TAO Article

Last Modified on November 11, 2021

August 2021 TAO Feature Article

Trinity Cathedral
Cleveland, Ohio

Muller Pipe Organ Company
Croton, Ohio
Stoplist

From the Director of Music
Trinity Cathedral was designed by noted Cleveland architect Charles F. Schweinfurth (1856–1919) and is one of Cleveland’s most tastefully lavish church buildings. It was consecrated in September 1907, and one month later Ernest M. Skinner’s Opus 140 was dedicated by Edwin Arthur Kraft, who presided over it for the next 52 years. Initial plans for Opus 140 were drawn up during the brief and tumultuous partnership between Skinner and Robert Hope-Jones, although Hope-Jones departed prior to the installation. Kraft and Skinner revised the specification somewhat, though the resulting organ retained Hope-Jones’s influence in two of its most notable features: the double-pressure 32′ Diapason and the high-pressure Tuba that spoke from a concrete-lined chamber in the floor at the rear of the nave. In 1956, Schantz Organ Company rebuilt the instrument under Kraft’s direction, as he wanted to leave Opus 140 in good condition for his successor.

Winds of change were blowing in the American organ world, and by the late 1960s conversations were underway for a new cathedral organ. In 1977, D.A. Flentrop installed a handsome three-manual, 39-stop instrument with mechanical key and stop action in a new gallery on the liturgical west wall. The Skinner was abandoned and became unplayable, with its chancel tone openings sealed up. In 1997, the Skinner was removed and its pipework dispersed to several builders. The former Skinner chamber became a spacious and characterful choir rehearsal room.

I came to Trinity as organist in 2009 and became music director two years later when my predecessor, Horst Buchholz, moved to St. Louis. I felt strongly that Trinity Cathedral, with its divided chancel and elegantly carved choir stalls, should have an organ at that end of the building. We have the good fortune to sing Evensong on a weekly basis during the academic year; yet the Flentrop, while a beautiful and remarkably versatile instrument, is not an idiomatic or convincing organ for accompanying Anglican repertoire. The lack of any combination action can make accompanying a physical and musical challenge.

In a leap of faith, we purchased Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1188 in 2011 from St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Reston, Virginia, where it had been moved from its original home at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Richmond. The organ was put in storage at the Muller Pipe Organ Company near Columbus, Ohio. In 2014, our bishop, the Right Reverend Mark Hollingsworth, allowed us to remove the remaining pipework from Skinner Opus 245 from the cold, unfinished undercroft of Cleveland’s Church of the Transfiguration just days before its demolition. These additional ranks joined the Aeolian-Skinner in storage at the Muller facility.

Over the next few years contributions from three leading donors paved the way toward making the new organ a reality. The remaining funds were given by Trinity parishioners, choir members, and friends, along with a generous grant from the Wyncote Foundation and the sale of Trinity’s small two-manual chancel Flentrop.

I have known the Muller Pipe Organ Company for most of my life, as a previous generation of Mullers were the primary organ maintenance men in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and were endlessly kind and patient with a curious boy who was full of questions. In 2006–7 I saw the present Muller Company (two active generations) work miracles in reconstructing Skinner Opus 647 at Lake Erie College in Painesville (just east of Cleveland) and was confident that they would be able to provide similar results at Trinity Cathedral.

That they have done. The chancel organ in Trinity Cathedral is essentially a new instrument, combining pipework from Opus 245 and Opus 1188 with ranks of new vintage-style pipework as needed. The instrument takes up one-third of the previous organ chamber, speaking through the now reopened arches into the chancel and east transept. The Choir division occupies the smaller chamber to the right of the chancel, where the original Skinner Choir was located.

The chancel organ, together with our wonderful Flentrop (an instrument that has taught me so much), will open an exciting new chapter in the liturgical life and musical outreach of Trinity Cathedral. The two organs provide contrasting tonal palettes, each valid, beautiful, and convincing in its own right. The Cathedral Choir will once again be able to sing accompanied music from the chancel as architect Schweinfurth intended. An organ with pistons, swell boxes, and celestes, and with an enormous dynamic range and a wide variety of beautiful solo stops crowned by a heroic Tuba, will truly be a “new day” for us at Trinity Cathedral.

My gratitude goes to the staff of Trinity Cathedral, the Rt. Rev. Mark Hollingsworth, the Very Rev. Tracey Lind, the Rev. Dr. Paul Gaston, and our current dean, the Very Rev. Bernard J. Owens. Without their support this project would not have come to fruition. Soli Deo gloria!

Todd Wilson

From the Builder
When approached by Mr. Wilson about installing an instrument in Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, so much was immediately imaginable. We knew the legacy of the Skinner organ designed by Edwin Arthur Kraft, and the continuing distinguished voice of the Flentrop. What kind of instrument would be suitable?

The project started simply: move and restore the mostly extant Aeolian-Skinner Opus 1188, itself a redesign of an earlier Lyon & Healy organ. However, in a cathedral known for its fine instruments and exquisite music, installing a modest 40-rank organ seemed rather lackluster. Was there a way to provide a pipe organ in proportion with the grandeur of its future home?

