Berghaus Organ Company, Inc., Bellwood, IL, has built a new 27-stop, 35-rank organ for Sacred
Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, WI. Finished in March, 1994, this
organ, the firm's 30th mechanical action instrument, is located in the seminary
chapel, a circular building 133 feet in diameter, with the central space
surrounded by an ambulatory. Stained glass windows display a progression of
colors of increasing intensity from the entrance to the Sacred Heart window.
The dominant architectural motif is the triangle which forms the shape of the
entry corridor, arches, windows, pews, folded ceiling and consequently the
organ. It was decided early in the planning that the organ should be
free-standing and set just inside the nave.
Rising 30 feet above the floor, the divisions are stacked,
with the Swell in the lowest position closest to singers and instrumentalists,
the Great in the middle and the Pedal on top. The two levels of the facade
display the first 25 pipes of the Great 8' Principal and the Pedal 8'
Offenbass, all of which were made of 75% planed tin. While the key action is
mechanical, the stop action is electric with a multi-level combination action.
As agreed upon by organbuilder and organ committee, the
voicing and scaling were to produce a sound of full-bodied warmth, with gentle
flutes providing the background setting for cantor and choir. These sounds are
the result of variable scales of ample proportion, slightly high cutups and
judicious nicking. Wind pressure throughout is 70mm supplied by a slow speed
blower and a large, floating, weighted reservoir located in a room directly
below. As each windchest has its own schwimmer, the organ has steady wind
pressure and is tuned in equal temperament.
The president of the seminary is Fr. John Kasparek, S.C.J.,
and the organ committee members included Dr. Richard Lux, Lee Erickson, Richard
Kirsch, William O'Toole, Christian Rich, Sr. Mary Jane Wagner, and Sr. Rosann
Wagner. Personnel of the Berghaus Company who worked on the project included
Leonard Berghaus (voicing, scaling), Allyn Hoverland (visual design), George
Anderson (windchests), Fred Beal (service), Brian Berghaus, Todd Berghaus and
Rob Conger (casework), Judy Berghaus (office), Kurt Linstead (racking), Mike
Pelton (winding), Ray Sargent (electrical), Jordan Smoots (console), John
Streufert (voicing), and Paul Sturm (action). Dr. Mary Beth Bennett played the
dedication recital.
HAUPTWERK
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Pommer
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohrgedackt
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oktav
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Querflöte
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nasat
13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Terz
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oktav
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixtur
8''
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompete
Tremulant
Zimbelstern
II/I
SCHWELLWERK
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedackt
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gemshorn
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Schwebung
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prinzipal
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spillflöte
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Hohlflöte
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Klein Nasat
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Scharf
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Dulzian
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oboe
Tremulant
PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Subbass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Offenbass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spitzflöte
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Choralbass
III
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rauschbass
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Holzposaune
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Singend
Regal
I/P
II/P
Andover Organ Company, Methuen, MA, has built a new organ for First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA. The firm's opus 100, the three-manual and pedal organ has mechanical key and electro-pneumatic stop action with solid state combination action. The Swell to Great and Swell to Choir couplers are operated electrically. The Choir coupler to the Great is a 16' coupler and is operated mechanically as are the Unison Pedal couplers.
The casework and stoplist were designed for the physical and
acoustical environment of the building. The building's architect provided
chambers for an organ, and due to the small size of the chancel it was evident
that only a portion of the organ could be placed in the room. Again because of
size and proportions, it was decided that the Choir division would be placed in
a projecting case with the Great and Swell immediately behind it in the
chambers. The 8' Salicional was placed in the case and is made of polished
tin. Everything possible was done to project the sound out of the chambers and
into the listening area. Several visible grills promote this objective. Special
shutters were installed behind the grill work opening directly into the nave so
that the organist could close this opening during choir accompaniment to
promote a better balance with the choir.
The woodwork of the case and console reflect the woodwork of
the church, painted panels and moldings with black walnut decorations and gold
leaf ornamentation. The stop knobs are turned from Brazilian rosewood. The
engraved stop labels and the manual key coverings are of bone.
The tonal design is based on the best examples of
19th-century American organs with romantic French influences. The organ case
was designed by Donald H. Olson, mechanical design by Benjamin G. Mague, and
tonal design by Robert J. Reich in consultation with J. Michael Grant, organist
of the church. Wind pressures are 3≤ for the Choir, 31/4≤ for the
Great and Swell and 31/2≤ for the Pedal.
GREAT
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Chimney
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nighthorn
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Twelfth
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fifteenth
IV
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
III
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cornet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
SWELL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violin
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Vox
Celeste
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Diapason
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spire
Flute
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
III
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bassoon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Hautboy
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Vox
Humana
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clarion
Tremolo
CHOIR
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Concert
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Gedeckt
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salicional
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Chimney
Flute
22/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nazard
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Recorder
13/5'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tierce
11/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Larigot
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cromhorne
Tremolo
PEDAL
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Contrabass
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Double
Open Diapason
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
(Gt)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Subbass
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(Sw)
102/3'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Contra Quint
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octavebass
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flutebass
(prep)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Choralbass
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trombone
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bassoon
(Sw)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
Zimbelstern
Nightingale
T. R. Rench and Co.,
Racine, WI, has installed a 15-stop tracker action organ in the new sanctuary
of English Lutheran Church, LaCrosse, WI. The instrument is a substantial
rebuild of M. P. Moller opus 402 (ca. 1902): five new stops were added and all
action and organworks components were overhauled to new condition. The casework
is of natural-finish oak, and the facade pipes are finished in brilliant gold
with the pipe mouths being polished pipe metal. All facade pipes are speaking
pipes. While much new pipework was added, it is possible to play the organ
within the original layout if desired. The original voicings and scalings have
not been altered except to the extent needed for good tonal regulation. The
acquisition of the organ by the church was assisted by Organ Clearing House,
and Delores Bruch was the organ consultant to the church. The dedication
service and the recital were played by William Kuhlman. Compass 61/30.
GREAT
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Open
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Doppel
Flute
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salicional
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Fifteenth
III
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Mixture
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trumpet
SWELL
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violin
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Stopped
Diapason
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Aeoline
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Harmonic
Flute
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Piccolo
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Oboe
PEDAL
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Lieblich
Gedeckt
