From Rosales Organ Builders

St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church of La Jolla, California, was founded in 1907. Situated on a peninsula north of metropolitan San Diego, La Jolla (which translates as “the jewel”) boasts beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and pristine beaches. One can often see flocks of pelicans, iconic sea lions, harbor seals with their pups, and, seasonally, whales following their ancestral migratory route. When I was invited to visit the church and meet with Alex Benestelli, director of music, my enthusiasm for the prospect of an organ project quickly developed.

Church Building and History

The current church seats about 450 and was finished in 1930 on land gifted by a local philanthropist, Ellen Browning Scripps. It was designed by the architect Louis John Gill in the Spanish Colonial style, with walls of poured concrete and a wooden ceiling that rises 33 feet above the floor at its peak. This provides a pleasant acoustic, especially for small ensembles and choirs, although the ceiling’s height and material produce only moderate reverberation. The building was finished during the Great Depression, when money was tight; this limited the size of the organ installed by Henry Pilcher’s Sons. At three manuals and 33 stops, the instrument probably did not fill the two large organ chambers on either side of the chancel. The four-manual Austin that replaced it in 1975 filled only three-quarters of the chamber space. Austin Opus 2585 was a major pendulum swing away from the Pilcher in terms of style, and it shared many characteristics with other organs of that era. Although the stoplist was not as top-heavy as those of some other instruments of the day (each division had at least one 8′ open flue stop), the scaling provided mild bass tones, and some of the voicing emphasized the upper harmonics. Moreover, the organ’s tonal style was not matched to the acoustics of the space. The Great and Positiv divisions were arrayed in four flower boxes, two on either side of the chancel. These displays were located in front of four chamber openings, limiting tonal egress from the chambers themselves. A sizable Antiphonal division was mounted on the rear wall, centered under a round stained-glass window. This division of the organ dominated the tonal palette.

The Project

Upon visiting the church, meeting with Alex Benestelli and Rev. Mark Hargreaves (rector), and evaluating the tonal possibilities in the available spaces, it became clear that a new organ with an entirely different tonal concept was needed. It was also my initial impression that the acoustics could be complemented without the need for renovation. Hard, solid wall surfaces, Spanish tile flooring, and a truss roof structure without any sound-absorbing materials would enhance the sound of a full-bodied instrument whose pipe scaling, wind pressures, and on-site tonal finishing would produce a versatile and impressive ensemble.

The reason for our collaboration with Parsons Pipe Organ Builders can be summed up as follows: In many artistic endeavors, an individual artist directs every step of the process to achieve a desired result. But when multiple artists work together, the result can be an expression that neither could have created on their own. The new organ at St. James by-the-Sea is a wonderful synergy of many talented individuals working together to create something quite special and unique.

Manuel J. Rosales
Founder and Organbuilder Emeritus
Rosales Organ Builders

From Parsons Pipe Organ Builders

Our participation on the project in La Jolla began in early 2018, when Alex Benestelli contacted Manuel Rosales about rebuilding the existing organ at St. James. Thomas Sheehan, who currently serves as organist and associate director of music at Washington National Cathedral, had been hired as organ consultant. Rosales and Parsons were invited to collaborate in presenting a proposal. Through many discussions, it was decided that, rather than rebuild the existing failing mechanisms, we would provide a new mechanical chassis along with new casework and mostly new pipes. Some stops from the Austin would be retained, as they would complement the new tonal scheme.

A letter of intent was signed in October 2018, and following the presentation of a facade rendering, the contract was signed in September 2019. Because of electrical issues with the Austin, it was decided to remove the instrument sooner rather than later, and this was done in January 2020. With the old organ removed, the church could prepare the chambers to receive the new instrument. The four new cases that hang on the chancel walls are taller and heavier than the previous flower boxes, which necessitated the engineering and installation of a new steel structure. And while the Antiphonal division was being reduced to a hooded 8′ Trumpet and an 8′ and 4′ Principal, its existing steel structure had to be stiffened to meet current codes.

We collaborated with Mangano Design Engineering and Permitting (MDEP) of La Jolla to design and specify the steel frames that would hold the four organ cases. The existing concrete openings in the chancel were enlarged to increase tonal egress and to provide access to the organ components located in the four cases. The ceilings of the chambers were also thickened with added material to reinforce bass response and to improve tonal projection. MDEP received the 2023 Award for Historic Preservation from the Structural Engineers Association of San Diego for its work on the St. James organ project.

