New Organs

J. Zamberlan & Co., Wintersville, Ohio, and Rosales Organ Builders, Los Angeles, California
St. James’ Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, Califiornia
J. Zamberlan & Co. was chosen to build this antiphonal positive division, conceived to provide gentle support for congregational singing as well as to fulfill the functions of a small positive division for the literature. The gothic-style case of quarter-sawn white oak now forms the focal point on the rear gallery railing, with the west-end stained glass as its background. Important considerations were that the case be as beautiful as possible, in keeping with the church’s neo-gothic architecture, while also taking as little space as possible, without compromising ease of maintenance.
Totally self-contained, the casework houses all pipework, wind chests, air reservoir and blower. The 8' Principal is of polished tin, with its four largest wood pipes of cypress mitered inside the case; all components and pipes are easily accessible for maintenance and tuning. The division comprises three ranks and 207 pipes and forms the newest part of the David John Falconer Memorial Organ, originally built by Murray M. Harris and located in the chancel; it presently contains 90 ranks and over 5,000 pipes.
The project was conceived by organist and choirmaster James Buonemani. The organ was constructed by Joseph G. Zamberlan, Dave Young, and Walt Stromack. Carvings were executed by Fred Wilbur and gilded by Sandy Jensen. Manuel Rosales and Kevin Gilchrist provided consultation, voicing and tonal finishing of the pipework. Thomas Trotter played for Solemn Evensong, blessing and the inaugural recital on November 13, 2005.

ANTIPHONAL POSITIVE
8' Principal
8' Gedeckt
4' Octave (ext)
4' Spitzflute
2' Spitzflute (ext)
Cymbalstar
Tremolo

New Organs

Files

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J. Zamberlan & Co.,
Wintersville, Ohio
Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When the church dedicated a new three-manual organ by Fratelli Ruffatti in November 2002, the instrument included a number of prepared-for stops. Our involvement began in the fall of 2004, when Russell Weismann, then organist at the church, asked us to take over regular maintenance, plus make a proposal for completing the organ. When Russell left to pursue graduate studies at Yale, the pastor, Bruce J. Pedersen, asked him to act as consultant on the project. While fundraising continued, Russell, Larry Allen (the new director of music and organist) and I weighed various alternatives; we eventually agreed that an Antiphonal division in the rear of the church, incorporating the Trompette en Chamade that had originally been planned within the front case, would be the best course of action. In addition, a new chest would be built for the future Choir pipework, plus 17 treble pipes would be provided to allow duplexing the Pedal Trumpet up to the Great as a chorus reed—the original plan had included the Chamade as the only Great reed.
The new casework is of Honduras mahogany, finished to harmonize with the main case in the chancel, and while this case has more classical proportions than the front organ, it echoes certain design elements in order to give a respectful nod to its big sister. What had originally been my tongue-in-cheek suggestion to suspend the Antiphonal from the ceiling (like the Klais in Cologne Cathedral) turned out to be the best solution from the structural engineer’s viewpoint, and eliminated the need for a clumsy support framework beneath the case. The walkboard between the case rear and the back wall of the church serves dual purposes—a necessary workplace when tuning, but also a visual “anchor” so the Antiphonal doesn’t appear to be dangling in space. A small high-speed blower is housed in a heavy box to keep noise to a minimum; the blower box, as well as a large single-rise ribbed reservoir, are located adjacent to the case atop an elevator room, and wind is fed to the Antiphonal through a large PVC pipe in the rear wall of the church. An additional reservoir was also provided in the Choir for the new chest.
Pipes of the Antiphonal Diapason 8′ comprise the façade for that division, and are constructed of polished 70% tin, while the Octave and Fifteenth are made of 52% spotted metal. The Trompette en Chamade features satin copper resonators, which become harmonic length at f#43. This stop has sufficient harmonic development to solo out melodies and descants but can also serve as a large chorus reed against the full force of the Ruffatti. Both new chests are slider with electric pulldowns; all pallets were carefully sized, and pallet travel was kept at 4mm in order to keep the action responsive. The Antiphonal chest is a bit unusual in that there are two complete sets of channels; one set, for the flue stops, has sliders for the stop action and functions in the usual manner. The Trompette en Chamade, however, has its own set of channels, from which the pipes are tubed off directly from the bottom of the grid without a slider; this permits the Trompette to be duplexed to various divisions as the original design intended, increasing its versatility. The organ in its entirety presently comprises 62 stops, 31 pipe registers, 39 ranks, and 2,195 pipes. The additions were dedicated on March 11, 2009 by Russell Weismann, University Organist and Adjunct Professor of Sacred Music at Georgetown University.
—Joseph G. Zamberlan

CHOIR (61 notes)
8′ English Diapason (prep.)
8′ Erzähler (prep., currently
electronic)
8′ Erzähler Celeste (electronic)
8′ Singend Gedackt
4′ Principalino
4′ Koppelflöte
2′ Zauberflöte
11⁄3′ Larigot (prep.)
11⁄3′ Ripieno III (prep.)
8′ Cromorne (electronic)
8′ Trompette en Chamade (from ANT)
Tremulant
MIDI A, B
Choir 16′, 4′, Unison Off
Zimbelstern

ANTIPHONAL (61 notes)
8′ Diapason
4′ Octave
2′ Fifteenth
8′ Trompette en Chamade (satin
copper resonators)

The 1911 Murray M. Harris Organ at St. James' Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, California

by Manuel Rosales

Notes

1.              Some
of the historical material has been extracted from the late Dr. David Lennox
Smith's 1979 dissertation "Murray M. Harris and Organ Building in Los
Angeles: 1894-1913" (The University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music,
D.M.A. 1979, available from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor,
MI).

