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United Church, Canandaigua, NY
Parsons Pipe Organ Builders, Canandaigua, NY

By Richard Parsons

History

Located in Upstate New York’s picturesque Finger Lakes region, United Church is situated in the heart of Canandaigua’s downtown historic district. The church was built in 1871 and dedicated in 1872 to house the newly formed First Presbyterian Church of Canandaigua. Constructed in the eclectic style of religious architecture common to the latter part of the 19th century, the edifice features a charming blend of Romanesque and Gothic Revival influences. On December 13, 1942, the neighboring First Baptist Church of Canandaigua was totally destroyed by fire. In 1947, First Presbyterian suggested that the two churches worship jointly using the Presbyterians’ facilities, and their offer was accepted. In 1961, the church’s official name changed to become the United Church (Presbyterian- American Baptist) of Canandaigua. While unique in terms of its governance structures, the arrangement at United Church works well, and is among several factors responsible for a growing and vibrant congregation.

The Discernment Process

The new three-manual and pedal Parsons pipe organ (Opus 41) at United Church replaces M.P. Möller Opus 3107, a three-manual and pedal 18-rank duplexed organ built in 1923 as a practice instrument for the Eastman School of Music. After the organ’s installation in the church in 1950, attempts were made to adapt the organ to perform successfully as a liturgical instrument. While marginally serviceable in its new role, the specification posed difficulties with registration and with issues related to balance and choral accompaniment. In fact, use of the organ to accompany the choir was, for the most part, abandoned. As is generally the case, organists faced with this or other similar situations commit themselves to overcoming the deficiencies of their respective instruments and to supporting the musical requirements of their congregations regardless of the peculiarities of the instruments they play. It is only when the organs begin to fail that the opportunity is taken to explore underlying deficiencies.

Beginning in 2010, trustees at United Church were made aware that the Möller was becoming increasingly unreliable and consideration should be given to finding a solution. Because governing bodies are so rarely called upon to deal with major pipe-organ-related issues, they tend to find themselves in a difficult and somewhat uncomfortable position. While they hope to find the best solution, they don’t typically possess the body of knowledge that allows them to formulate the requisite questions. In this situation, the trustees initially assumed that, like any other church fixture, the organ should simply be repaired. Not unlike repairing a roof or boiler, once “fixed,” the organ could continue to serve the church as it had for the past 65 years.

To their credit, the trustees also recognized that there were other, perhaps more important issues that needed further exploration. Specifically: not only had musical requirements changed, but, more importantly, in years past, the Möller had been altered and poorly rebuilt by inexperienced technicians, making a standard restoration impossible. Given this situation, the trustees assembled a small group of highly committed individuals to study the issues. One of the first actions taken by this group was to hire a competent organ consultant, Robert Kerner, because they recognized that without his expertise, there was little framework on which to base their discernment process.

Kerner was able to pinpoint key considerations that participants hoped would eventually lead to the best and most appropriate decision. This is not to say that the process was without difficulty. The question of repairing the organ “as is” versus attempting to augment or replace the organ altogether engendered moments of creative tension that eventually led to the formation of a larger and more formal committee. Once assembled, the committee moved quickly to identify the underlying issues as defined by the following questions: What do we want to achieve musically? If repaired, will the organ (in its existing configuration) meet our needs? Is it possible, and does it make sense to expand the existing organ, or are we better off considering a new organ? Should we purchase an electronic organ? Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, what do we want to put in place for the future? It should be said that the success of this particular committee was not based on the participants’ desire to reach consensus quickly, but in the corporate sense to keep an open mind, to consider all the possibilities, and to eventually suggest the option that would best meet the needs of the congregation.

