The new organ at St. James's Episcopal Church, Richmond,
Virginia, was designed and built by C. B. Fisk, Inc., of Gloucester,
Massachusetts. Opus 112 of the Fisk firm, the three-manual instrument of 62
ranks is housed in a linen white case. The specification reflects the many
roles a modern American church organ must play: leading hymn singing,
accompanying choral music, and playing hundreds of years of organ repertoire.
As the church was rebuilt following a disastrous fire of
1994, C. B. Fisk was a partner in design discussions with Fred Cox and Sarah Grier of the architectural firm of Marcellus, Wright, Cox, and Smith, and with
acoustician David Klepper of Klepper Marshall King. All shared a common goal of
creating a space that would enhance the ability of the organ to speak clearly.
The extra height of the new barrel-vaulted ceiling and the creation of
additional space in the tower allowed us to place all but the largest pipes
within the sanctuary itself while leaving ample space for choir in the balcony.
The visual design of the organ was developed by Charles
Nazarian in consultation with the architects and other members of the Fisk
shop. An exact scale model of the rear portion of St. James's sanctuary was
built and the design created within it in order that the organ retain its own
identity, yet harmonize with the Greek Revival character of the church. The
organ's key actions were made simple and direct to reduce the literal and
figurative distance between musician and music. A servo-pneumatic lever,
developed by C. B. Fisk and similar to a Barker lever, can be engaged to assist
when divisions are coupled. The Swell and Positive divisions, both under
expression, were placed to the left and right above the amphitheater console,
with their pipes arranged from back to front in the 19th-century French style.
The Great division was placed above them to engage the ceiling and speak boldly
down the nave. The stop action is electric solenoid with combination action by
Solid State Logic. The manual divisions are winded from a single large wedge
bellows to ensure a unity of breath. For music enjoying a flexible wind supply,
a stopknob may be drawn to disengage an integrated system of wind stabilizers.
The facade pipes are of polished tin starting with CC of the Great 16'
Prestant.
The tonal design of Opus 112 evolved in consultation with
Robert Anderson and is the result of much thoughtful discussion with regard to
the requirements of the Episcopal liturgy and the solo organ literature,
together with careful study of the acoustical properties of the restored worship
space. The eclectic stoplist is a unique, historically informed blending of
stops representing many of the great eras and schools of organbuilding. If
there is a strong nod in the direction of the 19th-century master builder
Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, it is because in his work one finds, more than
anywhere else, the diversity, integrity, and expressiveness of tone most
becoming to and enriching of the Episcopal worship service. While rooted firmly
in historic principles, the organ's tonal profile is fresh and innovative, a
modern-day fusion of diverse elements, offering a singular and resolute musical
statement.
The finish voicing of Opus 112 was accomplished by a team of
five voicers working in rotation over the course of eight months, listening to
each of the organ's 3,439 pipes: alone, within its own rank, and finally in
combination with various other stops. The organ is tuned in a modified version
of the slightly unequal temperament first developed by Charles Fisk for House
of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul, Minnesota. This temperament flavors the
common keys for the performance of earlier music but still allows music to be
played in all keys.
The first of the inaugural recitals occurred on April 18
& 19 with organist Olivier Latry of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame,
Paris. Further inaugural recitals
include a Hymn Festival with Gerre Hancock, St. Thomas Church, New York on May
2 at 5:00 pm; Donald Sutherland,
Peabody Conservatory of Music, Baltimore on October 3 at 7:30 pm; and Lynne
Davis, National Regional Conservatory, Caen on November 1 at 7:30 pm.
--Steven Dieck
President, C.B. Fisk, Inc.
St. James's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
C. B. Fisk, Inc.,
Gloucester, Opus 112: 49
voices, 62 ranks, 3,439 pipes.
Great, 61 notes, Manual I
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prestant
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violoncelle
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spillpfeife
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flûte
harmonique
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flute
22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quinte
2' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Doublette
13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tierce
Mixture
IV-VI
Cornet
V
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bombarde
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompette
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trommeten
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clairon
Positive, 61 notes, Manual II, enclosed
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Principal
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Salicional
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Unda
maris
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Rohrflöte
22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Nasard
2' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Doublette
2'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quarte
de Nasard (prep)
13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Tierce
Mixture
IV
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cor
anglais
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Basson
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cromorne
Swell, 61 notes, Manual III, enclosed
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Viole
de gambe
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Voix
céleste
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flûte
traversière
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Cor
de Nuit (prep)
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prestant
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Flûte
octaviante
2' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octavin
Plein
jeu IV
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Basson
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompette
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Hautbois
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Voix
humaine
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clairon
Pedal, 32 notes
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(ext)
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Contrebasse
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Prestant
(Gt)
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violone style="mso-spacerun: yes"> (Pos)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bourdon
(Sw)
102/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Quinte style="mso-spacerun: yes"> (ext)
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Violoncelle
(Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Spillpfeife
(Gt)
4' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Octave
Mixture
IV (prep)
32'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Contre
Bombarde (ext)
16'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Bombarde
(Gt)
16' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Posaune
8' style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trompette style="mso-spacerun: yes"> (Gt)
8'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Trommeten
(Gt)
4'
style='mso-tab-count:1'> Clairon
(Gt)
Couplers
& Controls:
Swell
to Great
Positive
to Great
Swell
to Positive
Octaves
graves
Great
Ventil
Great
to Pedal
Swell
to Pedal
Positive
to Pedal
Positive
to Pedal 4
Flexible
Wind
2
Tremulants (fast & slow)
Clochettes
Balanced
Swell Pedal
