TAO Articles

Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church, St. Louis, MO
Schoenstein & Co., Benicia, CA

By Jack Bethards

“A dignified and churchly ensemble” described Ladue Chapel’s new Kilgen organ in the December 1951 dedication program. This was a special year for the St. Louis organ firm—its centennial. Author, organ consultant, and organist William H. Barnes was the re­citalist. Solo repertoire, although featured on the opening program, was clearly of minor importance in the full scheme of the church music program. This was a church organ.

 

Not too many years later, church organists were being advised by the academic community that they were being short-changed with instruments that were caricatures—not much better than theater organs. The great organ solo repertoire, they said, was being either ignored or butchered in churches. After all, no one makes special pianos—nor violins, flutes, or other instruments—for churches. Shouldn’t the organ be made properly to accommodate its own music? Certainly any organ capable of playing the great masters should be able to accompany. Accompaniment became a secondary consideration if any at all.

By 1970, the pressure to install “proper” organs in churches was great, and Ladue Chapel went full steam ahead with a mechanical-action organ of 40 stops, 59 ranks from Werner Bosch Orgelbau of Kassel, West Germany. This organ was special for its builder just as the Kilgen was. It was number 500 and called the “Jubilee” organ. The program description boasted that it would play “organ music from all periods, from Baroque and the majestic music of Bach to the 20th-century rhythms of Bernstein.” This instrument was the quintessential modern interpretation of the North German Baroque style. As time went on, the “dignified and churchly” tone of the old Kilgen was missed more and more.

Over the years, this organ went through major changes twice, in an effort to increase its versatility for the continually growing music program. Finally, by 2013, it was decided that further attempts at change would be unproductive and a new organ should be built that not only had “churchly and dignified” tone, but also was large enough to be capable of giving a reasonable account of the wide range of solo repertoire. Once again, accompaniment was first and repertoire was second in line—but not quite as far back as in 1951.

We believe there is such a thing as a church organ—an instrument specialized for church use, where accompaniment takes precedence. For a small instrument, this means tough choices—for example, leaving out a mixture in favor of a mezzo forte 8′ voice, such as a string celeste. In a larger instrument, it means adding things over and above what is required for basic repertoire—such as specialty color reeds, one or even two “extra” celestes, and a commanding solo reed, such as a Tuba. It means having more of the organ—in fact, as much as possible—under expression. All these “additions” are unnecessary for the repertoire-specific organ; therefore, it could be said that the church organ is a much more complex instrument since it must produce a wide dynamic range, an exceptional variety of tonal color, and also great power, when needed, to accompany a large congregation. In addition to musical accompaniment, much of which is transcribed, a church organ is sometimes called upon for improvised accom­paniment of the “dramatic action” of the service. It must be a nimble vehicle for the creative organist.

Most important of all, a church organ must have the ability to capture and hold the interest of listeners and musicians over a long period of time. It is perhaps the only instrument heard by and played by the same people week after week, year after year, and sometimes generation after generation. If it doesn’t have enough variety and the ability to make a strong emotional connection—to celebrate joy, to comfort in grief—it is a failure. The church organ has a heavy musical job to accomplish, and its most important characteristics are versatility and beauty.

If an organ has these qualities, shouldn’t it be able to render the solo repertoire as well? There is no hope of such an organ playing any branch of the repertoire with absolute authenticity—that is, with the sounds that were envisioned by the composer; but it is certainly possible for it to render the scores musically if it has the proper tonal architecture. By that I mean the traditional distribution of tonal families in each division at the appropriate pitches—the organ’s “instrumentation.” I make the comparison with the symphony orchestra. Certainly, a large orchestra in a large hall with modern instruments cannot play Mozart or Beethoven with the authenticity that can be captured by a specialized early-music ensemble, but it can render musically satisfying performances because its instrumentation fits that of the score. The same can be true in the world of the organ. In the church setting, authentic performance practice is not a requirement; but the ability to accompany the services, render solos musically, and project “dignified and churchly” tone are.

Jack Bethards is president and tonal director of Schoenstein & Co.

View the stoplist

 

All photos by Louis Patterson

Chapel of St. Joseph, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, St. Louis, MO
A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company, Lithonia, GA

By Arthur E. Schlueter III

Every organ commission that has been awarded to our firm has left us humbled and thankful for the opportunity to build instruments for worship and praise. This was amplified by the opportunity to build an instrument in support of the daily life, prayer, 
and worship for the clergy, staff, and students at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.

When I arrived for our first visit to the seminary, I was informed of plans to renovate the chapel that would include a new pipe organ. I had numerous discussions about how the organ would be used in worship and sought to design an eclectic specification that would fully support these needs. Working with the seminary, we decided on a small, three-manual organ and began the discussions about the comparative value of various ranks in developing the stoplist.