The answer presented itself a few years later when pipework became available from Skinner Opus 245, another organ on which Kraft consulted. These pipes provided the catalyst for the instrument’s unique tonal concept.

The resulting instrument does not fit cleanly into any traditional category of organbuilding. It is not a rebuilt organ, nor is it a restoration or renovation. Neither can it be described as an Aeolian-Skinner or Skinner organ. Rather, we have developed elements of its historic lineage to form a new instrument with a broad spectrum of foundation tone, colorful reeds, a variety of flutes, and sublime strings. Creatively reimagined using vintage and new pipework, this “heritage” instrument is the type of pipe organ that Muller has produced with great success in a variety of projects.

All stops were carefully auditioned then seamlessly incorporated into the new tonal scheme through an extensive voicing process. The Great division retains the tonal design of Opus 1188 with a few additions. The large Diapasons are from Opus 245, but the bulk of the pipework for this division is new. The Swell and Choir division pipes are largely from Opus 1188. The Choir organ incorporates a Dulciana and Unda Maris from Opus 245 and a repurposed Principal from Opus 1188.

The Solo organ utilizes new pipes, plus pipes from Opus 245 and other vintage sources. Of note is the Dulcet II, a particularly keen and small-scaled set of strings. This rare stop was rescued from Opus 245 and restores a part of the original Skinner tonality to the cathedral. And while Opus 245’s Tuba was damaged beyond repair, a new Tuba was fashioned following its pattern by A.R. Schopp’s Sons. The resulting stop, of epic proportions, is a worthy replacement for the original Skinner’s subterranean Tuba. Like many early 20th-century instruments , the Pedal division is only two ranks and uses extensive borrowing to ably undergird any possible manual combination.

The return of an organ to the cavernous chambers of the original Skinner posed significant challenges. The new, larger instrument now occupies a fraction of the original space and is situated in shallow chambers to maximize tonal egress. The larger pipes of the Pedal division rest horizontally on the first level. The second level functions as a mechanical mezzanine for reservoirs and provides easy access to the manual windchests for maintenance. The uppermost level, with stone tracery aligned with the east clerestory windows, is home to the manual windchests. The Choir division returns to its original Skinner chamber.

The Aeolian-Skinner console from Opus 1188 was retained. The cabinet was repaired and refinished to complement the furnishings of the cathedral. Improvements include a new solid-state control system with remote tuning capability, Skinner-style bench with adjustable mechanism, replica interior components, and bone manual keys. Windchests from Opus 1188 were restored for the bulk of the Swell and Choir organs, while new ones were provided for the remainder of the instrument.

We wish to extend special thanks to David R. Beck for sharing his string voicing expertise, to our supplier partners, and to Todd Wilson, Nicole Keller, and the staff at Trinity Cathedral. It has been an honor to be a part of this monumental project to return a thrilling element to the cathedral’s pipe organ tradition. Trinity is located in the heart of a truly American city, and it is fitting that this Episcopal cathedral can again celebrate its musical heritage with a truly American instrument.

Scott G. Hayes, Tonal Director
Jack Muller, Project Manager
MullerPipeOrgan.com

Muller Pipe Organ Company
Brad Ashbrook
Nathan Baker
Ryan Boyle
Jesse Braswell
Scott Hayes
Taylor Hendershott
Mike Hric
Jack Muller
Jane Muller
John Muller
Mark Muller
Stan Osborn

Photography: Jesse Braswell

Last Modified on July 7, 2021

July 2021 TAO Feature Article

St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
Shoreline, Washington
Ortloff Organ Company
Needham, Massachusetts
Stop List

By Jonathan Ortloff

**St. Dunstan’s modified its worship space as part of the project, substituting chairs for pews to create a completely flexible floor plan. Ample windows bring nature into the space as well.**

To get a sense of the conviction with which St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church performs its ministry, visit the church any Tuesday. On those evenings, for the last eleven years, whether rain, snow, or global pandemic, dozens of church members have prepared a huge meal and fed it to more than 250. No wonder that throughout greater Seattle, St. Dunstan’s is known as “the church that feeds people.” The scale of such ministry belies the fact that St. Dunstan’s, like many Episcopal parishes, is a suburban church of modest size. Yet that size has never prevented the parish from entertaining larger visions, either pastoral or musical.

The dedication to outward-facing ministry exemplified in St. Dunstan’s feeding program is matched by a robust commitment to ministry within the congregation. Led by the energetic rector Rev. David Marshall, the congregation is full of hearty, devoted members who throw themselves into the various ministries of the parish with great conviction. This is a church that values music as a ministry, with a spirited program under the direction of Susanna Valleau, encompassing a growing adult volunteer choir and a large lay-led handbell ensemble.