2.              
The most significant partnership was with Henry C. Fletcher.  They installed two new Hutchings organs
in Pasadena churches as well as constructing their Opus 1 for Church of the
Ascension (Episcopal) in Sierra Madre, CA.

3.              The
tonal style of Murray M. Harris organs is a reflection of traditional
19th-century classicism while simultaneously appealing to the trends in
stop-ists of the time. The flue choruses possess great clarity and richness
which preserve the integrity of the ensemble. Even a modest chorus, without a
mixture, is not muddy.

4.              The
Stanford Memorial Church organ was restored from 1981-1995 by Newton Pipe
Organs, Rosales Organ Builders and Curators John DeCamp and Mark C. Austin. The
completed work was featured at the 1995 Convention of the American Institute of
Organ Builders.

5.              Actually
this was not the first 32' reed in the City of Los Angeles. The no longer
extant 1906 Austin in Philharmonic Hall possessed a 32' Magnaton which
technically was a reed but sounded like a very refined Open Wood.

6.              The
Echo 8' Vox Humana and the Swell 8' Concert Flute were missing. In the current
installation the Vox Humana from the 1926 Kimball at St. James' was retained but
the 8' Concert Flute was not restored.

7.              Special
electric pull-downs were developed for the slider chests in order to avoid the
use of  leather. All of the slider
chest's pallets are augmented with electric relief valves. This allows the
windchest to operate on pressures in excess of 4"without any hesitation on
the initial attack or quick repetition. These windchests will never require
re-leathering!

8.              The
property remained vacant for ten years and is now the site of the Sanwa Bank.

9.              Most
regrettable was the loss of this impressive and dramatic sacred space; a
beautiful and welcome refuge from the noise and chaos of downtown Los Angeles.
To get some sense of the Cathedral and its acoustics, one can visit All Souls'
Chapel at Good Samaritan Hospital, a 1/3rd scale replica of the Cathedral which
was designed by the same architect.

10.           The
distribution of the stored material from St. Paul's Cathedral was as follows:
to St. James' went the Murray Harris organ, some stained-glass windows,
carvings and paneling. The pulpit and Cathedra were designated for eventual use
in the as yet un-built Diocesan Center. St. Athanasius Church (on the site of
the new Diocesan Center) received the chapel organ and a mixture wind chest
which had been added to the Murray Harris. The parts were installed in such a
poor manner that the organ was eventually sold for parts.

St.
John's Church in West Adams District of Los Angeles was the recipient of the
antiphonal organ, the Aeolian-Skinner console and the lowest twelve notes of
the Murray Harris 32' Bombard (since the St. John's E. M. Skinner organ had
lost its lowest Bombarde octave some years prior). However, St. John's opted
not to install these large pipes, and eventually they found their way to St.
James'. The Antiphonal organ was installed and is in use, but the
Aeolian-Skinner console was eventually sold.

11.           Actually
the organ was stored for 6 years by the Diocese and after the transfer of
ownership for 4 years by St. James' Church.

12.           St.
James' was the only Episcopal Church in the Diocese which could have
accommodated an organ of that size without major alterations to the building.

13.           See
The American Organist, August, 1994, p. 37.

14.           In
places the walls were as thin as 1/2". In the chancel the walls have been
increased to a thickness of 2".

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The David John Falconer Memorial Organ is a gift of The
Ahmanson Foundation and from the Estate of Helen Parker

A brief history of the project

The Murray M. Harris Company

Murray M. Harris (1866-1922) is generally regarded as the
Father of Organ Building in the West. Born in Illinois, Murray Harris moved with
his family to Los Angeles in 1884. In 1889, Murray Harris relocated to Boston
to receive his training in organbuilding with George S. Hutchings, at that time
one of the nation's premier organ builders. Harris returned to Los Angeles in
1894 both to represent and install Hutchings organs and to establish his own
organbuilding business. After a few short-lived partnerships, he formed his own
firm Murray M. Harris Organ Company in 1898.2

Fame and business soon came Murray Harris' way, and in 1900
he was able to attract a talented band of craftsmen from the East coast to help
him build better organs. This group included several famous organbuilders,
among them William Boone Fleming. Together these gentlemen revolutionized the
mechanism of the Murray Harris organ; the craftsmanship exhibited extraordinary
attention to detail, and the voicing produced an ensemble in step with the
orchestrally-inspired tastes of the day, but with an energy and drama all too
rarely encountered.3 Murray M. Harris himself imparted a coveted tonal
signature. His stature as the builder of some of the finest organs available in
North America brought the company many contracts, among them the organ of
three-manuals and thirty-five speaking stops for the First Methodist Episcopal
Church, Los Angeles. In 1901 he was awarded a contract for an instrument of
forty-six speaking stops for Stanford University's Memorial Church.4