Anybody who has ever been part of an organ project is well aware of the pressure that financial constraints can place on the choice of one stop over another. While this is a necessary consideration, it does sometimes force “either/or” compromises. As an organbuilding family, we have long felt that there are instances where it is reasonable to consider philanthropy as an extension of our organbuilding work. As we prayerfully assessed the role of this instrument in daily worship, the members of the Schlueter family decided that we would donate several stops to the organ, along with considering our margins. By freeing ourselves from the strictures of a hard budget, we were able to make several artistic choices of stops that we deemed important for the benefit of the seminary and the students it will continue to serve. From a theological perspective, this was our tithe or gift, and we feel privileged to have been able to make these donations. Ultimately, during our discussions, the instrument would grow in size to 39 ranks with 2,156 pipes. In preservation of stewardship of the prior instrument, four stops were retained and rescaled and/or revoiced for inclusion in the new instrument.

Without organ chambers, it would be necessary to place the organ in two freestanding cases in the rear gallery. The organ soars more than 44 feet above the chapel floor and weighs over 13 tons. To support an instrument of this size and stature, we built a steel and timber building frame for the organ. With the strength of these structures, we were able to cantilever the organ forward to the gallery rail, which allowed us to design paneled hallways under the organ chassis, allowing access to the gallery.

We knew that, commensurate to the stoplist we were developing, this was a worship space that called for a case to match the organ’s aural beauty. The organ cases are built of oak to match the interior wood of the chapel. We paid careful attention to the architecture and incorporated details from the chapel where possible. The cases are designed so that the pipe towers over-rotate the lower case footprint, and the side returns step back from the front towers. This opens the visual field for the rear gallery window while allowing additional floor space for choristers. To pay homage to the previous instrument, we incorporated hand-painted gold linked rings on a red polychrome background to mimic the woodwork from the former organ case. This same shape was repeated in side grille fretwork. We included carved and gilded lettering from the church’s constitution in the lower cases bracketed by heavy oak moldings.

The facade pipes are made of polished aluminum with gilded, gold mouths. In addition to the beauty provided by the polished metal, we find that this material has favorable speech characteristics that, we find, rival some other traditional pipe building materials for certain voicing styles. The added rigidity of the material and its resistance to surface oxidation made it an ideal choice for this installation. The polished surfaces reflect and refract light in such a way that the facade takes on the natural lighting in soft, even hues.

Tonally, we sought to design an instrument that could best be classed under the banner of American Eclecticism. In consideration of the importance of choral accompaniment, a significant number of resources are enclosed. The expression shades open to the front and sides of the organ case. The side shades are bi-directional to direct sound out of the gallery while also directing some sound rearward in support of the choristers. This is an instrument that, with careful registration and expressive control, will allow all of the resources to be used in every service. When larger dynamics are desired, the organ has sufficient resources to “ring the room” through stop and chorus massing.

The instrument is grounded by the Great with a clean, robust principal chorus that is anchored with a 16′ Violone. The Great 8′ Hohl Flute and 4′ Chim­ney Flute, in addition to being lovely solo voices, have textures that are valuable as thickening agents to the Great principal chorus. The reeds in this division are duplexed from the Swell to provide dynamic control.

The balance of the organ flue stops in the instrument vary in construction and materials. This varied use of wood, metal, open, semi-open, stoppered, cylindrical, and conical, with careful voicing, allows each stop its own unique voice and color.

The mutations include the Swell cornet decomposé that is countered with a secondary cornet in the Choir. The Choir 22/3′ was placed on a unit action and extended to draw at 11/3′ pitch.

For this instrument, we chose to employ strings of differing texture in the Great, Swell, and Choir. The Great 8′ Violone is independent of the Pedal 16′ Violone, only shar-ing the two lowest octaves with the manual. In its home division, it functions as a secondary foundational register.

Early discussions about the Swell strings considered the foundational role they would need to play and while still desiring there would be the edge tone characteristic of a pure string when companioned with its celeste. To achieve a chameleon role, we increased the scale of the parent rank and built the stop without the traditional slotting. This deemphasizes the fifth overtones to provide much better, even harmonics for a cantus firmus to ground the division. The celeste rank is slotted and of smaller scale with roller beards to reinforce a more defined string texture that octave couples and colors when the Celeste and unison ranks are drawn together.

Our formative discussions about the tonal design of the Choir had considered two classes of strings. There was an equal case to be made for the foundational hybrid Gems­horn and for the weightless Dulciana. In the end, through the donations of our family, we decided that these were not luxuries but necessities, and both were included.

In any organ, the most powerful stops are the reeds. With the defined use of this instrument, we considered it important that all of the reeds be under expression. The Swell reeds include a double tapered capped Oboe at 16′ and 8′ pitch that balances a large scaled 8′ Trumpet. These stops are located at the rear, and lower than the flue registers to allow additional room for tonal development. The 16′ Pedal Posaune is likewise enclosed with the Swell for control. The Choir also includes an 8′ Clarinet.

We have long recognized the importance of independent stops in the Pedal division. The 16′ Violone, 16/8′ Subbass, 8′ Octave, 4′ Choral Bass, 4′ Nason Flute, and 16′ Posaune are independent ranks. To give the performer additional color and weighted texture in the Pedal, it has long been our practice to provide a number of duplexed manual ranks, and this was done here.

