New Organs

Karl Wilhelm Inc., Mont St. Hilaire, Québec, Canada, Opus 155

St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Berea, Ohio

The new organ at St. Thomas Episcopal Church is built according to classical principles. Key and stop action are mechanical. The organ consists of three divisions: the Great, above the impost, the Swell, enclosed in its own case behind the main organ, and the Pedal, with the Great except for the Subbass 16' and Posaune 16', which are of poplar wood and are on both sides behind. There are 21 stops and a total of 1156 pipes. Natural keys are plated with cow bone; sharps are ebony.

The organ is located in front of the stained glass window, where the sound projects along the central axis of the church. The casework is made of solid white oak, compatible to this modern church. The pipe shades above the pipes are motifs taken from the stained glass window, thus providing an acoustical function as well as enhancing the visual appearance of the organ.

In order to achieve a satisfying tonal ensemble, various stops have been chosen from different schools of organ building. The St. Thomas Episcopal Church organ mainly represents the classic German and French orientation with its principal choruses, flutes, strings, and reed stops. The brilliant sound of the instrument can be attributed in part to the temperament after Vallotti, which yields six pure fifths. The metal façade pipes are 75% pure polished tin. Other metal pipes in the organ are an alloy of 40% tin and 60% lead. This instrument has one wedge-shaped bellows and a winding configuration that creates a flexible wind effect.

— Karl Wilhelm Inc.

Facteurs d’Orgues-Organbuilders

Karl Wilhelm Opus 155

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Berea, Ohio

GREAT (C–g¢¢¢ 56 notes)

16' Bourdon

8' Principal

8' Rohrflöte

4' Octave

22⁄3' Quinte

2' Superoktave

13/5' Terz

11/3' Mixtur IV

8' Trompete

SWELL (C–g''' 56 notes)

8' Salicional

8' Celeste TC

8' Hohlflöte

4' Spitzflöte

2' Doublette

11/3' Larigot

8' Oboe

Tremolo

PEDAL (C–f' 30 notes)

16' Subbass

8' Offenflöte

4' Choralbass

16' Posaune

8' Trompete (Great)



One manual coupler and two pedal couplers

Zimbelstern with 8 bronze bells

Levsen Organ Company,

Buffalo, Iowa

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Denver, Iowa

In 1902, Carl Schmidt donated a piece of land in the center of Denver, Iowa, to what is now St. Peter Lutheran Church. Denver is a little town of about 1700 residents north of Waterloo, Iowa, where the church now stands. By 1912, the predominantly Swedish congregation recognized the need for a pipe organ to enhance their musical worship. They purchased a 5-rank Hinners tracker organ from Pekin, Illinois. This information was disclosed by the Hinners Opus List created by E. A. Broadway in 1962. The organ was rebuilt with new electric action in 1954 by the Wicks Company of Highland, Illinois, and three ranks were added at that time. By the late 1980s, the organ developed serious problems with the relay; therefore, an organ committee was formed to explore their options.

Church member Marvin Schumacher, although not on the committee, made an important suggestion when the decision to go ahead and rebuild the organ had been made. As the owner of the Schumacher Elevator Company and builder of passenger, freight, and other elevators, he understood the need for safety and reliability. He proposed that a digital relay would be most appropriate. As his company’s website says, “Schumacher components are built to last,” and with that idea, the Levsen Organ Company of Buffalo, Iowa, which had serviced the instrument since around 1970, was awarded the contract to rebuild and enlarge the organ using a digital relay system.

Levsen Organ Company expanded the romantic instrument to include a 2' Fifteenth, III Mixture, 8' Trompette, 4' Gemshorn in the Swell and a 22⁄3' Nazard in order to provide more colorful ensembles. The church opted to keep all the organ pipes in the chamber rather than expose them. The entire 15 ranks are now under expression and are successful in leading the congregation in hymn singing and worship.

Organist August Knoll of Wheatland, Iowa had served as a consultant with proposals for enlarging and making these changes, and performed the dedication service.

—Tamara Fudge, D.Mus.