Sixty years ago, St. Dunstan’s had grand plans for a complete campus on a wooded retreat. A familiar reality set in, however, as money wasn’t readily come by, and in the end the congregation raised enough to build a parish hall; the church proper would remain a blueprinted intention. In turn, the hall became a de facto worship space, with a secondhand Hutchings-Votey installed by “the men of the church.” Nevertheless, the people of St. Dunstan’s never stopped dreaming of a new organ, starting a fund for one 22 years ago.
Our company’s relationship with St. Dunstan’s began in the winter of 2018, when I was asked to consult about the logistics of installing a particular vintage organ there. As I would learn, the organ committee was a tight-knit, devoted, and fun group; having done thorough homework, they asked smart questions. Their commitment to making the best decision was born out of a shared dedication to ministry and character. They wanted an instrument as unpretentious as the congregation and the space, one well suited to the distinct worship there. But they wanted something more than mere variety from a limited number of stops: they wanted an organ of character. Moreover, they had already deduced that greater Seattle was rich in mechanical-action organs, of many sizes and tuning systems. A small electric-action instrument in equal temperament, with something of a Romantic bent, was for St. Dunstan’s a way to provide variety and be part of a larger mission of musical stewardship in the community.

**The upper case during construction and setup on the floor of the Ortloff shop. Due to the case’s height, it was set up in two halves and joined together in the church.**

When it became clear that the complex space effectively demanded a custom-designed new organ, the committee decided to commission one. Because of the relationship established during that initial phase of inquiry, they went to see our Opus 1 in Penfield, New York. In turn, and quite flatteringly, they decided to commission our Opus 2.

On the mundane face of it, organ projects are about designing cases and mechanisms; building pipes, structure, chests, and action; and voicing and tonal finishing. What happens in the workshop, however, is almost always a reflection of something deeper: the relationships formed in shaping and completing the project itself. And in this instance, those bonds were early and strong, making the experience all the more fulfilling. With shared interests in boatbuilding, woodworking, rowing, and our common faith, Rev. Marshall and I were fast chums. Out of that relationship came trust, no small matter for just the second instrument from an organ shop, one being built on the other side of the continent and 16 months in the future. When it became clear that our shop’s COVID shutdown at the pandemic’s height would delay the organ’s completion, Rev. Marshall said frankly, “Having an organ for Pentecost [the original goal] seems so unimportant now. You take care of your people; we’ll take care of ours, and we’ll all be elated whenever this instrument sounds in our church for the first time.” Chris Johns, St. Dunstan’s clerk of the works and a retired Boeing engineer, guided the project from the church’s end and dedicated himself to designing and completing the infrastructure to support the new organ “the right way.” Ever cheerful, he always made himself available to check measurements or to consult on technical matters, returning data on beautiful, hand-wrought scale drawings.

Perhaps most important in the building of a musical instrument is a strong relationship such as the one that grew with St. Dunstan’s organist and music director Susanna Valleau. A graduate of Lawrence University and the University of Washington, she has served the parish for six years. Susanna and I met while working at the 2011 AGO Pipe Organ Encounter in Boston, and we renewed our connection on this project. Her enthusiasm throughout the job injected energy into both the parish and us as builders. She visited twice during construction, and her excitement in seeing and hearing parts of the new instrument encouraged us in our work. Most importantly, she and I had broad agreement over a vision for the organ: one that put accompaniment of the Episcopal liturgy right out front.

**Terence Atkin and Josh Wood hand 8′ C# of the Great Diapason to Amory Atkins, as assembly of the organ case nears completion.**

Our proposal stated the organ’s chief goal as providing “not just support for congregational and choral singing, but an ensemble that energizes and compels worshippers to sing, and serves as a partner in that singing.” In a room that seats 200, we were sensitive to providing an ensemble that would energize without being overbearing. To this end, the overall tonal goal was to voice chorus work with both warmth and a scintillating yet restrained energy, something that gives the impression of grandeur without being plainly loud. In my view, this kind of voicing, aided by high-lead alloy for much of the pipework, truly does compel singing.

My experience as an Episcopal church organist informed much of how the organ’s stops are arranged, scaled, and voiced. Chief among those choices was placing both reeds and the organ’s sole mixture in the Swell. Two factors are at play here. In this intimate, nonreverberant space, intense upperwork to complete the Great chorus was desirable, but it ultimately benefited from the moderation provided by enclosure. Just as important, intense mixture tone, merged with reeds, all closed down behind shutters, is one of the most thrilling and necessary sounds for accompanying. In this instance, the mixture clearly belonged in the Swell. Thick shutters ensure proper caging of the lion.

Nestled among the basics are certain effects that suggest big-organ grandeur: bold strings, a soloistic Harmonic Flute, a rich, warm 16-foot chorus. At the same time, delicate, intimate voices that might otherwise get lost in a larger room were included here to good effect, such as the Swell’s quirky Spindle Flute. The resourceful organist will find many opportunities for color here, particularly using stops up and down octaves.

