TAO Articles

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

Ebenezer Lutheran Church
Greensboro, NC
Parkey Organbuilders • Duluth, GA

By Phillip K. Parkey

My initial contact with Greensboro’s Ebenezer Lutheran Church occurred approximately five years ago, when William Carroll was the chair of the music department at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and the organist/choirmaster at Ebenezer Lutheran Church. We had met Dr. Carroll through our working relationships with other organists in Central North Carolina. The church had a “compiled” organ that had been installed in the 1980s and had never been successful. They began to explore options for replacing the organ completely. Dr. Carroll had previously been in the selection process with two other organs in the Greensboro area. Dr. Carroll had served as the choirmaster/organist previously at Ebenezer and was petitioned to return again based on his past success.

When we met for the first time, he was clear that Ebenezer had a strong music program and a strong singing congregation. The church’s needs called for a well-balanced service instrument. The committee was familiar not only with our recent installation at Providence United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, but also one of our first instruments at a church in Salisbury. The committee visited several organs in and around Greensboro and decided that our work met the needs of their congregation. In addition, the committee resoundingly enjoyed the sound of our work.

After several discussions with the committee, we were asked to design an instrument for the front of the room. The Swell division of the old organ was housed in a side chamber that never allowed adequate tonal egress and was far too deep and ill-suited for the new installation. The cross and the altar were to remain the focal point of the room, and we were asked to carefully consider the logistics of Communion distribution to the congregation. The logical choice was a divided case installation. In this, our Opus 15, the Great and Pedal are housed in the left case, and the Swell is enclosed in the right case. The old Swell chamber was reduced to a depth of three feet, and the lowest eight notes of the 16′ Contra Bass were installed horizontally in the shallow space. Our designer worked with the committee to arrive at a simple but elegant case design that preserved the stately feel of the room.

Our tonal staff provided a principal chorus of a rich commanding presence. The organ offers a great dynamic range from the luscious strings in their expressive swell box to the full chorus with a broad, fiery Trompette and an Hautbois at 16′ and 8′.

The church could not have been more delightful to work with and we enjoyed a great deal of attention from the clergy and congregation during the installation. The organ was finished and dedicated with its first use on Easter Sunday. Tonal Director Fred Bahr carefully set the balances of the organ and the results are simply marvelous.

As a member church of the Missouri Synod, Ebenezer has a rich musical heritage that includes strong Lutheran hymn singing. While supporting hymn singing the organ also needed to provide accompaniment for contemplative moments such as prayer and Communion. Even on Easter Sunday, the church paid homage to its roots by opening services with Martin Luther’s robust hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Upon hearing the organ during its inaugural services, I believe that the organ provided the full range of expression equally well.

As a builder, I often find that the smaller projects can provide not only great challenges but also great rewards when completed. The goal of organbuilding is not to provide more ranks or stops or to build huge cases; rather, it is to provide an instrument that meets the needs of the client. It is truly a blessing to see the people of the church enjoy the rewards of their efforts.

We are grateful to the organ committee of Ebenezer Lutheran Church and to William Carroll for their patience and confidence in our firm to provide the new pipe organ for Ebenezer Lutheran Church.

Phillip Parkey is president of Parkey Organbuilders.

The Organbuilders

Phillip Parkey, Fredrick Bahr, Chris Bowman, John Elliano, Otilia Gamboa, Ben Lewis, Jonathan Meeks, Michael Morris, Johann Nix, Philip Read, Kurtis Robinson, Keith Williamson

From the Organist/Choirmaster

I have been associated with Ebenezer Lutheran Church off and on since 1985. The congregation sings lustily, the choir is capable, and the new Parkey organ is a most welcome addition. It has been my pleasure to be a part of three organbuilding projects during my career. Two of those projects were, for the most part, funded by a generous single donor. That was not the case at Ebenezer Lutheran. Over a lengthy period of time the congregation grappled with whether or not to move forward on an organbuilding project. Amazingly, some months ago in a congregational meeting a longtime member suggested, “Folks, it’s time we got this thing done.” Near unanimous consensus was found, an organ committee was appointed, and the project moved forward with the support of the clergy and the lay leadership. There was broad support and “buy in” for the project throughout the congregation. The lovely new instrument is a testament to the “togetherness” we all experienced in bringing this instrument to our church and community.