For control of the organ, we designed and built a low-profile, custom terrace drawknob console, which provides excellent sightlines between the choirmaster and the choristers. The console is built of oak with a contrasting mahogany interior. The drawknob heads were turned from gaboon ebony in an oblique shape and custom finished to match the sharps on the manuals and pedals and the ebonized mahogany key cheeks and piston slips. The drawknobs are on straight terraces turned inward toward the performer. The stops are arranged by pitch and family, with the primary choruses aligned parallel to the manual on which they draw. The linear stop arrangement does not exceed seven stops on each terrace and is designed to be within arm’s distance. This coupling of care to sightlines and ergonomics promotes ease of registration.

The combination system and relays were provided by the Syndyne firm and allows a single centralized control for the combinations system, playback/record, and MIDI by way of a touch screen. All of the features that one expects on a modern console are present: 5,000 memory levels, programmable crescendos and sforzandos, blind checks, transposer, etc. One can save or import combination memories to or from an external USB drive. This provides infinite options to the performer. This same screen and USB interface allows testing, system configuration, and upgrades for the builder without the need for an external computer.

The organ chests are a combination of Blackinton-style electropneumatic slider chests and electropneumatic action for unit and duplex stops. The facade pipes are remotely fed with transmission tubes from electropneumatic blow box actions.

The winding system makes use of traditional spring-and-weight, ribbed regulators along with floating lid reservoirs. The tremolos are electromechanical, providing quiet and even undulation when engaged. Wind pressures on the organ are modest with Great and Choir 31/2″, Swell 4″, and Pedal and facade 3–4″.

I would be remiss if I did not thank the staff and students of the seminary and the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Throughout this process, they could not have been more supportive and helpful. I am thankful for their encouragement, their friendship, and their prayers. We are thankful for the efforts of a dedicated team: Arthur E. Schlueter Jr., Mary Schlueter, Sarah Schlue­ter, John Tanner, Marc Conley, Patrick Hodges, Rob Black, Jeremiah Hodges, Peter Duys, James (Bud) Taylor Jr., Bob Weaver, Al Schroer, Shan Dalton-Bowen, Barbara Sedlacek, Michael DeSimone, Dallas Wood, Clifton Frierson, Ruth Lopez, Kelvin Chea­tham, James Sowell, Derek Slote, Carl Morawetz, Dusty Dalton, and Dave Kocsis.

Arthur E. Schlueter III is vice president of tonal and artistic direction at A.E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company. He is a member of the International Society of Organbuilders, American Institute of Organbuilders, and the American Guild of Organists. Website: http://www.pipe-organ.com.

Christ the King Catholic Church, Dallas, TX
Juget-Sinclair Organbuilders, Montreal, Quebec

By Stephen Sinclair

An organ project is, by its nature, a long process—it can be helpful for organbuilders to reflect on the beginning once we’ve reached the end. We might forget, for example, that the project at Christ the King in Dallas was, for all intents and purposes, dead in the water for more than a year, for lack of a solution to the conundrum of how to successfully build a mechanical-action instrument out-of-chambers, without placing any weight on the balcony itself, or reducing space for the choir.

It wasn’t an aha moment that led us to a solution. It was more a case of the elimination of doubt—as crazy as it seemed, we could see no downside to our proposal: a three-manual, French-Romantic-inspired instrument, with Grand-Orgue and most of the Pédale division against the back wall, supported entirely by two beams that traverse the gallery. Both Récit and Positif would be in swell boxes occupying the chambers to each side, but cantilevered and angled into the room to promote projection. The console would be detached, with trackers running above the existing concrete choir risers, but below new oak risers. Trackers to all divisions would scale the three walls of the choir loft, taking practically no room from the choir. Our previous experience told us that we could 
offer this solution happily—there would be no compromise in the success of the action, the projection of each division, choir seating, or access for maintenance. It just seemed so unusual that it required the methodical elimination of doubt for us to feel comfortable floating the proposal. If the instrument seems natural now, it didn’t then.

Christ the King organist Henry McDowell first contact­ed us about the project in 2006. Returning to his hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he had visited Jack Michener and played his two-stop Juget-Sinclair practice organ—and thus began his interest in our firm. (We’re tickled that our smallest instrument led to our largest!) Jesse Eschbach was brought on board as consultant, and his encyclopedic knowledge of 19th-century French organ stop­lists has proven invaluable. Henry and Jesse came to Montreal, perhaps for the McGill summer organ academy; an instrument set up in the shop provided a catalyst for discussions around the console, and the project was born.

Although the chambers provide ample space for pipes, much of it was not useful, as our mandate was to build an organ that wouldn’t sound like it was in chambers. Initially, we were unable to find room for the large instrument proposed, or at least room in a position that had a chance of projecting well into the nave—only the 32′ Pédale octaves were allowed deep in the chambers. The solution was to modify the specification to make the Positif expressive as well, which gave a symmetrical arrangement with Récit to the left, and Positif to the right, each cantilevered into the room, and with the swell shades arranged to reflect sound toward the nave. The experience points out a truth in organ design: when space is tight, space will strongly influence design. It will have its say, and needs its place at the table.

The proposed steel structure provided an interesting challenge: the beams would sag an estimated 5/8″ under the full weight of the instrument—how would the casework accommodate this? Mechanical engineer Nigel Brown provided the answer. Given weight estimates of every part of the instrument and a drawing showing where that weight would bear down on the structure, he was able to tell us how much each beam would deflect. When the steel structure was set up, cables were anchored in the balcony floor and to the steel, then tightened until the beams had deflected according to calculations. Once the full weight of the upper organ, including pipework, was installed on the beams, we released the tension on the cables. The casework did not move perceptibly! The process necessitated an unusual installation order: everything above the beams first—upper casework, windchest, pipework, and wind system; then, once the cables were released, everything below the beams—lower casework, trackers, and risers.