Beyond the new relationships a job fosters, existing relationships with longtime colleagues bring the talents and skills to complement those of our shop. As in past jobs, I turned to my mentor Steve Russell for the construction of many pipes. Our relationship goes back to my very first day as an organbuilder, spawning nine years working in his shop. Having that deep common experience means that we speak exactly the same language when it comes to pipe construction. The strings, facade, and reeds were made by Shires Organ Pipes of Leeds, England—a new relationship for us. Terry Shires asked all the right questions of a new customer and was attentive to our requests in the smallest detail. Reed voicer Chris Broome and I burned up the ether texting back and forth about every little thing having to do with a mere two reed stops. His concern for their success, from the initial samples through to tonal finishing, mirrored my own. Christoph Wahl provided vital assistance in the construction of slider chest grids, and finally, Organ Supply Industries expertly made wood pipes to our specifications.

Photos: Great and Pedal divisions inside the case (top) Jonathan Ortloff installing (middle) Swell reeds (bottom). The Swell, installed above and behind the case is separated into low- and high-pressure sections, with flues on 3.5″ pressure and reeds on 5″ pressure. The stopped Diapason Bass hangs from the ceiling and a bit of the “Ortloff Red” Swell box wall is visible between the 16′ Fagatto resonators.

The completion and installation of this instrument was, like everything else in 2020, beset by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our shop shutdown for three months meant that meeting the original installation schedule was impossible; moreover, our concern for safe travel put a question mark over the end of the job. Would we fly? Would we stay in a hotel? Where would we eat? How long could we keep this completed instrument in our shop waiting for the pandemic to recede? With seemingly no end in sight, we convinced ourselves of the safety of flying, elected to stay in an Airbnb, and set a late August date for installation. As in past jobs, we turned to our long-standing relationship with the Organ Clearing House crew—Amory Atkins, Terence Atkin, Josh Wood—to ensure a successful installation. Once on site, I was not a little proud to see an instrument that had taken 16 months to build get erected and fully piped in merely four days. Finally, Duane Prill joined me for two weeks of tonal finishing.

The joy of this organ’s completion was twofold for our company: not only in building the instrument, but in seeing the impact it has had on the people we developed close relationships with over the past three years. These warm relationships feed us as we journey through a project with a church, and we are blessed to have truly made new friends at St. Dunstan’s. For these good people, Ortloff Organ Company is honored to offer this, our second opus, to this hearty parish. It is my hope that it will feed the church that feeds people for generations to come.

Ortloff Organ Company
Bart Dahlstrom
Corey DeTar
Jonathan Ortloff
Patrick Walsh

Jonathan Ortloff is the founder and president of Ortloff Organ Company, LLC. He holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester in organ performance and engineering.

Last Modified on November 8, 2021

June 2021 TAO Feature Article

First United Methodist Church
Athens, Georgia
Quimby Pipe Organs Inc.
Warrensburg, Missouri
By Chris Emerson and Daniel Sliger
Stop List

First United Methodist Church of Athens, Georgia, is home to the newest instrument by Quimby Pipe Organs Inc. of Warrensburg, Missouri. The four-manual, 68-rank Opus 77 was created through the collaboration of Michael Quimby, owner and tonal director; T. Daniel Hancock, former company president; James F. Mellichamp, president and professor of music, Piedmont College, Athens, Georgia, consultant; Stephen Mitchell, director of music; and Janis Maxwell, organist. The organ is designed primarily to lead worship and then to serve a variety of musical and liturgical functions. It is not intended to copy any particular school or period of organbuilding, but to embrace the needs of the church and to provide an instrument that not only serves for recitals but can also be used in the wide variety of musical genres found in the worship practices of the 21st century.

Tonally, the instrument is unique in a number of ways. First, it has four enclosed divisions. Second, the 32′ and 16′ Pedal reed stops and all other manual 16′ reeds are full length. Third, the instrument contains certain features of the symphonic style of organ that was sought after in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Michael Quimby and his team have played a leading role in reviving and developing this style of building over the last two decades. Fourth, departing from the symphonic tradition, each division of the instrument, excluding the Solo, contains a completely developed diapason chorus. This has proven to increase the versatility of the instrument in Classical, Romantic, and symphonic styles of music. One thing that sets these diapason chorus ranks apart is the unusual use of substantially thick metal, using antimony and trace elements for stability. Over the last 25 years we have discovered that using thicker metal allows the pipework to be voiced to its full potential, providing stability in pipe speech and achieving the optimum in harmonic development. Another feature is the chorus of trumpets and orchestral reeds, including the Tuba, French Horn, Oboe, English Horn, and Corno di Bassetto, all voiced by our head reed voicer, Eric Johnson. Of particular interest are two contrasting solo reeds, the Tuba in the Solo division and the Hooded Trumpet in the Antiphonal division, voiced on 20” and 10” wind pressure respectively.

Mechanically, our instruments feature the use of our version of the Blackinton slider windchest, distinguished by a pneumatic pallet design and absence of slider seals, allowing for the flue pipes in each division to speak without the explosive attack experienced by individual valves, since each note shares a common note channel with the other ranks. The reed ranks, Solo, Pedal, and offset pipes are on electropneumatic pouch-style windchests.