From this prestigious beginning, the company grew rapidly,
securing the contract for the Louisiana Exposition organ (St. Louis World's
Fair) of 1904. At the time, this was the largest organ in the world, with one
hundred and forty stops (it would later become the nucleus of the organ in the
John Wanamaker Store, Philadelphia). Due to cost overruns and litigation, the project spiraled out of control, and the board of directors deposed Murray Harris as president of his own company. He severed all ties with the company, and for the next three years worked as an investment broker. The Board of Directors changed the company name to Los Angeles Art Organ Company.

In 1906, Harris re-entered organ-building with the help of
one of his former workmen, Edwin Spencer, under the name Murray M. Harris
Company. Based upon a different type of wind-chest (sometimes built of pine, at
other times redwood), the instruments from this era continued to exhibit the
same marvelous tonal qualities of the earlier work, and in some cases exceeded
them.

The new firm continued to build organs until 1912. In that
year Murray Harris returned to the investment world; he died in 1922 while on a
business trip to Arizona. However, the former Murray Harris craftsmen continued
to work through 1930, first as Johnston Organ Company, then as the California
Organ Company, and finally as the Robert-Morton Organ Company, becoming
prominent in both church and theater organs. The company continued to employ
many of the Harris concepts, scales and voicing techniques. The Robert-Morton
Organ Company's magnum opus was the four-manual organ for Bovard Auditorium at
the University of Southern California.

The organ for St. Paul's pro-Cathedral

One of the last large organs Murray Harris built was for St.
Paul's pro-Cathedral in Los Angeles. This edifice was built in 1889 as St.
Paul's Church, the largest Episcopal church in the city, located on Pershing
Square in downtown Los Angeles (the current site of the Biltmore Hotel). With
the 1895 election of Joseph Horsfall Johnson as the first bishop of the
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, St. Paul's was elevated to pro-Cathedral.

In 1906 Ernest Douglas, Mus.D., F.A.G.O., was appointed
organist and choirmaster of St. Paul's. Douglas was a Bostonian, a fine
musician and a product of distinguished organ education, having studied with Samuel B. Whitney in Boston, Sir Frederick Bridge at Westminster Abbey London and with Franz Xavier Scharwenka in Berlin. His arrival at St. Paul's marked a distinct improvement in the music program, making the lack of a suitable organ all the more glaring.

At long last, a contract was signed with Murray M. Harris
& Company in July 1910 for a new three-manual organ of forty-one speaking
stops; the price was $12,500. Several features would distinguish the new
instrument: concrete swell boxes and a movable console (both trademarks of the
notorious English organbuilder Robert Hope-Jones); the doubly-enclosed Echo,
playable on the Choir but enclosed within the Swell box; the duplexing of the
Swell reeds to the Choir manual for added flexibility; harp and chimes; and the
provision of a 32' Bombarde, the first such stop to be installed in Los
Angeles.5 The organ was scheduled for delivery before Christmas 1910, but
appears not to have been ready until the following spring.

Los Angeles was growing at an unprecedented rate with
churches and organbuilding prospering as a result. The Cathedral was no
exception, and by 1920 the congregation had grown sufficiently to warrant a new
edifice. On January 31, 1922, Douglas played a final recital on the Murray
Harris in its first home; the program was entirely of his own works. The organ
was then placed in storage with
the intention that it would be installed in the new Cathedral. Old St. Paul's
was razed later that year, and the new St. Paul's simple, elegant building in
Spanish style was consecrated as the Cathedral in 1924, like its predecessor
one of the largest Episcopal churches in the region.

Fortunately, the new building possessed superb acoustics;
unfortunately, the architects had not provided adequate space or tonal egress
for the existing instrument. In charge of the organ installation was Stanley
Williams, who had worked with Harris in 1911 and had voiced the organ
originally. Williams was now representing the Chicago organbuilding firm of W.
W. Kimball, and thus the Harris organ was provided with a new Kimball console
which contained a number of stop preparations. Williams' only change to the
instrument was to move the Swell Concert Flute into the Echo organ. Otherwise,
the organ remained intact and the Kimball preparations never materialized.
(Also interesting to note, Stanley Williams sold the 1926 Kimball organ to St.
James' Church, Wilshire Boulevard.)

During the years when Frank K. Owen was Organist/Choirmaster
(1953-1974), the organ was well cared for. His admiration and fondness for the
instrument assured the preservation and enhancement of the character of the
original work. He facilitated the replacement of the Kimball console with an
Æolian-Skinner console, the installation of an antiphonal organ, the addition of two mixtures, as well as some other minor tonal changes. However, under another organist in 1975-76, a series of changes were made in an attempt to keep the organ abreast of current tastes in organ tone including the
transposition of ranks to higher pitches and the swapping of stops with the
Estey organ in the chapel. Fortunately, all except two original ranks of pipes
were to be found stored in the chambers.6

When in 1976 Mrs. Carol Foster was appointed organist and
choirmaster, she became determined to see the organ restored as its condition
was dismal; only the Great 32' Tuba unit, the added mixtures on their own
chests and the Antiphonal functioned with reasonable reliability. From 1977 to
1979 the organ was in the care of Manuel Rosales and the late David Dickson;
they could do no more than to keep the reeds in tune and chase after the
incessant ciphers. A meeting with Bishop Robert C. Rusack yielded a promise to
form a committee which would investigate the possibility either of significant
repairs or a revamping of the instrument on new slider chests (the plan
ultimately followed at St. James')7. Unfortunately, the committee took no real
interest nor further action.

