Ortloff Organ Company, LLC, Needham, Massachusetts, and Létourneau Pipe Organs, St.-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada, are partnering in a renovation of the 1966 Otto Hoffman organ in Parker Chapel at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas. The project will complete tonal revisions originally planned by the late John Ballard, who carried out tonal changes between 1988 and 1998. A new console and further tonal alterations were provided by Kegg Pipe Organ Builders in 2007.
Ortloff and Létourneau’s work will focus on the Positiv and Pedal divisions. The Positiv’s wind pressure will be raised slightly, and the division’s chorus will be rescaled and revoiced accordingly. New 8′ English Horn and 8′ Oboe stops will be added to the Positiv. Additionally, new passage boards and grips will make the Positiv division safer to tune. In the Pedal, the prepared-for 2′ Waldflöte and III Grave Mixture stops will be added, while the 16′ Posaune will be revoiced.
Létourneau will supply new pipework for the project as well as voice the reed stops, while Ortloff will build the new electro-pneumatic chestwork and associated structure, restore the existing pipework, voice the flue stops, and install and tonally finish the materials. Work will begin after Easter 2024, with completion expected in mid-summer of 2024.
For information: letourneauorgans.com and ortlofforgan.com.
Other organ builder news:
St. Peter's Lutheran Church, New York City, renovation
Schantz organ, Trinity Lutheran Church, Ashland, Ohio
St. James Episcopal Cathedral, Chicago, acquires J. W. Walker organ
