Schoenstein & Co., Benicia, California; Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond, Virginia
When organist Douglas Brown approached us to build an organ for Union Presbyterian Seminary of Richmond, Virginia, he had a singular focus: maximum dynamic and tonal color range fitting within a small organ loft. Over the years our multum in parvo approach has led to versatile instruments in small spaces, and Union Presbyterian Seminary joins an unusual group of organs in this style that contain only one double-enclosed stop. (The other two are Bishop Spencer Place, Kansas City, Missouri, and Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, High Point, North Carolina.)
Watts Chapel, housed in a beautiful, historic late Victorian building from 1896, is a semi-circular room with the organ placed above and behind the dais. This allows the organ to speak directly into the chapel, a great advantage. After careful measuring, we determined that an organ of eight ranks would be all that can fit in the tight space. The organ would be entirely enclosed, save for a few bass and façade pipes, and only the most essential stops would be chosen. We knew that the double-enclosed Trumpet would be a key part of the organ’s success.
One of the primary advantages of double-expression is the ability to create more dynamic range while retaining the smooth crescendo and decrescendo of a swell box. In larger organs, we double-enclose the softest and loudest stops of the organ to expand both sides of the dynamic spectrum. In smaller organs, we double-enclose only the Trumpet to increase the dynamic range upward. The double-enclosed Trumpet expands an organ’s tonal range in several ways: a) the Trumpet stop can be voiced louder and thus play from pp to fff; b) the Trumpet can serve as both a solo and ensemble stop; and c) the rest of the organ’s expression can essentially be controlled separately. Where in the jobs mentioned above we had an 8′ Trumpet double-enclosed, here we were able to add a 16′ octave.
Another advantage to double-expression is its ability to change a stop’s identity. By “setting” the inner swell to the appropriate dynamic level, the organist can use the single Trumpet stop as a quieter ensemble stop, apt for choir accompaniment. The organist could also open the inner shades enough for a “standard” swell chorus reed. And if the shades are open all the way, the Trumpet can gain enough power to be a solo reed fit for wedding processions and English choral anthems.
When using the Trumpet in these various ways, the overall effect would be severely limited by having the whole organ under the same expression. However, thanks to double-expression, the rest of the organ can be controlled independently of the Trumpet. This allows for more dynamic control while maintaining the Trumpet’s relationship to the rest of the organ. For example, if the Trumpet is being used as a quieter accompaniment stop it can still crescendo and decrescendo in even proportion to the rest of the organ.
Douglas Brown, director of music, played the dedicatory service on September 25, 2022. From the seamless introductory crescendo in Balfour Gardiner’s Evening Hymn to a heroic performance of Widor’s “Toccata” from the fifth symphony, Brown has already demonstrated the breadth of color and dynamic available on such a small organ. The instrument is now in consistent use for services and events, and we are especially proud to have this opus give musical inspiration and training to future generations of Presbyterian ministers.
Builder’s website: schoenstein.com
Seminary website: upsem.edu
GREAT (Manual I, enclosed †)
16′ Bourdon (ext 8′) 12 pipes
8′ Open Diapason 61 pipes (bass in façade)
8′ Open Diapason mf (Lieb. Ged. bass)
8′ Dulciana (Swell)
8′ Lieblich Gedeckt 61 pipes
4′ Principal 61 pipes
4′ Lieblich Gedeckt (ext 8′) 12 pipes
2-2⁄3′ Twelfth (TC, fr Nineteenth)
2′ Fifteenth (Swell)
1-1⁄3′ Nineteenth 54 pipes
8′ Trumpet (Swell)
8′ Clarinet ††
†All pipes except 1–11 of the Open Diapason and 1–12 of the Bourdon are in the Swell box
††Prepared
SWELL (Manual II, enclosed)
8′ Dulciana (Lieb. Ged. bass) 49 pipes
8′ Vox Celeste (TC) 49 pipes
8′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Great)
4′ Dulcet (ext 8′) 12 pipes
4′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Great)
2-2⁄3′ Nazard (fr Lieblich Gedeckt)
2′ Fifteenth (ext 8′ Dulciana) 12 pipes
16′ Bass Trumpet (ext 8′) † 12 pipes
8′ Trumpet † 61 pipes
Tremulant
†In a separate expression box inside master expression box
PEDAL
32′ Resultant
16′ Bourdon (Great)
8′ Open Diapason (Great)
8′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Great)
4′ Fifteenth (Great 8′ Open Diapason)
4′ Dulcet (Swell)
4′ Lieblich Gedeckt (Great)
16′ Bass Trumpet (Swell)
8′ Trumpet (Swell)
4′ Clarinet (Great) †
†prepared
Couplers
Intermanual
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Pedal 4′
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great
Swell to Great 4′
Intramanual
Swell 16′
Swell Unison Off
Swell 4′
MECHANICALS
Solid-state capture combination action:
5,000 memories
12 General pistons
Great to Pedal Reversible
Programmable piston range
Piston sequencer, two + toe levers
Record/Playback system
2 manuals, 7 voices, 7 ranks, 456 pipes