As with most instruments, the console is seen as the crown jewel of the installation. Made of solid mahogany, in the Aeolian-Skinner style, with walnut drawknob jambs, coupler rails, and accents, the console incorporates the Virtuoso control system, provided by Integrated Organ Technologies of Alpharetta, Georgia. The solid mahogany case, designed by T. Daniel Hancock and built by Southern Elegance Custom Cabinetry of Crawford, Georgia, incorporates design features from both the existing grille work and the sanctuary, achieving an aesthetically elegant display. Located in the chancel facade are notes 1–21 of the Great 16′ Double Open Diapason and notes 1–12 of the Pedal 8′ Octave.

We wish to thank all of those at First Methodist who made our stay in Athens an enjoyable one: Chuck Hodges, senior pastor; Dave Walton, business administrator; Bob Winstead, executive director of administration and project manager; Steven Mitchell and Janice Maxwell of the music staff; and all those in the congregation who showed us the love of Christ by supplying us with treats and meals throughout the installation.

Quimby Pipe Organs Inc.

Melody Burns
Jacob Christopher
Chris Emerson
Chuck Ford
Samantha Koch Hancock
T. Daniel Hancock
Eric Johnson
Kevin Kissinger
Joseph Nielsen
Michael Quimby
Janille Rehkop
Jim Schmidt
Brian Seever
Dan Sliger
Anthony Soun
Mahoney Soun
Chirt Touch
Bailey Tucker

Chris Emerson (project lead) is a pipe maker, tuner/technician, and head of the service department at Quimby Pipe Organs. He has been with the company for more than 30 years, having served in nearly every area since 1990.

Dan Sliger (project lead) was shop manager for the American Organ Institute at the University of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2016. He came to the organbuilding industry during his last year of college as a student employee of the AOI with a longtime interest in woodworking. His experiences include reservoir and chest construction as well as drafting and design. Dan is a member of the American Institute of Organ Builders and has been with the Quimby firm since 2016.

Last Modified on October 8, 2021

May 2021 TAO Feature Article

John and Alice Butler Hall
The University of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa

Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Lake City, Iowa
Stop List

By John Panning

The University of Dubuque traces its founding to 1852 as a German-speaking Presbyterian seminary. Taking its present name in 1920, the institution now has over 2,000 students in three schools (business, liberal arts, and professional programs) and the theological seminary that continues from UD’s earliest days. Under the dynamic leadership of Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Bullock, UD’s president since 1996, enrollment has more than tripled and campus facilities have greatly expanded. A prime example is UD’s Heritage Center, completed in 2013. Containing a 1,000-seat hall, a 200-seat black-box theater, an art gallery, classroom and rehearsal spaces, offices, and a café, Heritage Center is physically, educationally, and socially the crossroads of the campus.

From the start, Heritage Center’s main performance space, John and Alice Butler Hall, was to have a pipe organ. President Bullock took a personal interest in not only the hall but its organ as well. Following a search, we were engaged in 2011 to collaborate with the building’s designer, Straka Johnson Architects of Dubuque, to ensure proper provision was made for the eventual installation of an organ. Equally important, UD engaged Threshold Acoustics of Chicago, not merely as advisors but as central players in the design process. The result admirably accommodates the varied uses of the hall and provides one of the most supportive acoustics for organ in any multiuse hall we know. Though the hall was opened in 2013 without an organ, the desire to add its last major component remained, and John and Alice Butler, the hall’s benefactors, generously funded the organ project in 2017, resulting in the commissioning of our Opus 97.

The new organ, like the building that houses it, is a place of intersections. As the major instrument on campus, Opus 97 is used for teaching and solo performance, thus its design reflects a broad concern for solo literature. The nature of the space and the organ’s proximity to a stage, however, suggested something beyond a conservatory recital instrument, with resources to be a full partner with major choral and orchestral forces. A concert hall organ that is also a teaching instrument must balance the occasional with the daily. This aspect isn’t one of tonal design per se (the instrument plays much the same repertoire in a private lesson as during an evening program), but of overall power and controllability. Any organ in such a place, whether heard daily or occasionally, should be capable of grandeur appropriate to the occasion. One used daily must remember the ear of the daily listener: to consider it, caress it, respect it. One speaking at an occasion to an audience of a thousand in a hall with singers, a concert band, or an orchestra must provide the thrilling impact envisioned by composers and the profound bass that is characteristic only of the pipe organ.

The organ’s largest flue pipes are placed above the proscenium. This view, taken during the installation, shows (from left) notes 1–12 of the 16′ Octave, 1–24 of the 32′ Bourdon, and 1–24 of the 32′ Diapason. The Solo’s swell shades can be seen at center left, with the organ console at lower left, surrounded by scaffolding and one of the hall’s curved ceiling clouds. (photo: John Panning)

Standing immediately adjacent to the proscenium at stage right, the area allotted for the organ is purposely shallow and tall. Opus 97 has a columnar shape, with the console on a new balcony at the lowest level and the Great immediately above, followed by the Swell and Solo. While the Great and Swell have a line-of-sight relationship with nearly every seat, the Solo and the gravest flue voices of the Pedal stand at a level above the apparent ceiling of the hall, speaking there into a space of tremendous volume that is acoustically coupled to the auditorium below. Though this is not a chamber per se, the effect of this placement is that all sound is heard via reflection. This is no hindrance for the nondirectional low frequencies of the Pedal 32′ and 16′ pipes located there, and moreover, we felt the position was well suited a Solo division, which in American organs often developed in chamber locations that offer benefits for subtlety of enclosure.