Included in the project was a three-stop continuo organ intended to accompany small groups of singers or instruments in the transept, both during services and for concerts. There had also been a request for an antiphonal division of just three stops, whose sole purpose was to accom­pany the cantor at the pulpit during services. We suggested that perhaps the two roles could be combined, and so we set out to make the continuo playable from the Positif keyboard of the main console, via two possible plug-in spots in front. The system is more flexible than we had anticipated, and the balance between the two is good; the continuo organ is used as a sort of antiphonal during services, often accompanying one verse of a hymn to good effect.

This instrument is inspired by the French-Romantic tradition, but is by no means a copy. It borrows from the aesthetic, but through the lens of North American musical and liturgical requirements, and the cultural and acoustical context at Christ the King. Reeds are fiery but not overpowering. There is a surprising variety of color, and with two Swell boxes, a wide range of tonal possibilities. Windchests are largely installed at one height, favoring tuning stability. The Récit and Positif are arranged chromatically, with trebles at the front near the swell shades, which naturally promotes ascendancy of voicing.

This is a Juget-Sinclair organ, so the success of the tracker action is paramount. In order to provide ample wind without making the left hand too heavy, 8′ and 16′ flues are systematically winded electropneumatically. We came up with a design for pneumatic motors based on the 19th-century French “Schmoele et Mols” system, but using Reisner magnets. The motors are housed inside the pallet box, and are easily accessed, removed, and serviced. They open a secondary pallet beside the mechanical pallet, allowing wind into a secondary channel for basses. We decided that the signal for these motors would be electric rather than tubular because, for this instrument, electricity solved all our action challenges: the offset basses, the pedal 32′ extensions, and the remote continuo organ. One of the keys to making all this work quickly and reliably was to come up with a new design for pneumatic switches.

This instrument provided many “firsts” for our firm. It is our first three-manual instrument, our first instrument with electropneumatic offsets, and our first remote “division” (the continuo organ). It is the first instrument too large and unwieldy to set up in the shop, and the first one built on a steel structure. It is our first 16′ facade, and our first use of carbon fiber in a new instrument. But the most important milestone for us was that Robin Côté became a full one-third partner with Denis Juget and me during the course of this instrument, and his influence is felt throughout—from facade de­­sign through technical design, construction and voicing.

Building pipe organs at this point in history is a privilege, made possible by the confidence placed in us by musicians, organ committees, consultants, donors, and clergy. From the outset, it was clear that our relationship with Christ the King was primarily one of confidence. Msgr. Zimmerman, Henry McDowell, Jesse Eschbach, and the whole community at Christ the King are to be congratulated for seeing the project through, and we’re grateful for the confidence they placed in us.

Stephen Sinclair is an organbuilder in Montreal.

St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, MA
Andover Organ Company, Lawrence, MA

By Matthew M. Bellocchio

When renovating a historic building, it is often necessary to strike a balance between preserving the original fabric and updating it to suit modern needs. When renovating century-old American organs, similar choices must often be made. A conservative restoration is the logical decision for an exemplary work by an important builder or a small organ in a rural church with modest musical requirements. But an aging instrument with unreliable mechanisms and limited tonal resources, in an active church or institution with a professional music program, requires a careful assessment of each of its existing components. This was the case with the 1902 Hook & Hastings organ, Opus 1833, in the St. John’s Seminary chapel.

The seminary, founded in 1884 by Archbishop John Williams, is situated in a parklike setting in northwest Boston. The 1899 Romanesque Re­vival chapel, designed by Boston architects Maginnis, Walsh and Sullivan, was first used for services in 1901. Gonippo Raggi (1875-1959), an Italian artist who decorated many important Catholic churches and institutions in the United States, painted its elaborate murals. The vaulted ceiling, and the marble and oak wall paneling, create a reverberation time of four seconds when the 300-seat chapel is empty. Although the chapel is visually and acoustically magnificent, its organ was less so. On the cusp of the 20th century, Hook & Hastings was in transition. Its golden period was well behind it; the Hook brothers, Elias and George Greenleaf, were dead, and their chosen successor, Francis Hastings, was in his 60s. Wanting to preserve its good reputation, yet keep up with changes in organ technology, the company had one foot in each century. While its smaller organs still used mechanical action, larger instruments had traditional slid­er-pallet windchests fitted with experimental pneumatic actions.

After nearly a century of use and constant winter heating, the chapel organ’s windchests and actions developed serious problems, including numerous ciphers and dead notes. The Hook & Hastings console was replaced in 1946. When the replacement console failed in 2004, a one-manual 1850s Simmons tracker was put in its place to serve as a temporary instrument until the chapel organ could be rebuilt.

Our lengthy experience with Hook & Hastings organs has taught us that their early electro-pneumatic actions are cumbersome, slow, and difficult to repair. Therefore, we reused the pipes, windchests, and most of the original parts of Opus 1833 as the basis of an expanded instrument with a new electric action.

