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New Organs

December 11, 2006
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Karl Wilhelm Inc., Mont St. Hilaire, Québec, Canada, Opus 155

St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Berea, Ohio

The new organ at St. Thomas Episcopal Church is built according to classical principles. Key and stop action are mechanical. The organ consists of three divisions: the Great, above the impost, the Swell, enclosed in its own case behind the main organ, and the Pedal, with the Great except for the Subbass 16' and Posaune 16', which are of poplar wood and are on both sides behind. There are 21 stops and a total of 1156 pipes. Natural keys are plated with cow bone; sharps are ebony.

The organ is located in front of the stained glass window, where the sound projects along the central axis of the church. The casework is made of solid white oak, compatible to this modern church. The pipe shades above the pipes are motifs taken from the stained glass window, thus providing an acoustical function as well as enhancing the visual appearance of the organ.

In order to achieve a satisfying tonal ensemble, various stops have been chosen from different schools of organ building. The St. Thomas Episcopal Church organ mainly represents the classic German and French orientation with its principal choruses, flutes, strings, and reed stops. The brilliant sound of the instrument can be attributed in part to the temperament after Vallotti, which yields six pure fifths. The metal façade pipes are 75% pure polished tin. Other metal pipes in the organ are an alloy of 40% tin and 60% lead. This instrument has one wedge-shaped bellows and a winding configuration that creates a flexible wind effect.

— Karl Wilhelm Inc.

Facteurs d’Orgues-Organbuilders

Karl Wilhelm Opus 155

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Berea, Ohio

GREAT (C–g¢¢¢ 56 notes)

16' Bourdon

8' Principal

8' Rohrflöte

4' Octave

22⁄3' Quinte

2' Superoktave

13/5' Terz

11/3' Mixtur IV

8' Trompete

SWELL (C–g''' 56 notes)

8' Salicional

8' Celeste TC

8' Hohlflöte

4' Spitzflöte

2' Doublette

11/3' Larigot

8' Oboe

Tremolo

PEDAL (C–f' 30 notes)

16' Subbass

8' Offenflöte

4' Choralbass

16' Posaune

8' Trompete (Great)



One manual coupler and two pedal couplers

Zimbelstern with 8 bronze bells

Levsen Organ Company,

Buffalo, Iowa

St. Peter Lutheran Church, Denver, Iowa

In 1902, Carl Schmidt donated a piece of land in the center of Denver, Iowa, to what is now St. Peter Lutheran Church. Denver is a little town of about 1700 residents north of Waterloo, Iowa, where the church now stands. By 1912, the predominantly Swedish congregation recognized the need for a pipe organ to enhance their musical worship. They purchased a 5-rank Hinners tracker organ from Pekin, Illinois. This information was disclosed by the Hinners Opus List created by E. A. Broadway in 1962. The organ was rebuilt with new electric action in 1954 by the Wicks Company of Highland, Illinois, and three ranks were added at that time. By the late 1980s, the organ developed serious problems with the relay; therefore, an organ committee was formed to explore their options.

Church member Marvin Schumacher, although not on the committee, made an important suggestion when the decision to go ahead and rebuild the organ had been made. As the owner of the Schumacher Elevator Company and builder of passenger, freight, and other elevators, he understood the need for safety and reliability. He proposed that a digital relay would be most appropriate. As his company’s website says, “Schumacher components are built to last,” and with that idea, the Levsen Organ Company of Buffalo, Iowa, which had serviced the instrument since around 1970, was awarded the contract to rebuild and enlarge the organ using a digital relay system.

Levsen Organ Company expanded the romantic instrument to include a 2' Fifteenth, III Mixture, 8' Trompette, 4' Gemshorn in the Swell and a 22⁄3' Nazard in order to provide more colorful ensembles. The church opted to keep all the organ pipes in the chamber rather than expose them. The entire 15 ranks are now under expression and are successful in leading the congregation in hymn singing and worship.

Organist August Knoll of Wheatland, Iowa had served as a consultant with proposals for enlarging and making these changes, and performed the dedication service.

—Tamara Fudge, D.Mus.

Moline, Illinois


GREAT

8' Open Diapason

8' Melodia

8' Dulciana

4' Octave

4' Concert Flute (12 pipes)

2' Fifteenth

III Mixture

8' Trompette (Sw)


SWELL

8' Stopped Diapason

8' Salicional

8' Vox Angelica (TC)

4' Gemshorn

22⁄3' Nazard

2' Gemshorn (12 pipes)
16' Fagott (TC, ext)

8' Trompette

4' Oboe

Tremolo


PEDAL

32' Resultant (32 notes)

16' Bourdon

16' Lieblich Gedeckt (12 pipes)

8' Open Diapason (Gt)

8' Bassflöte (12 pipes)

4' Choralbass (Gt)

16' Trompette (12 pipes)

8' Trompette (Sw)

4' Oboe (Sw)

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