This physical situation and the needs of a teaching instrument in a concert hall guided the disposition of tonal resources. The specification is the largest in a line of Dobson instruments having a Solo as the third manual. The Great and Swell, voiced on 3½” pressure, are somewhat conventional in specification and large in the context of a mechanical-action instrument. With its multiple foundation stops and mixtures, the Great can, with clever use of the combination action, provide Great and Positive registrations in alternatim. The Swell falls happily in between, with its own diapason chorus on a dynamic par with the Great. The Great shares its reeds, built with tapered shallots, with the Pedal; the Swell chorus reeds have Bertounèche shallots. The Solo has both orchestral and brass sections: a pair of strings, a Harmonic Flute, and a Clarinet stand on a slider windchest on 6½” pressure, while a pair of tubas on 15″ speak on an electropneumatic one. The Pedal is broadly inspired by Ernest Skinner’s idea of “augmentation,” with several straight core voices, a number of ranks that play at multiple pitches, and some manual borrows. The largest pipes of the 32′ Diapason (made in Haskell construction) and the 32′ Bourdon lie horizontally above the proscenium, with their trebles located in an alcove directly opposite the organ on stage left. The full-length Pedal 32′ Bombarde, voiced on 6″ pressure, stands on stage left as well, from which place it speaks with unimpeded authority to underpin the full organ.

As in all our instruments, effective enclosure is an essential feature. I recall two Philadelphia Orchestra organ concerto rehearsals, different works and musicians but essentially the same situation. The conductor asked the soloist to make the organ a bit softer—but the organist was playing on the unenclosed Great. “I don’t want the color to change, I just want a little less of it.” The organist could only apologize. Not here—all three manual divisions are enclosed. All swell enclosures are made of multiple layers of veneered medium-density fiberboard, a massive material that discourages transmission of sound through the walls. All case doors are gasketed with felt to prevent leakage, and any incidental openings or gaps are sealed. While in our tracker-action organs we prefer mechanical linkages between shoe and shade, that seemed the wrong choice here. The sheer mass of the shade fronts, coupled to the desirability of an All Swells feature, led us to employ electric swell motors.

While we advised the architect regarding the necessary infrastructure for an organ during the building’s design, no consideration of the organ’s appearance was given until a construction contract was being negotiated. Several designs were explored; the more traditional ones among them seemed too mannered, and a more free-form arrangement that placed the facade pipes on a screen was developed. The grille’s horizontal wooden elements continue the curved profile of the “cheek wall,” as the architects described it, and the black horizontal bands that encircle the auditorium pass right through the facade, making the organ a fully integrated part of its surroundings. Made of black cherry stained to complement the rich colors of the hall, the wood screen is supported by a steel structure that carries the considerable weight of the cantilevered 85-percent tin facade pipes, drawn from the Great Principals 16′ and 8′.

The console occupies its own balcony, large enough to accommodate an instructor or several additional musicians, but small enough not to interfere with patron sight lines or stage lighting. A door concealed in the facade screen provides passage between the console and a circular access stairway within. Manual keyboards with bone naturals and ebony sharps and a pedalboard with hard maple naturals and rosewood sharps conform to AGO standards. Out of respect for its service in a performance venue, the combination action possesses over 15,000 levels of memory organized in 80 lockable libraries. A conductor monitor is provided to give a clear view of the stage when needed; at other times it resides, unseen, behind a movable panel.

The installation of the organ began in July 2020, with voicing completed in December. We could hardly have been more fortunate than to work in our home state during a pandemic, for which no flying was required. Our previous new organ in Iowa was Opus 67, built in 1996 for Wartburg College in Waverly—you can appreciate the serendipity. President Bullock felt strongly that the University of Dubuque should patronize an Iowa firm if possible, an action that has redounded to the benefit of both parties, we truly believe.

We are grateful to the many people who made this instrument a reality. John and Alice Butler, whose gifts made possible the hall and the organ, have extended their generosity still further by endowing four organ scholarships, renewable up to four years each, as well as providing an endowment for an annual recital series. Jeffrey Bullock’s enthusiasm for the organ has been the driving force behind the project, and Charles Barland, professor of music and university organist, has provided invaluable advice and counsel. Our thanks also go to UD staff, especially Randy Schultz, Heritage Center’s technical director/production manager, who assisted us in countless ways. We appreciate the competence of Conlon Construction and their project superintendent Delbert Southwick, who provided hoisting and rigging for an instrument that required a tremendous amount of lifting.

