Blog

Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Southern Pines, N.C.
C.B. Fisk, Inc. • Gloucester, Mass.

by David C. Pike

At Fisk, our mission is not only to build superb musical instruments, but also to be collaborative partners in all aspects of a project, to ensure the best and most practical musical solutions for our clients.

In December 2013, our firm was formally commissioned by Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Southern Pines to build a new mechanical-action pipe organ for the church sanctuary. The signing of a contract represented a true milestone after several years of brainstorming and in-depth discussion between Emmanuel’s organist and choirmaster Homer Ferguson III, church governance, and members of the Fisk team. For a time, church leaders had considered building a new, larger sanctuary, but, in the end, the expense involved was deemed prohibitive. It was then generally assumed that the new organ would be placed in the existing sanctuary’s west gallery, where the previous organ, along with the choir, had lived for many years. As cramped as this arrangement was, it was what people had grown accustomed to and was consequently what was expected. At the Fisk workshop, as part of the organ’s visual design process, a scale model of the existing space was built to explore various possibilities for siting the organ. Within this model, we developed a new plan that would gain many of the desired benefits of a new building, but at a fraction of the cost. The organ and choir would move to the front of the sanctuary, and they would inhabit a newly constructed gallery above and behind the central worship area. In order to accommodate the height of the organ case, and to add more depth and loft to the front of the nave space, two bays of the church roof would be raised. The new scheme gained additional seating for the congregation and sufficient space and improved acoustical support for both organ and choir. A redesigned chancel allows the removal of the reredos during organ recitals and accommodates the church’s many secular musical events.

Construction of the new instrument began in our Gloucester workshop in spring 2014, and Opus 145 was completely assembled and playing in time for an April 2015 open house. Several Emmanuel parishioners made the trek north for the occasion. Describing the experience, Dr. Ferguson later wrote “. . . Saturday was one of the most fulfilling days of my life. Years of dreaming and planning, hoping and praying, had all come into focus . . . Seeing the delicate details of the new keyboards, feeling the swiftness and connectedness of the action, hearing such sweet, vocal tone from the handcrafted pipes, was a sensory nirvana.”

Opus 145 is the 13th pipe organ installation in North Carolina by C.B. Fisk. When fully realized, the organ will total 35 stops and 2,135 pipes distributed over two manuals and pedal. Though visually and mechanically complete, the organ still lacks eleven of its stops and approximately 842 pipes; these will remain unbuilt until funding is obtained.

The mechanical design of a tracker organ must be as simple as possible in order to increase the organ’s utility and reliability, and to allow an unfettered transmission of musical expression. Our experience with creating light, responsive actions and our increasing use of materials such as carbon fiber have allowed us to reach a new standard of key-action touch with Opus 145’s detached console.

Opus 145 contains two notable “firsts” for C.B. Fisk, both of which were ardently put forward by Dr. Ferguson. Firstly, the Great division is partially enclosed in an expression box. Outside the box and just behind the facade are the pipes comprising the Great plenum. The remaining three 8′ foundations, the Flute 4’´, and both reeds live inside an enclosure in “Hinterwerk” position. This feature offers the organist considerable flexibility in leading and accompanying all aspects of Episcopal liturgies, and, in conjunction with a well-appointed combination action from Solid State Organ Systems, offers many of the advantages of a three-manual instrument. Secondly, a Swell to Great Super coupler was engineered into the key action, which gives the player yet one more practical tonal resource and makes possible sonorities that otherwise would not be obtainable.

On behalf of the artisans of C.B. Fisk, I wish to thank the people of Emmanuel Church for the opportunity to build a new mechanical-action pipe organ in their beautiful sanctuary. Without the constant support and hospitality of Homer Ferguson, the congregation, the organ and building committees, and the staff, the pursuit of our art and our sojourn in Southern Pines wouldn’t have been nearly as rewarding.

David C. Pike is executive vice president and tonal director of C.B. Fisk Inc.

From the Organist and Choirmaster

I began my tenure as organist-choirmaster at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in August 2010, following 25 years of the strong musical leadership of Alan Reed and Johnny Bradburn. The church was on the brink of an exciting capital expansion that promised a new sanctuary, a new office wing with a complete music suite, and a new pipe organ.

Upon my arrival, I found a fully carpeted church equipped with Wicks Opus 5896 (1982) crammed into a confined rear gallery. This organ had originally been conceived as an interim instrument when it replaced M.P. Möller Opus 7616 (1947), located in a side installation at the front of the church. As the years progressed, alterations and additions enabled the Wicks to better serve the growing church, but by the mid 2000s it had become increasingly unreliable. The windchests were located near the floor of the loft, and pipes spoke directly into the ears of choristers. It was time for a fresh start.