William P. Carroll

From the Designer

The evolution of the design for the organ was driven by a continual attention to balance. The service requirements for a church with an enviable tradition of lusty hymn singing required an instrument of a certain size. The location of the previous instrument had never been ideal. Parkey OrganBuilders decided to explore the options for putting an instrument on the front wall on either side of the chancel, and the congregation was open to this as long as we could give them enough room that Communion would not seem crowded. We had also noted that ribbed brick walls to the side of the altar—the only noticeable architectural ornament to the room—gave an increased sense of verticality to the space and would now be completely covered. We wanted a design that would continue to give the room a sense of loftiness. We also wanted it to meet what is always our first criterion—that the organ look as though it had always been there; that it gave a sense of belonging in the space. The church did not want a design that would seem too formal, and they wanted the central cross to remain a focus.

A variety of options were discussed, but the final design was a universal favorite, and the congregation voted unanimously to proceed.

Michael Morris

Opus 15’s Tonal Design

From a tonal designer’s vantage point, a church organ of 25 ranks always presents a unique set of challenges, opportunities, and temptations. One can eschew all unification and produce a very respectable instrument that will do the job: solid independent principal choruses for leading congregational singing, a pair of strings for Communion, a flute or two with matching bass for accompanying a small choir, and a smattering of reed and mutation tone for color.

Another approach is to embrace the concept of unification and use it to give the organist an almost limitless number of choices in registering the available tonal resources. Both avenues have distinct advantages and pitfalls in the very real world of church music making, and both avenues are of course crowded with successful proponents and detractors.

At Ebenezer, we chose a moderate route, strongly favoring the traditions of classical organbuilding, but not ignoring the needs of the organist either. The stop-list does not break any new ground, opting instead for a utility shaped by years of effective service playing. Octave unification is limited primarily to the Pedal division where its shortcomings are less obvious. The Swell strings and Trompete available independently on the Great manual allow some flexibility in registering them against other Swell stops.

Like many organs of this size, this instrument owes a large measure of its success to its sense of tonal balance. Each stop contributes its own essential component to the overall sound, without neglecting the role it plays with its neighbors in smaller combinations. No single stop is extraordinarily loud or whisper-soft. An efficient swell box, with thick walls and carefully fitted shades, increases the dynamic range. The unenclosed Great easily carries the room on its own. The “caged rage” sound of full Swell smolders behind it with the shades closed, then matches it as the shades open. At full organ the sound is thrilling without assaulting the listener.

Organbuilding is a matrix of complex systems. Physical and tonal design, funding, engineering, structure, construction, scaling, placement, and acoustics—each play a critical role in creating organ sound. But it is the people involved that turn craft into art, science into magic, sound into music, and expense into lasting legacy. It has been our privilege to work with each other and the people of Ebenezer Lutheran Church to create an instrument that we hope will bring joy to all who see, hear, and play it.

Fredrick Bahr, Tonal Director

View the stoplist

Three Small Pipe Organs
Kegg Pipe Organ Builders • Hartville, OH

By Charles Kegg

The desire of every organist is to play a pipe organ, Mozart’s King of Instruments. With the extensive publicity that large pipe organs can receive, many congregations believe they cannot consider a pipe organ due to limited space or budget. Typical parish churches need an instrument that can support congregational singing, accompany the choir, and play service music and a moderate range of organ literature; organ recitals are rare events. A properly designed and executed pipe organ of modest size can serve these needs well. With this in mind, our firm has spent considerable time developing instruments that are interesting to play, attractive to listeners, and affordable to purchase and maintain. Regardless of size, all of our pipe organs have the same hallmarks of quality such as solid wood construction, recessed panels, comprehensive combination systems, bone and rosewood keys, and unmatched client care.