Moline, Illinois


GREAT

8' Open Diapason

8' Melodia

8' Dulciana

4' Octave

4' Concert Flute (12 pipes)

2' Fifteenth

III Mixture

8' Trompette (Sw)


SWELL

8' Stopped Diapason

8' Salicional

8' Vox Angelica (TC)

4' Gemshorn

22⁄3' Nazard

2' Gemshorn (12 pipes)
16' Fagott (TC, ext)

8' Trompette

4' Oboe

Tremolo


PEDAL

32' Resultant (32 notes)

16' Bourdon

16' Lieblich Gedeckt (12 pipes)

8' Open Diapason (Gt)

8' Bassflöte (12 pipes)

4' Choralbass (Gt)

16' Trompette (12 pipes)

8' Trompette (Sw)

4' Oboe (Sw)

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders,
Lake City, Iowa
University of Delaware,
Newark, Delaware
For years without a pipe organ on campus, the University of Delaware in Newark is now the home of Dobson Op. 74, a two-manual mechanical-action instrument of 22 ranks. Made possible by the generosity of Edward and Naomi Jefferson and named in their honor, the new organ is installed in the original home of Newark’s St. Thomas Church (Episcopal), which stands adjacent to the campus and was purchased and restored by the university for use as a small recital hall. Deconsecrated in 1956, the former church’s subsequent physical decline has been arrested by a careful restoration directed by Homsey Architects of Wilmington, Delaware.
Located in an intimate setting with only seventy seats, Op. 74 has been designed primarily for use as a teaching and recital instrument. It is capable of accommodating a generous range of organ literature and is well suited for use with small instrumental ensembles. Because of the modest size of the hall, the voicing treatment emphasizes warmth and color rather than strength or brilliance. The metal pipes are made of alloys containing from hammered 12% tin to burnished 75% tin. The Pedal Subbass and basses of the manual 8' flute stops are made of poplar and cherry, while the Great Flute 4' has open pipes of hard maple. The instrument is voiced on a wind pressure of 70 millimeters, supplied from a large, weighted, single-rise reservoir.
The instrument’s location in a balcony of modest depth led to the unusual placement of the console on the right side of the instrument when viewed from the front. The Great is located immediately adjacent to the console; the Swell, whose enclosure has shutters on three sides, is in the center of the case; the Pedal is at the left side. The casework is constructed of white oak with a fumed, oiled and lacquered finish, and is embellished with colors and 24K gold leaf. The woodwork of the drawknob console incorporates black walnut, ebony, rosewood, Carpathian elm burl and cow bone. The instrument has mechanical key and stop actions. For increased versatility, a system of mechanical duplexing permits the three Pedal voices to play at both unison and octave pitches.
Dedication series recitalists included David Herman (Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music and University Organist), Thomas Trotter, and William Owen. In addition to being the first organ on campus, the instrument carries another distinction: it is thought to be the first pipe organ whose entire installation, from delivery to final tuning, was broadcast live on the Internet. Video clips and stills recorded by the webcam can still be found at
<http://www.udel.edu/pipeorgan/&gt;.
—John Panning

GREAT (58 notes)
8' Prestant
8' Chimney Flute
4' Octave
4' Flute
2' Super Octave
11⁄3' Mixture IV
8' Trumpet
Swell to Great

SWELL (58 notes, expressive)
8' Bourdon
8' Salicional
4' Principal
4' Chimney Flute
2' Piccolo
11⁄3' Gemsquinte
22⁄3' Cornet II
8' Oboe
Tremulant (affects entire organ)

PEDAL (32 notes)
16' Subbass
8' Principal
8' Gedackt (ext)
4' Choralbass (ext)
16' Trombone
8' Trumpet (ext)
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

