Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs, LLC, San Leandro, California
St. Maria Goretti Parish, Scottsdale, Arizona
Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs bring Möller Opus 10,731 into the 21st century
Located due east of Phoenix, the Scottsdale parish of St. Maria Goretti today boasts a healthy membership of 1,200 families. Established in 1967, by 1971 the parish had constructed its present church building based on the floor plan of a Greek cross. Going up from the cross arms of the floor are four hyperbolic arches, which meet to form a center dome rising to a height of 70 feet. In 1973 M. P. Möller, Inc. completed its Opus 10,731 for St. Maria Goretti parish consisting of 39 ranks in five divisions.
Visually the Möller design at St. Maria Goretti is reminiscent of the Cadet Chapel organ in Colorado Springs. At St. Maria Goretti, the Great, Choir, Swell, and Pedal are installed in a gallery over the north transept. Speaking from a balcony in the west transept is the Nave division. The large four-manual console was placed in the choir area between the main part of the organ and the sanctuary.
Unfortunately, the organ was installed without service lights in the organ chambers. Any service person walking into the organ was not only faced with the formidable task of tuning a multi-layered organ, but also with attempting to fix numerous note failures. Without proper lighting, these undertakings would have overwhelmed even the most seasoned organ technician. The increasing inability to properly maintain the organ coupled with the popularity of guitar and piano accompaniments led the organ down a path toward oblivion. Its salvation lay in the organ’s stunning visual design (a constant reminder to the parishioners that they actually had a pipe organ) and the vision of a handful of people.
Inspired by the new guidelines on music for the Roman Catholic Church, Ann Weiss, director of music and liturgy for the church, decided to take action. With the help and support of the pastor, Fr. Greg Schlarb, Weiss formed a plan to save the organ. A generous benefactor was found within the parish who provided the funds for a restoration and had the forethought to include provisions for future maintenance. With the blessings of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, the project to renovate the organ took shape.
In April of 2005, Hupalo & Repasky Pipe Organs (H&RPO) were contacted to evaluate the organ’s condition. It was found that the Nave division, bearing the full brunt of the late afternoon sun, had suffered the most leather deterioration. The remainder of the organ, located in the north transept, was not far behind in this respect. The church is cooled by a large swamp cooler. Normally, an air-conditioning system reduces humidity in a building, but the swamp cooler does the opposite. This added humidity in the room caused severe corrosion on the metal tuners and the surface of the exposed pipework. The large four-manual console also exhibited typical leather failure, worn bushings, and corroded contacts.
By May of 2005, the church had decided to retain and restore the original Möller chest actions and layout without alterations. The console, however, was another matter. Due to its size, there was no sight line for the organist to any spot in the church. A four-manual drawknob console is not easy to see over. The bulky console also hindered the pianist’s view to the sanctuary.
Ann Weiss asked if we could build a smaller console yet have all the controls of the old Möller console. The new console would also need to be easily movable. Now for the question that may have been the deal breaker. Could we finish releathering the entire instrument and provide a new console by September 1, 2005? The answer was no. A compromise was therefore in order. We could releather the organ and have it playing by September. The new low-profile solid-state console would by ready for the rededication on December 1. An agreement was reached, and we started the work in May.
The project began with the removal of the numerous reservoirs; there were at least three per division. The term “impacted molar” took on an entirely new meaning. The intricate web of wind trunks was then removed. Next, all bottom boards came down. All pipes were taken out for cleaning and fitted with new stainless steel tuning slides. Washing of the pipes was begun outside the church. As soon as the temperature reached 115°, Fr. Greg, acting like a good shepherd, moved us into a more comfortable air-conditioned space in the parish hall.
By the end of the very hot summer of 2005, all the cleaned pipes with their new tuners were placed back in the organ after service lights were installed and all the toe and rack boards were vacuumed and cleaned. Before the releathered pouch boards were installed, all the pitman valves and retainers were replaced. Next, the numerous releathered regulators were put in place and wind lines reattached. The organ was then made (minimally) playable to the old four-manual console.
As far as the new console was concerned, everyone at H&RPO agreed a terraced drawknob console would solve the sight line problems. A maximum height of 48" was our goal. Mark Dahlberg, our design/engineer, was given the job of designing the console. He developed a plan incorporating casters directly inside the console thus eliminating the need for a rolling platform. For the new console, it was decided to eliminate the top Nave manual and make it a floating division. When completed, the new three-manual console measured 47" from floor to the top of the console lid. We installed a solid-state switching and combination system in conjunction with optical key sensing.
