Cover

Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders,
Denver, North Carolina, Christ Church, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania

To understand how we structured our Opus 73, it is important
to understand the rich history of Christ Church, Ridley Park, and the
complexities of their present worship space. The parish was founded in 1873,
the cornerstone of the original church being laid in July of that year at a
different site from the present church. However, construction was never
completed beyond the foundations, and for a time the congregation worshipped in
the Ridley Park train station. In June of 1878, work was started on a new building,
designed by the architect Theophilus P. Chandler (1848-1928), consisting of the
existing nave and small apse. The first service was celebrated on July 25,
1880. In 1902 the church was enlarged to its present configuration by the
addition of the two transepts and crossing and replacement of the semi-circular
apse with the chancel, organ chamber (now a memorial chapel) and sacristy.
First used on September 14, 1902, this enlarged building has been in continuous
use to the present day, the only major changes to the interior since 1902 being
the relocation of the organ from the chancel chamber to the transept lofts in
1963 and the remodeling of the chancel in the late 1980s which brought the
altar forward and located the choir behind it. An interior photograph of the
church taken in 1885 shows what appears to be a reed organ which had been
bought from Trinity Church in west Philadelphia in 1882; this was sold to the
Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge in 1899 upon acquisition of the
church's first pipe organ which was then relocated into the organ chamber off
the chancel in 1902. This organ was replaced in 1947 by a 2-manual, 9-rank
instrument built by the M.P. Möller company of Hagerstown, Maryland, this
being relocated in 1963 to the transept lofts. A tenth rank of pipes was added
in 1974. Deterioration of this instrument over the next 25 years, despite a
costly but unsuccessful renovation in 1992, led to the formation of an organ
committee in January 2001. Under the leadership of chairperson, Jeanne
Fletcher, and with the guidance and strong encouragement of the rector, the
Reverend Douglas G. Tompkins, the committee appointed John Holland of Baltimore
to act as organ consultant and their organist, Michael Trinder, as advisor. On
September 12, 2002, the parish membership in an open congregational meeting
voted overwhelmingly to accept the committee's recommendation to place an order
with Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders for a 3-manual pipe/digital combination
organ.

We began to work with Michael on the task of creating an
organ that would visually complement its surroundings while supporting the many
musical needs of their music program. There had been a choir/organ balance
problem created by the 2-phase remodeling of the church interior: first the relocation
of the organ from the organ chamber off the chancel to the transept lofts, and
second the remodeling of the chancel bringing the altar forward and moving the
choir from its divided location close to the chancel arch to back behind the
altar beneath the east window. Our approach, first and foremost, was guided by
the need to get the organ effectively heard in the chancel area for choir
accompaniment without changing the historical appearance of the church interior
to any significant degree. Space limitations also challenged us to consider
digital divisions for at least two divisions and this led us to decide on a
3-manual organ with the pipe ranks located in the Great and Pedal divisions
only. The limited interior space of the church prohibited a freestanding pipe
organ and it was required that we place the new organ in the existing transept
lofts. Our goals, in order of priority, were that the organ be primarily
designed for accompaniment of the liturgy, bearing in mind the church's
Anglican heritage, and that it be compatible with new developments in
instrumental usage in today's and tomorrow's worship. The organ needed to have
a dynamic range suitable for accompaniment of a congregation, a choir or a
soloist. While we focused on designing the organ as primarily a liturgical
instrument, the addition of digital voices throughout the organ made it also
suitable for the performance of organ literature in concert. Meeting these
necessities led to the incorporation of a large digital Swell, capable of full Swell
registration, and a large digital Choir division that can perform the function
of a classical Positive, a romantic Choir and a Solo.

Upon installation, our tonal director James G. Twyne, Jr.
worked with Daniel Angerstein of Daniel Angerstein Organ Works to meet these
specific challenges. They revoiced six ranks of pipes from the Möller
organ and blended them with two new Principal ranks, all on new windchests, to
make up the foundations of the Great and Pedal divisions. Much attention was
given to the volume and tonal regulation of these ranks for the following
reasons: Christ Church has a relatively small cubic volume and we wanted to be
certain that the Great and Pedal pipe ranks were adequate but not overpowering
so that there was room left for reasonable listening levels with the addition
of the digital Swell and Choir divisions; and, the volume level of these
foundation ranks became the basis for regulating the volume and tonal
relationships of the digital Swell and Choir divisions on a stop-by-stop basis.

The relatively large number of stops provides much
accompanimental variety and color in the organ. However, the relatively small
space of Christ Church made us take a somewhat different and slightly
restrained tonal approach to the choruses of each division. The goal was to
prevent harshness in the upperwork of each division but still create a
full-organ chorus that has clarity as well as a rich and harmonically balanced
sound. Emphasis on the foundations of each division with a gentle layering of the
higher pitched stops seems to be very compatible with the room and final
musical result.