Fowler Organ Company, Lansing, Michigan, Opus 21
Andrews University, Theological Seminary Chapel
Berrien Springs, Michigan
The instrument is centered in the front of the chapel, which seats approximately 400. It is housed in a free-standing case built of red oak with the console contained within the case. The case is a contemporary adaptation of a classic case form with the bass pipes of the 8' Principal/8' Pedal Octave in flamed copper. The upper flat is from the Great Principal, the lower flat is the Pedal Octave, both in polished tin.
Since the instrument dominates the front of the chapel, it was felt that it needed to make a statement of purpose beyond simply being a musical instrument. The pipe shades were designed in collaboration with the builder and carved by Norman Moll; he and his wife Dorothy are significant benefactors to the university and to this instrument. The carvings are symbols that can be seen both in a traditional sense and yet be open to wider interpretation. The center tower contains the circle surrounding the Alpha and Omega, representing God the Father and creator eternal. The other carvings—the dove, the lamp, the book, and the praying hands—can be interpreted in a variety of ways depending on the experiences of the viewer. These are set on a background of rays radiating outward, clad in flamed copper.
The layout of the instrument follows the case design with the Swell in the lower center, the Great directly above, and the Pedal divided on either side. The action is electro-mechanical throughout, and the operating system is multiplex solid state. This includes a multi-memory combination action, transposer, and MIDI control with onboard synthesizer and sequencer. The manual keys are rosewood with maple sharps; the drawknobs were hand turned from hard maple by Mr. Moll’s father.
Tonal design follows an “American Classic” model. The flues are generously scaled, voicing is lightly articulate and clearly defined. The reeds are quite colorful and distinctive. The Great Cromorne, built with “clarinet” style resonators and closed German shallots, has the ability to play solo or blend into the ensemble. The Trompette is extended to 16' with half-length basses and Cavaillé-Coll-style shallots.
—Brian Fowler

GREAT
8' Principal
8' Bourdon
4' Octave
4' Rohrflute
22⁄3' Nazard
2' Blockflute
13⁄5' Tierce (T/C)
III Mixture
8' Trompette (Sw)
8' Cromorne
Tremulant
MIDI on Great
16' Swell to Great
8' Swell to Great
4' Swell to Great
16' Great
Unison Silent
4' Great

SWELL
8' Holz Gedeckt
8' Viole de Gambe
8' Viole Celeste (T/C)
4' Harmonic Flute
4' Viola
2' Principal
8' Trompette
8' Cromorne (Gt)
4' Clarion
Tremulant
MIDI on Swell
16' Swell
Unison Silent
4' Swell

PEDAL
32' Resultant Bass
16' Subbass
16' Gedecktbass
8' Octave
8' Bourdon
4' Choralbass
2' Doublette
16' Bombarde
8' Trompette
4' Cromorne
MIDI on Pedal
8' Great to Pedal
4' Great to Pedal
8' Swell to Pedal
4' Swell to Pedal

Accessories
Multi-memory combination action
Transposer
Sequencer
Digital synthesizer
Balanced swell expression
Crescendo pedal

Marceau & Associates Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Seattle, Washington
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Stanwood, Washington
Opus 27, 2009
Marceau & Associates Pipe Organ Builders has completed their Opus 27 project at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Stanwood, Washington. The original instrument was built by Balcom & Vaughan Organ Builders of Seattle as their Opus 735, completed in 1968 for the First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, Washington. This organ served as the primary musical resource for the Bellevue congregation until 1995, when a new sanctuary was built that included a new Casavant Frères pipe organ. At that time, the original sanctuary became the chapel, providing services on a smaller scale. In 2008, the chapel and adjoining buildings were slated for demolition to expand the current church campus. This news was brought to the attention of the organ committee of Our Saviour’s Lutheran, who decided to purchase this organ instead of rebuilding and enlarging their existing Kimball/Balcom & Vaughan instrument.
In May 2008, with the help of volunteers from Our Saviour’s, the organ was removed and transported to the Marceau organ shop in Seattle. From June to September, the organ was repaired, modified and redesigned to fit into the two organ chambers in Stanwood. The winding system was reduced to eliminate redundant reservoirs, a new electrical system by the Syndyne Corporation of Vancouver, Washington was installed, and all pipes were cleaned and revoiced for a more musical result. During the fall, the organ was installed and finished. It was used for the first time on Thanksgiving.
Since the original organ had no visible pipework, a new façade was designed with members of the church fabricating all of the casework. New polished zinc pipes from A. R. Schopp’s Sons of Canton, Ohio were installed in January 2009. The organ contains 21 stops, 26 ranks and 1,572 pipes, with preparations for a Great 8′ Erzähler Celeste and Swell 13⁄5′ Tierce. While the Great principal chorus is unenclosed, the Great flutes and string stops are enclosed, allowing for a greater degree of expression from both manuals.
The Great 22⁄3′ Quinte was not an original stop; this was created from the Pedal Mixture, which was not retained in the new stoplist. The principal chorus on the Great was revoiced to have a more prominent fundamental emphasis, which included reducing the dynamic output of the Mixture so that this stop now sits atop the ensemble without overpowering the listener with the original hard, glassy sound. The Swell 8′ Trompette was also programmed to play from the Great, replacing the duplexing of the Swell 8′ Hautbois from the original stoplist. The 16′ Posaune is now extended from the 8′ Trompette instead of the original 8′ Hautbois. The result is a smoother segue to this low octave of pipes.
A special thanks goes out to Jon Stoneman of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. His activities included the original planning of the organ project, removal and installation, providing volunteer help, technical advising throughout the project and providing home stays during the installation.
Members of the Marceau staff involved with the project included Sean Haley, René Marceau, Ruth Register, and Tom Skyler. Organbuilder Frans Bosman provided much needed technical assistance and support.
—René Marceau
5113 Russell Ave., NW
Seattle, WA 98107
206/521-0954
cell 503/522-2153
<[email protected]>

Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church,
Stanwood, Washington
Marceau & Associates Opus 27, 2009
GREAT
16′ Rohrbass (Sw)
8′ Principal (part façade)
8′ Gedeckt
8′ Erzähler
8′ Erzähler Celeste, TC
4′ Octave
4′ Spillflute
22⁄3′ Quinte
2′ Super Octave
11⁄3′ Mixture IV
8′ Trompette (Sw)
Chimes
Great to Great 16′
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great 8′
Swell to Great 4′
MIDI on Great
Zimbelstern

SWELL
8′ Rohrflute
8′ Viola
8′ Viola Celeste, TC
8′ Erzähler (Gt)
8′ Erzähler Celeste, TC (Gt)
4′ Principal
4′ Flute Douce
22⁄3′ Nasard
2′ Blockflute
13⁄5′ Tierce
1′ Plein Jeu III
16′ Posaune (ext)
8′ Trompette
8′ Hautbois
4′ Clarion (ext)
Tremulant
Swell to Swell 16′
Swell Unison Off
Swell to Swell 4′
MIDI on Swell

PEDAL
16′ Subbass
16′ Rohrbass (Sw)
8′ Principal (part façade)
8′ Rohrflute (Sw)
4′ Choralbass
4′ Rohrflute (Sw)
16′ Posaune (Sw)
8′ Trompette (Sw)
4′ Clarion (Sw)
Great to Pedal 8′
Swell to Pedal 8′
Swell to Pedal 4′
MIDI on Pedal

R. T. Swanson, Inc.,
Grand Ledge, Michigan
St. John’s Lutheran Church,
Saginaw, Michigan
The history of the pipe organ at St. John’s actually starts with an organ built by the Tellers-Kent Organ Company of Erie, Pennsylvania for St. Lorenz Lutheran Church of Frankenmuth, Michigan in 1930. When St. Lorenz bought a new Casavant pipe organ in 1967, their old instrument became available. William Kaltrider of Owosso, Michigan was engaged by St. John’s to build an organ by reusing much of the St. Lorenz instrument and providing a new console, electrical system and two new blowers. By 2000, many of the 1967 components were becoming increasingly unreliable. Another problem with the 1967 installation was that the organ pipes were installed in two cramped chambers on both sides of the balcony and they spoke through very small tone openings, resulting in a “muffled” tone quality.
In December 2001, St. John’s signed a contract with our company to build an essentially new pipe organ while salvaging as much of the previous instrument as was practical for reuse. Eighteen new windchests were built, allowing the most efficient layout for better tonal egress as well as better accessibility for tuning and maintenance. The action is electro-mechanical. The Swiss-made Meidinger blowers were connected to a new wind system that includes new reservoirs and schwimmers to regulate the wind supply.
Most of the pipes of the Great and Choir–Positive divisions are on windchests cantilevered out from the balcony rail by way of steel framework. The windchests and frames are clad in contemporary oak cabinetry stained to match the other oak in the sanctuary. Three ranks of the Choir–Positive are expressive and located in their own enclosure. Of the organ’s 25 ranks of pipes, 8 are new, 10 are from the St. Lorenz organ, and 7 are used ranks from other sources. All of the old flue ranks were reconditioned and revoiced in our shop. The Trumpet and Oboe ranks were reconditioned and revoiced by Trivo Company of Hagerstown, Maryland. The 8′ Cromorne was built and voiced by Eastern Organ Pipes of Hagerstown, Maryland. All new flue pipes were built by CMC Organ Pipes of Erie, Pennsylvania and voiced in our shop.
The console cabinet from 1967 was retained and refitted with new manual keyboards, stop tablets and the new ICS 4000 control system by Peterson Electro-Musical Products of Alsip, Illinois. The ICS 4000 system features a 99-level combination action and complete MIDI capabilities including record/playback.
Tonal egress from the existing organ chambers was improved by enlarging the tone openings and by installing all new expression shades. Preparations have been made for the future addition of a horizontal brass Trompette en Chamade, which will jut out from the center of the balcony railing.
A dedicatory organ concert on February 25, 2007 featured Professor Leonard Proeber from Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw.
—Richard Swanson