We start with a clean slate and a clear goal. We want an instrument with maximum flexibility and minimum compromise to pull the most utility from the resources available. We take advantage of modern mechanical design and control systems. Each stop is considered, scaled, constructed, and voiced for its multiple duties. The pipe treatment is often different from that of the same stop in a straight organ design, in order to negate the “unit” sound such organs frequently exhibit. While these Kegg instruments are unit organs, they are not like typical unit organs where every rank is played at many pitches. The result is an instrument that feels, plays, and sounds like a larger instrument, and the unification is musically invisible. In these designs, the 8’Principal is unenclosed while all the remaining manual stops are enclosed in a single expression box. All enclosed stops are then available on both manuals, carefully considered, for the best artistic results. The unenclosed Principal is important to allow one to “step out of the box,” while retaining maximum dynamic control of the balance of the organ.

A significant consideration for a pipe organ is, where will it go? We have been told frequently that a room has no space for a pipe organ only to discover that in fact it does. We have a nine-rank organ in Pleasantville, New York, that hangs from the roof over a choir loft. One must never underestimate the ingenuity of a pipe organ builder. While a smaller instrument can be divided between more than one location, a single location gives the greatest cost efficiency. We always take the entire music program into account when we design a new pipe organ to allow it to benefit all the musicians that will use it as well as the congregation that will be inspired by it. The organ case or chamber position needs to allow the organ to be used with the choir and not to overpower it.

Our basic design for these smaller instruments works well for organs ranging from seven to 15 ranks. As the instruments become larger they become closer to the straight ideal and can be more conventional in design. Here are described three examples of organs we have built on our small organ concept. These range in price from $182,000 to approximately $475,000, depending on size and installation parameters such as case design and decoration. Given that costs for an electronic instrument can easily exceed $150,000, these numbers are reasonable.

The first example is an organ built for St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church in Williamston, Michigan. This church seats approximately 150 and enjoys a quiet country setting. The modest choir and Anglican tradition calls for color and wide dynamic range. The organ has eight ranks of pipes and includes two reed stops, one of which extends to 16′ pitch in the Pedal. Upper work is of less priority in this small room so the “mixture” is actually derived and is provided for color. The Principal and Octave, which are separate, are key to the success of this design. If you study the stoplist you can see that with manuals uncoupled, many normal registrations are largely or completely straight. The basic needs of a typical American church are enhanced with the addition of a Celeste and two reed stops, not usually found on instruments of this size. Note that the off-unison stops are taken from the independent Quinte rank. This is vitally important for proper tuning and goes a long way to removing the “unit sound” from this organ. This is a priority for us and we never draw an off-unison stop from a tempered unison stop. This organ can do quite well in a room of 200 seats, and with a good acoustic and placement it will do well even in a larger room.

The next example is St. Philip the Apostle Church in Cheektowaga, New York. Here the goals are to support congregational singing and fill a larger room of 450 seats in an acoustic that is not quite ideal. This twelve-rank organ has a straight principal chorus of 8′-4′ -IV on the Great. The single reed stop is a Trumpet of moderate aggression that extends to 16′  in the Pedal. Of note here is the presence of two flute stops:  Rohrflute and Spitzflute. These stops are about equal in volume but quite different in color. The milky sound of the Spitzflute in the lower range gives it the illusion of softness due to its color. With shades closed, this stop becomes subtle. Its growth in the treble makes it work as a sparkly 2′ stop. The two flutes are available at 8′ and 4′ on both manuals, but inverted so that the two manuals have different 8′ and 4′ flute combinations. Because the Swell does not have a Mixture, there is a 2′ principal stop and a 1 1/3′ stop to give it the ability to provide a secondary chorus without the use of reeds. This organ easily fills this typical modern room while retaining the ability to subtly accompany a trained choir.

Our third example is Sacred Heart Church in New Philadelphia, Ohio. This room seats approximately 400 and enjoys a fine acoustic with ideal organ placement. Here we have a 15-rank organ with all the resources seen before with the addition of a 16′ Violone extension, Sesquialtera, and (finally!) an unenclosed independent Pedal 16′ Bourdon. The 37-pipe 1 3/5′ Seventeenth is combined with the lowest 37 pipes of the first mixture rank to make the Great Sesquialtera, giving a strong leading voice at modest cost and taking little space. This allows the Quinte to be of moderate volume to provide a gentle Nazard that grows in the treble to make a sparkly Larigot. The importance of the enclosed 16′  Violone cannot be overstated. It gives an added dimension to this organ, impressively helpful on both manual and pedal. The Violone also allows the independent Bourdon to be full and firm throughout its compass. This organ is the logical conclusion to this concept of shared resources and it plays a lot of music. Liturgical needs are met and discoveries are always being made as one finds unusual ways to bring new sounds to life.