Reflecting its German seminary heritage, the University of Dubuque’s motto is a distillation of 1 Corinthians 12:4: “Mancherlei Gaben und ein Geist” (Many Gifts and One Spirit). While succinctly describing God’s earthly church, this statement is an equally appropriate representation of the enterprise of commissioning and building an organ. It has been our honor and pleasure to create this work of musical art for the education and enrichment of the University of Dubuque community.

John A. Panning is president of Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Ltd. Website.
All photos by Benjamin Hoskins except where noted.

Last Modified on October 8, 2021

April 2021 TAO Feature Article

Corinth Reformed Church
Hickory, North Carolina
R.A. Colby Inc.
Johnson City, Tennessee
Stop List

The beginning of every project is an exciting blank canvas, a chance to create a multisensory experience that is truly special. We all know the feeling when it is done right: sitting halfway back in the sanctuary, in the sweet spot where the acoustic couplings of the pipe chambers meet—those pews where the bass gives you chills and full organ has you choke back the tears. There is no feeling like it. Music is transcendent; it pulls us into that space where we are personally enveloped yet still embrace a collective experience. The new instrument for Corinth Reformed Church in Hickory, North Carolina, is the perfect example of emotion translated to visual and aural components.

Tonally, the instrument’s design is American Classic with Anglican influences. Yet, as one would anticipate with a tonal palette as diverse as this, it is proficient in many styles. From Bach to Widor, it can lift the hearts and voices of the people.

In addition to the sound of the organ, the visual aspects of the space and the casework provide another full dimension to worship. The design was drawn from the architectural elements of the room and then pushed just a bit further, so that the organ would become one with its surroundings yet still able to command individual attention. The Hooded Trumpet in the gallery has a very special design that allows the pipes to be the central focus, framing the stained glass window, yet upon closer inspection one sees that it contains the most ornate woodwork of the instrument. Custom-designed five-foot-tall carvings support the casework canopy. High-gloss antique gold pipes tie together the visual elements of the chancel and gallery displays, bringing unity to the instrument and the sanctuary they now call home.

The most engaging experience of our time with Corinth Reformed Church was the chance to work with a committee holding a vision not only for the organ itself, but for the spiritual impact on worship it should create. From the earliest stages of the instrument’s conceptualization, each aspect of the specification and visual design had to serve the needs of the congregation and the community.

A unique addition to this instrument is a memorial dedication plaque and a single speaking Vox Humana pipe that hearkens back to the youth of the organ committee chair. This is the sole remaining pipe from a long-ago organ project he and his father undertook, one that instilled a lifelong love of the instrument. We appreciate the relationships we have built along with this instrument, and we include comments from committee members.

Brad Colby, vice president of R.A. Colby Inc., is a third-generation organbuilder holding an MBA from Duke University. He is also an active member of the American Institute of Organbuilders and the American Guild of Organists. Website: RAColby.com

From Organ Committee Members:

I would like to begin by thanking the members of our organ committee: Martha Sowers, Mary Berry, Peter Corneliussen, Bob Young, and Joe Lippard. Their combined talents and contributions were invaluable in helping us to achieve our goal of a world-class instrument. I also wish to thank our financial contributors who helped make this dream a reality. Secondly, we owe a great thanks to the members of the R.A. Colby firm. After our committee had exposure to their instruments, our decision to engage them was unanimous. Their experience, professionalism, and breadth of knowledge made the decision an easy one. Our initial goal was to have an instrument that would glorify the Lord for many years. When we consider the acoustical properties of this sanctuary and also the beauty of the instrument and environment, it is clear that we have achieved this goal. We look forward to many years of sharing this instrument and praising God in this place of worship.

Neil Forrest, Chair

It is both a privilege and a labor of love to serve on an organ committee. The many hours of work over the last two and a half years have culminated in a dream fulfilled for me personally as well as for those who preceded us—men and women who contributed to the dream of a grand instrument, but did not see it materialize in their lifetimes. Their vision gave us a firm foundation on which to begin this project. The new R.A. Colby instrument, Opus 513, brings to our area one of the finest organs in the southeastern United States. It was a clear and easy decision for our committee to choose the Colby firm once we toured and listened to their other installations. The builders incorporated the very best from the previous Möller, Opus 9207-A, and the superior acoustical environment of the Corinth sanctuary makes the new instrument both versatile and magnificent. Ultimately, this organ will endure through the ages and will ensure that God will be glorified in this place with quality music. Those of us who play will be lifted to new heights of spiritual connection through the vast array of resources available. We look forward to the day when we are able to hold our dedication recital to further share and celebrate this grand instrument with others.

