Cover

Lauck Pipe Organ Company, Otsego, Michigan

Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights,
Illinois

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

--Jim Lauck

Lauck Opus 55, 2002

3 manuals, 46 ranks, electric action

GREAT

16' Principal  (61 pipes)

8' Diapason (61 pipes)

8' Principal (12 pipes)

8' Rohrflute (61 pipes)

8' Flute Harmonique (61 pipes)

4' Octave (61 pipes)

4' Principal (12 pipes)

4' Flute Octaviante (12 pipes)

22/3' Quint (61 pipes)

2' Superoctave (61 pipes)

13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)

IV Fourniture (244 pipes)

8' Trumpet (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (61 pipes)

                        Great
to Great 4

                        Swell
to Great 16-8-4

                        Choir
to Great 16-8-4

                        Zimbelstern

SWELL

16'  Bourdon (12 pipes)

8' Bourdon (61 pipes)

8' Gamba (61 pipes)

8' Gamba Celeste (49 pipes)

8' Flute Celeste (49 pipes)

4' Principal (61 pipes)

4' Spitzflute (61 pipes)

2' Blockflute (12 pipes)

V Mixture (293 pipes)

16' Bassoon (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet (61 pipes)

8' Oboe (12 pipes)

4' Clarion (12 pipes)

Tremulant

Swell to Swell 16-UO-4

CHOIR

8' Gedeckt (61 pipes)

8' Viola  (61 pipes)

8' Viola Celeste (49 pipes)

4' Principal (61 pipes)

4' Koppelflute (61 pipes)

22/3' Nazard (61 pipes)

2' Octave (61 pipes)

2' Flautino (12 pipes)

13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)

11/3' Larigot (5 pipes)

III Scharff (183 pipes)

8' Cromorne (61 pipes)

8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (Gt)

Tremulant

Choir to Choir 16-UO-4

Swell to Choir 16-8-4       

PEDAL

32' Sub Bourdon (electronic ext)

16' Diapason (open wood) (32 pipes)

16' Principal (Great)

16' Subbass (32 pipes)

16' Bourdon (Swell)

8' Octave  (32 pipes)

8' Principal (Great)

8' Bass Flute (12 pipes)

4' Choralbass  (32 pipes)

II Rauschquint (64 pipes)

II Mixture  (24 pipes)

32' Contra Bassoon (electronic ext)

16' Trombone (32 pipes)

16' Bassoon (Swell)

8' Trumpet (12 pipes)

4' Clarion (12 pipes)

4' Cromorne (Choir)

Great to Pedal 8-4

Swell to Pedal 8-4

Choir to Pedal 8-4

Lauck Pipe Organ Company

92 - 24th Street

Otsego, MI 49078-9633

Telephone: 269/694-4500

Fax: 269/694-4401

<[email protected]>

Cover photo by Richard Lanenga

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAUPTWERK

16' Principal

8' Octava

8' Rohrflöte

8' Viol di Gamba

4' Octava

4' Spitzflöte

Nasat/Cornet II*

2' Superoctava

Mixture Tierce

Mixture IV–VI

16' Trompet

8' Trompet

POSITIVE

8' Geigenprincipal

8' Gedackt

8' Quintadena

4' Octava

4' Rohrflöte

2' Octava

2' Gemshorn

11/3' Quinte

Quint/Sesquialtara II*

Mixture IV–V

16' Fagotto

8' Dulcian

PEDAL

16' Principal**

16' Violon

16' Subbass

8' Octava***

8' Bourdon***

4' Octava

Mixture V–VII

16' Posaune

8' Trompet

4' Trompet

* Double draw

** Bottom octave transmission from Hauptwerk

*** Extension

Couplers

                        Positiv
to Hauptwerk

                        Hauptwerk
to Pedal          

                        Positiv
to Pedal

Manual/Pedal compass: 56/30, flat pedalboard

Burnished tin front pipes

Solid wood casework with pipe shades carved by Judy Fritts

Suspended key action

Mechanical stop action

Variable tremulant

Three bellows fitted with pedals for foot pumping

Wind stabilizer

Pitch: A 440

Temperament: Kellner

Wind pressure: 74 mm. (ca. 3≤)

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

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

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

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

GREAT

8' Principal

8' Bourdon

4' Octave

2' Super Octave

IV Fourniture

8' Trompette (Sw)

SWELL

8' Rohrflote

8' Viola

8' Viola Celeste

4' Spitz Principal

4' Rohrflote (ext)

2' Hohlflote

III Scharf

8' Trompette

ANTIPHONAL (new division)

8' Gedeckt

4' Octave

4' Harmonic Flute

2' Fifteenth

8' Oboe

PEDAL

16' Contra Bass

16' Rohr Bourdon (ext)

8' Principal (Gt)

8' Rohrflote (Sw)

4' Nachthorn

16' Bombarde (ext)

4' Clarion (Sw)

COUPLERS

                        Gt
& Sw to Ped 8

                        Sw
to Gt 16-8-4

                        Gt
4

                        Sw
16-UO-4

                        Antiph
to Ped 8

                        Antiph
to Gt 8

                        Antiph
to Sw 8

First Baptist Church, Ocala, Florida

 

The Wicks Organ Co., Highland, Illinois, Opus 6382

 

In 1992, First Baptist Church of Ocala, Florida began a process of rebirth after a fire claimed all they had: furnishings, libraries, a concert grand piano, a Skinner pipe organ, choir robes, hymnals and Bibles. The congregation built a new 2,800-seat facility, which is one of the largest churches in Ocala. The final step of their rebuilding process was bringing a pipe organ into the new building.

David Kocsis, Wicks Area Sales Director writes:

Among the unique features of this project, the organ was to be a gift from a non-member--but one whose daughter and son-in-law were members. Secondly, the church provided a single sheet outlining their requirements for this instrument. The organ was to be a "supplemental" instrument, used mostly to enhance the 25-piece orchestra and 180-voice choir. It would also, upon occasion, be used as a recital instrument. They wanted an instrument of the "American Classic" school with the following characteristics incorporated: four-manual drawknob console; multiple Principal choruses; plentiful and opulent strings; a variety of flute choruses and solo stops; reeds to complement the overall instrument and offer solo opportunities; a Pedal division that offers strong, solid underpinning with at least two 32’ stops; a Trompette-en-Chamade of polished copper with flared bells; exposed pipework across entire chamber area (52 ft.) to eliminate existing latticework and grillwork; preparation on console for Chimes and Zimbelstern; MIDI capability.

Our proposal was for an instrument of 74 pipe ranks over five divisions with an additional four 32-foot computer-generated stops in the Pedal division, using the Walker Paradox system. The plan also called for (at the direction of the church) preparations for an 11-rank Solo division, and a 9-rank Antiphonal division.

We decided early on that Daniel Angerstein would tonally finish the instrument. Although First Baptist, Ocala was not a bad room, the irregular shape and carpeting did not make it acoustically live, either. Our factory-trained technician in Florida, Mr. Robert Campbell, would handle the  installation.

The specification for the instrument was a joint venture design involving Area Director David Kocsis, his associate Herb Ridgely, and voicer Dan Angerstein. After the contract was signed in late November, 1998, the three members of the design team met at the church to study the acoustics, room layout, chamber space, etc., so that detailed design work could begin. On the drive back to Atlanta, the pipe scales for the organ were discussed and finalized. The entire organ would be on 5" wind pressure with the notable exception of the Trompette-en-Chamade, which was to be on 10" wind pressure, and the Choir division English Tuba on 12". In order to "ring" the room, the Great 8' Principal would be built to a 40 scale, and the Great 8' Montre a 42 scale. One of the features of the design is the placement of the lowest pipes of the Pedal 16' Open Wood in the organ facade, stained to match the rest of the woodwork in the sanctuary. This placement allows the most profound of 16-foot foundation tone immediate access to the room. Of particular interest in the Walker system designed for this organ is that the computer-generated harp in the Choir can also be used with the Tremulant, providing a vibraharp sound.

There are several ancillary console controls that enhance ease of playing such a massive console, and also add facility to the instrument. These include: Pedal, Solo and Swell Melody couplers to the Great, all Swells to Swell, all Mixtures Off, all 32's Off, All Reeds Off, and All Celestes Off. To allow maximum visibility and eye contact between the organist and the minister of music, all inter-manual couplers were placed in the stop jambs, rather than on a coupler rail. This resulted in a console somewhat wider than normal (slightly over 8 feet). There are eight divisional pistons and 15 General pistons with 32 levels of memory. A 13-position transposer is included. The main body of the casework is painted semi-gloss off white, again matching the main color in the sanctuary. The whole idea was to give the impression that the building and the organ had been conceived as an integral whole.

The first of two truckloads of pipe organ arrived in Ocala on March 22, 2000, and the second truck arrived on April 12. Installation was completed on June 3 and voicing of the instrument in the room began on June 5. The logistical problems associated with installing a large pipe organ are many. The crew faced a 52-foot facade that begins 12' above the top choir riser and extends upward to accommodate full length 16-foot metal Principals and full length 16-foot Open Wood pipes. Bob Campbell's crew had scaffolding from floor to ceiling that would cover one of the four sections, and it took a considerable amount of careful planning to insure that all work was completed on one bay before tearing down the scaffolding and moving it to the next location.

