The Wicks Organ Company
Highland, Illinois
Christ Church, Episcopal,
Plano, Texas
Opus 6390
The newly installed Wicks organ in Christ Church, Episcopal
in Plano, Texas represents a culmination of the best of Wicks organs from the
past century. North Texas area sales director John Dill has been instrumental
in the appointment of Wicks as the builder, the visual and tonal design of the
organ, and making the needs, desires, and wishes of the church into a
successful instrument. He writes:
Rare is the opportunity afforded to pipe organ firms to be
in on the ground floor of the construction of the buildings in which their
instruments will be played. It is more common for instruments to be built for
existing buildings with the purchasers allowing little in the way of
alterations to enhance the acoustic of the space. This was not the case at
Christ Church. It was clearly understood from the beginning that this place
would be special for not only the spoken word but also for the sung. Discussions
with the church and architect first began in January of 1996. Decisions in the
design acoustics in the church were made with this organ in mind from the very
beginning.
It was determined that the instrument was to be of English
influence, based on the denomination of the congregation as well as its musical
tastes. The instrument was to be as versatile as possible and it was to promote
good performance practice of many different genres of music. We avoided the
concept of an "eclectic" design because an instrument cannot be all
things to all pieces and still be true to itself. We preferred to work on the
premise that the instrument would be an American version of an English organ
with an emphasis on Bach, the French Classic and of course 20th-century English.
There was one major principle of G. Donald Harrison's for which we aimed on
this point: "The finest ensemble is produced by many ranks, none of which
is loud in themselves." (From a letter to Ralph Downes, dated January 14,
1949.) The instrument also depends on its ability to fill the room either with
flutes, diapasons, or reeds independently.
Wicks has a long history of romantic instruments, and that
influence was put to use here. Wicks Opus 1228 was built in 1934 in the Church
of St. Alphonsus Liguori, "The Rock Church," of St. Louis, Missouri,
under the direction of John Henry Wick, son of company founder John Wick. This
grand instrument served as the genesis for the current project and contains
some of the first work done by Henry Vincent Willis for the Wicks firm. Voicing
untouched, this instrument has remained "as installed" with the
exception of an updated relay in the 1980s. It was not our intention to use
leathered upper lips or strings the size of soda straws, but the overall sound
was a model for Christ Church. St. Alphonsus was also used for the concept of
the modern façade. Our intention was not to turn back the clock but
rather to find the best possible place to stop its pendulum.
The space for the instrument is in the rear of the nave in a
balcony above the choir loft. It has a concrete floor, with cinder block
chambers. The empty spaces in the blocks were filled with a high-density filler
to give a greater solidity to the walls, and the surfaces of the blocks were
sealed. The expression shades are extra thick and beveled so that a tight seal
is achieved. When the boxes are closed and all the stops are engaged, the organ
gives what I like to call "The Caged Lion" effect. Special attention
was given to the earliest stages of the expression motors to produce a uniform
crescendo and not allow too much of a crescendo at the beginning. The Choir and
Swell are immediately behind the Great and Pedal, standing
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> side by side, with the Choir on the
left as one faces the instrument. One difficulty arose with the presence of a
large band of windows that encircle the entire room. They are beautiful and
give the room an open-air feeling but absorb a great deal of the lower
registers. To solve this problem, a second layer of drywall on the ceiling and
the assistance of the Walker Technical Company were employed. Their 32' stops
and reinforcements of the lower registers in combination with a more rigid
ceiling negate the presence of this abundance of glass.
The nave of the church is quite large, so I was not worried
about the instrument being overbearing; nevertheless, an instrument in this
kind of environment should never be found lacking on any level. Soft delicate
stops were a must. No matter how loud you play the instrument, it is not harsh,
brittle, or painful, yet there is no doubt of its power. The pipework begins
some twenty-five feet above the heads of the congregation, so the sound fills
the room from above.
The Great has two unison Diapasons, the first at 42 scale
and the second at 46. The term "Diapason" was used to denote an
"ah" vowel and less of an "e" in the sustained timbre of
the pipes. The entire Great is on 41/2 inches of wind pressure. John Sperling,
tonal director of the Wicks Organ Company, succeeded with the blend of these
two stops as well as with all the pipework. Mr. Sperling called for the Great
unison Trumpet to have a 31/2-inch resonator at 8' c with Schalmei tongues. It
blends with the flue chorus and has the greatest fire of the chorus reeds, but
it is not thin or brittle. The instrument performs its duties very well without
the need for constant usage of the sub and super couplers. Indeed such couplers
can be seen as a luxury on this instrument rather than a necessity.