Compromise? Of course. The ideal is always a completely straight pipe organ, but with thoughtful design and construction we can provide a pipe organ that is satisfying to musician and listener. It will be more gratifying to play than an electronic imitation, and with a life span many times that of an electronic, these fine pipe organs will actually cost less over time than a series of organ facsimiles that are replaced every 20 years.

We are all charged with being good stewards of the monetary resources of our clients/employers. For the wise and forward-looking congregation, there is no more musical choice and no more responsible financial choice than a fine pipe organ.

View the stoplists:

St. Philip the Apostle
St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church
Sacred Heart Church New Philadelphia

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.

St. Paul the Apostle Parish
Westerville, OH
Muller Pipe Organ Company • Croton, OH

By Scott G. Hayes and John W. Muller

The highlight of Muller Pipe 
Organ Company’s 95th anniversary year was the completion of the new pipe organ for St. Paul the Apostle Parish of Westerville, Ohio, the largest congregation in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. The music ministry at St. Paul is extensive and includes multiple parish choirs as well as music classes for children in the parochial school.

Our relationship with the parish began as the new building was being designed by David B. Meleca Architects. This early involvement afforded the sought-after opportunity for church, architect, and organbuilder to work collaboratively to create an acoustically reverberant and visually stunning space that is effective for both worship and music. The result is a handsome brick edifice seating approximately 1,500 parishioners.

The building project was also the catalyst for invaluable discussions between organbuilder and client. John Bryan, music director at St. Paul’s, explained how the organ would be used liturgically by the Parish. Paul Thornock, then diocesan organ consultant and director of music at St. Joseph Cathedral, provided valuable insight into the ways the organ would be utilized by the Diocese. Discussions 
resulted in an eclectic instrument that not only supports the diverse liturgies of the large parish, but also accommodates major diocesan events and plays a wide variety of organ repertoire.

The layout of the organ is informed by tradition. The Great, Swell, and Pedal divisions are housed in a case at the rear of the gallery. The Pedal surrounds the manual enclosures in “C and C-sharp” arrangement, as in many mechanical action instruments. The Positive is situated at the front of the gallery, suggestive of a European “Ruckpositiv” in both location and sound.

To ensure ample room for the numerous choir members in the balcony, it was necessary to locate one division on the rail. While not immediately apparent from photographs, there is significant distance between the main and railing cases; the division placed on the rail could easily overpower the divisions in the main case.

We decided to embrace the characteristics easily achieved (indeed, demanded) by location. Our tonal philosophy dictates a broad, warm sound for the Great division, and this was readily accomplished by a location in the main case, large scaling, higher wind pressure, and robust voicing. The desired effect for the Positive stresses articulate and bright sounds, effortlessly gained by a location on the railing, smaller scaling, lower wind pressure, and gentle voicing.

The Great is contained within a particularly expressive enclosure and functions as both “Great” and “Choir.” A broadly scaled and boldly voiced principal chorus is the cornerstone of the entire instrument. The smaller-scaled Violone was designed primarily as a 16′ stop, but plays at 
8′ pitch and functions as the secondary Principal, being both brighter and more articulate. The Tromba is the darkest of the manual trumpets and employs English shallots and harmonic resonators beginning in the middle octave. Because the division 
is expressive, the Great includes ranks that would be expected in a Choir 
division: a throaty Clarinet and a 
pair of tapered Gemshorns.

The Swell is the workhorse of the organ and balances the Great division. A secondary principal chorus with a low-pitched mixture, an independent flute chorus, and broadly scaled Viole strings provide 
a solid platform for choral accompaniment. The Trompette and Clairon create a fiery “French” effect, yet do not possess parallel shallots with wide openings. Instead, they utilize shallots with medium openings that have a slight taper; the higher wind pressure of the division produces the bright tone. Conversely, the Hautbois features an open shallot to create the bright “French” quality, or nasality.