From the beginning of the installation, the entire organ facade was covered every Sunday during church services so that the completed installation could be unveiled at one time. This occasion occurred on Sunday, June 4, 2000. The Sanctuary was dimly lit, and at the appropriate time, the entire organ facade was lit by a battery of specially placed lighting. This was only the prelude--the organ was heard for the first time by the congregation on July 2.

We at Wicks thank the committee and staff of first Baptist Church of Ocala for placing their trust in us to build an instrument according to their wishes. In particular, we would like to thank Dr. Ed Johnson, Sr. Pastor; Mr. Terry Williams, Minister of Music; and Mr. Larry Kerner, Chair of the Organ Committee. The entire congregation placed its confidence in us from the outset, and was extremely helpful from the beginning of the detailed design process through the installation. Several members of the church also volunteered their time and talents to help with the installation, especially with fitting and trimming of the facade to accommodate slight building irregularities. This really was a "team" effort, and everyone should be very proud of the results.

The dedication of the new IV/74 instrument at the First Baptist Church of Ocala, FL will be held on Sunday, September 24, 2000, featuring John Weaver, organ chair at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and The Julliard School of Music in New York City.

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GREAT

1. 16' Montre

2. 16'    Bourdon

3. 8' Principal

4. 8' Montre (from #1)

5. 8' Flute Couverte

6. 8' Flute Harmonique

7. 4' Octave

8. 8' Gemshorn

9. 4' Nachthorn

10. 22/3' Twelfth

11. 2' Fifteenth

12. 2' Hohlflute (from #6)

13. 13/5' Seventeenth

14. IV-V Fourniture

15. IV Cymbale

16. 16' Kontra Trompete (from #17)

17. 8' Trompete

18. 8' Trompete en Chamade (10≤ w.p.)

19. Tremulant (Flutes)

20. Chimes [D]

21. Zimbelstern

22. Pedal Bass Coupler to Great

23. Swell Melody Coupler to Great

24. Solo Melody Coupler to Great

25. MIDI on Great

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SWELL (Enclosed)

26. 16' Bourdon Doux

27. 8' Geigen Principal

28. 8' Rohrflute (from #26)

29. 8' Viola Pomposa

30. 8' Viola Celeste

31. 8' Flauto Dolce

32. 8' Dolce Celeste TC

33. 4' Prestant

34. 4' Flauto Traverso

35. 22/3' Nazard

36. 2' Quarte de Nazard

37. 13/5' Tierce

38. IV-V Plein Jeu

39. III-IV Cymbale

40. 16' Contre Trompette

41. 8' Trompette

42. 8' Oboe

43. 8' Vox Humana

44. 4' Clairon (from #40)

45. 8' English Tuba (Ch)

46. 8' Trompette en Chamade (Gt)

47. Tremulant

48. MIDI On Swell

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CHOIR (Enclosed)

49. 16' Gemshorn [D]

50. 8' English Diapason

51. 8' Flute Ouverte

52. 8' Gemshorn

53. 8' Gemshorn Celeste TC

54. 4' Principal

55. 4' Koppelflute

56. 2' Principal

57. 11/3' Larigot

58. 1' Principal (from #56)

59. II Sesquialtera

60. IV-V Scharf

61. 16' Dulzian (from #62)

62. 8' Cromorne

63. 4' Rohr Schalmei

64. 16' English Tuba TC (from #65)

65. 8' English Tuba (12≤ w.p.)

66. 8' Trompette en Chamade (Gt)

67. 8' Harp [D]

68. 4' Harp Celesta [D]

69. Tremulant

70. MIDI On Choir

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SOLO (Enclosed)

15 Prepared Stops

71. 16' Trompette en Chamade TC (Gt)

72. 8' Trompette en Chamade (Gt)

73. 4' Trompette en Chamade (Gt)

74. 16' English Tuba TC (Ch)

75. 8' English Tuba (Ch)

76. 4' English Tuba (Ch)

77. MIDI On Solo

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ANTIPHONAL (Floating)

12 Prepared Stops

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ANTIPHONAL PEDAL

1 Prepared Stop

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PEDAL

78. 32' Contra Principal [D]

79. 32' Contra Bourdon [D]

80. 16' Open Wood

81. 16' Bourdon

82. 16' Principal

83. 16' Montre (Gt)

84. 16' Bourdon Doux (Sw)

85. 16' Gemshorn (Ch)

86. 8' Octave

87. 8' Major Bass (from #80)

88. 8' Bourdon (from #81)

89. 8' Viola (Sw)

90. 8' Open Flute (Ch)

91. 62/5' Gross Terz (Gt)

92. 51/3' Gross Quinte (Gt)

93. 4' Choral Bass

94. 4' Cantus Flute

95. 2' Flute (from #94)

96. IV Grave Mixture

97. IV Acuta

98. 32' Contra Bombarde [D]

99. 32' Contra Fagotto [D]

100. 32' Cornet des Bombardes IV

101. 16' Bombarde

102. 16' Contre Trompette (Sw)

103. 16' Kontra Trompete (Gt)

104. 16' Dulzian (Ch)

105. 8' Trompette

106. 8' Trompete (Gt)

107. 8' Oboe (Sw)

108. 4' Bombarde Clarion (from #101)

109. 4' Oboe (Sw)

110. 4' Schalmei (Ch)

111. 8' Trompette en Chamade (Gt)

112. 8' English Tuba (Ch)

113. Chimes (Gt)

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[D] = Digital Ranks

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Couplers

Sw/Gt 16 8 4

Ch/Gt 16 8 4

So/Gt 16 8 4

Ant on Gt

So/Sw 16 8 4

Ant on Sw

Sw/Ch 16 8 4

So/Ch 16 8 4

Ant on Ch

Ant on So

Gt 16 UO

Sw 16 UO 4

Ch 16 UO 4

So 16 UO 4

Ant UO 4

Gt/Ped 8 4

Sw/Ped 8 4

Ch/Ped 8 4

So/Ped 8 4

Ant/Ped 8

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Charles M. Ruggles, Conifer, Colorado, has built a new organ for The Randolph Church, Randolph, New Hampshire. The organ is designed on classic models typical of instruments found in New England and European churches; two manuals and pedal, mechanical action. Its structural and tonal characteristics make it suitable for the needs of The Randolph Church--for service playing, accompanying congregational singing, and playing a wide segment of standard organ literature. The case features cherry wood frame, redwood panels, and walnut trim. The Rohrflöte 8 and Octave 2 are common between the two manuals; the Bourdon 16 is an extension of the Bourdon 8. Manual compass 56 notes, pedal compass 30 notes; standard AGO pedalboard. Couplers, operated by foot levers, include Great to Pedal, Swell to Pedal, and Swell to Great.

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GREAT

                  8'             Principal

                  8'             Rohrflöte

                  4'             Octave

                  2'             Octave

                                    Mixture

                                    Sesquialtera II (from middle c)

SWELL

                  8'             Rohrflöte

                  8'             Gamba (tenor C)

                  4'             Flute

                  2'             Octave

                  8'             Dulcian

PEDAL

                  16'          Bourdon

                  8'             Bourdon

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B. Rule & Company, New Market, Tennessee, has rebuilt and installed a Hook & Hastings organ for Covenant Baptist Church, Houston, Texas. Built by Hook & Hastings in 1893 for First Baptist Church of Georgetown, Kentucky, the organ was removed from this church in 1963. It was owned for many years by David Bottom, of Lexington, Kentucky, who set it up in several different locations before carefully putting it in storage several years ago. B. Rule recommended the organ to Covenant Baptist Church, who bought it from David Bottom. Compass: 58/27.

B. Rule & Co. rebuilt the organ, including a complete rebuild of the chests and bellows and re-covering the manual keys with bone. The hand-pumping mechanism was also restored. Two changes were made: the Dulciana was replaced with a 2' Fifteenth, and the Oboe was extended to full compass from its previous tenor C status.

The small new sanctuary has a concrete floor and live acoustics, creating an environment which encourages congregational singing. The acoustical consultant was Charles Boner. The organist of the church is Carl McAliley, who played a joint dedication recital with Bruce Power on March 4.

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GREAT

                  8'             Open Diapason

                  8'             Melodia

                  4'             Octave

                  2'             Fifteenth

SWELL

                  8'             Stopped Diapason

                  8'             Viola (1-12 from St. Diap)

                  4'             Harmonic Flute

                  8'             Oboe

PEDAL

                  16'          Bourdon

Accessories

                                    Sw/Gt

                                    Gt/Ped

                                    Sw/Ped

                                    Sw/Gt Octaves

                                    Tremolo

                                    Blower Signal

 

Cover

Steven Cook, Edmonds, WA

Our Saviour's Lutheran
Church, Bremerton, WA

From the consultant:

A new, encased mechanical action organ, by builder Steven
Cook, was installed in March of 2000, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church,
Bremerton, Washington. The organ, located in the rear gallery of the nave, has
21 stops derived from 21 ranks, playable on two manuals and pedal.

