Schoenstein & Co., organ builders of San Francisco, has installed a two-manual, 11-rank pipe organ for St. John's Lutheran Church of American Falls, Idaho. This instrument preserves the original look of the church by incorporating the organ into the design of the altar and reredos. The case and console are made of quartered white oak. The display pipes are of copper finished in gold.
Jack Bethards, president and tonal director of Schoenstein & Co., designed the relatively small stoplist of the organ to provide maximum versatility in both tone color and dynamic range. The greatest challenge, after space limitations, was to design an instrument of rich and vibrant sound to overcome a moderately "dry" acoustic. All stops are under expression except for the Pedal extensions of the Great.
The Great division features a traditional Diapason chorus of 8', Octave and Mixture. The Octave is of narrow scale in the bass for clarity, graduating to larger scale to add power in the upper octaves. A Mixture is included due to the relatively large size of the building and the requirements of Lutheran worship. A special feature of the Great is borrowing the 4' Octave at 8' pitch to serve as a second Diapason of contrasting tone. The Great 8' Flute is unique in having stopped wooden Bourdon pipes in the lower octaves and open metal harmonic flutes in the upper range. This combination stop provides a lyrical solo quality in the upper range with accompanimental character in the lower octaves, a practice often found in small French Romantic organs. The Great Flügel Horn serves the dual role of oboe and muted trumpet.
The Swell has a small-scale, colorful Chimney Flute. The Swell Salicional and Unda Maris are small scale echo principals. The Salicional combines with the Chimney Flute to provide 8' foundation for the division. A full chorus of trumpet tone is provided by the 8' English-style Trumpet extended to 16' and 4'.
The Pedal 16' Diapason is made of wood except that the lowest few pipes are made on the Haskell system with copper and spotted metal interior canisters. The next few pipes have half-shades and the rest are fully open. (Photo credit: Lucian)
--Larry Simpson
GREAT
16' Bourdon (borrow Gt & Ped)
8' First Open Diapason
8' Second Open Diapason (Bdn bass)
8' Bourdon & Flute
4' Octave (ext)
2' Mixture III
8' Flügel Horn
Tremulant
Gt 4'
Sw 8'
MIDI
SWELL
8' Chimney Flute
8' Salicional (Chim Fl bass)
8' Celeste (TC)
4' Chimney Flute (ext)
4' Salicet (ext)
22?3' Nazard (ext Chim Fl)
2' Fifteenth (ext)
16' Trumpet
8' Trumpet (ext)
4' Trumpet (ext)
Tremulant
MIDI
PEDAL
16' Diapason (wood, ext Gt)
16' Sub Bass (wood, ext Gt)
8' Diapason (Gt)
8' Great Bass (Gt)
8' Swell Bass (Sw)
4' Octave (Gt)
16' Trumpet (Sw)
8' Trumpet (Sw)
4' Flügel Horn (Gt)
Gt 8'
Sw 8'
Sw 4'
MIDI
Wahl Organbuilders, Appleton, Wisconsin, has built a new organ, Opus 10, for the Parish of Christ the King, Washington, DC. The small but resonant sanctuary presented organ design and construction problems. The parish required a balcony location for the organ even though the balcony floor to ceiling height was only eight and a half feet. Both the church and builder understood the importance of the 8' Principal in supporting congregational singing. This resulted in the key design solution of building the full length open 8' Principal bass pipes as part of the casework.
The organ project was started by a gift from the Purvis family of the parish. Four stops were contracted with two additional stops being prepared. At the beginning of construction, additional discussions with John Johnson, parish organist, about tonal versatility and solo sounds caused the Sesquialtera to be added. Vicar Paul Sterne led the arrangements that allowed the entire organ to be completed. Alan Laufman of the Organ Clearing House served as advisor to the project.
The sound in the room is filling and supportive with various chorus registrations supporting small to large congregational singing. The three eight foot stops, like American organs from the 19th century, are usable in all combinations for increased versatility. The only four foot in the organ is a hybrid stop that, through variable scaling, works with both the principal and flute stops. The Sesquialtera can be either a solo stop on the divided keyboard or a telling addition to the full organ sound.
The project was an enjoyable synthesis of ideals and limitations where the results are due to the energetic interaction among the builders, the musicians, and the parish members. No one party would have achieved the results obtained by all parties working together in a musically supportive environment.
--Ronald Wahl
MANUAL
8' Principal
8' Bourdon
8' Dulciana
4' Octave
2' Octave
3' Quint/Sesquialtera II
PEDAL
16 Bourdon
Manual Coupler
Martin Ott Pipe Organ Company, St. Louis, Missouri, has built a new organ for Sumner Presbyterian Church, Sumner, Mississippi. The firm's Opus 96 comprises 19 ranks, 16 stops, on two manuals and pedal. The mechanical action instrument features a tonal design to support congregational sing-ing and play a variety of organ literature. The case is constructed of Mississippi Delta red gum in three gothic arches, in keeping with the decoration of the church's Akron Plan sanctuary, built in 1919. All stops, except the Principal 8', are under expression. Manual/pedal compass is 56/30. Mr. R. Keith Turnipseed chaired the organ committee. Mr. Perry Redfearn consulted on this organ and played the dedication recital on October 22, 2000.
MANUAL I
8' Principal (1–5 from Chm Fl)
8' Chimney Flute
4' Octave
2' Flute
11?3' Mixture III-IV
8' Trumpet
MANUAL II
8' Stopped Flute
8' Gamba (1–12 from Stp Fl)
8' Viola Celeste (TF)
4' Spire Flute
II Sesquialter (TC)
2' Principal
11?3' Quint
PEDAL
16' Subbass
8' Pommer (1–18 from Subbass)
4' Choral Bass
Couplers
I/II
I/Ped
II/Ped