The organ’s cantilevered case originally had a simple facade of three tall fields of pipes among four Ionic columns. During extensive chapel renovations in 1946, Maginnis & Walsh added a large new top section, with three Romanesque arches, to transform the case to resemble an Italian Renaissance organ. But the pipes, with Victorian-style bandings and colors, were not repainted. The result was a Victorian-Italianate conglomeration.

To rectify this visual hodgepodge, we turned to our colleague Marylou Davis of Woodstock, Connecticut—an expert in the conservation and recreation of historic decorative finishes. We have collaborated with her on several organ facades, most notably our Opus 114 in Christ Lutheran Church, Baltimore (featured in January 2013 TAO). Don Olson, An­dover’s retired president and visual designer, worked with her to design a new decorative treatment for the seminary’s facade pipes that would harmonize with the Italian-Re­naissance-style case and chapel.

Marylou chose a palette of gray and neutral tones for the facade pipes to complement, rather than compete with, Gonippo Raggi’s murals. Spiraling acanthus leaves and optical tetrahedron patterns, which suggest embossed pipes, evoke a Renaissance style of ornament. The center pipes are highlighted in red ochre, with overlaid geometric forms that imitate the inlaid marble panels of the apse. The pipe mouths are gilded in rose-colored 23-karat gold leaf and glazed for a soft, aged appearance. As a crowning flourish, the cross surmounting the case is painted in faux lapis lazuli.

We built a new, solid-white-oak console in the style of the Hook & Hastings original. Its design, with a lyre music rack and elliptically curved stop terraces, is based on the console of Hook & Hastings’s Opus 2326, built in 1913 for the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City. In the 1950s, the St. Ignatius organ was moved to a Catholic church in Lawrence, Massachusetts, just two miles from our shop, where it still survives. To meet the demands of a 21st-century music program, this reproduction console has state-of-the-art components, including a Solid State Organ Systems recording module and Organist Palette, which permits organists to program the piston combinations and sequences remotely, with an iPad.

Most of the 1902 Hook & Hastings organ was located within the case, with Swell above Great and the wooden Pedal 16′ Open Diapason pipes at each side. At the upper level—behind the Swell, in a 15-foot-deep unfinished gallery—were the organ’s large reservoir and Pedal 16′ Bourdon. We moved the Pedal Open Diapason pipes from inside the case to the rear gallery, which now accommodates all the Pedal stops and reservoirs, as well as the new blower. There was sufficient space inside the case behind the Great chest to add a small unenclosed Choir division.

We completely rebuilt the Great and Swell slider chests and constructed a new one for the added Choir division. All three chests have marine-grade plywood cables and pallet boards, which will not shrink or crack from constant heating, and new electric pull-down magnets and slider motors. The 1902 Hook & Hastings organ was winded from a single, weighted 6′ x 9′ double-rise reservoir in the gallery behind the organ. Large wooden windtrunks at both sides conveyed ample wind to the chests. This traditional American style of wind system provides a solid, yet somewhat responsive, wind supply typical of earlier Hook organs. We retained this winding for the manual chests and added a separate reservoir for the enlarged Pedal division.

Hook & Hastings Opus 1833 was a modest two-manual, 18-rank instrument with a standard stoplist for the period. The Great had principals at 8′, 4′, 2′, plus 8′ Doppel Flute, Dulciana, and Trumpet. The Swell had flutes at 16′, 8′, 4 ‘, an 8′ Diapason and Salicional, a 4′ Violina, a three­-rank Dolce Cornet and an 8′ Oboe. The Pedal had just a 16′ Open Diapason and 16’ Bourdon. While this specification worked for accompanying chants and hymns, it lacked the choruses and colors needed for organ literature.

There were also some pipe scaling issues. The Great 4′ and 2′ principals were both six scales smaller than the very large scaled 8′ Open Diapason, resulting in a preponderance of 8′ tone in the chorus. We rescaled the Great 8′ Open Diapason and the 4′ Octave to make a more gradual transition in power between the 8′, 4′, and 2′. We crowned the chorus with a new Mixture and replaced the 8′ Dul­ciana with an 8′ Spitz Flute to provide a more useful ac­companimental stop in this division.

The Swell division had good bones but needed fleshing out. Since the Dolce Cornet’s pipes were missing, we replaced it with a new Mixture to cap the chorus. We added a bright 8′ Trumpet for a chorus reed and extended the 8′ Oboe to provide the richness of a 16′ Bassoon. We also added a 19th-century-style 2′ Flautino, useful with either flutes or principals, and a Voix céleste to complement the Salicional.

The new Choir division provides some softer accompaniment and color stops, as well as a Cornet decomposé. The 8′ Dulciana, moved from the Great, provides a quiet string tone. The 8′ Cremona, a narrow scaled clarinet reminiscent of early Hook examples, is useful for both chorus and solos.

To the Pedal 16′ Open Diapason and Bourdon we added a metal 8′-4′ Principal and a Trombone that plays at 32′, 16′, 8′. The Swell 16′ Bourdon and 16′ Bassoon were also borrowed down to provide softer Pedal voices. The end result of these tonal changes and additions is an instrument of 40 stops, 34 ranks, and 1,994 pipes that is more versatile and appropriate for its expanded role. It still sounds very much like a Hook & Hastings organ, but one from an earlier and better period of the firm’s output.

