses, and chorus reeds that bind together well. This goal
was achieved and supplemented by colorful solo reeds and strings with character
and variety.

The Great is based on a 16' Principal. The 8' extension of the Principal can
be used as a second Diapason and creates a rich fond d'orgue with the open and
stopped flutes. Mutations provide for a Great Principal Cornet. To ensure a
bold, full pedal, the 16' Diapason is really a 16' open wood located in the
central tower of the case. The Great 16' Principal is also available in the
Pedal for use in lighter textures, while the 8' Octave and 4' Choralbass are
independent. The Trumpet-en-Chamade is made of tin and is voiced on 10 inches
of wind pressure using domed parallel shallots. The Pedal Trombone unit is also
voiced with domed parallel shallots on 8 inches of wind pressure. The Swell
reeds are on 6 inches of wind with the Bassoon/Oboe having tapered shallots and
the Trumpet/Clarion parallel shallots. The Swell Gamba and Gamba Celeste are
slotted with rollers throughout. It is a well-developed string tone with good
strength and carrying power; however, the expression boxes and shades are
heavily built and can make the strings evaporate when desired. The Swell also
has a Flute Celeste, which is built as a Ludwigtone; basically, two wood pipes
built with a common middle wall on one foot. The Choir Viola and Viola Celeste
are of about equal power to the Swell strings but are not slotted and are of a
broader tone quality. They are voiced to work together perfectly yet retain
their individual colors.

The Lauck employees that built Opus 55 include: Craig Manor, console design
and construction, wood pipes; Ken Reed, pipemaker, office manager; Ben Aldrich,
design, windchests, foreman; Bob Dykstra, windchests, wood pipes, casework;
Dick Slider, windchests, lower casework; Dan Staley, circuit board
manufacturing, wiring; Jim Lauck, design, voicing, tonal finishing; Jonathan
Tuuk; tonal finishing.

--Jim Lauck

Lauck Opus 55, 2002

3 manuals, 46 ranks, electric action

GREAT

16' Principal  (61 pipes)

8' Diapason (61 pipes)

8' Principal (12 pipes)

8' Rohrflute (61 pipes)

8' Flute Harmonique (61 pipes)

4' Octave (61 pipes)

4' Principal (12 pipes)

4' Flute Octaviante (12 pipes)

22/3' Quint (61 pipes)

2' Superoctave (61 pipes)

13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)

IV Fourniture (244 pipes)

8' Trumpet (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (61 pipes)

                        Great
to Great 4

                        Swell
to Great 16-8-4

                        Choir
to Great 16-8-4

                        Zimbelstern

SWELL

16'  Bourdon (12 pipes)

8' Bourdon (61 pipes)

8' Gamba (61 pipes)

8' Gamba Celeste (49 pipes)

8' Flute Celeste (49 pipes)

4' Principal (61 pipes)

4' Spitzflute (61 pipes)

2' Blockflute (12 pipes)

V Mixture (293 pipes)

16' Bassoon (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet (61 pipes)

8' Oboe (12 pipes)

4' Clarion (12 pipes)

Tremulant

Swell to Swell 16-UO-4

CHOIR

8' Gedeckt (61 pipes)

8' Viola  (61 pipes)

8' Viola Celeste (49 pipes)

4' Principal (61 pipes)

4' Koppelflute (61 pipes)

22/3' Nazard (61 pipes)

2' Octave (61 pipes)

2' Flautino (12 pipes)

13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)

11/3' Larigot (5 pipes)

III Scharff (183 pipes)

8' Cromorne (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (Gt)

Tremulant

Choir to Choir 16-UO-4

Swell to Choir 16-8-4       

PEDAL

32' Sub Bourdon (electronic ext)

16' Diapason (open wood) (32 pipes)

16' Principal (Great)

16' Subbass (32 pipes)

16' Bourdon (Swell)

8' Octave  (32 pipes)

8' Principal (Great)

8' Bass Flute (12 pipes)

4' Choralbass  (32 pipes)

II Rauschquint (64 pipes)

II Mixture  (24 pipes)

32' Contra Bassoon (electronic ext)

16' Trombone (32 pipes)

16' Bassoon (Swell)

8' Trumpet (12 pipes)

4' Clarion (12 pipes)

4' Cromorne (Choir)

Great to Pedal 8-4

Swell to Pedal 8-4

Choir to Pedal 8-4

Lauck Pipe Organ Company

92 - 24th Street

Otsego, MI 49078-9633

Telephone: 269/694-4500

Fax: 269/694-4401

<[email protected]>

Cover photo by Richard Lanenga

 

Paul Fritts and Co., Tacoma,
Washington, has built a new organ for Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York.
The mechanical-action pipe organ is installed in the 500-seat Mary Anna Fox
Martel Recital Hall of the Belle Skinner Music Building. It contains 34 stops
distributed over two manuals (Hauptwerk and Positiv) and Pedal.