There has long been a tradition of eclecticism in which
Great organs would "theoretically" fill the room, Swell organs would
be more or less as powerful as the Great but under expression, and if there
were a Choir organ, it would be the weakest division with all the nice little
stops for delicate counterpoint and buzzy reeds. It was decided that the
literature to be played on this organ would be better served by a Choir with a
larger than usual chorus of Diapasons. The 8' Diapason is at 44 scale and the
4' octave is at 56 with a wind pressure of 51/2 inches. They are clear in tone
and sing well into the room. The Swell and Choir chambers are no more than 7
feet 4 inches in depth to preserve their presence. The scales of the pipework
would not allow the chambers to be any shallower. The Choir has the largest
scaled Trumpet. It is 41/2 inches at 8' c and has less fire than the Great or
Swell Trumpets, but no less strength. The Clarinet is full in volume and rich
in tone. It is reminiscent of a Bassett Horn and can be accompanied by all the
strings in the Swell. Moreover, the English Horn, like the Clarinet, sings
throughout the room with clarity and depth.
The French influence is evident in the Swell reeds. It is
the one place that we leave English and American nomenclature behind. The
Trompette is a 4-inch scale and uses post horn shallots. The entire division is
on 51/2 inches of wind pressure. The reeds add strength to the ensemble of this
division, as well as the entire instrument, but do not overwhelm it. With an 8'
Cello Diapason, 8' Chimney Flute, and an 8' Viole, there is no wanting for a
solid 8' flue chorus in this division.
In the Pedal division, the Diapason chorus is as follows: 30
scale at 16' c, 43 at 8' c, and 55
at 4' c. These are each independent ranks. The balcony and chancel organs
include four 32' digital stops that solidly reinforce the entire organ without
being overbearing.
Many have said
that an organ of this size should have a fourth manual, but it possesses a
legitimate layout of a large three-manual organ. There are two identical
consoles, one in the choir loft and one at the chancel. They are built to AGO
specifications with adjustable benches, hardwood keys on both the naturals and
accidentals, and heavier wooden drawknobs than normally might be used. The only
difference in the two consoles is the locking roll-top on the chancel console.
Both have built in casters and roll with remarkable ease considering their size
and girth. The 99-level memory systems are independent of one another. The
divisional pistons in the Great affect both the Great and Chancel Great and the
Swell and Pedal divisional pistons work similarly. Enough main cable was
provided so that the chancel console may be moved to the far side of the altar,
if desired, and the gallery console may be moved throughout the loft. When one
of the consoles is turned on, the other comes on as well. One feature that the
organist must become accustomed to is leaving the chamber shoes closed since
they will not close at one console if they are open at the other. It goes
against what is taught, but, electric swell motors open the shades
automatically when the organ is off. Indicator lights were added to show the
stages of the shades as well as the Crescendo Pedal. The organ is equipped with
four programmable Crescendos and three "Full Organ" pistons. The first
brings on all the flue work with division couplers only at unison, the second
adds the reeds, and the third draws the super couplers. The organist can
reprogram these if desired. English and American nomenclature were used as much
as possible except for the main reeds in the Swell, the Rohr Schalmei in the
Chancel Pedal and the Zimbelstern which can turned on with a thumb or toe
piston. Wicks' Direct-Electric® action is used throughout the organ, the
same action that continues to function flawlessly in the organ in the church of
St. Alphonsus Liguori.
Now a word about the chancel divisions: these are all
digital, and no apologies will be made for this. Many would consider the
addition of digital voices in such a place a travesty but the attitude of the
ministry of Christ Church was functional, musical, and down to earth. These
divisions work and they work well. Walker Technical was brought in on this
project since we knew there would be no room for a 32'
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Open Wood as well as a number of other
large and expensive stops that the church wanted. There is more than enough
space in the chancel for at least 60 ranks if the church so desires to add them
in the future. The digital voices in the chancel total some 39 ranks.
One final note: I would like to thank Robert Capra of
Memphis, Tennessee, regional director for the Wicks Organ Company, as well as
Bob Walker, founder of Walker Technical, for their superb jobs of tonal
finishing.
--John Dill
The Wicks Organ Company, Opus 6390
Christ Church, Episcopal, Plano, Texas
GREAT 41/2" W.P.
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Open Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> First
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Second
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
(Ch)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
Celeste (Ch)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spire
Flute
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Super
Octave
V
style='mso-tab-count:1'> First
Mixture
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Second
Mixture
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Trumpet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
Trumpet
Harp
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tuba
(Ch)
Chimes
MIDI
On
SWELL (expressive) 51/2" W.P.
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(ext)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cello
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cello
Celeste
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Chimney
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Viol
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Viol
Celeste
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
Celeste II
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Traverse
Flute
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nazard
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tierce
V
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Contre
Trompette
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompette
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oboe
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Vox
Humana
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clairon
Tremulant
MIDI
On
CHOIR (expressive) 51/2" W.P.