Andover Organ Company has worked on numerous Hook & Hastings instruments—including the monumental 101-rank 1875 masterpiece, Opus 801, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, and the famous 1876 “Centennial Exposition” organ, Opus 828, now in St. Joseph Cathedral in Buffalo, New York. We feel honored to have been selected to rebuild St. John’s Seminary’s 1902 Hook & Hastings instrument that, coincidentally, is the 500th organ our company has rebuilt or restored. We are grateful to Msgr. James Moroney, rector; Janet Hunt, music director; and the rest of the seminary staff and volunteers for their support and assistance throughout this project.

Andover is blessed to have a team of 19 dedicated peo­ple, who collectively possess more than 400 years of organ­building experience. Benjamin Mague, Andover’s presi­dent, was the project team leader, and Michael Eaton was the design engineer. Others who worked on Opus R-500 were Ryan Bartosiewicz, Matthew Bellocchio, Milo Brandt, Anne Dore, Donald Glover, Andrew Hagberg, Al­bert Hosman, Lisa Lucius, Tony Miscio, Fay Morlock, John Morlock, Donald Olson, Jon Ross, Craig Seaman, Cody West, and David Zarges.

* * *

Andover Opus R-500 will be premiered in a “Choir and Organ Commemoration of the Faithful Departed” on November 1, 2015, at 3:00 P.M. Special guests David Woodcock, conductor, and Jan Coxwell, soprano, will join organist Janet Hunt and a festival choir in a concert including works by Howells, Brahms, Dvofdk, and Durufli in honor of All Souls Month.

Matthew M. Bellocchio is a project manager and designer at Andover Organ, which he joined in 2003. A fellow of the American Institute of Organbuilders, he has chaired the AIO Education Committee and served twice on its board of directors, most recently as AIO president.

First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC
Holtkamp Organ Company, Cleveland, OH

By Richard Parsons

The Land of the Blue Smoke. That is the name the Cherokee Indians gave to the high plateau in western North Carolina. Lying at an altitude of roughly 3,000 feet, it is surrounded by six peaks, all of which have altitudes greater than 6,000 feet. The highest is Mount Mitchell, which at 6,683 feet is the highest peak in the eastern United States. The plateau itself covers nearly 1,000 square miles. At its center is the confluence of the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers. Near this confluence is Asheville, North Carolina.

The first European settlers in the area arrived in 1784. First Presbyterian Church, founded in 1794, was known as the “church at the mouth of the Swannanoa River” and was incorporated in 1797. Its first worship space was a small wood structure. The second was a brick church, built in 1841, that seated 175 people. As Asheville grew, the church prospered. Its many expansions over the years included changing the axis of the church; lengthening the church; adding transepts, a balcony, and a Gothic-style chancel area; and redesigning the interior to be Gothic in character.

The original pipe organ installed at First Presbyterian, in 1890, was a Roosevelt. It was placed in the front of the worship space, speaking directly down the central axis of the nave. No information exists regarding the specification of this instrument. In 1951, the church underwent a major expansion that included, among other things, a chancel area built onto the then-front wall of the church. With this addition, the Roosevelt organ was removed, and an Aeolian-Skinner installed in a large chamber on the left side of the chancel. This instrument, while colorful and expressive, was not adequate to lead the congregation in worship. In response to this need, the church engaged Casavant Freres to add an Antiphonal organ in 1984 and two stops to the Great in 1986.

Early in the 21st century, the church leadership recognized that there were aspects of the church infrastructure that were in need of repair and maintenance. Additionally, the leather in the Aeolian-Skinner was beginning to fail. These two concerns, along with a desire to provide a more inclusive worship experience and enhanced fellowship, gave rise eventually to a capital campaign that funded, among other things, the new pipe organ.

First Presbyterian began investigating the possibilities of organ restoration or replacement of the existing instrument in 2004. Early on, it was recognized that in order to effectively lead the congregation and project into the worship space with the true color and clarity of the pipework, the organ needed to be moved out of the side chamber and into the chancel area. This decision was followed by the formation of the Organ Search Committee in 2007. After hearing instruments from a number of different builders, the committee selected Holtkamp.

An examination of the organ found all pipework (Roosevelt, Aeolian-Skinner, and Casavant) to be in excellent condition. The instrument had been well cared for over the years, and represented a significant investment in both time and materials. It was in the best interest of the church to use each stop where appropriate in the new organ. “Where appropriate” could mean: using stops from the existing organ exactly “as is” in the new organ; rescaling the existing pipework, moderately or significantly; or not using an existing stop at all. With the First Presbyterian organ, all three approaches were employed, and a significant amount of new pipework was added.

The scaling of the organ is on the large side for the church’s worship space–for two reasons. First, the chancel arch functions as a partial impediment to the sound of the organ projecting directly to the congregation. Second, the transepts act as a sound trap, preventing the sound of the organ from projecting directly to the congregation. Because of these two conditions, all scales in the organ were planned one to four scales larger than warranted by the size of the space, and depending on their placement within the organ. The voicing in general is focused on creating well-integrated vertical ensembles. The overall effect of the instrument is one of elegance and simplicity, power and intimacy, balance and color. It is a wonderful marriage of acoustic and instrument, and is full and supportive without being overpowering.