Given the limitations of the Möller, the committee rejected the idea of simply repairing the organ. The input of the organist and choir director was indispensable in helping the committee understand the machinations required to produce even moderately acceptable combinations of stops. After rejecting the idea of an as-is repair, the consultant worked in tandem with the committee to write a request for proposal designed to channel builders’ proposals in the direction of a new or rebuilt mechanism, and to include a modest restructuring and augmentation of the existing tonal resources. Site visits followed, to evaluate each of the builders’ installations, including opportunities to hear electronic instruments. For the purposes of the United Church project, electronic instruments were judged to be inappropriate, both in terms of tone quality and stewardship of church resources. In consultation with consultant and builders alike, it was determined that the vision for United Church should be expanded to include a larger, more comprehensive pipe organ. Following this decision, the committee recommended that the contract to build the new organ be awarded to Parsons Pipe Organ Builders.

Beyond the process of defining the project and selecting the builder, the official board at United Church determined that separate committees should be formed to deal with the upcoming capital campaign and ancillary construction issues. By separating the responsibilities, the board felt that each committee could focus their efforts more successfully, and in doing so ensure a superior result. Communication between the three committees took place on a regular basis, allowing the overall project to come together in flawless fashion.

The Organ

From the onset of this project, Parsons was concerned that, although the sanctuary possesses a sympathetic acoustic, the existing organ chambers and sound-absorbing chancel carpeting would prove to be barriers to a successful installation. Fortunately, the various committees and the church membership responded in a positive fashion, and it was determined that, under the builder’s direction, new and larger chambers would be built, providing hard, sound-reflective surfaces with larger front and side openings consistent with the height, length, and width of each chamber. In addition, easy access through a separate “winding” room spanning the full width of the sanctuary was constructed behind the chambers, allowing ample space for blowers and twin wedge-bellows. “Micro-climate” systems were installed in both chambers, to continuously circulate air throughout the organ and to optimize tuning stability. Stationary choir risers and chancel carpeting were replaced in favor of open space and hardwood flooring. Given the extent of modifications required in the organ chambers and the church’s desire to improve the acoustical and visual nature of the worship space, the church elected to engage Bero Architecture— a firm that specializes in historic buildings and is sympathetic to acoustical issues and the importance of music in worship—to work in collaboration with Parsons. Bero’s specifications for engineering, electrical, HVAC, and architectural designs proved invaluable to the success of the project.

Parsons Opus 41 consists of 35 registers, 51 stops, and 40 ranks for a total of 2,467 pipes distributed over Great, Swell, Choir, and Pedal divisions. The organ utilizes electric slider and tone channel windchests with unit stops placed on direct-pallet windchests. While a small number of registers from the original Möller were refurbished and revoiced, the majority of the organ’s voices were painstakingly selected from vintage sources, or are of new construction. New wood pipes were built by Parsons of Douglas fir. Reeds were rebuilt by Broome and Co.

Designed by Peter Geise in collaboration with Russell Barr, the twin pipe facades provide a striking addition to the visual components of the sanctuary. The facades incorporate architectural elements (brackets, rosettes, finials, and egg-and dart moldings) that are featured prominently throughout the room. The stenciling incorporated within the casework mimics the stenciled sanctuary ceiling, both in design and color. During the design process, every effort was made to respect the visual character of the sanctuary while creating a visual statement proclaiming the existence of the organ. The polished zinc facade pipes speak, and were constructed in Germany by Aug Laukhuff.

The three-manual and pedal console features the Parsons company’s distinctive, low-profile, terraced drawknob design. The console exterior is constructed of black walnut. The console interior and accents are constructed of bloodwood. Custom-designed keyboards imported from P&S Organ Supply Company in England feature unbleached bone naturals and ebony sharps. The music rack is a book-matched walnut burl with bloodwood accents. The highly specialized Virtuoso solid-state switching system provides unlimited levels of memory, an integrated record/playback system and a plethora of advanced features too numerous to mention. The Virtuoso control panel is conveniently located directly beneath the lower right-hand terrace. The console also features a built-in custom-designed steel dolly with casters for ease of mobility. The console communicates with the mechanism of the organ via fiber optic cables.

This pipe organ was built to lead and inspire the congregation through all facets of worship. When we step back and consider all that God has accomplished through us, we remember that it is for His glory and honor that we seek to build these instruments of praise.

