Lewis & Hitchcock, Inc.,
Beltsville, Maryland
Wesley United Methodist Church, Vienna, Virginia
Wesley United Methodist Church of Vienna, Virginia, has a Wicks organ that was installed in 1966 and enlarged in 1971. The organ had begun to have problems in the switching system and combination action. Working with trustees Harvey Bowles and Dick Takamatsu and organist Jason Bowles, we developed a plan to rebuild the organ, including replacing the switching system and relays with a new multiplex system that would provide a large combination action, with accessories such as a transposer as well as a piston sequencer. New keyboards were recommended, for a better feel as well as reliable contact systems.
We also recommended the replacement of one rank of pipes that would not hold voicing. As plans went forward, the desire was expressed to add some digital stops, and eventually a full complement of digital stops was designed to complete the organ tonally. These were provided by the Walker Technical Company of Zionsville, Pennsylvania. As there was no space in the chambers for a large bass speaker, they provided a cabinet finished to match the organ grillework, which sits directly in front of it.
Besides all the standard accessories, there is a piston sequencer with Next and Previous pistons and toe studs, and a MIDI data file record and playback system. The result is a versatile instrument that easily provides the right sound for the music.
—Gerald Piercy
GREAT
16′ Violone (Walker Paradox System)
8′ Principal 61 pipes
8′ Bourdon 61 pipes
4′ Octave 61 pipes
4′ Spillpfeife 61 pipes
new pipes on existing chest
22⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes
2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes
8′ Trumpet (Walker)
Chimes (Walker)
Great to Great 16–UO–4
Swell to Great 16–8–4
Choir to Great 16–8–4
SWELL
16′ Rohr Gedeckt 61 pipes
8′ Geigen Diapason (Walker)
8′ Rohrflute (ext)
8′ Viole d’Gambe 61 pipes
8′ Viole Celeste (tc) 49 pipes
4′ Geigen Principal 61 pipes
4′ Nachthorn 61 pipes
2′ Piccolo 61 pipes
11⁄3′ Plein Jeu III 183 pipes
16′ Contre Trompette (ext)
8′ Trompette 61 pipes
8′ Vox Humana (Walker)
8′ Hautbois 61 pipes
4′ Clarion (ext)
Tremolo
Swell to Swell 16–UO–4
CHOIR
8′ Nason Gedeckt 61 pipes
8′ Erzahler 61 pipes
8′ Erzahler Celeste (tc) 49 pipes
4′ Koppelflute 61 pipes
22⁄3′ Nazard 61 pipes
2′ Blockflute 61 pipes
13⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes
8′ Krummhorn 61 pipes
Tremolo
8′ Harp (Walker)
4′ Celesta (Walker)
8′ Festival Trumpet (Walker)
Choir to Choir 16–UO–4
Swell to Choir 16–8–4
PEDAL
32′ Untersatz (Walker)
16′ Principal (Walker)
16′ Bourdon 32 pipes
16′ Rohr Gedeckt (Sw)
8′ Spitz Principal 32 pipes
8′ Bourdon (ext)
8′ Rohrflute (Sw)
4′ Spitz Principal (ext)
4′ Bourdon (ext)
2′ Octave (Gt 8′ Principal)
16′ Trombone (Walker)
4′ Hautbois (Sw)
Great to Pedal 8–4
Swell to Pedal 8–4
Choir to Pedal 8–4
25 registers, 27 ranks, 12 Walker voices
Eyeline console, white knobs for stops and division couplers, black knobs for intermanual couplers.
The existing console shell was retained. The manual keys, pistons, drawknobs, toe studs and all internal works are new. The pedalboard was rebuilt to new standards. The relay system was replaced with multiplex units.
Lewis & Hitchcock, Inc.
www.lhorgans.com