The Positive contains the most articulate and colorful stops of the organ and speaks authoritatively from a visually intriguing case on the gallery rail. The somewhat unconventional Quintaden provides a lovely solo voice and offers an alternative to the eloquent Gedeckt. The Positive Trompet is a median between the Great and Swell trumpets. These shallots were designed for effective tone on light wind pressure, providing plenty of power with ample fundamental tone.

The Pedal boasts a powerful Trombone as well as a 
reclaimed 16′ Open Wood Diapason. Like each manual division, the Pedal has a complete and independent principal chorus that culminates with a four-rank Mixture. To provide desired flexibility, the Pedal includes judicious borrowing from the manual divisions.

The visually and aurally commanding Pontifical Trumpet is mounted horizontally on the main case and is constructed of brass with flared resonators. This stop is the definitive solo voice of the organ. It is powerful enough to speak over fuller combinations, yet does so with a refined, even tone.

The cases were conceived to visually harmonize with the Romanesque features of the building. From the balcony, the outline of the Positive pipework mirrors the architecture of the ceiling and mural while drawing one’s focus directly to the liturgy at the front of the church. The casework and the console were fabricated by craftsmen at the Muller shop. The cases of quarter-sawn red oak were handcrafted using traditional joinery, as was the raised panel console. The console is movable and features interior accents of 
solid walnut with inlays of ebony and maple. Its low-profile design allows for a clean line of sight between the organist and the choir director.

We are especially grateful for the support of A.R. Schopp’s Sons (especially David Schopp for his guidance regarding reed stops), David R. Beck for sharing his expertise with scaling and voicing, Paul Thornock for his careful consideration as the consultant, and to countless others in the industry for their counsel and wisdom.

However, the instrument would not exist without the heroic efforts of John Bryan, the Reverend Charles Klinger, pastor, and the parishioners of St. Paul the Apostle. We thank them all for honoring us with the opportunity to be a part of this monumental project. The organ and church building are a lasting testimony to the faithfulness of this religious community.

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Scott G. Hayes is tonal director of Muller Pipe Organ Company.
John W. Muller is president of Muller Pipe Organ Company.

THE ORGANBUILDERS
John Muller, Scott Hayes, Jack Muller, Mark Muller, Jane Muller, Stan Osborn, Jesse Braswell, Brad Ashbrook, Luke Tegtmeier, Justin Trimble, Jonathan Casady, Brett Greene

Fourth Presbyterian Church
Chicago, IL
Quimby Pipe Organs • Warrensburg, MO

By T. Daniel Hancock

“The new Quimby organ at Fourth Presbyterian Church unquestionably feels at home at the head of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. It is the sonic equivalent of the grand buildings and vibrant urban activity known in this part of Chicago.” So remarked American concert artist and organist Aaron David Miller after his first encounter with the new organ.

Fourth Presbyterian Church is an energetic, flourishing congregation prominently located on Michigan Avenue in the Near North Side of Chicago. The church, according to John Sherer, organist and director of music, is “blessed with a wonderful music tradition and a congregation and staff very supportive of the finest in sacred choral and organ literature.”

The 1914 sanctuary was designed by Ralph Adams Cram, an architect who was a nationally recognized proponent of the English Gothic revival style for ecclesiastical and collegiate buildings. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the structure has been carefully preserved and maintained to retain its original appearance.

Despite its visual congruence with the English Gothic tradition, Fourth Church has presented each of three American organbuilders with a puzzling acoustical conundrum. While the space appears to be very reverberant, with its stone-clad structure, heavy timber vaulted ceiling, and generous dimensions, it is by comparison an acoustical vacuum that leaves holes in the tonal spectrum, resulting in tremendous losses in the tenor and bass range.

For Ernest Skinner, who in 1914 completed the first organ in the new church, this was exacerbated by the application of three inches of horsehair on the surface of the vaulted timber ceiling, in order to provide a controlled environment for the spoken word. Skinner’s Opus 210, having four manuals and 57 ranks, was, by all accounts, a good instrument; but it was hampered by the acoustical treatment and also by the unfortunate location of the chamber openings into the church.