Initially, the situation was not of great concern, as a new church building would remedy many of these challenges. However, by the end of 2011, a weak economy and a deep attachment to the original 1926 building upended plans for a new church. As it was now clear that the parish would continue to use its historic sanctuary, a plan was developed to replace the organ, presumably in some reconfigured rear gallery scenario.

A committee was formed to investigate the possibilities. While they explored several solutions, mechanical action became an early focus. This inspiration was several-fold. Firstly, the committee did not want the church to face an organ replacement in another 30-plus years as it had done twice before. Secondly, there were no mechanical-action pipe organs in all of Moore County, leaving a pedagogical void for aspiring young organists. Furthermore, a mechanical-action organ would add diversity to the cultural fabric of our region.

The selection of Fisk began a collaborative effort involving not only some of the greatest creative minds in organbuilding, but also the work of acoustician Dana Kirkegaard and organ and liturgical designer Charles Nazarian. Their combined efforts realized a plan for a new instrument that not only fulfilled the musical needs of the parish, but also created a visual statement that brought focus to the chancel. The result is an instrument of great beauty, something I firmly believe is an attribute of God.

Opus 145 has invigorated our congregational singing. It assists our all-volunteer choirs in offering anthems that illuminate our Biblical texts. It whispers musical prayers and it declares our statements of faith. It serves as a musical teacher through its responsive, living action and spins musical line with authenticity. For performer, worshipper, and concert attendee, this instrument can induce a state of euphoria.

I want to personally thank everyone who has been involved in this project. It was only because of the combined efforts of the leadership at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, the parishioners, friends, and community members who believed in the worth of this endeavor, and the artisans at C.B. Fisk, that this instrument was realized. It is important to note that more than 300 families and individuals funded this new pipe organ. This was truly a community effort.

The organ was dedicated in a Festival Choral Evensong on May 15 with Alden Wright and myself sharing the console, the Emmanuel choir, and Johnny Bradburn, choirmaster emeritus. A new choral anthem commissioned for the occasion, “God Moves in a Mysterious Way” by Philip Stopford, was premiered, as was a new hymn, “Alleluias Roar Through Organs” by Paul Chappel. A dedicatory summer recital series, Fridays on the Fisk, celebrated the new instrument with four separate recitals by North Carolina organists Homer Ferguson III, André Lash, Chase Loomer, and Stephen Gourley. The hands of the men and women of C.B. Fisk have shaped wood and metal into an American musical masterpiece. It is sacred art in its highest form. My greatest hope is that this instrument will serve to the glory of God for centuries. May those who marvel at it always be reminded of its purpose as a tangible statement of faith.

Homer Ashton Ferguson III

Basilica of St. Josaphat
Milwaukee, WI
Buzard Pipe Organ Builders • Champaign IL

Why this organ? We decided to feature this little organ on the cover of The American Organist magazine because it is a fabulous instrument in an exquisite space, even if it is an old organ in a new location.

A vital portion of this industry’s lifeblood is the restoration and renovation of existing pipe organs, and we believe that our excellent renovation work deserves to be seen by our colleagues in this journal. We ask ourselves just as many questions before undertaking a renovation project as we do in the evolution of our new organs’ tonal style. This is essential if the renovation project is to respect the original builder’s intent, the historical nature of the instrument, and the modern musical requirements that are often placed upon a renovated organ.

John-Paul Buzard, President and Artistic Director
Buzard Pipe Organ Builders

Listen to “Introduction” to the Elgar Vesper Voluntaries played on the featured organ:

 

Good things come to those who wait (and have the room to store interesting pipe organs until the perfect new home for them can be found)! Buzard Pipe Organ Builders, in addition to building well-crafted and highly regarded new organs, operates a busy service department that undertakes the full range of services for existing instruments. This, of course, includes the occasional “organ transplant.”

Friday, December 1, 2006, was a typical blustery day in downtown Chicago. As snow fell outside, a small intrepid band of like-minded souls gathered in the Gold Coast neighborhood to rescue the ca.1903 W.W. Kimball organ from the small preceptory of the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Because this two-manual, seven-rank tubular pneumatic instrument had to be removed on short notice before the building was to be demolished, a team of rescuers was formed, comprised of Buzard Company staff and several members of the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Organ Historical Society. The instrument spent several years in our storage facility that is part of our service department in Champaign, Illinois, while the search was on for the perfect new home for this instrument.

The Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a ministry of the Conventual Franciscans, had been searching for an appropriate organ for the lower church in the crypt. The Buzard Company completely renovated the Kimball organ for this lovely and intimate space.