The tonal design reflects both the North and Middle German schools of
organbuilding from the first half of the eighteenth century. North German
features include fully independent manual and pedal divisions with
well-developed upper work; a full spectrum of mutation stops (two on double
draws); and seven reed stops, 20% of the registers. Middle German building is
represented by a variety of six manual 8' flue stops; the “gravity”
of 16' stops in each manual division and four 16' pedal stops; a Tierce rank
which can be added to the Hauptwerk Mixture; and the inclusion of the Positiv
division in the main case, rather than positioned to the rear of the player.

The northern features pay homage to the seventeenth-century style of Arp
Schnitger and the middle German school points more to the pre-Romantic
eighteenth-century styles of Wender, Trost, Hildebrandt and others. The new
Vassar organ is well-suited for music of J. S. Bach with its cosmopolitan
mixture of northern, middle, and southern European traits. Other literature
from the sixteenth-century through the works of Mendelssohn will also sound to
advantage.

The new organ is placed centrally in a gallery nine feet above the stage
floor in the front of the hall. The case has a bright burgundy enamel finish.
Gold leaf highlights the gray painted pipe shades. The case and many internal
parts are crafted from popular. 
Many other woods were chosen for their various properties, including
mahogany, oak, maple, ebony, redwood and sugar pine.

Along with the new organ came alterations to the organ gallery and stage
area significantly improving acoustics, and a climate control system for the
recital hall. The Marian and Speros Martel Foundation Inc. donated funds
covering both the organ and hall improvements. Glenn D. White recommended
acoustical improvements, and Richard Turlington designed architectural plans
for the room. Frances D. Fergusson, President of Vassar College, initiated the
project. George B. Stauffer was consultant.

To inaugurate the new instrument, Merellyn Gallagher, James David Christie,
and Joan Lippincott played solo recitals in February and March 2003.

HAUPTWERK

16' Principal

8' Octava

8' Rohrflöte

8' Viol di Gamba

4' Octava

4' Spitzflöte

Nasat/Cornet II*

2' Superoctava

Mixture Tierce

Mixture IV–VI

16' Trompet

8' Trompet

POSITIVE

8' Geigenprincipal

8' Gedackt

8' Quintadena

4' Octava

4' Rohrflöte

2' Octava

2' Gemshorn

11/3' Quinte

Quint/Sesquialtara II*

Mixture IV–V

16' Fagotto

8' Dulcian

PEDAL

16' Principal**

16' Violon

16' Subbass

8' Octava***

8' Bourdon***

4' Octava

Mixture V–VII

16' Posaune

8' Trompet

4' Trompet

* Double draw

** Bottom octave transmission from Hauptwerk

*** Extension

Couplers

                        Positiv
to Hauptwerk

                        Hauptwerk
to Pedal          

                        Positiv
to Pedal

Manual/Pedal compass: 56/30, flat pedalboard

Burnished tin front pipes

Solid wood casework with pipe shades carved by Judy Fritts

Suspended key action

Mechanical stop action

Variable tremulant

Three bellows fitted with pedals for foot pumping

Wind stabilizer

Pitch: A 440

Temperament: Kellner

Wind pressure: 74 mm. (ca. 3≤)

Fabry Pipe Organs, Inc., of Fox
Lake, Illinois, has completed the 5-rank antiphonal division added to the
original Möller organ in Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Homewood,
Illinois.

Fabry Inc. installed the original M.P. Möller instrument (2 manuals, 19
ranks) in 1980 in the rear balcony of the sanctuary and has been maintaining
the organ since that time. The console was prepared for an antiphonal division.
On many occasions while tuning the instrument, the organist, Mrs. Phyllis
Silhan, would always say, “I hope I get to see this instrument completed
before I retire.” Twenty-two years later, the church elected to add the
antiphonal division.

The new antiphonal division was installed in October of 2002. The original
specification for this division--8' Gedeckt, 4' Gemshorn, 2' Flautino, II
Mixture--was changed to 8' Gedeckt, 4' Octave, 4' Harmonic Flute, 2' Fifteenth,
and 8' Oboe. A new solid-state relay was provided that is totally prepared for
the addition of a small antiphonal console.

Fabry Inc. would like to thank the organist, Mrs. Phyllis Silhan, and
Reverend Dr. Timothy Knaff, who coordinated the entire project. David G. Fabry
built all the chestwork and new casework. Crew leader Joseph Poland handled the
installation.

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Bourdon

4' Octave

2' Super Octave

IV Fourniture

8' Trompette (Sw)

SWELL

8' Rohrflote

8' Viola

8' Viola Celeste

4' Spitz Principal

4' Rohrflote (ext)

2' Hohlflote

III Scharf

8' Trompette

ANTIPHONAL (new division)

8' Gedeckt

4' Octave

4' Harmonic Flute

2' Fifteenth

8' Oboe

PEDAL

16' Contra Bass

16' Rohr Bourdon (ext)

8' Principal (Gt)

8' Rohrflote (Sw)

4' Nachthorn

16' Bombarde (ext)

4' Clarion (Sw)

COUPLERS

                        Gt
& Sw to Ped 8

                        Sw
to Gt 16-8-4

                        Gt
4

                        Sw
16-UO-4

                        Antiph
to Ped 8

                        Antiph
to Gt 8

                        Antiph
to Sw 8