The design of the organ posed some unique problems. The
former organ (a small two manual electro-pneumatic Estey) had been enclosed in
an attic chamber over a small choir loft at the front of the church. A more
optimal position for both choir and organ was chosen at the rear of the nave,
where a small balcony for overflow seating existed. The balcony, however, could
not provide sufficient height and space for both organ and choir. The creative
solution was to build the base of the organ on the floor of the nave,
straddling the center aisle and with a tunnel through the middle. The impost of
the organ aligns itself with the floor of the balcony, with tuning access
through doors at the back, accessed from the balcony. The keydesk is located on
one side of the case, raised 18" off the floor, giving clear sight of the
activity in the church. The choir is located on risers in the rear corner on
the same side as the keydesk. 
Visually and aurally the position of organ and choir has resulted in a
major improvement in the projection of sound into the nave.

Steven Cook, a native of Washington State, is a relatively
new organ builder for the Pacific Northwest, opening his shop in 1992. The new
organ for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church is his largest instrument to date, following
seven prior instruments. Mr. Cook, who has spent time working in the organ
shops of John Brombaugh and Paul Fritts, manufactures virtually all component
parts of his organs in his shop in Edmonds, Washington, including all metal
casting and pipe making, casework, keyboards and actions, windchests, and case
carvings. Several members of his family have been among the shop staff.

Metal pipework for principal and flute ranks are made from 28%
tin/lead alloy. Reed pipes are also made by the builder. Casework is made from
fumed white oak.

David Dahl

Organ consultant for the project

  

From the builder:

The organ for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church posed some
interesting challenges. The original plan was for a reversed, detached console.
However, after concerns were raised about the amount of floor space lost to the
organ, I suggested a keydesk on the end of the case. The organist expressed
concerns about being able to see the front of the church over people's heads,
so we elevated the keydesk 18" off the floor. This has proved satisfactory
in all ways. The key action is quite simple: it rises to action squares above
the keys, then fans out to C- and Cs chests.

The church has extremely poor acoustics, owing to the
presence of acoustical paneling on the ceiling and carpet on the floor! After
installing the organ, we were faced with a situation of too much brightness at
the back of the church, and too little presence in the front. Among several solutions
employed was the removal of the case tower tops, to allow sound to reflect off
the ceiling over the organ (the only bay in the ceiling replaced with
sheetrock)  and the lowering of the
wind pressure from 91 to 86 mm.

The organ has seven stops of 8' pitch on the manuals, which
allows for a good range of tonal variation and volume. The pedal stops come
from three ranks, each playing at two pitches. This is accomplished with
mechanical duplexing chests, of a design I have used in three organs. The concept
is the use of a grid bar, rather than a channel, with holes drilled through it
for each stop. The pallet then seals against the individual holes, preventing
feedback to the octave note.

The wind is supplied via a small wedge bellows in the Cs
pedestal. Loading is divided equally between weight and spring tension. It was
deemed difficult to provide mechanical stop action in the space available due
to the transverse C and Cs chests, so I chose to use very simple double acting
pneumatic motors to operate the sliders. These utilize a pouch-type primary.
Default is off, a slight positive pressure inflates the primary and operates
the stop motor the 25 mm needed to shift the slider.

The dedication event was played by David Dahl and Jeanette
Pilgrim on June 11, 2000, and included a program of traditional German and
French music as well as contemporary pieces and hymn singing. For information:
750 Edmonds St., Edmonds, WA 98020; 425/774-0631.

Steven R. Cook

 

GREAT

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Stopped
Flute (1-12 from Ped.                                                                      Subbass)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Stopped
Flute

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chimney
Flute

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                                    Mixture
III

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trumpet

POSITIVE

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chimney
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Gamba

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal

                  22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Quint

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Block
Flute

                  13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Tierce

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Clarinet

PEDAL

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Subbass

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal
(1-12 from Great)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Stopped
Flute

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bassoon
(tapered wood resonators)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bassoon

 

usual couplers and tremulant to whole organ

organ tuned to Kellner temperament

 

Fabry Pipe Organs, Inc., Fox Lake, Illinois, has completed
the final phase of the total rebuild project for the 1951 Möller organ at
the Evangelical United Methodist Church, Racine, Wisconsin: 3 manuals, 37
ranks. The Wadewitz Memorial Organ was re-dedicated on May 7 in a ceremony
featuring music for organ, piano, and the church’s Chancel Choir.
Organist and choir director of the church is Dr. James McKeever. The entire
project took four years to complete. The first phase included solid state
conversion of the console and relay system; second phase was re-leathering the
entire organ; and final phase included tonal additions and changes. Among the
changes was a new trumpet stop named the “Evangelical Trumpet,”
MIDI resource system with sequencer, 99 memory combination action, new manual
keyboards of maple and walnut, maple drawknobs and rocker tablets, maple and
walnut pedal key tops, and wood engraved indicator plates. (Photo by
Photographic Design, Carol Hansen, Racine, WI.)

GREAT

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Principal
(new treble end)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Gemshorn

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Diapason

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Hohl
Floete

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Gemshorn

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Bourdon
(Ch)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Hohl
Floete

                  22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>    Quinte

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave

                  13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>    Tierce (used pipes)

                  IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Mixture
(new pipes and chest)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Evangelical
Trumpet (Ch)

                                    Chimes

                                    Gt
16-UO-4

                                    Sw/Gt
16-8-4

                                    Ch/Gt
16-8-4

                                    MIDI

SWELL

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Rohr
Bourdon

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Geigen
Diapason

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Chimney
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Viole
de Gamba

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Viole
Celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Geigen
Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Koppel
Flute

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Koppel
Flute

                  IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Plein
Jeu

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Contra
Fagotto

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Trumpet

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Oboe

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Vox
Humana

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Clarion

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Evangelical
Trumpet (Ch)

                                    Sw
16-UO-4

                                    Ch/Sw
8-4

                                    MIDI

CHOIR

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Bourdon
(new treble end)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Principal

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Concert
Flute

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Bourdon

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Erzahler

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Erzahler
Celeste

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave
(new pipes & chest)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Nachthorn

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Erzahler

                  22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>    Nazard

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave
(new pipes & chest)

                  2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Nachthorn

                  13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>    Tierce

                  11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>    Larigot (new pipes &
chest)

                  IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Cymbal
(13-73 from Gt)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Clarinet

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Evangelical
Trumpet (new)

                                    Sw/Ch
16-8-4

                                    Ch
16-UO-4

                                    MIDI

PEDAL

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Untersatz
(new, digital)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Diapason

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Bourdon
(Ch)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Gemshorn
(Gt)

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Rohrbourdon
(Sw)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Bourdon
(Ch)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Gemshorn
(Gt)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Rohrbourdon
(Sw)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Octave

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Rohrbourdon
(Sw)

                  III
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Mixture
(wired)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Contra
Fagot (new, digital)

                  32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Grand
Cornet VII

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Double
Trumpet

                  16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>         Fagot
(Sw)

                  8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Evangelical
Trumpet (Ch)

                  4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Evangelical
Trumpet (Ch)

                                    Gt/Ped
8-4

                                    Sw/Ped
8-4

                                    Ch/Ped
8-4

                                    MIDI

 

The Isle of Man

From Peter Jones, the Offshore Organbuilder

This article is coming to you from the Isle of Man, an island some 30 miles long by about 14 miles wide, and sitting midway between Ireland and England. Its longest river--the Sulby--stretches for a full 10 miles or more, and Snaefell--the highest mountain--reaches a height of over 2,000 feet. Anyone with a world atlas and a magnifying glass to hand will have no trouble in locating the "Island," as those who live here often term it, off the west coast of England, facing Liverpool.

 

 

The Isle of Man may be little known in the wider world (or even on the "adjacent island" of England--we don't say "mainland," of course!) but like most places it does have its peculiar features which mark it out for those with special interests. It is an off-shore finance center, for example, with relatively low rates of tax. It is known for its motorcycle races (the "TT Races") which take place on the public roads--one of the largest (and arguably most dangerous) circuits of its kind in the world. For those who like unspoiled countryside to look at or walk over, and a quiet and relatively unhurried way of life, the Isle of Man is the place to be. It is an island of Fairies, one of the largest water-wheels you are ever likely to see, Celtic stone crosses and much more. Most important to me, and I hope of interest to readers, its small area is home to a surprising variety of some 50 or so pipe organs, and I am more than happy to have been the resident organ builder here for over 20 years.

For those of us with a fascination for the King of Instruments, there is much to be said about life here--too much for one article such as this--and rather than describe the organs as a whole in greater or lesser detail, I thought it might be better to describe some of the incidents which make the life of "the organ man" anything but tedious.

Looking back over the work undertaken in the recent past, I see one job which will be of interest to the great majority of organ players, from the professional recitalist to the home enthusiast who plays only for his own enjoyment. I refer to an ambition which attracts so many organists, and which eludes all but a few--the luxury of a real pipe organ in one's own home.

How many have investigated this possibility, only to find that the cost (and sometimes the space) involved ensures that the pipe dream remains just that? True, there is the electronic substitute--smaller and cheaper, with a great variety of Golden Tones of one kind or another--and then again the organ in church is usually available to the serious player--albeit not so attractive in the winter, nor so convenient for that odd 30 minutes practice at the end of the day. But for those badly infected by the organ bug, the unfortunates with an acute case of "organitis," there can never be any hope of a cure until they can see for themselves those gleaming ranks of metal and wooden pipes and the console with its several keyboards, waiting in the music room for their sole use!