This was a stock model instrument, often referred to as a “boxcar organ,” because it left the factory in two large (and heavy) cases, shipped by rail with the pipes already installed and pinned in place. Theoretically, installation consisted of simply bolting together the two halves on site. One wonders whether there was ever a church doorway big enough for this to actually occur, or who could heft the two cases totaling 5,000 pounds into position. We certainly delivered it to the church in numerous and more manageable pieces!

The organ is described in a 1904 catalog as a “Style 17,” but in this particular instrument the organ had a tenor C-compass Oboe on the Great, but no 4′ stop as was usually the case. We replaced the Oboe with a full-compass 4′ Violina from another decommissioned Kimball boxcar organ, and the Oboe has found a home in yet a third.

The original tubular-pneumatic primary actions were replaced with newly built electropneumatic under-actions in accordance with Kimball’s later practice. Buzard’s Opus 31-R rebuild of Kimball’s 1897–1937 organ at First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, provided an example of how Kimball undertook this. This decision was carefully considered, and is a good illustration of the depth of our constant questioning before undertaking restoration and renovation work. If the new owner had been a museum rather than a church, then retaining the original actions without alteration would perhaps have been appropriate. However, like many other organs of this era, these tubular-pneumatic mechanisms were not designed with future service in mind. We have provided the church with an as-new organ that is even more reliable, and can be maintained as necessary.

Some decorative elements of the casework, in particular the wood banding around the facade pipes, had suffered some losses. Working with our colleagues at Decorators Supply Company in Chicago, molds were made of the remaining existing materials and replica parts cast, which we then finished to match the rest of the case. The woodwork had originally been finished lighter, but a subsequent darker over-coating was actually a good color match to the woodwork in the Basilica’s lower church.

The keyboards, pedalboard, and all other mechanisms and pipes, including the tubular-pneumatic stop actions and Crescendo Pedal mechanism, were cleaned and restored. Wooden pipes were cleaned, stoppers were repacked, and metal pipes were repaired as necessary.

The Basilica’s rector-pastor, the Very Rev. Michael J. Glastetter, OFM Conv., was actively involved in the siting of the instrument and visual design process. We thank him and the Basilica’s director of music-organist, Christopher Berry, for their support and the opportunity to install this vintage instrument in its new home, ready for its second century of service.

The organ will have been dedicated at First Vespers for the Feast of Saint Cecilia, November 21, with music by Elgar, Guilmant, and Bonnet, as well as Gregorian chant.

Keith Williams, Service Director

One of the most satisfying elements of this restoration has been the recreation of a vibrant, harmonious, polychrome facade decoration. Our clients were very receptive and excited about this element of the work and took an active part in consulting with us on design and color choices. These discussions resulted in a stenciled facade that simultaneously takes historical cues from earlier patterns on the pipes, and from design and color elements from within the chapel itself.

The facade pipes had been coated with two layers of paint over the top of the original treatments, and our first duty was to attempt to remove just the later layers to determine the feasibility of simply uncovering and restoring the original decoration. Unfortunately, that was not possible and we proceeded with entirely new decorations. What we did discover in removing layers was enough information about what would become our lower stencil pattern to enable a tracing to be made of it. The new upper stencil, a fleur-de-lis “crown,” draws from a very similar motif in the ceiling of the chancel, also with a deep royal blue background. With these two stencils and colors chosen, we had our facade planned.

After repairs were made to the pipes themselves, including rounding out and repair to solder seams, etc., the various layers of old paint were carefully removed with a light-duty bead-blasting setup—a messy and labor- intensive task! This was followed by a number of coats of a primer and sealer, to ensure a smooth finish.

Next, the various colors of the bodies and feet of the pipes were measured out and a number of carefully brush-painted coats applied. These areas were defined and highlighted by the application of genuine gold leaf on the mouths and banding. The bands are very carefully laid out on the pipe bodies, so to relate to neighboring pipes and their symmetrical opposites and also to be straight and square. The gold leaf was applied the traditional way, with a bright, oil-based burnishing paint applied first, followed by the leaf “size,” a varnish that becomes tacky after many hours and holds the delicate leaf firmly in place.

The stencils, one new and one old, were converted into digital files that were in turn cut into stencils by a graphics firm here in Champaign. By using custom sticky-backed, disposable stencils, we were able to very accurately duplicate the patterns on each pipe and keep very crisp edges. As with the other gilt portions, the stencil areas were prepared with multiple layers of burnishing paint and gold size. After the size is applied and before it cures, the stencil is carefully removed. When the size is ready, the three-inch square sheets of fine leaf are applied to the patterns before being carefully burnished on with a fine brush, which also trims the gold to the stencil profile.
The results of this careful, delicate, and rewarding work have been greatly admired by the Basilica community and its visitors.

David Brown, Service Foreman

View the stoplist