GREAT
8′ Principal +
8′ Doppelflöte *
8′ Gemshorn
4′ Octave +
4′ Doppelflöte (ext) *
22⁄3′ Twelfth TC +
2′ Fifteenth (ext Octave) +
11⁄3′ Mixture III +
8′ Trumpet (Sw)
Chimes
Great to Great 16′, UO, 4′
Swell to Great 16′, 8′, 4′
Choir to Great 16′, 8′, 4′
MIDI on Great

SWELL
16′ Bourdon
8′ Geigenprincipal
8′ Bourdon (ext) *
8′ Viole de Gambe *
8′ Voix Celeste *
4′ Geigenoctave (ext)
4′ Flûte Harmonique
2′ Piccolo (ext)
2′ Mixture III +
8′ Trumpet *
8′ Oboe *
4′ Clarion (ext)*
Tremulant
Swell to Swell 16′, UO, 4′
MIDI on Swell

CHOIR–POSITIVE
8′ Holzgedeckt
8′ Flauto Dolce (expressive)
8′ Flauto Dolce Celeste (expressive)
4′ Principal +
4′ Rohrflöte *
22⁄3′ Nazard TC *
2′ Octave (ext Principal) +
2′ Rohrpfeife (ext)*
13⁄5′ Tierce TC *
11⁄3′ Quinteflöte (ext 22⁄3′) *
8′ Cromorne (expressive) +
8′ Trompette en Chamade †
Tremulant
Chimes
Choir to Choir 16′, UO, 4′
Swell to Choir 16′, 8′, 4′
MIDI on Choir

PEDAL
32′ Resultant *
16′ Subbass *
16′ Bourdon (Sw)*
8′ Octave
8′ Bourdon (Sw)*
8′ Gemshorn (Gt)
4′ Fifteenth (ext Octave)
4′ Rohrflöte (Ch)*
2′ Twentysecond (ext Octave)
16′ Trombone (ext 8′)*
8′ Trumpet (Sw)*
4′ Clarion (Sw)*
Great to Pedal 8′, 4′
Swell to Pedal 8′, 4′
Choir to Pedal 8′, 4′
MIDI on Pedal

* = pipework from the 1930 Tellers-Kent organ originally at St. Lorenz, Frankenmuth
+ = new pipework
† = preparation for future addition