So it was with The Reverend Alec Smith. His love of the organ had actually led him to start an apprenticeship in organ building as a young man, but he quickly saw the light, heard the call, and became an ordained priest in the Church of England. At that time, he assembled a worthy (if somewhat ungainly) collection of pipes, old keyboards, bits of mechanism, etc., into a Frankenstein creation which crouched in the corner of one of the large rooms of the vicarage in his country parish in England. This creation was a credit to its owner, but more than a little ponderous for anything other than a large house (preferably not your own) with plenty of spare rooms. When, in the fullness of time, Alec became an army chaplain, and he and his wife Jean were inevitably posted abroad, the organ was dispersed, almost all of it never to be seen again.

On retirement from the army, Alec settled in the Isle of Man and became Organ Advisor to the Diocese. It was now that the organ-building bug, which had lain dormant for so many years, was re-awakened, and the idea of a house organ was again proposed. There were, of course, several problems. The usual ones--centered around lack of space and finances--were, quite rightly, pointed out by Jean, and in any case there was a seemingly adequate 2-manual electronic, with its equally large speaker cabinet, already taking up far too much room in their small cottage in the Manx countryside. Jean correctly pointed out that it was more room they needed, not a pipe organ!

In a attempt to save some space, and acting on the advice of the local music shop, new and much smaller speakers were fitted to the electronic by an "expert" from Douglas, the Island's capital. After a day spent fitting the new speakers into the ceiling (with the novel use of a screwdriver to create some suitable holes in the plaster), the expert switched on, at which point there was an impressive bang followed by an ominous burning smell. It seemed, on later examination, that the amplifiers (intended to power two large speaker banks in a church setting) had seen the modern speakers as a virtual short circuit in electrical terms, with the inevitable result. The expert withdrew, promising to "work something out." I believe he left the Island, and, in any case, was never seen again. The electronic was no longer adequate. It was dead.

At this point, a further discussion took place on the subject of a new pipe organ, and Jean was persuaded, but only agreed on one seemingly-impossible condition: aside from the console, the new organ must not project into the room any further than the line of the first ceiling beam (some 14≤ from the end wall). Since there was no possibility of siting anything behind the walls (three of them being external, and the fourth taken up with the fireplace) the situation appeared hopeless, and it was at this point that Alec called me in.

Impossible situations regarding space are a challenge to the organ builder. More than one has succumbed to the temptation to push too-large an organ into too-small a space, with disastrous results, and I have seen the consequences of several of these unhappy situations. In one such case, an instrument was built in which the Great and Choir (mounted one above the other and in front of the Pedal pipework) "speak" into a solid masonry wall some 3 feet thick. Tuning/maintenance of such an organ is difficult if not impossible, and a warning to any organ designer. Alec's requirement was for the cheapest possible instrument, with a fair selection of stops over two manuals and pedals, all within a depth of 14≤. It had to fit into one small room of a cottage which has only three rooms on the ground floor (the other two being the kitchen and porch) and it must not be a monster from the tuning/maintenance standpoint.

There was space for only two or three sets of pipes, but Alec stated from the outset that, "I want more than three wheels on my car," so we were obviously looking to something other than mechanical action with two or three stops. This need to make the most of the available pipework suggested an "extension organ" of some sort. This, and the restrictions of the site, dictated electric action, and financial considerations suggested the simple mechanism as shown in the sketch. The question of electric versus mechanical action is one of those subjects likely to provoke strong opinions both for and against. In my view, each system has its merits and I am happy to work with either, but when a client requests more stops than the room or budget will allow, the obvious way forward is for a stoplist extended from a small number of ranks, and this means an electric mechanism. The design shown, if correctly made, is reliable, very quick (giving good repetition) and quiet. Incorrectly handled, it is none of these things, and has thereby acquired a poor reputation in some circles. With sufficient funds, and more space, an electro-pneumatic action would have been more sophisticated, but with enough care taken in its design and construction, direct electric action (as shown) is almost as good.

Some readers may be unfamiliar with the idea of an "extension" organ. This is an instrument in which a set, or "rank," of pipes is available to be played at more than one pitch. For example, a set of flute pipes could be played at 8' pitch (via a console stop labeled, say, Stopt Diapason 8') and the same set could also be available at 4' pitch (via a console stop labeled Flute 4') or at 16'  pitch (in which case the console stop might be labeled Bourdon 16') and so on. Clearly, the idea has its uses and abuses, as in the case of the 2-manual and pedal organ in which every console stop was actually taken from a single rank of Dulciana pipes!

The final stoplist is one which I have used successfully on various occasions. It is based on three ranks representing the three main tone-colors of the organ:  Diapason, Flute and String. Each of the three ranks consists of 73 pipes, and are listed below as:

Rank A/ Open Diapason, running from C13,

Rank B/ Stopt Diapason, running from C1, and

Rank C/ Salicional, running from C13.

In addition there are 12 stopped Quint pipes (shown below as "Q") running from G8 (at 8' pitch) for the pedal 16' stop (see later).

(Reed tone was not included, as it is difficult to have conventional reeds sufficiently quiet for such a small setting. In any case, there was no space available.)

Note that the Open Diapason is of small scale, and this made it much more suitable, for our purpose, than the more usual scaling of such a stop. When selecting second-hand pipes for a home extension organ, a Principal would be the first choice  to provide the Open Diapason--Principal--Fifteenth "stops," as they appear on the console, and I have even known a Gamba to make a very acceptable open metal extension rank, once it had been re-scaled and re-voiced. Ideally, where finances are not a limiting factor, new pipes should be made for all ranks, so that their scaling can be suited to the room and stoplist.

If an "extension" scheme is to work, musically, it is important to avoid the temptation of too many stops from too few pipes. I know of one organ with the stops simply repeated on each keyboard, and though this gives maximum flexibility, it is very confusing from the player's point of view, and the instrument as a whole is strangely bland and characterless. The three sets of pipes for Alec's organ were made available at different pitches, under the guise of different stop names, to make registration more straightforward from the player's point of view. In this way, some 15 speaking stops are available to the organist, instead of three which would result from the use of mechanical action.

The specification shown has only one stop (the Stopt Diapason) actually repeated on each manual. This is because it is so frequently used, and blends with the other two ranks at 8' pitch.  None of the other manual stops are repeats, and they have been arranged so as to discourage the use of the same rank at only one octave apart. (E.g.,  the Open Diapason 8' is intended to be used with the Salicet 4', or the Flute 4', not the Principal 4', as you might expect.) Using the stops of an extension organ in this way reduces or (more usually) eliminates the well-known "missing note" problem, which occurs when one strand of the music runs across another, and both need a pipe from the same rank, albeit from different extended "stops." If, for instance, the Stopt Diapason 8' and Flute 4' are drawn on the same manual and key C25 is held down, the pipes heard, as counted from the flute rank, will be C25 and C37. Now add manual key C13, which will sound pipes C13 and C25 (which is already playing from key C25). In this example a pipe at the pitch of C25 should appear twice, but actually appears only once. The missing note will be most obvious if either of the two manual keys is held down while the other is repeated.

One of the most important criticisms to be levelled at an extension scheme is this problem of missing notes, which can lead to a lack of clarity. For all practical purposes, this drawback can be completely overcome by a combination of the organ builder (in preparing a modest stoplist) and the player (in thoughtful use of the instrument, so that the smallest number of stops is drawn at any one time, preferably from different ranks, or at least from ranks separated by more than one octave). In actual practice, this kind of stop selection becomes automatic to the organist who realizes the limitations of the instrument.

Another important factor in the success of this type of organ is the regulation of volume and tone quality of the pipes within a stop, and also the regulation of the stops in relation to each other. Each stop is regulated with a very gradual crescendo from bass to treble. This requires subtle handling, but when correctly carried out results in a clear ensemble in which the treble parts can be heard above the tenor and bass.

The ranks themselves are regulated with much less distinction in power than would usually be the case, so that equivalent pipes of the Stopt Diapason are similar in volume to those of the Open Diapason, and the Salicional, while quieter, is not far behind. This results in much less contrast in power among the 8' stops and this is a compromise, of course, though you still have variety of tone. The blend between ranks played at different pitches is much better than if they are regulated in a conventional manner, with the Open Diapason much louder than the Stopt Diapason and Salicional distinctly quieter. In an instrument such as this, contrast in power is created more by contrasting combinations of stops than between the ranks themselves. Regulating the ranks as if they were separate stops (a mistake often found in both church and house extension organs) results in the Open Diapason and Principal obliterating everything else, while the Fifteenth screams. 

I have used the specification shown several times, including my own house organ, and find it to behave very much as a 'straight' instrument would. I seldom use the couplers, though there are occasions when they become necessary. While it requires thoughtful registration to get the best from an extension organ, a scheme such as this, with a small number of stops, arranged so as to discourage the use of the same rank in two stops separated by only one octave, is very successful.

To cut down costs, Alec agreed to the use of his old electronic as a console, and also to the use of any other second-hand parts which could be obtained. He was also interested and able to lend a hand in the actual construction, when his earlier experiences in organ building were a great asset. The need to keep within 14≤ maximum depth was easily dealt with, by taking up the entire width of the room, side-to-side.