Joe Lippard, Secretary
From the Organist and Director
of Music Ministry

How much beauty can one tolerate? It is 3:23 p.m. on a crisp, cool January day in 2021. The sky outside is a brilliant blue; prism-like colors radiate through the stained glass of Corinth Church. In about an hour and a half, that gorgeous stained glass–filtered sunlight will reach the facade pipes of the Colby organ. The sanctuary is beautiful. A French Gothic stone structure, imposing to the eye from the outside, gives way to the hypnotic stained glass–empowered rays of sunlight and beautiful wood on the inside of the nave. I had never heard of Roger Colby’s organ company until our wonderful organ committee was formed and we began a thorough search to find just the right builder for our project. Roger has established something quite remarkable. His team is thorough, talented, and passionate about its work. If I weren’t biased, I would say that we at Corinth Church got the best of its efforts! But the truth is that everyone at R.A. Colby gives the best of themselves, their company, and their talents to everyone they welcome into partnership for organ projects.

Swell winding under construction and engineering model

I arrived from Miami, Florida, with my family to begin work as organist and director of music at Corinth Church in August 2001. My first staff meeting was September 11, 2001. The newly re-created organ was finished in 2020. A couple of pretty eventful years; years of great trial, sadness, and difficulty. Years when God-inspired beauty was needed more than ever to uplift, inspire, and help people hold on till the next day, next hour, or even next minute. Roger Colby listened with his heart to our wonderful and dedicated organ committee. He listened to what we prayed for—a window that might help all who enter this sacred space experience the power, inspiration, and stillness of the breath of the Almighty speaking through pipes in a room of beautiful acoustical resonance. Thanks to Roger Colby, our organ committee, our senior pastor, and our supportive congregation! We can never have too many windows to the Almighty, too much love for our neighbors, or too much beauty to celebrate!

Peter Corneliussen

Last Modified on April 12, 2021

March 2021 TAO Feature Article

First United Methodist Church
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Casavant Frères, Opus 3932 (2020)
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Stop List

While our organs have not appeared on the cover of this magazine for some years now, nevertheless, we have not been inactive! Significant new Casavant organs have been installed in North America and in Asia, and we have been involved in a number of important projects to either restore or rebuild existing pipe organs, by Casavant and other notable builders. Our new website, which you can visit at Casavant.ca, is a great source of information about our latest work.

Casavant’s new four-manual organ at First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the result of a truly creative collaboration between organbuilders, musicians, and designers. From our first meeting at the church with Lamar Drummonds, Dan Talbot, and Richard Webb in June 2013, it was clear that this was to be a very special project, as all were very enthusiastic about the idea of seeing a new pipe organ installed in the church.

We developed this project with the musicians of the church over a period of five years. From a visual standpoint, the new organ had to complement the elegant architecture of the beautiful sanctuary, as if it had been installed when the current structure was built. Tonally, the instrument had to be designed to serve the extensive music program of the church—especially congregational singing and choral repertoire—and be complete enough to become the premier concert organ of the Baton Rouge area. Interestingly, this is our fourth new organ installation in Baton Rouge.

When the church leadership decided to embark upon a comprehensive renovation of the historic sanctuary, the organ became part of a much larger project that included a significant chancel remodeling (under the expert guidance of Terry Byrd Eason) and major improvements to the acoustics of the room (proficiently directed by Scott Riedel). This creative dialogue with all parties involved in the sanctuary project has been key to the success of this remarkable installation. Isn’t the room the most important stop in the organ?

The organ was built entirely in our spacious workshops in Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada. A large delegation from the church visited us in November 2019 to see, hear, and play the new instrument. For all of us at Casavant, everyone’s appreciation of our dedicated work has been most rewarding. Merci beaucoup!

The organ has 57 ranks of pipes over four manuals and pedal, for a total of 3,334 pipes of metal or wood. The organ facade conceals the Great and expressive Solo divisions. Speaking along the main axis of the room, these lead congregational singing effectively. The Great is based on a 16′ Principal, with the tallest pipes in the facade, and is crowned with an 8′ Trumpet and a 4′ Clarion. The Solo contains a soaring 8′ Harmonic Flute, a set of pungent strings, and a commanding 8′ Tuba.

The expressive Swell and Choir divisions, along with the Pedal, are installed in the existing organ chambers. The large Swell is placed on two levels in the right chamber. In the left chamber, the Choir is on the lower level, the Pedal on the upper level. In that position, these robust expressive divisions can support the choirs optimally.

The organ features complete choruses in all divisions—manuals and Pedal. It also includes an impressive number of color stops—for example, a large Cornet in the Great, a 16′ –8′ English Horn in the Swell, a set of Flutes Celestes, a Clarinet and a French Horn in the Choir, and an 8′ –4′ Harmonic Flute in the Solo. The well-furnished Pedal division provides an impressive undergirding to the tonal architecture of the entire organ.

The organ is controlled by a state-of-the-art four-manual console that can be moved in and out of the chancel area.

We at Casavant are truly honored to have been entrusted with this commission of a new pipe organ for First United Methodist Church of Baton Rouge. On behalf of all our colleagues, we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the people we have worked with in the last six years for their outstanding confidence and collaboration, especially Mr. Drummonds for his clear vision, his inspiring determination, and his generous guidance through the entire process.

Casavant Frères
Simon Tétreault
Alain Goneau
Simon Couture

Photography: Shelby Lewis

Hear this organ on YouTube