Rosales and Parsons TAO Cover April 2024 — Pedal 32′ Contra Bombarde (enclosed with Solo division)

Organ Case

The four chancel cases and Antiphonal case are constructed of quarter-sawn white oak stained to complement the church’s furnishings. Multiple elements from the building’s architecture are echoed and harmonized in the cases, including the seashells and swords that are symbols of St. James. These elements, along with the wooden grillwork and columns, were all fabricated on our CNC router. Facade pipes from the 16′ and 8′ Diapasons on the Great and Pedal and the 8′ Principal in the Antiphonal are of 80 percent tin and polished with a fine abrasive to moderate their reflectiveness. Pipe mouths and some case elements are covered with gold leaf to help warm the visual impression of the organ.

Tonal Design

The specification was designed by Manuel Rosales and refined by Thomas Sheehan, with an emphasis on accompanying choral anthems, supporting congregational singing, and inviting interpretation of a broad range of organ literature. The design includes three choruses based on generously scaled foundation stops and many color voices in each division, a majority of which are under expression. The Great features two 8′ Diapasons and two 4′ Octaves, the second pair under expression. Of the 79 ranks in the organ, 59 are under expression in three enclosures. Thirty-three stops are of 8′ pitch, and 16 of the ranks are reed pipes. Only one reed, the nautically themed (hooded) 8′ Tromba Marina, is located above the west door in the Antiphonal.

The flue pipe scales and construction details were specified by Rosales, who also wrote the pipe orders. The reed pipe scales and voicing details were a collaboration between Rosales and reed voicers Chris Broome (Connecticut) and David Schopp (Ohio). Voicing of all flue pipework, new and old, was completed by Duane Prill. In turn, these pipes were tonal-finished in the church by Manuel Rosales with assistance from the Parsons staff and Kevin Gilchrist from the Rosales staff.

The chamber on the south side of the chancel contains three manual divisions: Great, Swell, and Choir. The Great is divided into two sections. The main principal chorus, based on 16′ pitch, is unenclosed in one of the south-placed cases; the remainder of the Great, including the three high-pressure Trombas, is enclosed with the Choir. The large Swell division is located behind the unenclosed Great and features an 8′ principal chorus, two pairs of celestes, and five reeds—including a Contre Basson at 16′ and 8′ pitch that provides an intermediate voice between the chorus 8′ Trumpet and the 8′ Oboe. The Choir contains many delicately voiced color stops, a Jeu de Tierce, the softest celeste, and a full 8′ principal chorus topped by a petite 8′ Trompette. A 16′ and 8′ Clarinet and the sweet-toned 8′ Corno d’Amore add to the color palette.

The north side of the chancel contains the Pedal and Solo divisions. This was partly due to the fact that the ceiling is several inches higher on this side, providing more space for the taller bass pipes. In spite of this, the longest wooden pipes of the 16′ Open Diapason and the 32′ Contrebasse had to be laid down along the back wall of the chamber. All of the wood pipes of these two stops, as well as the bass octaves of the Swell and Great flutes, were built in our shop.

The 32′ Contra Bombarde is located in the Solo expression chamber and is a powerful voice on 17.5″ of wind. However, thick expression shades allow it to be closed down, increasing its usefulness. The Solo takes its inspiration from typical mid-1920s Skinner organs; it features two colorful 8′ flutes, bold, keen-toned strings, two color reeds, and a full-bodied mounted Cornet V. The 8′ Tuba, also on 17.5″ of wind, is a commanding voice.

Mechanical Design

As this was a collaboration, the mechanical design required careful management of the process in terms of pipe materials, scales, winding, chest design, and even racking methods. The majority of the pipework stands on slider and tone-channel windchests. The pallets are supplied with pneumatic assists (balanciers) to provide exceptional action speed and repetition. The remainder of the stops play from traditional all-electric and electropneumatic chests. To complement the wide variety of tonal colors, a broad array of wind pressures was necessary, ranging from 2.75″ for the Antiphonal Principal to 17.5″ for the Tuba and 32′ Contra Bombarde. The wind is provided by five blowers in three locations, totaling 13.5 horsepower; these feed 16 reservoirs of different styles, including “bag” bellows and single-rise ribbed bellows, with both cone and curtain valves to serve specific purposes throughout the organ. Concussion bellows throughout the instrument smooth out unwanted ripples in the wind and are disengaged when the tremulants are activated.

