Dobson Pipe Organ Builders,
Lake City, Iowa
The Chapel of the Cross
(Episcopal),
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders of Lake City, Iowa, has installed its Op. 82 at the Chapel of the Cross (Episcopal), Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Organized on May 13, 1842, the Chapel of the Cross represented the first denomination to organize a congregation in Chapel Hill, and was intended to serve as a place where students and faculty of the University of North Carolina could worship according to their tradition. By the fall of 1842 specifications for a church building were prepared. Actual construction proceeded slowly and came to a halt several times due to lack of funds, but the chapel was completed debt-free and was consecrated on October 19, 1848. By 1921 the parish outgrew the modest chapel and built its current, larger sanctuary. New and old are connected by a cloister, all of similar architectural style. The chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
The newer sanctuary serves as the main worship space, while the chapel is used for services of up to a hundred people, numerous weddings and funerals where significant organ literature is played, and organ recitals. It was clear from the outset that the musical requirements of the new organ would be far greater than one might normally associate with a space such as the chapel. The organ builder’s challenge was to design a comprehensive two-manual organ with sufficient pedal, all within the proper visual and tonal proportions dictated by the room’s intimate physical and acoustical setting.
Initial design discussions for Op. 82 were lively, since the chapel’s significant musical needs were seemingly at odds with the historical committee’s concerns about a large organ case. Several key individuals contributed a great deal to these discussions: James and Susan Moeser, members of both the parish and the organ committee, as well as fine organists and teachers; Terry Byrd Eason, member of the parish and the organ committee, and also architectural consultant and designer involved with the chapel renovation; Clare Baum, resourceful chair of the organ committee; and Wylie S. Quinn, director of music and organist. In the end all were able to agree on a plan that achieved everyone’s goals.
Op. 82 is a two-manual and pedal instrument of 17 ranks with mechanical key and stop actions; for reasons of space and versatility, the Pedal has electric action. The organ is arranged like many 19th-century instruments: the Great is located at impost level immediately behind the façade, with the Swell placed behind the Great at a higher level. Underneath the Swell are the pipes of the Pedal. The blower and the weighted reservoir are located in a sacristy behind the wall against which the organ is placed. The organ case is constructed of rift-sawn, fumed and stained white oak that is enriched by hand-carved details. In addition, accents of American black walnut, ebony, rosewood, Carpathian elm burl and cow bone are found at the organ’s console. Folding doors are available to enclose the stop jambs and music rack. A cover for the keyboards folds and recedes into the case when not in use.
The chapel’s intimate acoustic requires very little power to fill the space with sound. While the stoplist looks substantial for the size of the chapel, it is voiced entirely on 60 millimeters of wind pressure. Consequently each stop sings gently yet carries effortlessly throughout the room. As the ensembles build, the organ sounds full and satisfying, yet not overbearing. Contributing to the impression that the organ sounds bigger than it looks are the Swell to Great 16′ coupler and the Pedal 16′ Bassoon.
The instrument was first used for services and programs in April 2006, and was formally dedicated on October 13, 2006 in a program by Dr. Quinn.
—John Panning
GREAT (58 notes)
8′ Prestant
8′ Chimney Flute
4′ Octave
2′ Super Octave (from Mixture)
2′ Mixture IV
8′ Trumpet
Swell to Great 16′
Swell to Great 8′
SWELL (58 notes, expressive)
8′ Stopped Diapason
8′ Salicional
4′ Flute
22⁄3′ Nasard
2′ Gemshorn
13⁄5′ Tierce
8′ Oboe
Tremulant (affects entire organ)
PEDAL (32 notes)
16′ Subbass
8′ Bourdon (ext)
16′ Bassoon
8′ Trumpet (ext Bassoon)
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