The cabinetry of the console incorporated the finest quality materials. They were selected not only to match the case of the existing instrument, but also to blend with the details of the environment. The console shell is made from quarter-sawn white oak with a tung oil finish. A six-sided marquetry design taken from the church’s cast bronze doors was incorporated into the upper side and back panels. The jambs and nameboard are European pear wood with a French polish. To accentuate the connection between the organist’s fingers and the keys, we prefer to use organic materials for key coverings. The natural keys therefore were made of polished bone. The sharps are made of the darkest ebony known (diospyros mollis, often used in black dyes). Rosewood key cheeks were chosen to contrast with the pear wood. Ebony was used for the hand-turned stop knobs. To distinguish the MIDI stops, mesquite, a native tree of the Southwest, was selected. The console connects the organist with the pipes in order to create music. Because of this, it is necessary for the console to be a pleasing and well-planned tactile environment for the musician. The music rack, stop faces, pedalboard, and the adjustable bench must be all carefully and ergonomically located in order to work together and assist the organist’s ability to communicate through the instrument.
By November, the new console was in Scottsdale ready to be connected and by the first of December it was ready for its debut. Dr. Robert Huw Morgan, Stanford University Organist, was chosen to be the rededication recitalist.
The following personnel and suppliers were involved in this successful project: Rick Celestino, Mark Dahlberg, John N. Hupalo, Bill Klinger, Joe Lamberina, Steve Repasky, Samuel Rohas, Jan Rowland, William Visscher, Shayne Ward, Classic Organ Works, F. Booth & Son, Ltd., P&S Supply Company, and Organ Supply Industries.
—John Hupalo & Steve Repasky
Blessing and Program, December 1, 2005
St. Maria Goretti Parish, Scottsdale, Arizona
Bishop Thomas Olmsted
Fr. Greg Schlarb, V.P., pastor
St. Maria Goretti Music Ministry Choir, Ann Weiss, director; David McDaniel, accompanist
Robert Huw Morgan, organ recitalist
Blessing Service
Let Us Go Rejoicing, B. Hurd
Psalm 66—Let All The Earth, M. Haugen
Gloria, A. Vivaldi
Organ Recital
Marcia from Symphony No. 3, C. M. Widor
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, D. Buxtehude
Fantasia in F minor, W. A. Mozart
Fantasia and Fugue on ‘Ad nos ad salutarem undam’, F. Liszt
GREAT
8’ Principal
8’ Bourdon
8’ Gemshorn
4’ Octave
2’ Waldflöte
IV Mixture
Chimes
MIDI
CHOIR
8’ Holz Gedeckt
8’ Dulciana
8’ Unda Maris
4’ Koppelflöte
2’ Flöten Principal
11⁄3’ Larigot
8 Zajic Regal
8 Trompette en Chamade
Tremolo
MIDI
SWELL
16’ Flute Conique (ext)
8’ Flute Conique
8’ Viole d’Gambe
8’ Viole Celeste
4’ Geigen Octave
4’ Flute Triangular
22⁄3’ Nazard
2’ Harmonic Flute
13⁄5’ Tierce
III Plein Jeu
8’ Trompette
4’ Clarion (ext)
Tremolo
MIDI
NAVE
16’ Quintaten (prep)
8’ Montre
8’ Bourdon
8’ Erzähler & Celeste
4’ Italian Principal
2’ Flachflöte
III Cymbale (prep)
MIDI
PEDAL
32’ Untersatz (digital)
16’ Violone
16’ Bourdon
16’ Flute Conique (Sw)
8’ Octave Violone (ext)
8’ Major Flute (ext)
8’ Conique Flute (Sw)
4’ Spitz Principal
2’ Spitz Principal (ext)
16’ Contra Trompet (ext, Sw)
16’ Zajic Regal (ext, Ch)
8’ Trompet (Sw)
4’ Clarion (Sw)
MIDI
NAVE PEDAL
16’ Montre (ext)
16’ Subbass (main Ped Bourdon)
16’ Quintaton (prep)
8’ Octave Bass (manual)
4’ Super Octave (manual)
MIDI