Whenever we design a new instrument, we strive to make the layout as serviceable as possible. Our philosophy is simple: If an organ is easy to service, it is more likely that it will be maintained and serve the church for many generations. This philosophy guides every layout decision, suggesting where we might add service platforms and access ladders or make a component more easily removable if there is something behind it that will need servicing later on. We have encountered many instruments where this was not given consideration and major sections of the organ needed to be removed in order to make adjustments or repairs. This was an extraordinary challenge at St. James, because the instrument we were installing was larger and contained more 16′, 8′, and even 32′ stops than existed in the previous organs. Throughout the instrument, it is possible to navigate and to reach and adjust mechanisms as needed.

Console

The new movable four-manual console is built of quarter-sawn white oak and stained to match the new cases. The interior wood is cherry, with accents in African padauk. It was designed to be as low-profile as possible, with a drop-sill keydesk. Manual keyboards by P&S Organ Supply Company (U.K.) have naturals covered in bleached bone and sharps of African blackwood. Custom drawknobs by Harris Precision Products (Whittier, California) are also of African blackwood. The length of the sharp keys has been varied according to their distance from the performer. The Choir and Great sharps are typical, the Swell sharps shorter, the Solo manual sharps the shortest—resulting in improved reach to the coupler tablets.

The side panels on both ends of the console are actually doors that open to storage spaces for the organists and technicians. Two music racks are provided: a decorative wood rack with book-matched madrone burl, and a clear, scratch-resistant polycarbonate rack for improved visibility. The control system by Opus-Two handles the myriad complex functions available to control the instrument, including sostenuto, optional through-coupling, transposer, and record/playback. The system includes over 300 assignable folders, each with 300 levels of memory (90,000 total).

With the initial installation beginning in June 2022, components from the five cases, the Antiphonal division, and the north-side organ chamber (containing Pedal and Solo stops) completely covered the nave and parish hall. Two more phases of installation followed, with tonal finishing beginning in February 2023. Staggering the installation process allowed the three trailer loads of organ to be safely and efficiently unloaded and organized in the church’s sanctuary. Much of the instrument was complete and playing in time for Easter, and the organ was officially accepted on July 23, the Feast of St. James the Great.

The instrument was dedicated October 1, 2023, in a recital by Ken Cowan, beginning a year of festivities to celebrate its completion. The dedication series has also included performances by Caroline Robinson and Raúl Prieto Ramírez; artist in residence Bruce Neswick will present the final program on May 12. Additionally, a plaque will be placed in the visitor’s gallery of the organ’s north chamber, featuring the names of all who worked to create the new instrument, along with the following inscription:

It is with a feeling of thanksgiving and celebration that we present this new organ to you and the greater San Diego community. The success of this instrument is a tribute to those who conceived, designed, and constructed it, and to those who supported the project from its conception to its completion. We leave a part of ourselves in it; a legacy for generations to come. We thank the Rector, Vestry, Musicians and Parish for giving us this opportunity. Soli Deo gloria.

Peter Geise, Technical Director
Parsons Pipe Organ Builders

From the Director of Music

Building a new organ is a privilege I did not expect to have in my career, but the failure of our previous instrument set the ball rolling. The process that followed consisted largely of building consensus and doing the next right thing, one step at a time, consistent with our parish’s mission and values. I am grateful to the many community members who supported the organ project even before it began; to the rector, wardens, and vestry for their leadership; and to our organ committee, whose hard work brought forth this unique new instrument. We were guided along the way by the expert advice of our consultant, Thomas Sheehan, who taught us all so much about organbuilding. Together with Tom, it was obvious to all of us that the collaboration of Manuel Rosales and Parsons Pipe Organ Builders would be a special opportunity for a world-class instrument. We were not disappointed.

On behalf of the whole parish of St. James by-the-Sea, I want to thank Manuel Rosales for his bold artistic vision, and Ric Parsons for creating such a beautiful organ. I am especially grateful for the valuable and important contributions of Peter Geise, Duane Prill, and everybody in the Parsons shop who put so much love into this instrument. Their skill, professionalism, craftsmanship, and attention to even the smallest details gave me a new appreciation for the art of organbuilding.

Opus 42/51 now begins its life of service to St. James by-the-Sea, where it will enhance the musical life of this place for generations. From weekly celebrations of the Holy Eucharist and the uniquely Anglican expression of Choral Evensong to the wider context of our concert and recital series, the Rosales/Parsons organ takes up a central role of inspiration, praise, consolation, and beauty in this sacred space. Soli Deo gloria.

Alex Benestelli, Director of Music
St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church