In late 1979 the Bishop announced, to the great dismay of
the Cathedral community, that the building would be razed, apparently due to
structural and safety considerations. The Cathedral property was quickly sold,
and an urgency developed to evacuate the premises as quickly as possible.8 The
organ played its final service on Christmas Eve, 1979.

When no plans were announced to save the organ, the
furnishings or any of the Cathedral's architectural treasures, Mrs. Foster,
Dickson and Rosales once again submitted a proposal to the Bishop to find
suitable storage for the organ and to remove it and whatever else could be
salvaged of the building's interior appointments. Bishop Rusack accepted this
proposal. Of the organ, all the pipes, the chest for the Tuba unit, the
bellows, the console, the antiphonal section and its casework, and the chapel organ were removed. Since the main
windchests were of redwood with ventil stop action, and had suffered from
alteration and poor maintenance, it was decided not to save them.9 & 10

For the decade-long period in which the Murray Harris organ
was in storage, some members of the Cathedral corporation searched for ways to
dispose of the instrument.11 Several suggestions were considered, including
donating it to a theater, a stadium, even the Hollywood Bowl. Eventually, the
Cathedral corporation consulted Manuel Rosales, who suggested that another
church in Los Angeles should be the first choice.

A new home at St. James' on Wilshire Boulevard

Concurrently with the Diocese's decision to dispose of the
Murray Harris, St. James' Episcopal Church in the mid-Wilshire section of Los
Angeles was beginning to realize that their 1926 Kimball was beyond reasonable
restoration. By 1980 it had undergone the kind of tonal changes that the
Cathedral organ had, but with so much of the original pipework discarded that
the original character could not be recaptured. At that point the Diocese then
approached St. James' and offered the Murray Harris at no cost.12

Realizing that this instrument could meet the needs of St.
James' parish, David John Falconer, organist and choirmaster, became keenly
interested in the project and obtained approval to seek funding. He had been
exploring a variety of options when he approached the Ahmanson Foundation,
whose grants director Lee Walcott invited him to submit a proposal. Sadly, Dr.
Falconer was killed in an attempted robbery April 22, 1994.13

The Ahmanson Foundation chose to fund the project, and the
Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York, was selected to perform the work.
David Dickson, who knew and loved the Murray Harris organ, was at that time
Schlicker's artistic director.

Concurrent with the developing plans for the organ, St.
James' decided to improve the Church's acoustics. Eventually, all
asbestos-laden fiberglass was removed from the clerestory, and the plaster on
the walls was increased in thickness, with particular attention paid to the
chancel surfaces.14

A plan was developed which involved incorporating all of the
existing Murray Harris pipework, its bellows and the 1926 Kimball Echo organ,
blower, and two ranks of pipes. To increase the tonal palette, the plan
included adding sixteen stops in the Murray Harris style. The instrument would
also require new slider wind chests, expression boxes and a state-of-the-art
console. Although this would result in essentially a new working mechanism for
the organ, the tonal character of the Murray M. Harris organ would be retained
and enhanced.

The rear gallery, as a place of installation, was ruled out
due to lack of space. It was decided to enlarge the front organ chambers by
adding cantilevered decorative cases, thus creating additional space and
improved egress of sound.

During the organ's re-construction phase, the project has
seen several changes. The Schlicker Organ Company began by designing new slider
wind-chests and a console; eventually, they would accomplish all of the
mechanical work. Some delays occurred, including the untimely early death of
David Dickson in 1991. The project was revived in 1993 when Austin Organs, Inc.
became principal contractor. Under the revised plan, Austin would oversee the
project and take charge of all voicing and pipework, while Schlicker, under the
direction of J. Stanton Peters, would remain in charge of the mechanical
aspects, console and installation. David A.J. Broome, Tonal Director of Austin
Organs, collaborated with Manuel Rosales on the scaling and voicing of the
added pipework, with Broome taking charge of artistic direction at the Austin
factory. The Austin Organ Company pipe shop and voicers are to be commended for
their excellent workmanship and care in the restoration and tonal finishing of
the pipework.

The organ arrived at St. James' in April of 1995, with
on-site installation performed by Schlicker personnel. Tonal finishing began in
August, under Austin's Assistant Tonal Director Daniel Kingman assisted by
Christopher Smith of Schlicker. In the final weeks of the finishing, reed
voicer Zoltan Zsitvay of Austin joined Mr. Kingman. Manuel Rosales and Rosales
Organ Builders supported and assisted throughout the installation and tonal
finishing.