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
Celeste
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Flute
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nazard
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Recorder
13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tierce
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quint
1'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Sifflöte
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clarinet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> English
Horn
Tremulant
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tuba
Chimes
MIDI
On
PEDAL 41/2" W.P.
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Wood (digital)
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(digital)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Diapason (Gt 1st Diap)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(Gt)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(Sw)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Soft
Flute
102/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quint Flute (Sw)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
(Gt 4' Oct)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Super
Octave
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Trombone (digital)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trombone
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
(Ch)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bassoon
(Sw)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
Gt)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
(Gt)
MIDI
On
CHANCEL GREAT (expressive) (digital)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
Celeste II
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Super
Octave
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cornopean
Tremolo
MIDI
On
CHANCEL SWELL (expressive) (digital)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Viola
Pomposa
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Viola
Celeste
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Chimney
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Erzähler
Celeste II
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Flute
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fife
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Trumpet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flugel
Horn
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
Trumpet
Tremolo
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fanfare
Trumpet
CHANCEL PEDAL
(expressive) (digital)
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Violon
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Diapason
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Subbass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Super
Octave
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trombone
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohr
Schalmei
Lewis & Hitchcock, Beltsville, Maryland, has rebuilt the 1929 Möller organ at First Presbyterian Church of Cumberland, Maryland. The proposal was to rebuild the organ, keeping the original tonal plan, but using unit electro-pneumatic action for the manual windchests, to eliminate the problems of pneumatic duplexing, and rebuild the Gallery division into a true choral accompaniment organ. We wanted to restore the original sound of the organ, make it mechanically reliable for a long time, and provide enough organ sound to accompany the choir in the rear gallery.
The original sound of the organ had been changed over the
years, in an attempt to update it to a more modern sound. While well- intentioned, it had been done by several persons in conflicting styles. The
action of the instrument had also deteriorated over time, causing dead notes
and ciphers. Very little of the organ was usable. In addition, the portion of
the organ that was in the gallery was not originally intended to accompany the
choir, and there was little for the organist to select from.
Our work consisted of removing the organ to our factory a
section at a time. In the factory the mechanisms were renewed. The pipework was
also returned to the original positions as much as possible. What had disappeared over the years was either replaced with duplicates, or with a more modern sound that would blend with the original pipework. In addition the Gallery division was doubled in size, so that the organist would have two manuals and pedal to accompany the choir. The former Gallery division is now a complete Gallery organ, and can be used by itself or in combination with the Chancel organ. As the various divisions were returned to the church, the pipework was voiced and regulated to find its proper place in the tonal spectrum of the instrument. The result is a very flexible instrument that will provide music for the church for generations to come.
--Gerald L. Piercey,
Lewis & Hitchcock, Inc.
GREAT (enclosed with Choir)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Diapason (73 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> First
Open Diapason (61 pipes, 1-12 new)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Second
Open Diapason (ext, 16')
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Doppelflute
(73 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Melodia
(85 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
(61 pipes)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
(Ch 8' Eng Diap)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute (Ch 8' Harm Fl)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
III (183 pipes, moved)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tromba
(61 pipes, new)
Chimes
(20 tubes, in Gallery)
GALLERY GREAT
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Echo
Flute (85 pipes)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(73 pipes, new)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fern
Flute (ext)
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quint (61 pipes, moved)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(ext)
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quint (ext)
SWELL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Lieblich
Gedeckt (97 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violin
Diapason (73 pipes, 1-24 new)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
(ext)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salicional
(73 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Voix
Celeste (tc, 61 pipes)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(ext)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
Flute (ext)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salicet
(ext)
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nazard (61 pipes, new)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(ext)
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Larigot (ext)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oboe
(73 pipes, moved)
Tremulant
style='mso-tab-count:4'>
GALLERY SWELL
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohr
Flöte (73 pipes, moved)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Muted
Viole (61 pipes)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Muted
Viole Celeste (tc, 49 pipes)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohr
Flöte (ext)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(ext, Gal Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Petite
Trompette (61 pipes, moved)
CHOIR
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> English
Diapason (73 pipes, 1-12 new)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Doppelflute
(Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute (73 pipes, 1-12 new)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
(Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Celeste
(61 pipes, 1-12 new)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Traverse
Flute (ext, Gt Melodia)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(ext, Gt Melodia)
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cornet II (122 pipes,
new)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clarinet
(61 pipes)
Tremulant
Harp
(49 bars)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tromba
(Gt)
PEDAL
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Resultant
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> First
Open Diapason (44 pipes)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Second
Open Diapason (Gt)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(44 pipes)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Lieblich
Gedeckt (Sw)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Diapason
(Gt 16')
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bass
Flute (ext, 1st Open)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(ext)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trombone
(ext, Gt)
GALLERY PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
(ext, Gal Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
(Gal Gt)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohr
Flöte (Gal Sw)
Pedal on Any Manual Piston Adjuster
Austin Console, all standard couplers and combination action
Jaeckel, Inc.,
Duluth, Minnesota, has built a new organ, opus 24, for Christ Lutheran Church
in Superior, Wisconsin. The two-manual and pedal organ comprises nine stops and
10 ranks; mechanical key (suspended) action and mechanical stop action. Bellows
and blower are inside the cabinet, which is made of solid white oak. Manual
naturals are of bone. Stop knobs are of rosewood with inserted hand-lettered
porcelain name plates. Tuning is according to Vallotti; manual/pedal compass is
56/30.