Knowing the number and range of the ranks and the space available, the first step, in a job such as this, is to measure the pipework, in order to see how best to arrange the pipes, and, indeed, if they will fit in at all!

Metal pipes need to be measured in height and in diameter, wooden ones in height only (including any stoppers). In practice, nearly all metal pipes run to a standard scaling (i.e., the rate at which the diameters reduce from note C1 through to the top pipe). Wooden pipes vary considerably, both in scaling (the internal width and depth) and in the thickness of the wood used, which in turn decides the external width and depth. There is also the question of the foot, which, in second-hand wooden pipes (and some new ones) can be bored well off-center. For these reasons it is best to make a paper template of the bottom of each wooden pipe, as described later.

I already had a small scale (i.e., relatively small diameter) Open Diapason rank, and a Salicional, both running form C13 (so the longest pipe in both sets was about 4' speaking length) and Alec located, from a friendly organ builder on the mainland, the Stopped Diapason pipes (running from C1) and a bundle of miscellaneous stoppered wooden pipes for the pedal Quint.

The necessary measurements were taken and noted down in the form of a table. I find it convenient to have a sheet of paper with the 12 notes C through to B in a column down the left-hand edge, followed by vertical columns headed "1--12" then "13--24" then "25--36" and so on, up to "73--84," placed from left to right across the page. This forms a table which will cover an 84-note rank, the biggest usually needed. (Note C85 is only necessary in the case of a rank which runs from 8' pitch to 2' pitch, where the organ has a manual key compass of 61 notes. This C85 pipe needs an additional square to itself.) Every square represents a pipe, and in each one can be written the length and diameter (if metal), together with other details such as size of a rackboard hole, and toe hole etc., which are also measured at this time.

Notice that only the Stopped Diapason rank has its bottom octave (in organ building terms, a "Stopped Bass") the largest pipe of which is, like the other two ranks, something over four feet long. The Salicional and Open Diapason share this bottom octave, as does the 16' pedal stop (the "Harmonic Bass") which produces an acceptable 16' substitute, in the first 12 notes of the pedalboard, by playing the Stopped Bass pipes with the appropriate Quint pipe (from a separate and therefore very soft, 12-note rank of wooden pipes). The resultant note (actually a low hum) which is created from a combination of any stop of 8' pitch and its quint is at 16' pitch. Admittedly, this is much softer than the two pipes actually sounding. The pedals from C13 up play the Stopped Bass again, and then the rest of the Stopt Diapason, thereby sounding at true 16' pitch. These compromises are necessary to reduce the size of the organ, and, if carefully carried out, are soon accepted by the player and listener, especially in a small room.

While there is no substitue for the soft, heavy, warm tone of a full-length Bourdon bass, I have asked many players (including several professionals) their opinion on this "resultant" 16' pedal stop. So far, no one has realized what he was playing until it was pointed out. They all accepted it as a pedal 16'  stop, like any other. The least convincing notes in the bottom octave are, predictably, the smallest three or four. If there is room for full-length pipes down to, say, F#7, so much the better.

It is worth noting that a quinted 16'  effect which uses the pipes of the Stopt Diapason rank only is almost always a failure, because the quint will be too loud. If you have no room for the extra Quint pipes, it is better to use the 8' octave of the Stopt Bass on its own (from pedal keys C1 to B12) before completing the pedal compass by repeating the Stopt Bass followed by the rest of the Stopt Diapason. Another possibility worth considering is a 16' bottom octave in free reeds.

Full-size card or paper templates are needed to represent the metal pipes, as seen from above. It is not normally necessary to make these for every pipe, as different stops usually reduce in diameter, note for note, to a more or less standard pattern. If this pattern is known, the set of templates need cover only the range of diameters from the fattest metal pipe in the organ (in this case C13 of the Open Diapason) down to the minimum spacing dictated by the pipe-valve mechanism. (As direct electric action was being used and the smallest magnets were 3/4≤ wide, with pipes placed directly above the valves, minimum pipe spacing = 3/4≤ + 1/8≤ clearance [= 7/8≤] no matter how small the pipes.)

Like most organ builders, I have a set of these circular templates for general use, so templates for the metal pipes were already at hand, but the wooden pipes had to have paper templates individually made to show their exact shape and the center of the pipe feet. Such a template is made by taking an over-sized piece of paper, drawing on it a circle which equals the diameter of the pipe foot, cutting this out, and sliding the paper up under the pipe and creasing around the four sides. Once the paper is removed and trimmed to size, the original circle can be taped back into place, resulting in an accurate template.

Alec's wooden Stopt Diapason (reputedly by the well-known Victorian organ builder, William Hill) was over 100 years old, and may have been in more than one organ during its lifetime. Its mouths were rather high, which made the tone breathy, and some of the pipes had been mitred, or were cut too short, possibly where they had been in a crowded swell box. But it was basically sound and we went on the basis that it could be made acceptable by repairs, lowering the mouths and re-voicing. The Salicional and Open Diapason ranks were also Victorian, from a local Methodist church. Again, they were not perfectly scaled or voiced for a house  organ, but were basically well-made and capable of re-voicing. All the pipes were measured, and with the tables of measurements and templates to hand, and a given space into which to fit the pipes and action, the process of "setting out" could begin.

An instrument with direct electric action enables the builder to arrange pipework in almost any pattern, within the limits of the room and the physical space taken up by the pipes themselves (or, in the case of the tiny treble notes, the size of their magnets and valves). My preferred system of setting out is slightly unusual, in that I like to place the taller pipes behind the smaller pipes, regardless of their rank. Most other builders would plant pipes in rows, each row being made up from pipes of the same rank.

Secondly, and in common with many of my colleagues, I prefer to plant pipes in "sides," i.e., pipe C1 on the extreme left of the organ, and C#2 on the right, working down to the treble pipes in the middle. In this way, all the pipes of the "C side" (C, D, E, F#, G#, A#) will be on the left, and those of the "C# side" (C#, D#, F, G, A, B) will be on the right.

These two underlying principles result in a pipe set-out which is visually attractive, compact, and which offers the greatest accessibility for tuning and maintenance. Admittedly, it does lead to some complications in the cabling patterns between the console and the magnets, but this is not an insurmountable problem. (In fact, the many cables for this organ were made up, wire by wire, by my school-boy workshop assistant, with no errors at all.)

Alec and I set out our templates on strips of white paper, as wide as Jean would permit, (the 14≤ maximum) and as long as the space available (i.e., the width of the room: 157≤ or just over 13 feet). After a day or two of pushing the templates around, and, bearing in mind the many details such as how the pipes could be best faced away from each other, the space to be allowed for rack pillars, cable registers, assembly screws and many other essentials beyond the scope of this account, we decided upon the ideal arrangement, with the pipes set out on three chests. The chests were placed one above the console, for the treble pipes, and one on each side at a lower level, for the bass pipes. The central chest was just under 13≤ from front to back, and the two other chests were only 9≤ wide. The whole organ would stand in the maximum ceiling height of 91≤ (barely over 71/2 feet). The actual planting pattern was so tight that every possible space has been used, given the limited width and length available. Even so, no pipes are crowded, and all of them have been accommodated. The fronts of the three chests were made from oak-veneered ply salvaged from the old speaker cabinet and console back of the electronic. Consequently, they matched the finish of the console exactly.

Admittedly, there was no room for any casework or building frame, and we had yet to solve the problem of space for the blower, wind pressure regulator, wind trunks, low voltage current supply and one or two other essentials, but these are minor obstacles to the true organ fanatic!

The actual construction of the instrument started with the chests--comprising the pipe ranks, toe boards, or top boards (on which the pipes stand) "wells"  (the sides and ends) and bottom boards. Details of each chest varied with the numbers of rows of pipes, but the sketches showing the basic mechanism will give a good idea of a typical chest in cross-section.

Strips of mdf (a sheet material available in 3/4≤ thickness) were cut for the top boards for each of the three chests, and the pipes centers were punched directly onto them, using the paper setouts, taped down, as a template. Based on these centers, the magnets, valves, pipe racks and the many other details of the mechanism can be marked out and fitted. Unfortunately, a detailed description of this procedure is beyond the scope of a general article such as this. While the basis of the mechanism is shown clearly in the sketch, there are a great many practical details which must be finalized in design and observed in manufacture, if this deceptively simple idea (drilling a hole, screwing a magnet and valve under it, and planting a pipe on top of it) is to be carried through to create a reliable musical instrument. Such a mass of information has not, to my knowledge, ever been written down, as it is essentially based on practical experience over the years. If any readers are interested in further practical details, it may be possible to describe some of the problems involved, and how they are overcome, in a future article, but only a practicing organbuilder can have all the necessary skills and knowledge to cope with every situation, and this makes it impossible to give a general "recipe" for building an organ.

The wind supply is provided by a small electric blower of course, but this one is unusual, in that it was passed on to Alec by an organ-building friend from the days of his original house organ. Indeed, it turned out to be the very same blower, which had returned to him, after an absence of 30 or more years! It proved to be an excellent machine, and very quiet when housed in a new silencing cabinet.

