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New Organs

August 19, 2011
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Robert William Wallace Pipe Organs, Newport News, Virginia
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Fredericksburg, Virginia

This new 49-rank organ is the centerpiece of a substantial renovation of the interior of the church (built in 1971). The east end of the church (behind the altar) was demolished and rebuilt to make room for the organ, and new flooring was installed in the nave to improve acoustics. The instrument resides behind large casework that doubles as the reredos of the altar. Flamed copper diapasons and dulcianas rest harmoniously amid sculptures and paintings of angels and saints. Organ chamber construction includes concrete block walls, cement board ceilings, and 2¾-inch-thick expression shutters with 45-degree bevels.
Through the guidance of tonal director Dr. William W. Hamner, Jr., the instrument unabashedly exhibits a neo-Romantic/neo-symphonic tonal palette, yet is equally capable of providing the color and contrapuntal clarity necessary to render even the most stylized of early literature. Moreover, scaling and voicing have been executed with liturgical collaboration fully in mind.
The three enclosed divisions include a partially enclosed Great and Pedal. Portions of the Choir and Swell are double-enclosed, utilizing Robert William Wallace inner-shade slide controllers, which are located at the forward end of the appropriate expression shoes. Wind pressures range from 5 inches in the outer Choir division and the unenclosed portion of the Great and Pedal, to 7 inches in the Swell division, 10 inches in the enclosed Great division, and 18 inches for the Pontifical Tuba. Fourteen vintage ranks, mid-1950s “Willis” Wicks pipes, were reclaimed from two older installations, reworked, and revoiced to integrate with the new choruses of the organ.
The action is electro-pneumatic and electric, and the movable English-style drawknob console was custom-designed to complement the church renovation. Console appurtenances include complete inter- and intramanual couplers, Gt.-Ch. transfer, pedal divide, all swells to swell, solid-state combination action with 128 memory levels per user, piston sequencer, playback, and MIDI.
The organ was blessed by Bishop Paul S. Loverde at a Mass on November 22, 2010, during which the new altar and renovated worship space were formally dedicated, and first played publicly by director of sacred music David Mathers. An inaugural concert featuring
Frederick Teardo, associate organist of Saint Thomas Church, New York, took place on June 17.
—Mary William Baines

GREAT
16′ Double Dulciana (ext)
16′ Violone (ext)
8′ 1st Open Diapason
8′ 2nd Open Diapason
8′ Harmonic Flute
8′ Stopped Flute
8′ Violoncello
8′ ’Cello Celeste (TC)
8′ Dulciana
8′ Dolcan
8′ Dolcan Celeste (TC)
4′ Principal (ext 1st Open Diapason)
4′ Octave
4′ Octave Dulciana (ext)
4′ Open Flute (ext Stopped Flute)
2 2⁄3′ Twelfth
2′ Fifteenth
2′ Chorus Mixture IV
2′ Harmonia Aetheria IV (from Dulciana)
8′ Pontifical Tuba (Ch)
8′ Tromba
8′ English Horn
4′ Tromba Clarion (ext)
Chimes (Ch)
Tremolo

SWELL
16′ Minor Bourdon (ext)
8′ Horn Diapason
8′ 2nd Diapason (from Octave)
8′ Stopped Diapason
8′ Salicional
8′ Voix Celeste (TC)
8′ Violin Celeste II (from Violina/Celeste)
4′ Octave Diapason
4′ Harmonic Flute
4′ Violina
4′ Violina Celeste
2 2⁄3′ Flute Twelfth (ext)
2′ Harmonic Piccolo (ext)
1 3⁄5′ Tierce (TC)
2 2⁄3′ Full Mixture V
2′ String Mixture IV (from Salicional)
16′ Double Waldhorn (ext)
16′ Bassoon (from Oboe)
8′ Cornopean
8′ Waldhorn
8′ Oboe
8′ Vox Humana
4′ Clarion (ext Oboe)
Tremolo

CHOIR
8′ Violin Diapason
8′ Chant Flute
8′ Bois Celeste (TC)
8′ Harmonic Flute (Gt)
8′ Viole
8′ Viole Celeste (TC)
4′ Octave
4′ Magic Flute
2 2⁄3′ Twelfth (ext Viole)
2′ Fifteenth (ext Viole)
2′ Recorder (ext Magic Flute)
1 3⁄5 ′ Seventeenth
1′ Fife (ext Magic Flute)
1 1⁄3′ Mixture IV (from Viole)
8′ Oboe Horn
8′ Clarinet
4′ Clarinet (ext)
8′ Pontifical Tuba
8′ Tromba (Gt)
4′ Tuba Clarion (ext)
4′ Tromba Clarion (Gt)
Chimes (21 tubes)
Tremolo

PEDAL
32′ Double Major Bass (resultant)
32′ Acoustic Bourdon (resultant)
16′ Open Diapason (ext Gt 2nd Open Diap)
16′ Major Bass
16′ Bourdon (ext Gt Stopped Flute)
16′ Minor Bourdon (Sw)
16′ Violone (Gt)
16′ Double Dulciana (Gt)
10 2⁄3′ Dolce Quint (Gt Dulciana)
8′ Principal
8′ Octave Wood (ext Major Bass)
8′ Stopped Flute (Gt)
8′ Violoncello (Gt)
4′ Fifteenth (Gt 2nd Open Diapason)
4′ Major Flute (ext Major Bass)
32′ Double Trombone (digital ext)
16′ Trombone (ext Gt Tromba)
16′ Double Waldhorn (Sw)
8′ Pontifical Tuba (Ch)
8′ Tromba (Gt)
8′ Clarinet (Ch)
4′ Clarion (Gt)
4′ English Horn (Gt)
Glockenstern (seven bells)

3,298 pipes
49 ranks
76 stops

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