MANUAL I
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(75% tin)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohrflöte
(18 wood, 38 of 15% tin)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(15%)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixtur
III (15%)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Schalmey
(50%)
MANUAL II
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohrflöte
(Gt)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spitzflöte
(15%)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
(75%)
PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Subbass
(wood)
Couplers
I/Ped
II/Ped
Andover Organ Company, Methuen, Massachusetts, has restored the 1866 E. & G.G. Hook Opus 400 organ at Cheney Hall in Manchester, Connecticut. The organ was dedicated on June 25 in a concert by four local organists. Cheney Hall, built in 1866 as a cultural and community center by Cheney Brothers Company, silk industrialists, was designed by architect Hammat Billings. (Billings also designed the case for the Boston City Music Hall organ, now in Methuen, Massachusetts.)
When the hall was donated to the town in 1981, it had
reached such a state of decrepitude that it was almost condemned by the
building inspector. Trustees were elected and fundraising efforts to restore
the building and the organ were begun. Andover removed the organ in 1987 and a
contract was signed in 1990. Kathy Chagnon of West Brookfield, Massachusetts,
began restoring the unusual pipework. Cost overruns on the building caused
funds to run out before the organ part of the restoration, and work stopped.
Nine years later, 84-year-old John Barnini, former owner of
the mill, provided the needed funding, and the contract was revived. The organ
was cleaned, leather replaced, chests retabled, key actions rebushed and
renutted, pipes repaired, and missing pipes replaced. Even the hand-pumping
mechanism was made functional, and was
demonstrated by Mr. Barnini at the dedication.
The organ has several unique features, including a brilliant
Great chorus for its time and a Keraulophon on the Swell. Secular motifs (such
as hearts) adorn the pipe stenciling. The bench is itself a work of art. After
many years of an empty organ case at the front the beautifully restored hall,
the citizens of Manchester finally have their valuable organ back.
GREAT
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Dulciana
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Diapason Bass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Melodia
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fifteenth
III
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
SWELL
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Keraulophon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Diapason Bass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Diapason Treble
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oboe
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bassoon
PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
Visser & Associates, Tomball, Tex-as, has built a new organ for Concordia University, Austin, Texas. The organ is based on a standard design developed by Visser. Dr. Faythe Freese, organ professor at the school, was the consultant and helped develop the stoplist. The chapel of Concordia is right along US Highway 35 in Austin, so there is a lot of traffic noise along with poor acoustics. The action for Manual I is backfall as in early American organs, and the action for Manual II is a square and lever action. The wind system is built with schwimmers fed from a static wind regulator. The wind pressure is 70mm WC and the root scale of the Prinzipal 8' is 138 - 80 - 50 - 28 - 17 - 13 with a 1/4 labium. Mechanical key and electric stop action; combination action, 8 generals, 6 divisionals; case of oak solids and veneers; tuning A440 @21 C, equal temperament.
The design was developed by Pieter Visser who also did the
voicing and tonal finishing. All the pipes were made by Pascal Boissonnet at
the Visser shop, including all the reeds. The façade is made of pure
hammered lead. The hammering was accomplished with a new hammering machine
developed by Michael Visser, who also supervised the construction of the
instrument. Eric Walden was the shop foreman.
MANUAL I
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quintaton
(wood, TC)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
(hammered, enfacade)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohrflöte
(20% tin)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oktav
(20%)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Waldflöte
(20%)
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixtur III (70%)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompete
(50%)
MANUAL II (expressive)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
(lead, 1-12 wood)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salizional
(70%)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Celeste
TC (70%)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flöte
(20%)
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nasat (20%)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
(20%)
13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Terz (20%)
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Larigot (70%)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Krummhorn
(50%)
PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
(12 electr, 20 Gt)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Subbass
(wood)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
(fr Gt and 4' Choralbass)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
(ext)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Choralbass
(lead)
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixtur
II
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fagot
(lead, HL)
Tremulant
Man
II/Man I
Man
I/Ped
Man
II/Ped