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Ltd., Lake City, Iowa
Church of St. Peter Claver,
West Hartford, Connecticut
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, Lake City, Iowa, has completed its Op. 85 for the Church of St. Peter Claver in West Hartford, Connecticut. The parish, founded in 1966, erected a church in 1969 to the designs of John Riley of the firm of Russell, Gibson and von Dohlen of West Hartford. Peter Claver, a Jesuit priest, spent forty years in Cartagena, Colombia, in the early 1600s, ministering to slaves shipped there from Africa. To recall this service, the design of the church evokes the hold of a ship, an image familiar to slaves, with light being admitted from a latticed skylight above.
As originally built, St. Peter Claver was supplied with an electronic organ and wall-to-wall carpeting. But the organ project, undertaken in 2006 at the initiative of Tim Stella, St. Peter Claver Director of Music, and Ezequiel Menendez, Director of Music at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, was part of a renewal of the church building, including enhancements such as a tile floor. The musicians, originally located at the front near the altar, were given a dedicated space at the rear of the church. While this proved advantageous in many ways, it required the organ to be placed under the lowest point of the ceiling, with the added vexation of two roof trusses passing through the space. Because the ceiling is low, the case design is a horizontal, rather than vertical, composition. The Great Prestant 8′, the organ’s single principal stop at 8′, wouldn’t fill the façade from side to side, so Lynn Dobson created groups of pipes that float in front of a neutral wooden screen. The organ case, made of white oak with a natural finish, is slightly folded in the middle like a book, making a very shallow V that fits gracefully into the corner and embraces the choir. The screen behind the horizontal wooden ribs is a muted blue, while the exposed pipes of the Pedal Bourdon 16′ are painted a burgundy color.
Though the organ budget was not large, the church renovations significantly improved the acoustic, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the organ and all musical sounds created in that space. The stoplist provides all of the basics: a complete principal chorus on the Great, a lesser chorus capped by the principal-like Gemshorn on the Swell, a variety of flutes including the ingredients for a jeu de tierce on the Swell, a pair of strings, and a reed in each division. In addition to the normal unison couplers, there is a Swell to Great 16′ coupler, which greatly increases registrational possibilities. Principals, strings and reeds are made of 75% or 52% tin; flutes are made of 30% tin or poplar. The organ is voiced on 75 millimeters wind pressure, supplied by a blower within the organ case and regulated by a large weighted reservoir. Mechanical key and stop actions are provided for the manuals, and electric action for the two Pedal stops. The console is detached; built of white oak like the case, the console interior and music rack are trimmed with American black walnut and veneered with Carpathian elm burl.
The organ was dedicated in November 2007, and Ezequiel Menendez, assisted by his wife Mercedes Featherston, presented a dedicatory recital on October 20, 2008 that included works by Mendelssohn, Zipoli, Couperin, Hollins, Franck, Piazzolla, Ginastera and Bach.
—John Panning, Tonal Director
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders

GREAT – 58 notes
8′ Prestant
8′ Chimney Flute
4′ Octave
2′ Fifteenth
11⁄3′ Mixture IV
8′ Trumpet
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great 8′

SWELL – 58 notes (enclosed)
8′ Gedackt
8′ Salicional
8′ Celeste FF
4′ Principal
4′ Open Flute
22⁄3′ Nazard
2′ Gemshorn
13⁄5′ Tierce
8′ Oboe

PEDAL – 32 notes
16′ Subbass
8′ Bourdon (Subbass)
16′ Fagotto
8′ Trumpet (Fagotto)
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal

Tremulant (affects entire organ)

Wicks Organ Company,
Highland, Illinois
Bethel Lutheran Church,
Rochester, Minnesota
On a pleasant evening in July 2007, five members of Bethel Lutheran Church climbed into a van for a trip to Highland, Illinois. It was the next step in a process that had been going on for years. We had a dream: ever since our new worship space was being designed, we dreamed of filling it with music. Now the Wicks Organ Company—currently building their 6400th organ—had a unique proposal for us. In 1964 Wicks had built their 4400th instrument for themselves, to showcase their work to prospective customers. They had built a climate-controlled room for it, and maintained and updated it ever since.
In Highland we met with representatives of Wicks who told us about their company and Opus 4400. We listened as Dale Mundahl, our principal organist, sat down at the console. We heard the beautiful tones and the awe-inspiring low notes that our temporary organ could not produce. We delighted in the variety of different tone colors available; quintessential pipe organ, sweet strings, melancholy flutes, vibrant reeds, stirring brass and majestic festival trumpets, even a set of chimes. It sounded fantastic and looked stunning.
So what was the unique opportunity? Well, this instrument had a list of pipes very similar to that of our hoped-for ideal, with all the features we had dreamed of—and this meticulously maintained and updated organ, with a replacement value of $1.2 million, was being offered to Bethel for less than half of that. In January 2008 the people of Bethel approved a proposal to purchase it.
Then came the day when our new instrument was delivered. Twenty-five members of Bethel joined the Wicks staff in unloading the two trucks. Three hours later our narthex and several other areas were covered with all the pieces that make up Opus 4400—what an interesting, informative, and enjoyable labor of love. Throughout the installation process we were impressed with the willingness of the Wicks personnel to include us and answer questions.
After a process of tonal finishing and final adjustments, the space above our choir has been filled with a magnificent instrument that will be a blessing to our worship for present and future generations of Bethel—well worth an extended road trip in a rented van.
—Gary G. Thorn
Minister of Music & Worship