It was necessary to regulate the wind pressure to a value suitable for the pipes and their setting, and, of course, we had no space for traditional bellows. In a case such as this, I used my own design of wind pressure regulator (basically a hinged plate of 1/2≤ sheet material, "floating" over a rubbercloth diaphragm, and supporting some suitably-tensioned springs). Movement of the plate controls a valve which allows wind from the blower through to the chests. As the pipework makes a demand on the supply, the valve opens just far enough to maintain pressure to within 1/8≤ or less at peak demand. This is an acceptable degree of control, and only a very critical ear will notice the slight fall-off in power. Every builder has his favorite design for such a regulator (sometimes called a 'schwimmer' or, in my case, a 'compensator') and they all bear a strong family resemblance. Not all are equally effective, however, and some are prone, under adverse conditions, to fluttering (creating an effect like a very rapid Tremulant). Again, only experience of such devices can provide a way out of trouble, though there are some basic rules in compensator design.

The steady, regulated wind from the compensator is fed to the chest by a rather broad, but shallow, wind-trunk (made in mdf, like the blower box and compensator). This is fixed to the back wall, out of sight, behind the console.

With all the basic elements designed, there still remained the question of the 14≤ limit on width. Obviously, the blower box and compensator were too wide to keep within the limit, so it was decided to camouflage them, together with the circuit boards, transformer/rectifier unit, and other large components.

In the final design, the three chests were screwed to plates of 3/4≤ ply, previously fixed, in a true vertical position, to the rather uneven stone wall. The console was placed centrally, with the two outer chests (holding the bass pipes) low down on each side. The third chest (containing all the treble pipes) was fixed centrally on the wall, just behind and above the console's music desk. Two bookcases were made to fill completely the gap between the sides of the console and the side walls of the house. They were set rather further forward than would be usual, with a broad top which ran back to the wall behind, effectively disappearing under the side chests.

On the left of the console, the bookcase is a real one, with its top extending over the circuit boards and transformer/rectifier unit hidden behind. To the right of the console the seemingly identical bookcase is, in fact, a dummy. Its shelves and books are only about 11/4≤ deep. (One of the more bizarre scenes in the workshop was that of pushing large quantities of scrap books through the circular saw, leaving their spines and an inch or so of paper and cover. These truncated volumes look convincing when glued, side-by-side, onto the foreshortened bookcase back.) The space under the dummy bookcase top contains the blower box and compensator. The bookcases, blower box, compensator, etc., all sit on 3/4≤ ply panels which have been leveled onto the floor.

Once Alec had installed his real books and ornaments, the organ (while visually dominating such a small room, as it must) blended into its domestic setting beautifully, with a spectacular visual touch being provided by a trumpet-blowing angel, carved in oak, which had been salvaged from a local church altarpiece,

What of the finished product? Naturally, the instrument is a compromise--but then this is true of all but the largest organs. It is a pity, for instance, that there was no room for a swell box, or another rank, but it is a wise builder or player who knows when he has gone as far as space and finances will allow. The wooden Stopt Diapason rank had its top lips lowered, and was re-voiced to produce a charming, rather quaint sound, with none of the original's unattractive, breathy tone. The Open Diapason had to be softened to just short of dullness, and now adds considerable fullness and warmth. The Salicional has made an excellent quiet voice, and is also very useful in its other pitches, where it adds brightness without shrillness. This is most important in a small room, and it is worth noting that, the larger the room (up to cathedral proportions) the brighter and more cutting the treble pipework can, and must, be. But the opposite is true for a small space, where top notes can easily become uncomfortably piercing--hence the lack of Mixtures on small house organs with no swell boxes. Many visiting organists, both professional and amateur, have played Alec's instrument since its completion, and all have been pleasantly surprised by its resources and the fact it is possible to produce satisfying performances of both classical and romantic works, albeit with some ingenuity on the part of the player.

True, it would have been possible to install a "large" electronic with three or four manuals, a wide range of stops and artificial reverberation, and I can see the attraction of such an idea, especially for the player whose interest lies in large-scale, romantic works. But, I cannot imagine anything less convincing than the sound of pedal and manual reeds, with Diapasons and mixtures, echoing with a five-second reverberation, across a room some 16 feet long and 8 feet high. The sound of a small organ in a small room, with no reverberation at all, is an authentic one and has a special charm. Whether it be two or three ranks of pipes offered with mechanical action as two or three stops, or whether, as in this case, the ranks are extended to several "stops," the small domestic instrument has a sound and fascination all its own, and is capable of giving much pleasure, both visually and musically, over many years.

 

Peter Jones will be pleased to receive comments, either on this article, or relating to readers' own experiences, at: The Bungalow, Kennaa, St. John's, Isle of Man, 1M4 3LW, Via United Kingdom

 

Manual I

                  8'            Open Diapason A

                  8'            Stopt Diapason B

                  4'            Salicet C

                  4'            Flute B

                  22/3'    Twelfth C

                  2'            Fifteenth A

                                    Man II/Man I

Manual II

                  8'            Stopt Diapason B

                  8'            Salicional C

                  2'            Salicetina C

                  11/3'    Nineteenth C

Pedal

                  16'         Harmonic Bass B & Q

                  8'            Bass Flute B

                  4'            Fifteenth A

                  2'            Salamine C

                                    Man I/Ped

                                    Man II/Ped

Summary

                  A              Open Diapason 73 pipes

                  B              Stopt Diapason 73 pipes

                  C              Salicional 73 pipes

                  D              Quint 12 pipes

J.H. & C.S. Odell, East Hampton, Connecticut, Opus 644

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Bridgehampton, New York

From the Rector of St. Ann’s

The committee all agreed--something had to be done. For
years the church organ had been in irreversible decline, and the time had come
to act. I regarded this to be a daunting and confusing challenge in which we
needed professional counsel. Dr. Mark Andersen guided us through the various
options and needs of the decision-making process, and by July 2004 it was
agreed that J.H. and C.S. Odell of East Hampton, Connecticut be engaged to
restore the organ. It was a decision that we would never regret.

In September 2004, Edward and Holly Odell arrived to remove
the existing organ. Pipes were carefully laid out in special boxes. Frames and
blowers were removed--and those were only the things that I could
identify! It all happened remarkably quickly, and before long the truck was
driven away leaving a large space where the console had once stood, and a
spotlessly clean church where the disassembly had taken place.

The novelty of using just piano and occasional other
instruments wore off after Christmas, and we waited anxiously for the organ to
return. Our patience was not helped by tantalizing photographs and reports sent
regularly from the Odell factory showing the new instrument taking shape!

It was March 2005 (the day I was flying off on vacation)
that the Odell team returned. It was time to put the whole thing together, but
it was only two weeks before Holy Week, and three to Easter. Could it really be
done?

Eight days later I returned to find the church in wonderful
disarray with parts and pipes everywhere, and Edward Odell looking and sounding
confident, if a little tired. Yes, of course it could be done. The project was
running according to schedule. The organ would be partly voiced by Palm Sunday
and ready for Easter.

Every part was in place and every promise fulfilled. A
magnificent new console was carefully maneuvered into position. Pipes were
ready and being expertly voiced by Holly Odell. Cables and wires were
connected. The organ had life--and was indeed ready for Easter morning. It
was resurrection in a different form!

We have not looked back since then. Not only has this
instrument enhanced our Sunday worship, it has enabled us to host a season of
superb organ recitals over the summer, and earned for St. Ann’s Church a
reputation for being a place where good music can be found.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

Working with the Odell Organ Company has been not only a
proven right decision but also a joy. From the outset we not only admired the
professionalism of Edward and Holly Odell, but also came to share in their love
of organs and sheer depth of knowledge in their field. All these things,
coupled with their warmth and sense of humor, have made the whole process one
which we can reflect on with immense satisfaction. It is never an easy task for
a small parish church to embark on such a large project and investment, but we
know that we have learned and benefited so much from choosing the right organ
and the right builder.

The Reverend Tim Lewis, Rector

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church

Bridgehampton, New York

From the Consultant

As an organ consultant for nearly 35 years, I have had the
opportunity to design a large range of instruments from the smallest two-manual
to several five-manual instruments throughout the United States, England, and
Australia.

St. Ann’s parish is that wonderful combination of
sophistication in a relaxed atmosphere. It is many New Yorkers’ church away
from home, and the organ would have to meet the discriminating tastes of
parishioners who worship in some of the largest churches in the metropolitan
area.

There was not much with which to start--an old hybrid
Möller from the ’20’s that was on its very last legs after having several ranks
replaced over the years. I designed an organ specification capable of
accompanying a proper Anglican service, but in a size and fit that matched St.
Ann’s. After requesting bids from many organbuilders, it was clear that J.H.
& C.S. Odell had the talent to see the task through with outstanding
results. Tonally the organ now fits the space perfectly and is complete enough
in specification to satisfy even the most discriminating organists. The
craftsmanship is superb, and the voicing is clear and clean, leaning beautifully
toward the English tradition. The project has surpassed my expectations.

Mark Andersen, PhD

New Berlin, New York

From the Organbuilder

Our Opus 644 began life as what could be termed a “Heinz 57”
instrument, which is to say it featured a combination of pipes and parts from a
combination of organbuilders and suppliers. The console case and most of the
wooden pipes in the organ date from a five-stop 1927 M.P. Möller instrument,
which was then rebuilt and altered in the early 1970s. It was during this 1970s
rebuild that much of the original pipework was replaced.