In its present home, the revised and enlarged Murray M.
Harris organ displays its original character as well as an enhanced presence in
St. James' pleasant acoustics. The organ possesses clear and unforced Diapason
tone with a bountiful collection of unison colors. The Great chorus is bold and well defined. The Swell and
Choir chorus are each appropriately softer and make excellent accompaniment
divisions. The chorus reeds are
likewise varied in strength also making beautiful solo stops. The stops created
by Austin Organs were designed and voiced using examples and scales from other
Harris instruments, except for the Cornet V which is appropriately patterned
after a stop in the Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico City. The entire ensemble is
underpinned by the original 32' Contra Bombarde whose low CCCC pipe is two feet
across!

The completed instrument was dedicated to the memory of
David John Falconer on November 5th, All Saints' Day, at a festival service
with The Right Reverend Frederick H. Borsch, Bishop of Los Angeles, presiding,
and The Reverend Kirk Stevan Smith, Ph.D., Rector assisting.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Organist & Choirmaster James P.
Buonemani was assisted by Associate Organist David McVey.

Australian David Drury of the University of Sidney performed
the opening concert. His program featured works of Saint-Saëns, Mozart,
Widor, Jongen, Jackson, Hakim and an improvisation on two submitted themes. Mr.
Drury's artistry and imagination well exhibited the varied resources of the
instrument.

Eighty-four years since the organ's construction, and
sixteen years since its removal from St. Paul's Cathedral, the cultural
community of Los Angeles celebrates a voice from the past which was created in
our city and now sounds forth again with restored majesty.
style='mso-tab-count:1'>

New Organs

Files

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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

New Organs

Cover

An organ built by J.L. van den Heuvel
style='font-weight:normal'>, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, has been installed at
the Church of the Holy Apostles, New York, NY. Originally installed at Castle
Shiloah, Fairview, TX, it was relocated by the Organ Clearing House, and
revoiced by Rosales Organ Builders. When a fire destroyed the Church of the
Holy Apostles in 1990, it also destoyed the church's Casavant organ. The parish
entered into an agreement with Rosales Organ Builders for a new instrument. As
the restoration of the building consumed available funds, it became apparent
that the congregation could no longer afford the new organ. In an effort to
make the best use of monies available, Rosales agreed to explore alternatives.
In 1991, Joseph and Marla Mooibroek of Fairview, TX, commissioned J.L. van den Heuvel
to build an organ for their home. The organ was installed in Castle Shiloah in
1994. In 1996 the Mooibroeks decided to sell their residence and organ. Manuel
Rosales examined the organ and notified Holy Apostles about its availability.
The Organ Clearing House, Alan Laufman, executive director, moved the organ to
its new home. After the two-month reassembly, Manuel Rosales revoiced the organ
for its new environment. The organ is housed in a Dutch Baroque-style case with
detailed sculpture and carvings. Tonally it is in early French romantic style.
The Organ Clearing House staff, Alan Laufman, executive director, included
Amory Atkin, Terence Atkin, William Dixon, Whitney Flecher, George Gibson,
Richard Hamar, Scott Huntington, and Joshua Wood. Manuel Rosales was assisted
by Peter Batchelder, Timothy Fink, and Scot Huntington. Donald Joyce is music
director of the church. Compass is 61/32. The nave of the church is used each
day for one of the parish's outreach programs--the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, which
serves over 1,000 meals per day. Photo by Amy Reichman.

GRAND ORGUE

16' Bourdon

8' Montre

8' Flûte a cheminée

8' Flûte harmonique

4' Prestant

2' Doublette

Plein Jeu III-V

Cornet IV (MC)

8' Trompette

Tremblant

Pos/G.O.

Réc/G.O.

RÉCIT

8' Flûte traversière

8' Viole de Gambe

8' Voix céleste

4' Flûte Octaviante

2' Octavin

8' Basson-Hautbois

8' Voix Humaine

Tremulant

POSITIF

8' Bourdon

8' Salicional

8' Unda Maris

4' Flûte à fuseau

22/3' Nasard

2' Flageolet

13/5' Tierce

1' Piccolo

8' Clarinette

8' Trumpet Royal (horizontal)

Tremulant

Chimes

Zimbelstern

Réc/Pos

PÉDAL

32' Bourdon (electronic)

16' Soubasse (1-24 G.O.)

8' Flûte

8' Violoncelle

16' Basson

4' Chalumeau

G.O./Péd

Pos/Péd

Réc/Péd

Bond Organ Builders, Inc., Portland, OR, has completed the restoration of the organ at St. Mary's
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also in Portland. The organ was
originally built in 1904 by the Los Angeles Art Organ Co., opus 42, under the
direction of Murray M. Harris, for Holy Cross Catholic Church in San Francisco.
It was severely damaged in the 1906 earthquake. Falling debris largely
destroyed the Great and Choir divisions; the original Fleming windchests for
these divisions were replaced by new chests of the Spencer design. Repairs were
carried out by a local firm using new pipes, windchests, and other parts
supplied by Murray Harris. Some original stops survived, notably the Great 16'
and 8' Diapasons, most of the 4'Octave, and the Doppel Flute, as well as the
Choir Melodia. The Great Second Open Diapason was added at this time, and the
Choir tremolo deleted. By the 1980s, the organ was in need of a complete
restoration; nevertheless, it was heard at the 1988 OHS convention. The church
was damaged again by the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and the parish closed
at that time. In 1995, the Archdiocese of Portland acquired the organ.
Disassembly and removal from Holy Cross Church began in September, 1995.
Smaller internal parts were carried by hand down a narrow staircase from the
balcony. Windchests, pedal pipes, reservoir, etc., were too large to handle in
this manner. A crane was erected outside the church, a hole was broken in the
roof just large enough to allow the crane hook to pass into the building, and
the large parts were lowered to the floor.

