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New Organs

January 18, 2003
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Andover Organ Company, Methuen, Massachusetts, has completed
a new organ, Opus 111, for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; 36
stops, 1,889 pipes, compass 58/32. The organ sits on a stage at the head of an
ellipse and rises 28 feet. Donald H. Olson, designer, stated, "this case
is an idea that has had a gestation period of about 30 years, waiting for just
the right building."

The building is the University's new 130,000 square
foot School of Music. The $26.5 million structure was 16 years in the planning
and execution, designed by Calloway, Johnson, Moore, and West, PA, of
Winston-Salem, in conjunction with Howard, Montgomery, and Steger Performance
Architects of New Orleans. It features the distinctive design element of an
elliptically shaped 130-seat organ hall, located on the structure's
southwest corner, the northern terminus of historic College Avenue.

The interior of the elliptical room is divided into 12
segments by concrete pillars. Convex dark red brick walls between the pillars
offer an acoustical dispersal of sound minimizing the acoustical problems of an
essentially round room. Windows high on the 40-foot walls offer daylight
without intruding on the performing space.

Andover Organ Company worked in close collaboration with
Robert Burns King, Instructor of Organ at the University, on all phases of the
instrument's design. Of the case Donald Olson observes, "You could
say it is in homage to the late Joseph Schaeffer who designed those exciting
and revolutionary cases for Klais Orgelbau in Germany and who had a profound
influence on my development as an organ case designer." The five
half-round towers house the Great and Pedal 8' Montres of polished tin.
The pipe shades are random lengths of folded copper, some polished, others
tinned, flamed or scored to reflect and scatter the light. The
Zimbelstern's rotating star pierces the center pipe, low C of the
8' Montre. The case wood is solid bleached ash with honey colored natural
red oak trim.

The console is built of solid mahogany with a matched
mahogany burl veneer inlaid in the music rack. The engraved drawknobs are
rosewood, while the naturals are antique mastodon ivory with ebony sharps. The
Positive division is enclosed just above the console with arched doors which
open and close by means of an expression pedal. Key action is mechanical. Stop
action is electric to allow for a Solid State Logic combination action with 32
levels of memory. Manual coupler action is also electric, activated by
pull-down magnets that operate a duplicate set of pallets on the Swell and
Positive divisions allowing for a continued light and responsive action even
with the couplers engaged. Pedal couplers are mechanical.

The tonal design of the organ was worked out between Robert
Burns King and Robert J. Reich, Andover's Tonal Director. The purpose was
to provide the university with an instrument that provided the maximum flexibility.
While the sound and tonal scheme are basically eclectic, the organ does have a
French accent. It is able to perform all schools of literature effectively and
well.

Those who worked on the organ include Robert J. Reich, tonal
director and finisher; Donald H. Olson, case design, university liaison; Jay
Harold Zoller, mechanical design, installation; Benjamin G. Mague, construction
and installation supervisor; Edward C. Bradley, windchest construction, case
finishing, installation; Eleanor Baum and Betty Swett, secretaries; Moises
Carrasco III, pipemaker; Anne J. Doré, office manager; Michael W. Eaton,
windchests, action and installation; Kirk Garner, case finishing; Albert
Hosman, Jr., casework; Paul McNamara, wiring and tonal finishing; Felicia F.
Morlock, pipe racking and installation; John W. Morlock, pipe shades; Clark
Rice, pipemaker; Donald E. Reich, wooden pipemaker and handiman; Eleanor
Richardson, pipe racking, rollerboards; Craig A. Seaman, wiring and
installation; James Stewart, wind system; Thomas E. Turmel, pipe racking; Josef
Lasota & Sons, pipemaker.