GREAT (unenclosed)
16′ Quintaton 61 pipes
8′ Prinzipal 61 pipes
8′ Gedeckt 61 pipes
4′ Prestant 61 pipes
4′ Waldflöte 61 pipes
2′ Oktave 61 pipes
II Tertian 122 pipes
III Mixtur 183 pipes
8′ Trompette en Chamade 61 pipes
8′ Krummhorn Pos
Chimes

SWELL (enclosed)
8′ Rohrflöte 61 pipes
8′ Salicional 61 pipes
8′ Voix Celeste TC 49 pipes
4′ Spitz Prinzipal 61 pipes
4′ Koppelflöte 61 pipes
22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes
2′ Hohlflöte 61 pipes
1′ Flautino 61 pipes
III Scharff 183 pipes
16′ Posaune 12 pipes
16′ Bassoon 61 pipes
8′ Trumpet 61 pipes
8′ Oboe digital
4′ Rohrschalmei 61 pipes
Tremolo

CHOIR (enclosed)
8′ Geigen Principal 61 pipes
8′ Gemshorn 61 pipes
8′ Erzähler 61 pipes
8′ Erzähler Celeste TC 49 pipes
8′ Viole 61 pipes
8′ Viole Celeste 61 pipes
4′ Gemshorn 12 pipes
2′ Harmonic Flute 61 pipes
II Rauschpfeife 122 pipes
8′ Clarinet 61 pipes
4′ Hautbois 61 pipes
8′ Trompette en Chamade Gt
Tremolo

POSITIV (unenclosed)
8′ Holzgedeckt 61 pipes
4′ Spillpfeife 61 pipes
2′ Flachflöte 61 pipes
11⁄3′ Quint 61 pipes
1′ Nachthorn 61 pipes
II Sesquialtera 110 pipes
III Klingende Cymbel 183 pipes
16′ Krummhorn 61 pipes
8′ Holzregal 61 pipes
Cymbelstern

PEDAL (unenclosed)
32′ Bordun digital
32′ Violone digital
16′ Kontra Bass 32 pipes
16′ Bordun 32 pipes
16′ Quintaton Gt
8′ Prinzipalbass 32 pipes
8′ Gedeckt 32 pipes
8′ Gemshorn Ch
4′ Choralbass 32 pipes
4′ Copula 12 pipes
2′ Oktavbass 12 pipes
III Mixture 96 pipes
32′ Contra Bombarde digital
32′ Sordun 32 pipes
16′ Bombarde 32 pipes
16′ Posaune Sw
16′ Bassoon Sw
8′ Trumpet 12 pipes
4′ Cromorne Pos
8′ Trompette en Chamade Gt
Chimes

