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New Organs

December 12, 2005
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Glück New York,

New York, New York

The Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Cold Spring, New York

This historic church, known for its remarkable collection of stained glass windows, was recently restored, with a new instrument and a marble chancel floor included in the renewal plans. Under the direction of Fr. Brian McSweeney, Pastor; Frances Pergamo, Director of Music; and Fr. Richard D. Baker of the New York Archdiocese, three organbuilders were each invited to present their vision of an appropriate musical instrument. The smallest and most stylistically focused proposal submitted, the new Glück organ occupies a traditional position in the rear gallery to great acoustical advantage. While the organ looks toward the French orgue d’accompagnement of the 1860s for both its concept and tonal palette, it is certainly not intended to be a stylistic copy.

The manual soundboards are placed side-by-side at impost level, with the Swell to the right, its vertical shutters operated by direct mechanical linkage. The two large wooden pedal stops stand on their own windchests behind the organ. The Great organ incorporates some pipework from a mid-1870s Levi Underwood Stuart organ of undetermined provenance. Interior metal pipes are of 70% lead alloy, except for the Swell strings, which are of 50% tin. Wooden pipework is of pine and fir. The façade pipes are built with English bay leaf mouths arrayed in a swag pattern after Gottfried Silbermann’s façades of the 1740s.

The walnut keydesk en fenêtre sports beveled figured maple jambs and pao ferro drawknobs. Both pedal and manual accidentals are Brazilian rosewood. Compasses are 56/30; there is no combination action, but the three unison couplers are reversible by toe paddles. The case is painted in various shades of olive, with details in sapphire, ruby, and faux marbre. Architectural design was by Sebastian M. Glück, who executed the Neapolitan-style angel, tower finials, and buttress niches, which are suitably polychromed and gilded. Color photographs may be viewed at the firm’s web site at <www.glucknewyork.com&gt;.

The structural design and layout are the work of Albert Jensen-Moulton, general manager of the firm, who was assisted in the construction of the organ by Dominic Inferrera, foreman. Voicing and tonal finishing were accomplished on site by Sebastian M. Glück, tonal director. The organ was formally dedicated in a series of three recitals by Lana Kollath, Dr. Jennifer Pascual, and the builder.

--Benito Orso

GREAT

8’               Open Diapason

8’               Open Wood Flute

4’               Principal

2’               Doublet

8’               Hautboy (from Swell)

                       Swell to Great

                       Swell to Great Octaves

SWELL

8’               Salicional

8’               Voix Céleste

8’               Stopped Diapason

4’               Harmonic Flute

8’               Hautboy

                       Tremulant

                       Swell to Swell Octaves

PEDAL

16’           Open Wood Bass

16’           Stopped Bass

8’               Octave  from Great

8’               Hautboy from Swell

                       Great to Pedal

                       Swell to Pedal

                       Swell to Pedal Octaves

Karl Wilhelm, Inc., of Mont St-Hilaire, Québec, Canada, has built opus 150 for the Benedictine Monastery Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Québec, Canada. This project was made possible by multiple benefactors and contributors, and also in large part due to the support of Père Abbé Dom Jacques Garneau, Dom André Laberge, and Dom Richard Gagné. Dom André Laberge performed the dedication recital.

Karl Wilhelm conceived the design, participated in its construction, and supervised the project. The craftsmen that participated in this project are Claude Godbout, Claude Chauvin, Sylvain Parent, Jacques L’Italien, and François Desautels. This instrument is primarily designed for the liturgy of the monastery and contains the necessary stops to play the classic Germanic composers and the French Classic literature, as well as the romantic and modern repertoire. The 3-manual organ comprises 42 stops and 2,692 pipes, and is placed on the side of the church between the sanctuary and the nave. The case is built of oil-finished solid white oak with proportions in the classical tradition. The motifs of the ornamentation reflect certain elements of the modern architecture of this church. Suspended mechanical key action and electric stop action are featured with SSL combination action (64 levels) and sequencer. The organ is triple decked, with the keydesk positioned in the base of the organ in order to maximize the sensitivity of the suspended mechanical linkage between keys and pallets. The natural keys are covered with bone and sharps are of solid ebony. The instrument has two wedge-shaped bellows and a winding configuration that creates the flexible-wind effect (wind pressure of 60 mm and 70 mm).

Tuning is according to a temperament by Bach-Kellner, which yields seven pure fifths. The principal rank of each division (except the Positiv) is placed in the façade of the organ (75% tin).

--Karl Wilhelm

HAUPTWERK

16’           Bourdon

8’               Prinzipal

8’               Rohrflöte

8’               Viola da gamba

4’               Oktave

4’               Spitzflöte

22?3’      Quinte

2’               Superoktave

8’               Cornet V

11?3’      Mixtur IV

8’               Trompette

SCHWELLWERK (expressive)

8’               Prinzipal

8’               Gambe

8’               Hohlflöte

8’               Celeste

4’               Prinzipal

4’               Flûte harmonique

22?3’      Nasard

2’               Waldflöte

13?5’      Terz

2’               Mixtur IV

16’           Dulzian

8’               Oboe

                       Tremblant

POSITIV (expressive)

8’               Gedackt

8’               Salicional

4’               Prinzipal

4’               Rohrflöte

22?3’      Nasard

2’               Oktave

13?5’      Terz

11?3’      Larigot

1’               Scharf III

8’               Cromorne

                       Tremblant

PEDAL

16’           Prinzipal

16’           Subbass

8’               Prinzipal

8’               Bourdon

4’               Oktave

22?3’      Rauschpfeife IV

16’           Posaune

8’               Trompete

4’               Clairon

 

Zimbelstern (8 clochettes)

Positiv/Hauptwerk

Schwellwerk/Hauptwerk

Hauptwerk/Pedal

Positiv/Pedal

Schwellwerk/Pedal

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