Restoration began with a thorough cleaning. All parts of the
original patented electro-pneumatic action were retained and restored,
including releathering. All pipes were washed and voiced for the new room.
Damaged pipes were repaired, missing pipes replaced. Front casework and console
were well preserved; it was necessary only to clean and repair scratches. Side
casework was re-engineered to provide access to the mechanism inside and
strengthened. The console mechanism was retained in its entirety, including 10
combination pedals. Stenciling on the facade pipes was copied, the pipes
stripped, and new paint applied using the original design. After much
deliberation, it was decided to add Mixtures to the Great and Swell, as well as
a Pedal 16' Trombone. The
additions were carried out after study of extant mixtures and trombones built
by Murray Harris. 41 ranks, 37 stops.

GREAT

16' Double Open Diapason

8' Open Diapason

8' Open Diapason (2nd)

8' Viola da Gamba

8' Viola d'Amour

8' Doppel Flute

4' Octave

22/3 Octave Quinte

2' Super Octave

Mixture III-IV*

8' Trumpet

SWELL

16' Bourdon

8' Violin Diapason

8' Viol d'Orchestre

8' Aeoline

8' Voix Celeste

8' Stopped Diapason

4' Fugara

4' Harmonic Flute

2' Flautina

Cornet
IV*

8' Oboe

8' Vox Humana

Tremolo

CHOIR

8' Geigen Principal

8' Dulciana

8' Melodia

4' Violina

4' Flute d'Amour

2' Harmonic Piccolo

8' Clarinet

PEDAL

32' Resultant*

16' Open Diapason (wood)

16' Bourdon

16' Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)

8' Violoncello

8' Flute Stop'd

16' Trombone*

*additions by Bond

Berghaus Organ Company, Inc., Bellwood, IL, has built a new organ for Trinity Lutheran Church,
Faribault, MN. The new organ comprises 23 ranks (1,263 pipes) on two manuals
and pedal. Slider windchests are used for the Great, Swell, and Pedal
divisions, with an all-electric action windchest for the Trompete stop. The
movable oak console has keyboards of maple naturals and rosewood sharps. Stops
and couplers are controlled by tilting tablets placed above the top keyboard.
Preparations have been made for future installation of MIDI. The Swell division
is located in wooden chambers to the left and under expression. Great division
is to the right of the Swell, and the Pedal is housed in a chamber behind the
Great.

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Rohrfloete

4' Octave

4' Spillfloete

22/3' Nasat

2' Hohlfloete

13/5' Terz

IV Mixtur

8' Trompete

Tremulant

Chimes

Zimbelstern
(prep)

SWELL

8' Gedackt

8' Viola

8' Celeste

4' Spitzfloete

2' Principal

11/3' Quinte

III Scharf-Zimbel (prep)

8' Schalmei

Tremulant

8' Trompete

PEDAL

16' Subbass

8' Offenbass

4' Choralbass

II Rauschquinte (prep)

16' Still Posaune

8' Trompete

4' Trompete

Temple Organs, St.
Joseph, MO, has rebuilt the 1968/1986 Wicks organ at West Hills Presbyterian
Church, Omaha, NE. All original pipework was retained in new casework of oak
trim over birch panels, painted to match the church walls. A new 3-manual
console includes an Artisan control system, with preparation for future digital
additions. The Principal, Octave, and Subbass form the facade. The low octave
of the 16' Trumpet, by Killinger, was added as a donation by one of the
church's organists, Dr. Ted Holyoke. Music director is Dwaine Price.

Analysis

16' Subbass (44 pipes)

16' Gedeckt (97)

8' Principal (61)

8' Geigen (73)

8' Gemshorn (61)

8' Gemshorn Celeste (77)

8' Bourdon (73)

4' Octave (73)

22/3' Twelfth (61)

16' Trompette (85)

8' Oboe (61)

Chimes
(25 tubes)

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Bourdon

8' Gemshorn

4' Octave

22/3' Twelfth

2' Fifteenth

Mixture III

8' Trompette

Chimes

Couplers

SWELL

16' Gedeckt

8' Geigen Principal

8' Rohrgedeckt

8' Gemshorn

8' Gemshorn Celeste

4' Prestant

4' Bourdon

22/3' Quinte

2' Blockflöte

13/5' Tierce

Scharf III

16' Trompette

8' Trompette

8' Oboe

4' Clarion

Tremulant

Couplers

CHOIR

Digital preparation

10 knobs

Couplers

PEDAL

16' Subbass

16' Lieblich Gedeckt

8' Principal

8' Pedalflöte

4' Choralbass

4' Rohrflöte

2' Super Octave

Mixture III

16' Trompette

8' Trompette

8' Fagotto

4' Clarion

New Organs

Files

webDec10p32.pdf (480.75 KB)