65 stops, 59 ranks

=========================

Nichols & Simpson, Inc., Organbuilders, Little Rock, Arkansas
West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, New Jersey
The journey towards a Nichols & Simpson pipe organ for West Side Presbyterian Church began in 1999, when a contract was signed for an instrument to replace the church’s Austin organ, reusing many pipes from the existing instrument. On January 8, 2002, the church was totally destroyed by fire. In the ensuing months, friends and fans of West Side Presbyterian watched in amazement as this courageous and faith-filled congregation made the decision to rebuild. Nichols & Simpson, Inc. was chosen to build the pipe organ for the new worship space.
The West Side Presbyterian organ is unique in many ways. Its striking visual appearance was designed by the church’s architect, Herbert S. Newman and Partners, PC, and the unusual cylindrical case pipes were constructed by A. R. Schopp’s Sons, Inc. The case was designed by Frank Friemel and executed by QLF Custom Pipe Organ Components, LLC. The chest actions are electric-slider with pneumatic-cylinder stop actions and electro-pneumatic/electro-mechanical actions for unit and duplexed stops. The swell boxes are two inches thick, with hollow shades featuring sound-trap joint construction. Shade movement is controlled by 12-stage pneumatic-cylinder whiffletree swell engines.
The moveable console is constructed of mahogany finished to match the interior of the church, and features an interior of burl eucalyptus, bone natural keys with rosewood sharp keys, rosewood expression and crescendo shoes, rosewood drawknobs with bone faces, rosewood thumb pistons with bone faces, and bone tilting tablets to operate the intermanual couplers. The organ utilizes a Peterson ICS 4000 control system and incorporates 256 levels of memory.
The instrument was dedicated on Sunday, October 9, 2007, during a recital by Dr. Catherine Rodland, daughter of Joanne Rodland, the church’s director of music, and the late John Rodland.
—C. Joseph Nichols
Photo credit: David C. Scribner

Nichols & Simpson, Inc.,
West Side Presbyterian Church,
Ridgewood, New Jersey
48 stops, 59 ranks

GREAT
16′ Double Geigen
8′ Principal
8′ Geigen (extension)
8′ Harmonic Flute (expressive)
8′ Bourdon (expressive)
8′ Gamba (expressive)
4′ Octave
4′ Nachthorn (expressive)
22⁄3′ Twelfth
2′ Fifteenth
13⁄5′ Seventeenth
IV–V Fourniture
8′ Harmonic Trumpet (expressive)
8′ Cromorne (expressive, preparation)
4+8′ Clairon (expressive)
Tremolo
8′ Tuba (expressive)
Chimes

SWELL
16′ Bourdon
8′ Diapason
8′ Chimney Flute
8′ Salicional
8′ Voix Celeste
8′ Flauto Dolce
8′ Flute Celeste GG
4′ Principal
4′ Flute Octaviante
22⁄3′ Nasard
2′ Octavin
13⁄5′ Tierce
11⁄3′ Larigot
IV–V Plein Jeu
16′ Double Trumpet
8′ Trompette
8′ Hautbois
8′ Vox Humana
4+8′ Clarion
Tremolo
8′ Tuba (Great)

CHOIR
16′ Erzahler (extension, preparation)
8′ Geigen Diapason
8′ Bourdon
8′ Erzahler
8′ Erzahler Celeste GG
4′ Octave
4′ Koppelflote
2′ Flautino
IV Mixture
8′ English Horn
8′ Clarinet
Tremolo
8′ Tuba (Great)
Cymbelstern
16′ Trombone (Pedal)
8′ Tromba (Pedal)
4′ Tromba Clarion (Pedal)

ANTIPHONAL
8′ Principal (console preparation)
8′ Gedeckt (console preparation)
4′ Octave (console preparation)
8′ Trompette (console preparation)

ANTIPHONAL PEDAL
16′ Gedeckt (console preparation)

PEDAL
32′ Contra Bourdon (extension)
16′ Open Wood
16′ Subbass
16′ Double Geigen (Great)
16′ Bourdon (Swell)
16′ Erzahler (Choir)
8′ Gross Flute (extension Open Wood)
8′ Octave
8′ Geigen (Great)
8′ Gross Bourdon (extension Subbass)
8′ Bourdon (Swell)
8′ Erzahler (Choir)
4′ Choral Bass
4′ Gross Flute (extension Open Wood)
IV Mixture (preparation)
32′ Ophicleide (extension)
16′ Trombone
16′ Double Trumpet (Swell)
8′ Trumpet
8′ Tuba (Great)
4′ Clarion (extension Trumpet 8′)
Chimes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Antiphonal Pedal (prepared for, 7 blank drawknobs)

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

Total 96 96 5,949

Couplers and Accessories
# = indicator light provided

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

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

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

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

Accessories:
Expression Pedal Adjuster
#Signal Light
#Current Light

____________________________

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

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

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

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

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