The visual design was influenced by a number of factors, including the general Gothic style of the worship space. In addition, there is a beautiful and beloved rose window in the rear chancel wall. The first design requirement was to maintain the window’s visibility from all areas of the worship space. Also, as part of the drive to provide a more inclusive worship experience, the chancel area was completely redesigned and extended into the nave area. The new chancel platform, which  is centered beneath the transept crossing, is circular in plan. The side towers of the organ case were built at an angle of 17.5 degrees to the center of the case, reflecting the spirit of this circular design. The pipe shades were inspired by the vertical mullions on the side windows of the worship space. Lastly, the color of the pipe shade screens was derived from the rose window in the rear chancel wall.

Restore, Renew, Rejoice! This is the name of the capital campaign designed to fund the infrastructure repair and maintenance, chancel and worship space renovation, and pipe organ at First Presbyterian Church. It reflects the steadfast leadership and long-range vision that has made First Presbyterian a leader in Asheville since its founding in 1794. The new pipe organ is also a leader in the church and will provide spiritual restoration, renewal, and rejoicing to the many families and individuals who worship at the First Presbyterian, now and for generations to come.

F. Christian Holtkamp, president and artistic/tonal director of Holtkamp Organ Company, is the sixth generation of leadership at the company. He holds a master of music degree in organ performance and has studied voice in high school and as an undergraduate. He is a member of the AGO, Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, American Institute of Organbuilders, and Organ Historical Society.

Trinity Episcopal Church, Mobile, AL
Goulding & Wood Organ Builders, Indianapolis, IN

By Jason Overall

Mobile, Alabama, saw severe, unusual weather on Christmas Day 2012, culminating in a destructive tornado. This Gulf Coast town, more accustomed to dealing with hurricanes, suddenly faced dealing with the precision damage unique to tornados.

The storm’s path led straight to the front doors of Trinity Episcopal Church, and the winds lifted the entire roof of the historic church building completely off the walls, setting it back at an angle. In the weeks that followed, the congregation struggled to recover from the emotional impact of the damage while also finding solace in the fact that, given the time of the storm, no one was in the building. The church had undergone renovations previously in recent years, a project that included reconfiguring the chancel and moving the choir to the rear gallery, and they were on schedule to retire the debt from this work the following spring. The congregation now faced another extensive construction venture, this one not of their choosing.

Kevin Davis, organist and choirmaster of the church, contacted Goulding & Wood after the New Year to begin exploring the future of the organ. At the time of the previous renovation, they used components from the Wicks pipe organ located in the chancel chamber, reorganizing them into a two-manual instrument. The aim was to enter into an organ replacement campaign once the parish paid off its initial loan. During the days following the storm, the organ was exposed to sustained rain and weather. Further, in the initial cleaning, workers damaged pipes and other elements. The organ was nearly a complete loss. Church Insurance worked diligently and intelligently to identify an accurate, fair, and complete adjustment for the organ. Dave Mistick, the adjuster, spent a significant amount of time on site and on the telephone, asking questions and learning about the various aspects of the organ and their status, in order to reach a reasonable settlement amount.

Our task as organbuilders became somewhat unusual. We were given the task of designing an organ that, far from a literal replacement, fulfilled the aspirations of the musicians for an instrument designed specifically for the gallery space while working with the allotment designated from Church Insurance as the basic budget. The parish was able to augment this amount with the awareness that they were achieving a preexisting goal, yet the budget constraints were more binding than in most organ design projects.

We ultimately settled on a design that speaks to the strong Anglican choral tradition to which the people of Trinity Church are accustomed. Within the span of a fairly small number of ranks, we attained a broad palette of colors without losing a strong sense of ensemble throughout the organ. Kevin Davis visited several of our instruments, carefully considering voices and combinations and bringing a high level of understanding and creativity to our conversations about tonal design. The result is an organ that distributes the core colors anticipated on any organ in a balanced scheme. Abundant 8′ voices available on both manuals provide a large variety of foundation hues, and combine in a warm richness supportive of vibrant singing. We kept scaling broad throughout the organ, particularly in the diapason ranks, to fill the generous cubic volume of the church. Mixtures are bright yet voiced fairly lightly. They provide sheen and sparkle to the principal chorus, allowing the power to derive from the 81 and 16′ line. This pyramid approach is repeated in the Swell chorus reeds. While we frequently feature robust and powerful Clarion stops that break back to 8′ pitch reed pipes rather than transition to flues, the Trinity Church Swell Clarion is smaller scaled, with tapered shallot openings, and continues at 4′ pitch to the top. The crowning solo reed, the Tromba, resides between a dark English Tuba and a fiery Festival Trumpet. It retains brilliance and life in the sustained pitch, yet it is full-bodied and smooth enough to use in chords. We were assisted in all these decisions by the excellent craftsmen at A.R. Schopp’s Sons, who built all new pipework for the organ. Brandon Woods, our shop voicer, oversaw all details of the tonal design, making final decisions on the construction details and voicing all ranks.