Richard Parsons is president and artistic director at Parsons Pipe Organ Builders. A colleague member of the American Institute of Organbuilders, he serves as president of the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America.

From the Organ Committee

Today, as we participate in worship, we know that we have arrived at our vision’s goal, a place where the sight and sound of this new, magnificent pipe organ impressively enhances our worship experience.

Stopping for a moment to reflect on this five-year project, we who served on the various committees were afforded wonderful learning experiences and found the process as a whole to be extremely gratifying. Committee members worked in cooperative fashion and helped each other to learn and to make good decisions as we moved toward our shared goal. Early on, we agonized over issues such as the selection of a builder, whether resources should be devoted to improve acoustics, and whether it was really necessary to provide the means to control humidity and air circulation. In due course and with the help of the consultant and organbuilder, these issues proved to be less daunting than initially imagined. In fact, we came to realize that trust, where it concerns the ethics and capabilities of the builder, is paramount to tackling any issue that might arise. Once we selected the builder, making decisions became much easier. We listened and learned and placed our trust in Parsons Pipe Organ Builders and are delighted with the results. With trust, everything else followed. Isn’t that also the way of our faith?

Ronald Fulle, Organ Committee Member

View a Stop List

 

Bryn Athyn Cathedral, Bryn Athyn, PA
Kegg Pipe Organ Builders, Hartville, OH

By Charles Kegg

The Bryn Athyn Cathedral organ has been one of the most fascinating and challenging instruments in the history of the Kegg firm. The donor, Oberlin graduate and active Philadelphia organist Fred Haas, has always admired the work of Ernest Skinner. In the discussion of the new organ for the cathedral, all roads led to a recreation of Skinner’s work. We were asked to marry two modest E.M. Skinner organs, expand the combined instrument in Skinner style using new or vintage pipe work, and add a dramatic fourth manual division that complements the theology of the congregation and the dramatic building architecture— all while creating new structure, winding, expression, electrical systems, con sole, and facade as a new instrument. The result is not a restored Skinner organ but a new instrument in his style, with some unusual Kegg touches.

It is interesting to note that the archives of the church revealed plans for a large Skinner organ when the structure was being built in 1917. This organ was never built, due to the conditions resulting from World War I, and a “temporary” small unit organ was installed that served for about 50 years. The design of the Skinner-Kegg organ was largely complete when the plans of the original large Skinner were discovered; the specifications of the two organs are remarkably similar.

The main organ is a three-manual instrument with a specification typical of Ernest Skinner circa 1928. While this organ is indicative of the Skinner company, there are several stops and features that bear closer inspection. The Swell is complete with all that might be desired in such an instrument, including Skinner’s magical Flute Celeste and a reproduction Skinner 16′ Waldhorn. The Mixture in this division is one of the first that Skinner built after his historic visit to Great Britain, where he learned of the work of Henry Willis III. This Mixture, the only one in the organ, is bright and more aggressive than might be expected and has a most interesting texture. It retains its original voicing as does all the Skinner pipework in the organ and is impressive. The Great has no mixture and tops out at 2′ , which is quite typical of instruments of this size at this time.

The Choir division includes signature Skinner color reeds as well as a new Tuba, which is a lyrical stop, both bold and sweet. Its scale accelerates in the bass to provide the main Pedal 16′ reed line. Enclosed in the Choir box, it can be tailored to suit almost any need.

The Great is enclosed—with the exception of the First Open Diapason and the 16′ -8′ Violone-Gamba, the bass of which forms the facade. The Trumpet is a new stop and is designed to fill the coupled organ with fire and excitement in the same way that Skinner used his French Trumpet, which would normally be in the Swell along with the Cornopean. There was no room in the Swell for this additional stop, so it found a home in the Great. Of course, no Skinner-style instrument can be without a French Horn, and a restored vintage example appears here also.