Lauck Pipe Organ Company,
Otsego, Michigan
Opus 61, 2009
Karl Schrock Residence,
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Through the years, we have had the pleasure to build a substantial number of small residence organs for many college professors and church organists. There has always come a great sense of satisfaction in creating these smaller wonders because we know we are building these exclusively for one person. We also know that the money for these instruments is usually born from hard work and frugal saving. The joy is in giving the customer their long-anticipated dream and creating the most value for their money.
Our latest residence organ was for Dr. Karl Schrock, who is head of the organ program at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. This five-rank mechanical action organ has white oak casework, ebony naturals with coco bolo sharps, and ebony drawknobs.
—James Lauck

MANUAL I
8′ Rohrflute 61 pipes
4′ Principal (in façade) 61 pipes

MANUAL II
8′ Gedeckt (oak) 49 pipes
common bass
2′ Blockflute 61 pipes

PEDAL
16′ Pommer 32 pipes

Man I–Man II
Man I–Ped
Man II–Ped

269/694-4500
[email protected]

J. Zamberlan & Co.,
Wintersville, Ohio
Christ, Prince of Peace Parish, Ford City, Pennsylvania
Christ, Prince of Peace Parish was formed on July 23, 2002, from the merger of three parishes in Ford City; the building formerly known as St. Mary’s Church is now the sole worship site. A 1930s organ occupied split cases in the rear gallery; this instrument had been rebuilt in 1965, and by 2002 was experiencing severe mechanical problems, in addition to suffering from a lack of ensemble and variety of stops.
Initial design concepts retained the choir in the gallery, but in the end the parish decided a nave location was preferable for the singers. In addition to the console, a 3-rank unenclosed “choir” division, available independently on either manual, is located in the shallow right transept. Wind for this division comes from a small blower and reservoir located in the church basement but fed from an intake housed in the base of the choir casework, which also encloses the support steel for the chest as well as shelves for choir music.
Several ranks from the old organ were incorporated into the new stoplist, as well as two stops from a 1965 Möller at one of the closed churches. The existing quartersawn white oak gallery casework was retained, as were the façade pipes, which were refinished for the church by a local auto body shop. The new console, as well as the choir casework, is of red oak, finished to harmonize with the pews; this casework also incorporates panels from former modesty screens in the choir area. The console interior is of Honduras mahogany, oiled and waxed. Keyboards have bone naturals and ebony accidentals, with drawknobs, pistons, etc. of bocote; legal ivory is used for labels and stopknob faces.
The solid-state control system includes 128 levels of memory for 8 generals and 4 divisionals, as well as several reversibles. At the suggestion of a visiting recitalist, the parish agreed in 2008 to add Great and Swell Unison Off toestud reversibles to enhance the organ’s versatility; this permits drawing the normal stops plus Choir stops on either manual, then using the Unison Off and pedal coupler to achieve separate voices on that manual and the pedal.
The main chests of the organ are slider with electric pulldowns, with bass notes utilizing double pallets where necessary. All pallets were carefully sized, and pallet travel was kept at 4mm, in order to keep the action responsive. Several stops are either duplexed between divisions or unified; these sit on chests with individual note actions (electro-mechanical except for the largest bass pipes), which incorporate expansion chambers between the valve and toe to minimize undesirable speech characteristics sometimes found in this chest design. The organ comprises 37 stops, 27 registers, 36 ranks, and 1993 pipes, and is our largest instrument to date. Donald Fellows, director of music at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh, dedicated the organ on March 18, 2007. The parish director of music is Andrew Motyka.
—Joseph G. Zamberlan

GREAT (58 notes)
8′ Diapason
8′ Rohrflute (existing Tellers,
C1–b48 wood)
4′ Octave
4′ Open Flute (existing Tellers,
formerly in Swell, C1–c49 wood)
2′ Fifteenth
4′ Cornet IV (c13–c49)
11⁄3′ Mixture IV
8′ Trompette
8′ Cromorne
8′ Choir Gemshorn
8′ Choir Bourdon
4′ Choir Italian Principal
4′ Choir Bourdon (ext)
2′ Choir Bourdon (ext)
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great
Tremulant
Cymbelstern
MIDI

SWELL (58 notes)
16′ Quintaten (C1–f18 wood)
8′ Violin Diapason (existing Tellers,
C1–B12 from Gedackt)
8′ Gedackt (existing Möller, wood)
8′ Viole de Gambe (existing Tellers,
formerly in Great)
8′ Voix Céleste (existing Möller,
from G8)
4′ Principal
4′ Flute (existing Tellers, formerly in Great, C1–a46 wood)
22⁄3′ Nazard
2′ Spitzflute
13⁄5′ Tierce
2′ Plein Jeu III
2⁄3′ Cymbale II
16′ Basson
8′ Hautbois (ext)
8′ Choir Gemshorn
8′ Choir Bourdon
4′ Choir Italian Principal
4′ Choir Bourdon (ext)
2′ Choir Bourdon (ext)
Tremulant
MIDI