As we found it, the organ was a unified instrument of modest
resources, most of them well made if not terribly well looked after. It was
unrefined, but met the basic requirements. In the 1980s a German supply house
Trumpet 8’ and Mixture III (inexplicably, a Zimbel based on 2?3’ pitch) were
added, along with a polished tin Gemshorn that was used to form a façade. The
entire organ was in a single expression chamber to the right of the chancel. The
existing electro-pneumatic unit chests, made from solid mahogany, were in good
physical condition, though the installation made maintenance access difficult
in certain areas.

In July of 2004, Dr. Mark Andersen (organ consultant to St.
Ann’s) approached us with a prospectus that included a rebuild and enlargement
of the organ. In addition to new pipes and new chest work, a new 3-manual
terrace-jamb console was part of this plan.

Dr. Andersen’s proposed stoplist would add a total of nine
ranks to the organ. The scheme had an immediate appeal, as it would expand the
resources of the organ to include a full principal chorus in the Great, as well
as a new 8’ Rohrflute to contrast the existing Chimney Flute in the Swell.
“Fleshing out” the Great with six new ranks allowed us to recast the remaining
resources to work as a mostly independent Swell division. The new scheme would
also extend the existing Trumpet to 16’ pitch to play from the Pedal and add a
small Cornet (a tenor C, 2-rank 12/17 combination, scaled and voiced to match
the new Great flute).

The challenge, of course, was to now somehow fit 19 ranks in
a space that before barely contained eight. Early in the design process it became
evident that much of the precious real estate in the organ chamber could be
reclaimed if the many offset chests for various ranks could be consolidated
onto a new single offset chest that would also provide for the new Trumpet 16’.
We also wanted to ensure the new chamber layout would permit adequate access
for service and, most importantly, tuning. Rebuilding the existing expression
shades and fitting them with new expression controllers made available space
that had been previously occupied by a pneumatic motor with an unwieldy linkage
system.

We developed a new 7’4? diatonic chest scale to accommodate
the new stops and the relocated Gemshorn. The existing Principal 8’ was
carefully revoiced to give it more moderate power, and the new principal ranks
were scaled and voiced to build from this new foundation. The new Great Bourdon
8’ was voiced using a special arch cutup schedule, which lent the pipes a color
that allows the stop to work superbly as both a solo and ensemble voice. The
Swell was given its own new 3-rank mixture based on 2’ pitch, and the existing
Zimbel mixture was recomposed into a more appropriate chorus mixture based on
11?3’ pitch for the Great.

Though the action for the new chestwork was specified to be
electro-mechanical, we milled all windchest toeboards to be no less than one
and one-half inches in thickness. This, along with proper attention to voicing,
successfully offset any pipe speech problems normally anticipated with this
type of action. Our windchests were made from solid poplar, with the exception
of the toeboard for the new Swell Mixture, which was milled from sugar pine.

The new console and case, both entirely of our own design
and manufacture, were milled  in
our East Hampton shop from solid quarter-sawn white oak, and stained and
finished to match existing fixtures in the sanctuary. The console interior
(stop jambs and key cheeks) was milled from solid walnut and finished with
hand-rubbed Danish oil. The façade pipes are polished tin, made to custom
specifications we developed and submitted to our friends at Giesecke. The new
flue pipes were built to our scales by Luc Ladurantaye Tuyatier of Lac Saguay,
Quebec.

Along with the standard complement of accessories, the
console features an integrated control system with multiple memory levels,
programmable crescendo and sforzando, 12-step transposer and MIDI interface for
record and playback ability. The digital Antiphonal division was contracted and
installed separately by Artisan Instruments.

Edward Odell

J.H. & C.S. Odell

Glück New York,

New York, New York

The Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Cold Spring, New York

This historic church, known for its remarkable collection of
stained glass windows, was recently restored, with a new instrument and a
marble chancel floor included in the renewal plans. Under the direction of Fr.
Brian McSweeney, Pastor; Frances Pergamo, Director of Music; and Fr. Richard D.
Baker of the New York Archdiocese, three organbuilders were each invited to
present their vision of an appropriate musical instrument. The smallest and
most stylistically focused proposal submitted, the new Glück organ occupies a
traditional position in the rear gallery to great acoustical advantage. While
the organ looks toward the French orgue d’accompagnement of the 1860s for both
its concept and tonal palette, it is certainly not intended to be a stylistic
copy.

The manual soundboards are placed side-by-side at impost
level, with the Swell to the right, its vertical shutters operated by direct
mechanical linkage. The two large wooden pedal stops stand on their own
windchests behind the organ. The Great organ incorporates some pipework from a
mid-1870s Levi Underwood Stuart organ of undetermined provenance. Interior
metal pipes are of 70% lead alloy, except for the Swell strings, which are of
50% tin. Wooden pipework is of pine and fir. The façade pipes are built with
English bay leaf mouths arrayed in a swag pattern after Gottfried Silbermann’s
façades of the 1740s.

The walnut keydesk en fenêtre sports beveled figured maple
jambs and pao ferro drawknobs. Both pedal and manual accidentals are Brazilian
rosewood. Compasses are 56/30; there is no combination action, but the three
unison couplers are reversible by toe paddles. The case is painted in various
shades of olive, with details in sapphire, ruby, and faux marbre. Architectural
design was by Sebastian M. Glück, who executed the Neapolitan-style angel,
tower finials, and buttress niches, which are suitably polychromed and gilded.
Color photographs may be viewed at the firm’s web site at
<www.glucknewyork.com&gt;.

The structural design and layout are the work of Albert
Jensen-Moulton, general manager of the firm, who was assisted in the
construction of the organ by Dominic Inferrera, foreman. Voicing and tonal
finishing were accomplished on site by Sebastian M. Glück, tonal director. The
organ was formally dedicated in a series of three recitals by Lana Kollath, Dr.
Jennifer Pascual, and the builder.

--Benito Orso

GREAT

8’               Open
Diapason

8’               Open
Wood Flute

4’               Principal

2’               Doublet

8’               Hautboy
(from Swell)

                       Swell
to Great

                       Swell
to Great Octaves

SWELL

8’               Salicional

8’               Voix
Céleste

8’               Stopped
Diapason

4’               Harmonic
Flute

8’               Hautboy

                       Tremulant

                       Swell
to Swell Octaves

PEDAL

16’           Open
Wood Bass

16’           Stopped
Bass

8’               Octave
style="mso-spacerun: yes">  from Great

8’               Hautboy
from Swell

                       Great
to Pedal

Swell to Pedal

                       Swell
to Pedal Octaves

Cover Feature

Fenris Pipe
Organ, Kilkenny, Minnesota

Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minnesota

Project Scope

In the spring of 2002 we were contacted by Jeff Daehn, organ consultant for
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minnesota. The church was beginning
a project that encompassed doubling the size of the 1980s-era sanctuary, as
well as additional classroom and mechanical upgrades. Bids had come in somewhat
higher than anticipated, and consequently some project cutbacks were necessary.
Chief of these was all funding for the organ project.

For many years the church had been the home of Hinners Opus #537, I/9.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> This had been somewhat undersized for
the room and certainly was not adequate for the remodeled space, which now
seats 350. The organ committee decided to part with their Hinners, which now
resides at Madonna Towers in Rochester, Minnesota. (For an account of Opus
#537's 100th birthday party see The Diapason, August 2003, page 3.)

We met with music director/organist Cynthia McLaren to discuss the
parameters of the project. The new instrument would be used primarily for
Sunday services, with some teaching also being done. This instrument would need
to be able to lead a congregation, be versatile, be reliable, aesthetically and
physically fit into a conceptualized space in the front of the sanctuary, and
be built on an erratic timeline determined by funding, or rather, lack thereof.

When we were awarded the contract in October 2002, the sanctuary addition
had just been completed. Load capacities had been accounted for, but the organ
chambers themselves remained unbuilt. The church requested that we segment the
project's construction to allow for fundraising on their part.

Phase I is complete and includes the Great and Pedal divisions, casework and
console. Phase II is the installation of the Swell division.

Leaving such a substantial part of the instrument incomplete is unusual. It
is common to find instruments still awaiting their prepared-for stops, even
though the instrument may have been installed generations ago. For this
scenario we felt a phased project was an option based upon two reasons. First,
the congregation was informed and educated enough to realize that without a
timely conclusion to the project, this would remain an acoustically incomplete
instrument. Second, Cynthia McLaren had been used to playing on a one-manual
instrument for years, and was comfortable continuing to do so in a temporary
capacity. The organ committee's demonstrated commitment to the project, along
with our willingness to work with a flexible construction timeline, allowed the
congregation to have a pipe organ. Without these mitigating factors, this
church would have been a likely candidate for a pipe organ simulator.

The Instrument

The instrument itself utilizes much of the pipework from a 1920s instrument,
including the wooden 16' Principal on façade. The 16' Principal is used
with the 16' Subbass for a 32' resultant. The Great Principal chorus is new,
and all pipework was either voiced or extensively revoiced. The 16' Principal
is on static wind, and the rest of the instrument is voiced on four inches of
wind pressure. Careful reuse of pipework resulted in a substantial savings in
total project dollars.