The theology of Bryn Athyn Cathedral, the ecclesiastical center of a New Church denomination, includes levels of heaven, the innermost of which is called the Celestial, where meanings are the most clear and thoughts are the most innocent. When there was a suggestion of a division bearing this name placed high in the crossing tower and speaking down into the nave with both delicate and commanding voices, the church and donor readily agreed. This is the most unusual division in the organ. It contains four stops in Echo style along with solo Gambas on 10″ of wind pressure and a Flauto Mirabilis and Tuba Mirabilis both on 20″ pressure. The Tuba Mirabilis is done in Willis style, hooded, and commands attention with stately authority. The Flauto Mirabilis is a modified copy of the famous Wanamaker Clear Flute. This wood harmonic flute sings in the building as only a heroic flute of this size and wind pressure can. Flue pipe voicing on 20″ pressure is most unusual—and it was actually a pleasure for me and “enjoyed” by the entire shop as it had to be done not in the voicing room but out in the shop on the final chest. When heard at the intended distance, it is true magic. This division also contains a 14-note set of Deagan Tower Chimes installed inside the building in the Celestial chamber. These massive chimes were designed to be installed outside and to be heard throughout the community. Here we have what is believed to be one of only three installations of such chimes inside a building. The effect is one of grand and elegant dignity.

The Pedal division is modest but very much in keeping with Skinner models of its day. It enjoys a genuine newly built 32′ Bourdon. The fact that this sound is produced by real pipes is immediately apparent. Although modest by modern standards, the Pedal contains a variety of colors and dynamics well suited to underpin the manuals. The 16′ Open Wood Diapason rings in the room particularly well when the Pedal foundation needs to be prominent.

The console of the organ is new and includes hand-carved details inspired by the pulpit of the church. Its bone and rosewood keys invite you to play, and all accessories are placed where they are most useful. Special consideration to the musician’s comfort and convenience have always been a Kegg hallmark, down to the billiard clothlined pencil drawer and removable matching cup holder on the bench. The cup holder drew significant attention at the AGO National Convention in Boston, where this console console was on display. The Virtuoso control system provides all the features expected of a first-class instrument today. The console is easily movable on internal casters for use in recital and oratory.

In keeping with the magical nature of the Celestial division, we have incorporated what I believe is a first in the industry. The Celestial manual enjoys second-touch keys. Found in theatre organs, the second touch usually brings out a second voice when the key is pressed into a strong spring at the bottom of the normal key travel. In this organ, it is used not for a voice, but to engage the tremolo. The tremolo can be engaged on each note at the desired time, while instantly stopping as the organist moves from the key. When one stops on the next note of reasonable duration, the tremolo can be easily and intuitively added in the same manner as a wind or string instrumentalist. The result is much more musical than when engaged by foot with a variable-speed device, and it also leaves the foot free to shade the dynamic of the note at the same time.

The organ has evolved to be an ideal instrument for this unique parish. The grandeur of the building and grounds is a surprise to visitors when discovered. This organ, too, will surprise and, I hope, delight the organist who discovers it.

With the organ installation, the cathedral has appointed Bryan Dunnewald as assistant organist. He is a student of Alan Morrison at the Curtis Institute of Music and participated in the November 21, 2014, dedication service, joining performers Peter Richard Conte, Fred Haas, Terry Schnarr, Graham Bier, and the cathedral choir.

We would like to thank donor Fred Haas and the Wyncote Foundation for their confidence in the Kegg firm. We must also lift a glass in heartfelt appreciation to Graham Bier (music director) and Terry Schnarr (principal organist) for their unfailing support, and to the cathedral staff for raising the bar to an improbable height for hospitality to an organbuilding staff.

View a stop list

Charles Kegg is president and artistic director of Kegg Pipe Organ Builders, which he established in 1985. A member of the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, he trained for eleven years with Schantz, Casavant, and A.R. Schopp’s Sons, and was responsible for the final voicing of many Schantz and Casavant instruments ranging in size from four to 132 ranks.

Kegg Pipe Organ Builders: Phillip Brown, Michael Carden, William Catanesey, Randall Crawford, Joseph Granger, Joyce Harper, John Johnson, Philip Laakso, Sean O’Donnell, Nathaniel Riggle, Dwayne Short. With special help from Robin Bier and Robert Schmucker