--Donald H. Olson &

Eleanor Richardson

Andover Organ Company

 

GREAT

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bourdon

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Montre

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte
à Cheminée

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte
Harmonique (44 pipes)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Prestant

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flute
Couverte

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Doublette

                  IV style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Fourniture
(232 pipes)

                                    Zimbelstern

SWELL

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Salicional

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Voix
Celeste (49 pipes)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte
Conique

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Prestant

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Nazard

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octavin

                  13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Tierce

                  III style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Plein
Jeu (174 pipes)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Basson

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trompette

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Hautbois

                                    Tremblant

POSITIVE

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte
a Cheminée

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Doublette

                  11/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Larigot

                  II style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Cymbale
(prep)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Cromorne

                                    Tremblant

PEDAL

                  32' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Grand
Bourdon (32 notes)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Soubasse

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bourdon
(Gt)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Montre

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flûte
(Gt)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  III style='mso-tab-count:1'>            Mixture
(prep)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bombarde

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trompette

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Clairon

Couplers

                                    Swell
to Great

                                    Swell
to Positive

                                    Positive
to Great

                                    Great
to Pedal

                                    Swell
to Pedal

                                    Positive
to Pedal

 

Nichols & Simpson, Inc., Little Rock, Arkansas, has
built a new organ for Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church of Little Rock:
73 ranks, 54 stops. It replaces an organ built in 1960 by Schantz, some
pipework from which was revoiced and incorporated into the new instrument. In
consultation with Dennis Fleischer, acoustician of Boulder, Colorado, the
porous hadite concrete block walls were acoustically sealed with multiple
applications of Okon. Pew cushions were removed and all flooring was replaced
with slate.

The console is made of oak. Manual natural keys are of bone,
sharps of rosewood. Drawknobs are turned of rosewood with bone faces inset. The
combination action has 99 levels of memory and a four-level adjustable
crescendo system. The organ is equipped with a MIDI sequencer. Case pipes are
flamed copper. The main windchests are of pallet and slider construction with
electric key action. Wind pressure is 100mm for all stops except the Bombarde
which is voiced on 152mm, the Tuba on 20 inches, and the Festival Trumpet on 8
inches. Two dedication services were held on February 14, 1999; each service
was followed with a recital by Huw Lewis.

 

GREAT

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Violone

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Harmonic
Flute

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Violone

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Nachthorn

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Twelfth

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Fifteenth

                  13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Seventeenth

                                    Fourniture
V

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trompette
Harmonique

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chamade

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Festival
Trumpet

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Tuba

                                    Tremolo

                                    Chimes

                                    Gt
Unison Off

SWELL

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gedeckt

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Diapason

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chimney
Flute

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Viole
de Gambe

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Viole
Celeste

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flauto
Dolce

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Flute
Celeste

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Harmonic
Flute

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Nasard

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octavin

                  13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Tierce

                                    Plein
Jeu V

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Double
Trumpet

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trompette

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Hautbois

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Vox
Humana

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Clairon
II

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chamade

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Festival
Trumpet

                                    Tremolo

                                    Sw
16-UO-4

CHOIR

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gemshorn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Viola
Pomposa

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Viola
Celeste

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Gemshorn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Gemshorn
Celeste

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Spitz
Principal

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Koppelflute

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  11/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>      Larigot

                                    Petite
Fourniture V

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          English
Horn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trompette

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             English
Horn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Clarinet*

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Rohr
Schalmei

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chamade

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Festival
Trumpet

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Tuba

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Tuba

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Harp*

                                    Tremolo

                                    Cymbelstern

                                    Ch
16-UO-4

ANTIPHONAL

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Principal

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Gemshorn

                                    Mixture
IV

PEDAL

                  32' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bourdon*

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Open
Wood*

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Contre
Basse

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Violone
(Gt)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Subbass

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gemshorn
(Ch)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gedeckt
(Sw)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Antiphonal
Bourdon*

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Octave

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Violone
(Gt)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Gemshorn
(Ch)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chimney
Flute (Sw)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Choral
Bass

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bourdon

                                    Mixture
V

                  32' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Contre
Bombarde*

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bombarde

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Double
Trumpet (Sw)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          English
Horn (Ch)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bombarde

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Trumpet
(Sw)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Bombarde

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             English
Horn (Ch)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Chamade

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>             Festival
Trumpet

                                    Chimes

 

*digital voices

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