Windchests, bearers, racking, passageboards, reservoirs, casework and
console are all of new construction from our shop. Winding to 16' Principal in
the façade is supplied by a windtrunk designed and scaled to match note
B12. Notes B12-G32 are located on wind-chests placed in an "A"
arrangement on an elevated catwalk directly behind notes 1-11. Access to
catwalk and chambers is provided by means of a drop-down service ladder. Manual
keyboards are reused and of ivory, rebuilt and married to new keycheeks and keyslips.
Organ switching, blower and pedalboard are new. Casework and console are built
of red oak, stained to match church fixtures. Organ bench is overlength to
assist in teaching.

When designing the instrument, we felt it was important that some of the pipework
be visible to the congregation. We have found that instruments that are
entirely in chambers end up being considered as nothing more than giant
speakers by many parishioners. When the time comes to replace switching or
releather pneumatics, the instrument has not developed a visual identity within
the congregation. These instruments are more likely to be replaced by a pipe
organ simulator. Although important to be visible, it was equally important
that the organ's presence not overpower the space. No one is attending services
to worship the organ.

We painted the wooden 16' Principal to match the walls in the sanctuary.
They provide a textured, yet subordinate backdrop to the elevated cross. Mirror
image chromatic chests, elevated on either side of the chancel, draw the eyes
to the focal point of the space, again, the elevated cross.

Acoustic design is based upon historic tradition, with generous pipe
scaling. The instrument is not overloaded with screaming upperwork, but rather
provides a balanced pyramid of sound. Flute colors are available throughout the
instrument. Each manual division is also provided with mutations.

The room itself is a contemporary styled, geometrically interesting space.
It has a rather unusual shape, shallow and somewhat wide, with seating in
interlocking chairs radiating around the chancel area. Sound egress from the
chamber is via a massive expanse of grillecloth, directly behind the elevated
façade chests. Chambers are bright, with chests and pipework easily serviced.
Walls are taped and painted double 5/8? sheetrock to provide a reflective
surface.

This instrument is the result of sustained effort by music director/organist
Cynthia McLaren, chairman Bob Enger and the organ committee. Fenris
specification and voicing are by Bob Rayburn; design and cabinetwork by Wes
Remmey. Special thanks must be given to Roger Driessen, Barry Lund and Stuart
Ness for all of their efforts in the project.

--Wes Remmey

GREAT

16' Violone
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 49 pipes

8' Flauten
Principal 61
pipes

8' Principal
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61
pipes

8' Viola
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12
pipes

8' Rohr
Gedackt 61 pipes

8' Holtzgedackt
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Swell)

4' Octave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61 pipes

4' Hohl
Flute 61
pipes

Sesquialtera
II (Swell)

2' Fifteenth
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (from
Great Mixture)

2' Flautino
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12
pipes

2' Fourniture
IV 244
pipes

8' Trumpet
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (prepared
for)

Gt/Gt
4

Sw/Gt
16-8-4

Auto
Pedal

MIDI

SWELL

16' Lieblich
Gedackt 61
pipes

8' Holtzgedackt
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12
pipes

8' Harmonic
Flute 49 pipes

8' Salicional
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61
pipes

8' Vox
Celeste TC 49
pipes

4' Principal
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61
pipes

4' Harmonic
Flute 12 pipes

22/3' Nazard
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61 pipes

2' Octave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (ext 4' Principal)

2' Flageolet
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61
pipes

13/5' Tierce
TC 37
pipes

11/3' Larigot
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (ext Nazard)

16' Fagott
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (prepared for)

8' Oboe
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 61 pipes

4' Schalmei
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12
pipes

Sw/Sw
16

Sw/Sw
4

Tremolo

MIDI

PEDAL

32' Acoustic
Bass (resultant)

16' Principal
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 32
pipes (open wood)

16' Subbass
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12
pipes

16' Lieblich
Gedackt (Swell)

8' Octave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Great)

8' Viola
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Great)

8' Gedackt
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Swell)

4' Choral
Bass (Great)

4' Gedackt
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Swell)

2' Octave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Great)

16' Fagott
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (prepared for)

8' Tromba
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 32
pipes

4' Clarion
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 12 pipes

4' Schalmei
style='mso-tab-count:1'> (Swell)

Gt/Ped

Sw/Ped

MIDI

Multi-level Memory

8 Generals Thumb
- Toe Piston

4 Great Divisionals Thumb
Piston

4 Swell Divisionals Thumb
Piston

Gt/Ped Reversible Thumb
Piston

Sw/Ped Reversible Thumb
Piston

Sforzando Thumb
Piston

Set Thumb Piston

CancelThumb Piston

Swell Shoe

Crescendo Shoe

Photo credit: T. C. Stanley Photography

Martin Ott Pipe Organ Company, St. Louis, Missouri, Opus 100

The Behrend
College, Penn State University-Erie

Opus 100 is a wonderful milestone for an organ builder to reach. We had
hoped that our commission for Opus 100 would be a special instrument. When The
Behrend College at Penn State University-Erie contacted us for a bid, we
immediately realized this would be a special situation. Larry and Kathryn Smith
had provided funding for a chapel. The chapel already housed a 48-bell
carillon, a gift of Mr. Smith's parents, the late Floyd and Juanita Smith. Now
the Smiths wanted to commission an organ in honor of their children, Colleen
and Kevin. The picturesque setting of the brick chapel and carillon would be an
excellent location for organ and choral music. This chapel would be a place of
spiritual retreat and renewal for the university community. The organ would
have an important role in this purpose.

To complement the clean, traditional architecture of the chapel, we chose a
simple yet dramatic organ design. The oak case and location of the organ
suggests intimacy and warmth. Visually the organ soars to the rafters,
suggesting transcendence. Time-tested methods of construction, such as mortise
and tenon joinery, were used so that the instrument will last for many
generations. Current technologies, such as solid-state combination action, give
the organ versatility. The suspended mechanical action of the instrument allows
the organist careful control of pipe speech. This also places responsibility on
the organist to be precise in articulation. A good organ should inspire the
organist to reach for new musical heights.

The organ stands twenty-five feet high. It comprises 23 ranks, 21 stops, and
more than 1,200 pipes. Manual key compass is 56 notes. The natural keys are
made of grenadil wood, and the sharp keys are of grenadil covered by cow bone.
The pedal keyboards have 30 notes and are made of oak.

Over more than three decades, Martin Ott and his company have been
developing their own style of tonal eclecticism. The tonal design for Opus 100
is an excellent example of the Ott style. The size of the chapel dictated an
instrument of modest size. In this situation, there is no room for waste in the
stoplist. Plenums are possible on both Schwellwerk and Hauptwerk. The IV-rank
mixture on the Hauptwerk is a full, robust addition to the principal chorus.
The clarity and beauty of the 8' stops allows them to be used as solo voices in
chorale and hymn preludes. The organ also includes a simple Krummhorn. This
reed stop is more versatile than an Oboe. When used alone, it is appropriate
for Baroque music or a solo voice in a 20th-century work. When paired with the
8' Viola, its character will sound more Romantic. The pedal's Posaune is robust
but can still be used in lighter textures without overpowering the manuals.

In the signature Ott style, the organ is voiced to be clear and strong
without overpowering the listener. The clear, cohesive tonal design supports
congregational singing, service playing, chamber music, and solo organ
literature. The vast majority of organ literature can be played on this 21-stop
instrument.

The finished organ was first played for donors Larry and Kathryn Smith and
the Behrend College Council of Fellows. For this private demonstration, Karen
Keene, lecturer in organ at Penn State-Behrend, ably assisted us as the
organist. In Mr. Ott's absence, Dennis Unks, a long-time friend and colleague,
explained the construction and tonal layout of the organ. The community had the
opportunity to experience the versatility and beauty of this organ at the
dedication recital by Larry Smith, Organ Department Chair at Indiana
University-Bloomington. Dr. Smith played works by J. S. Bach, Gardner Read,
Gaston Litaize, Paul Hindemith, Darius Milhaud, and Joseph Jongen. The varied
program testifies to the instrument's capabilities.

We are pleased and honored to have our Opus 100 in such a beautiful
environment. Opus 100 is a
summation of the Ott style and a continuation of our artistic growth.

The following craftsmen participated in the building of opus 100:

Alexander I. Bronitsky

James Cullen

William Dunnaway

Eileen M. Gay

Marya J. Fancey

Donna Hodges

Alex D. Leshchenko

Earl C. Naylor

Martin Ott

Sascha Ott

Jeffrey Spitler

--Marya Orlowska-Fancey

.

HAUPTWERK

8' Prinzipal
75%
tin

8' Rohrflöte
40%
tin

4' Oktave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75% tin

II Sesquialter
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 40%
tin

2' Nachthorn
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 40%
tin

IV Mixtur
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75% tin

8' Trompete
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75%
tin

Tremulant

SCHWELLWERK

8' Viola
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75%
tin

8' Viola
Celeste (TC)75% tin

8' Bordun
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 30% tin

4' Prinzipal
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 60%
tin

4' Blockflöte
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 40%
tin

2' Oktave
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75% tin

11/3' Quinte
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 40% tin

8' Krummhorn
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75%
tin

PEDAL

16' Subbass
style='mso-tab-count:1'> oak

8' Oktavbass
style='mso-tab-count:1'> 75%
tin

8' Pommer
(18 pipes) 40%
tin

4' About the Author </p>