PEDAL (32 notes, AGO)
32′ Bourdon (C1–B12 independent 10 2⁄3′
wood with Subbass,
from c13 Subbass)
16′ Principal (prep)
16′ Subbass (wood)
16′ Quintaten (Swell)
8′ Octave (prep)
8′ Gedackt (ext)
4′ Choral Bass (prep)
16′ Trombone (wooden resonators)
16′ Basson (Swell)
8′ Trompette (Great)
8′ Cromorne (Great)
4′ Clairon (Great)
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
MIDI

740/765-9028
[email protected]

New Organs

J. Zamberlan & Co.,
Wintersville, Ohio
Oakmont Presbyterian Church, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
The firm’s Opus 2 began as a two-manual Möller of 16 ranks and 1,054 pipes, built in 1991 as Opus 11826—quite possibly one of the last instruments produced by Möller. When inspected in the spring of 2004, several of the principal ranks already exhibited signs of collapse; in addition, the 4′ chest cantilevered out over the choir had begun to droop, and access within the chamber was a challenge.
The church expressed interest in expanding the instrument to three manuals. A new Great, securely cantilevered out from the chamber façade, is now ideally located to lead congregational song. All pipework of this division is new except for the mixture, which was retained but rescaled with some new pipework, to be lower in pitch. Five decorative panels from previous choir light enclosures were refinished and the highlights gilded before being attached to the front of the Great casework. The old Great chest inside the chamber has become a Positive, with the locations formerly occupied by the collapsing Principal 8′ and Octave 4′ now filled by a Viola 8′ and Prestant 4′, which are much happier in the allocated space. The low octave of the Viola is on an offset chest with the new Trompette 8′. A 3-rank Scharff was installed on a new toeboard where the old mixture was located. The Swell was retained as is, due to restricted space.
Although not part of the original proposal, in the end the wind system within the chamber was essentially rebuilt, replacing long runs of Flexaust with solid conductors and adding winkers to all divisions. Although the bottom part of the chamber now includes a full-length Bombarde 16′ (the low 18 resonators are mainly of copper and lie on their sides) unified to 8′ and 4′, access is much easier. Wind pressures are 75 mm for the Great, 87 mm for the Swell, 76 mm for the Positive, and 80 mm for the Pedal.
A new three-manual console was provided as well. Its curved, terraced stopjambs place a large number of stops within convenient reach of the organist, while also providing for a lower overall profile. The shell is of quartersawn white oak, stained and finished, while the interior is of Honduras mahogany, including the music rack, finished with oil and paste wax. Stopknobs, piston bodies and expression shoes are of bocote, while the stopknob disks, toe stud labels, piston faces and nameplate are laser engraved on certified legal ivory. The keyboard naturals are of fine-grained bone, with sharps of ebony. The compasses are 61/32 and the temperament is Kellner.
The organ now comprises 25 ranks and 1,551 pipes. It was dedicated on Sunday, June 26, 2005, by Dr. David A. Billings, director of music and organist at the church.
—Joseph G. Zamberlan
740/765-9028
[email protected]

GREAT (Manual II)
16′ Bourdon (Pos)
8′ Diapason
8′ Bourdon
8′ Viola (Pos)
8′ Gemshorn (Sw)
4′ Octave
2′ Fifteenth
11⁄3′ Mixture III–IV*
8′ Trompette
Cymbelstern
Chimes*

SWELL (Manual III, enclosed)
8′ Rohrflöte*
8′ Gemshorn*
8′ Gemshorn Céleste (from c13)*
4′ Spitzprincipal*
4′ Rohrflöte (ext)*
4′ Gemshorn Céleste (ext)*
2′ Spitzoctave (ext)*
11⁄3′ Quinte (ext)*
16′ Contre Trompette*
8′ Petite Trompette (ext)*
4′ Clarion (ext)*
Tremulant*

POSITIVE (Manual I)
16′ Bourdon*
8′ Viola
8′ Gedackt (ext)*
4′ Prestant
4′ Gedackt (ext)*
2′ Gedackt (ext)*
22⁄3′ Sesquialtera II (from c13)*
1′ Scharff III
8′ Trompette (Gt)
8′ Schalmei*
Tremulant*

PEDAL
16′ Principal*
16′ Bourdon (Pos)
8′ Octave (ext)*
8′ Gedackt (Pos)
8′ Rohrflöte (Sw)
4′ Choralbass (ext)*
4′ Gedackt (Pos)
32′ Bassoon (electr)*
16′ Bombarde
16′ Contre Trompette (Sw)
8′ Trompette (ext)
4′ Clairon (ext)

*from Möller

Swell to Great
Positive to Great
Swell to Positive
Swell to Swell 16′
Swell Unison Off
Positive to Swell
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Positive to Pedal
Positive to Pedal 4′

Tutti
Manual transfer switch I/II

New Organs

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