These minute adjustments to tonal design, carried out in scaling, metal composition, shallot design, and other details, are important not in displaying our artistry and cleverness but in the way the organ directly conforms to the musical worship tradition of Trinity Church. Our aim in designing the organ was to transform the sorrow and loss following the tornado’s devastation into a renewed spirit of celebration and praise. Seeing this revitalization come to the congregation has been an enormous satisfaction to our team. Throughout the lengthy process of working with the insurance company and the subsequent design and construction of the organ, the Rev. Bailey Norman, rector, and Robert Howard, senior warden, were immensely helpful. Fr. Norman maintained a steely business sense with the parish’s best interest at heart, yet he was unwaveringly tempered with a strong sense of fairness. Bob Howard oversaw the many details of the renovation, coordinating the sometimes conflicting needs of the contractors with delicacy. We owe both of them a great debt of gratitude. For our part, Mark Goulding and Kurt Ryll, our design engineer, worked closely with the church to reach a visual and mechanical layout that enhances the architecture and maximizes the space. The efficient arrangement allows for ample access to all areas of the organ without wasting any valuable gallery floor. The visual presence participates actively in the church’s neo-Gothic design vocabulary, contributing to the decorative interest in the church.

Within days of completing the organ, the room was filled with joyous singing as Trinity Church hosted the annual diocesan convention. Delegates from throughout the area came together to worship, with the organ and choir leading hearts and minds in prayer and song. It is our hope that the organ will continue to play this important role in the weekly worship of Trinity Episcopal Church for many generations to come.

Jason Overall is president of Goulding & Wood Pipe Organ Builders. He holds music degrees from Furman University in Greenville, SC, and Florida State University, where he studied organ with Michael Corzine and completed courses in organ design and instrument history. He has served in Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Episcopal congregations. He is a member of the AGO and the Association of Anglican Musicians.

From the musician

When I came to Trinity Episcopal Church in 2009, the planning stages of a liturgical remodel were already under­ way. This included moving the choir and organ from the chancel, which was small and very crowded, to an extended gallery. The final plan, completed in 2011, included everything but a new organ, which was to be completed as a second phase of the renovation. We would use 30 ranks of the 1971 Wicks as a temporary instrument. The tornado on Christmas Day 2012 challenged the original timeline for a new organ. If we rebuilt the former instrument with virtually all new chests and console, we would still have the “temporary” organ sound. It was determined that a better use of resources would include a new instrument that would enhance our Anglican music tradition. I began contacting organ­ builders in summer 2013, and Goulding & Wood quickly came to the forefront of the leadership of the church. They have graciously assisted in all phases of the re-­building of the church and in designing a versatile two­ manual organ that supports the choir and choristers, leads the congregation, and plays literature equally well. The artistry, both of the woodworking and voicing, is superb. Goulding & Wood has created an instrument that will inspire Trinity’s music program and concerts for years to come.

I have enjoyed working with the artisans of Goulding & Wood and look forward to our continued relationship in the maintenance of the organ. The lasting friendships that have resulted from this project are an added bonus.

Kevin Davis, Organist-Choirmaster

From the rector

While I have very little experience in organ renovation or replacement projects, I can safely say that Trinity was not the typical client for an organbuilder. When our sanctuary was severely damaged by the tornado, it became clear to us that the best course of action was to replace the instrument rather than repair the existing one. As large and important a project as it was, the new organ was going to be just one piece in the larger picture of a multimillion-dollar reconstruction project. On top of that, Trinity was called to host our diocese’s annual convention in February 2015. So, we were working against a firm deadline as well. The greatest challenge related to the organ was to find a builder that could work within our construction timeline and deal with our financial situation while simultaneously designing an instrument fitting of an incomplete space.

We could not have found a better match than Goulding & Wood. From the moment we had our first meeting with president Jason Overall, we realized we were dealing with a company that valued the worship experience and overall satisfaction of their clients and not just, “How is the organ going to fit?” Goulding & Wood communicated regularly with us and stayed in touch with our various contractors to make sure they could accomplish their planning within the context of the larger project. Our property team kept waiting for Goulding & Wood to drop the ball or delay the project, an all-too-common experience in dealing with construction. But they stayed true to their commitments and delivered a tremendous instrument earlier than expected.

After going through a five-year period, beginning in 2010, in which Trinity had just 18 months of pipe organ music (and a temporary organ, at that), we are extremely appreciative of the sound and craftsmanship of this beautiful instrument. It fills our sanctuary perfectly, rattling the walls at its highest volume (while not rattling our ears) but also articulating its subtlest of sounds very clearly. From our initial meetings to the efficient yet deliberate installation and tuning of the organ, Goulding & Wood has impressed us. We feel confident that this instrument will give us many new opportunities to glorify God and bolster our solid music ministry. And we are excited to know that professionals with the skill and attentiveness of Goulding & Wood will be maintaining the organ for us for years to come.

The Rev. Bailey Norman

Goulding & Wood Pipe Organ Builders
Steven Baker · Bob Duffy · Mark Goulding · Chris Gray · Rob Heighway · Jerin Kelly · Phil Lehman · Jason Overall · Mike Powell · Kurt Ryll · David Sims · Mike Vores · Brandon Woods