These challenges and changing tastes over time promp­t­ed a rebuild and enlargement of the 1914 Skinner by Aeolian-Skinner in 1946; but by the 1960s, the church’s steam heating system had “cooked” the action: Dry hot air from the boiler and steam piping heated the undercroft to excessive temperatures during winter months, and this was continually drawn into the instrument via the blower, which was also located in the undercroft.

Thus it was that Aeolian-Skinner was chosen to build a replacement instrument, which was more than twice the size of the Skinner. With their Opus 1516, Aeolian-Skinner attempted to ameliorate acoustical hurdles through the location of an unenclosed Great division that would speak axially down the length of the nave; but this plan was vetoed upon commencement of installation in 1971, and Aeolian-Skinner had to rearrange the organ chamber to incorporate the Great division. A number of ranks were retained from the 1914 Skinner, including some color reeds and soft undulants; others were radically modified and recomposed into a Pedal Grosskornett VIII.

The new organ did not successfully meet the acoustical challenges of the room, nor the primary liturgical requirement to adequately lead large congregations—to this day numbering 1,000 at the 11 a.m. Sunday service—in the enthusiastic singing of hymns in the Protestant tradition. As British organist and recitalist Paul Carr noted, the Aeolian-Skinner “didn’t really have impact in the room, although it was quite exciting up at the console.” Hymns were accompanied with full organ, and, with more than half of its rank count tied up in mixtures, the effect in the rear two-thirds of the nave was almost entirely of upperwork punctuated by an enormous and raucous Pedal reed. Very little of the unison or bass range made it down the nave; what was heard was merely resultant tone.

And so, according to Sherer, Fourth Church “selected the Quimby Pipe Organ Company to build an organ that would enhance that musical tradition—an organ that would provide musical leadership for a congregation that loves to sing, and an organ able to handle any repertoire, but especially Romantic literature, with flair.”

During recent decades, the church completed work to improve the acoustics—including the removal of all the horsehair on the ceiling—but certain stringencies remained. These were finally identified when, with John Sherer playing full organ, Quimby head voicer Eric Johnson noticed that the stone columns down the nave were vibrating in sympathy with the bass frequencies—effectively absorbing them rather than reflecting them back into the space. Instead of being solid masonry, as with traditional ecclesiastical construction, much of the Fourth Church interior is constructed of a thinner masonry veneer over steel columns.

It was then determined that the new Quimby organ must generate considerable tonal energy in order to overcome the difficult chamber placement and to effectively transmit the entire tonal spectrum down a nave framed by flat-surfaced columns with a tendency to absorb all bass and lower frequencies. Special consideration was given to scaling, pipe construction, wind pressures, and voicing techniques; all of which interfaced with the emergent tonal concept, which John Sherer characterizes as “American Symphonic, with English Romantic leanings.”

The new organ is comprised of seven manual divisions and pedal, and totals 142 ranks. Of the 1914 Ernest M. Skinner, six ranks were restored to function within the tonal concept. Eight ranks of the Aeolian-Skinner were used as the basis for a new Positiv division; certain others were used in the Antiphonal, for Pedal upperwork, and to compose the new mounted Cornet V in the Great. A new five-manual and pedal console was constructed, for which special care was taken in order to make the instrument easy to use, despite its size. Those who play it find “the console is very comfortable and, at times, surprisingly easy to hand-register, too,” as Carr further reflects: “The touch is responsive, and as a player I felt completely in control.”

The casework original to the 1914 Skinner, with its fine carved walnut filigree, and 32′ Violone facade pipes, was retained, as was the smaller 1994 Goulding & Wood casework in the south transept gallery. Loosely inspired by the Skinner case, the Goulding & Wood case was selected by the church as the basis for the design of a new Positiv case, which has been located in the north transept gallery.

There are complete diapason choruses in every division except the Orchestral; Michael Quimby notes they are academic in their approach, and structured so that all the constituent pitches lock together into a seamless ensemble. The unison diapasons—numbering eight total—all contrast in color and weight, with no redundancy. Upon these, any number of choruses can be built, which, as Carr notes, “are wonderfully clear and full of color.”

Many adjectives could be used to describe the ample appointment of flute stops dispersed throughout the organ, from the haunting and soaring Great 8′ Harmonic Flute, to the buoyant Great 8′ Bourdon, and the liquid Orchestral 8′ Doppel Flute, among many others. Each one is of contrasting construction and voiced for highly individual character, so that each has something different to contribute.

The organ has a particularly varied appointment of string stops—which, according to Carr, “have an incredible dynamic range and terrace beautifully, allowing a build up from a whisper to a lush string tutti.” This includes an especially fine and unusual string mixture in the Orchestral, the Cornet des Violes III, which, with the 8′ and 4′ strings in that division, creates interesting possibilities for both solo and ensemble use.

As Sherer attests, the reeds are especially noteworthy: “The organ has many highlights, but particularly, the reeds stand out as some of the finest I have ever experienced, ranging from the quiet ones, such as the English or French Horns, to the truly majestic Tuba; all have such an individual character in their voicing.” Carr agrees: “The Fanfare reeds are reminiscent of the Solo Tubas on the Willis III at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. The Tuba is a particularly fine stop, voiced very clearly, and with a wonderfully prompt speech, too.”

Head voicer Eric Johnson identifies several points of inspiration for the organ’s various reed choruses: the Great reeds are inspired by the work of the Willis organbuilding dynasty; the Swell reeds draw from the tradition of Ca­vaillé-Coll, but here are developed to be more foundational and thereby appropriate to the American acoustical environment; and the Fanfare reeds draw inspiration from the Skinner Harmonic Trumpet at Yale University’s Wool­sey Hall.

The unmistakable hallmark of Quimby tonal design is as evident at Fourth Church as it is in any other Quimby organ: Great care is taken to develop characteristic voices that are musical and beautifully flawless when used individually, and which also lock seamlessly into an endless variety of cohesive ensembles. As Miller relates: “My first impression of playing the new organ was the enormous spectrum of color; no single organ recital could possibly exhaust the potential.” In every case, serious effort and artistry have been given toward matching the tonal concept to both the acoustical environment and the liturgical program—this naturally tends more toward original artistic creation and necessarily away from slavish imitation.

The sonic energy created by the new organ overcomes the acoustical challenges of the room and even seems to improve on the nature of the space. Carr suggests, “The new organ is just wonderful; it fits the acoustics so well. The tutti (or tuttis—as there are many options for ‘full organ’) fills the building perfectly, and there’s a real sense that something is happening, for when the organ is playing, the air around is quite simply buzzing!”

Regarding its liturgical effectiveness, Sherer finds that the instrument meets all the requirements placed upon it, and additionally “is a great joy to play because of the wide range of dynamics and color available. Every piece of music from Bach to Messiaen sounds more vivid on the Quimby; tonal colors stand out so much so that it is like going from a black-and-white photograph to full color.”

With these distinctive tonal colors, as Sherer continues, “when put all together, it is possible to get a seamless buildup of tone leading to an overwhelming tutti.” The overall ensemble, while very grand and impressive, presents no hint of harshness or unrefinement, as Carr further elaborates: “The organ overall is powerful but also graceful, subtle, and, above all, completely musical.”

The success of the new Quimby pipe organ at Fourth Church has to do with the vision and artistry of both Michael Quimby and Eric Johnson, but also the dedication and enthusiasm of the entire community of Quimby staff and associates who bought wholeheartedly into a sense of possibility and have produced a work of art that will remain an icon on the American organbuilding scene for decades to come.

The completed instrument has a broad, nonselective appeal, as observed by Sherer: “The organ has been enjoyed by both congregation and audience since its dedication in November 2015 and has already been heard by thousands of people, many of whom have said this is certainly a landmark instrument. Everyone who had anything to do with the creation of this organ has given their very best, and together we have created an instrument that is truly inspiring and beautiful.”

This appeal is perhaps best summed up by Aaron David Miller, who says, “This is an instrument that plays the neighborhood. People walk in from Michigan Avenue with no knowledge of organs or organ music. They stay and applaud as you merely practice a difficult passage. They are awed when hearing the two festival trumpets answer each other from the ends of the building. The celestes blanket the room with warmth not known in any shop or restaurant on Michigan Avenue. This is an organ greater than the mere sum of its parts.”

T. Daniel Hancock, AIA, is vice president of Quimby Pipe Organs.

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