Our design work for both the console and casework was
focused on utilizing existing design elements of the church and incorporating
them into the new console and the new casework façade. Once again our
team in Denver, North Carolina, began creating this instrument from scratch.
George Zong, our master cabinet maker, worked along with Eric Molenaar to build
and assemble the exterior console as well as the intricate casework.
Quarter-sawn white oak was used to closely match the existing woodwork of the
church. Careful attention was paid to woodgrain throughout the organ and
results of this effort can be seen, most notably, in the pedestal bases of the
casework and the exterior of the console. Marty Lemons, our finishing expert,
worked successfully to match the console and casework detail to Christ Church's
existing woodwork while maintaining the beauty of the woodgrain chosen for each
piece of the console and casework. Electronic components and console wiring
were performed by Doug Jones, while Judy Abernathy completed the detailed
leathering and assembly of the windchest. Meanwhile, our pipe maker, Thomas
Linder, began the process of embossing several pipes for the façade of
the organ as well as soldering together the rest of the spotted metal pipework
needed for the Great and Pedal divisions of the organ. The embossed metal pipes
are actually reverse spotted metal, making for unique detail. David Caldwell,
of Caldwell Carvings in Lawndale, North Carolina, carved the delicate finials
for the crown of the organ. Each piece was hand carved. Louise Pezzi, a
blacksmith in Philadelphia that we have again been blessed to work with,
designed and forged the foundation ironwork found in the casework, which adds
to the overall beauty of this casework.

Installation of this instrument, our Opus 73, was completed
on October 3, 2003. In his "Music Notes" column of the parish
newsletter after the installation, Michael Trinder shared his thoughts on the
new instrument with the congregation: "Our new organ is now in place and
has been seen and heard by many during the last month. I was privileged to be
present throughout the 3-week long installation, voicing and tonal finishing
process. How wonderful it was, in this day-and-age of mass production and
inferior workmanship, to observe that craftsmanship is still alive and well. I
invite you to study in detail the hand-carved pipe cases, reflecting design
details from the credence table; the exquisite wrought iron work incorporating
the quatrefoil motif from our altar, the hand embossed pipes, the finest
cabinet making in the console; and to listen intently to the superb tonal
finishing of every pipe (471 of them) and every note of each digital stop, a
total of 3048 notes each having separate adjustments for volume, tonal
character, attack and release."

In addition to these notes, Michael quotes some verses from
a 19th-century hymn, "Angel voices, ever singing":

Lord, we know that thou rejoicest

O'er each work of thine;

Thou didst ears and hands and voices

For thy praise design;

Craftsman's art and music's measure

For thy pleasure

All combine.

In thy house, great God, we offer

Of thine own to thee,

And for thy acceptance proffer,

All unworthily

Hearts and minds and hands and voices:

In our choicest

Psalmody.

--Francis Pott (1832-1909)

All of us at Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders express our most
sincere appreciation to Mr. Michael Trinder, Rev. Douglas G. Tompkins, Ms.
Jeanne Fletcher and all of the members of Christ Church, Ridley Park for the
opportunity to work on such a distinctive project. It was a true pleasure to
work with this parish and their splendid community of people. Our mission as a
company is to work together efficiently and productively to create exquisite
organs of the highest, quality, durability and dependability resulting in
highly satisfied clients and works of musical art that will contribute to the
glory of God for many generations to come, and it is our hope that this organ will
serve to support the continued mission of this parish and that it will become
an important part in the unique history of Christ Church for many years.

--Cornel Zimmer with contributions from Michael Trinder,
James Twyne and Anne Zimmer

Cornel Zimmer Organ Builders

Denver, North Carolina

Christ Church

Ridley Park, Pennsylvania

GREAT Manual II Unenclosed        

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Violone

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Open
Diapason (61 pipes)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Bourdon
(61 pipes)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Flûte
Harmonique

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Gamba
(61 pipes)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              English
Diapason (Choir)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Erzähler
Celeste II (Choir)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Octave
(61 pipes)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Loch
Gedeckt (61 pipes)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Principal
(Choir)

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Twelfth

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Fifteenth
(61 pipes)

                  11/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Mixture IV

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Trumpet
(61 pipes)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Cromorne
(Swell)

                                    Chimes

                                    Tremulant

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Festival
Trumpet (Choir)

SWELL Manual III Expressive

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Lieblich
Bourdon

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Geigen
Diapason

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Chimney
Flute

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Viol
di Gamba

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Voix
Celeste

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Spitzflute
Celeste II

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Octave

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Cor
de Nuit

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Octavin

                                    Sesquialtera
II

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Mixture
III

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Double
Trumpet

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Cornopean

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Oboe

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Vox
Humana

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Clarion

                                    Tremulant

                                    Swell
16-UO-4

CHOIR Manual I Expressive

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gemshorn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              English
Diapason

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Concert
Flute

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Holzgedackt

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Gemshorn

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Gemshorn
Celeste

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Erzahler
Celeste II

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Principal

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Koppelflöte

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Gemshorn

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Nazard

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Octave

                  2' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Blockflöte

                  13/5' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Tierce

                  11/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Larigot

                  1' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Sifflet

                                    Zimbel
III

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Cor
Anglais

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Corno
di Bassetto

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Musette

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Harp

                                    Tremulant

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Festival
Trumpet

                                    Choir
16-UO-4

PEDAL Unenclosed

                  32' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Contre
Bourdon

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Open
Diapason

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Violone
(Great)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Gemshorn
(Choir)

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Bourdon

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Lieblich
Bourdon (Swell)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Octave
Bass (32 pipes)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Gamba
(Great)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Bass
Flute

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Choral
Bass (12 pipes)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Nachthorn

                  22/3' style='mso-tab-count:1'>     Mixture III

                  32' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Contre
Basson

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Trombone

                  16' style='mso-tab-count:1'>          Double
Trumpet (Swell)

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Trumpet

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Basson

                  8' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Festival
Trumpet (Choir)

                  4' style='mso-tab-count:1'>              Schalmei

Couplers

                                    Great
to Pedal 8, 4

                                    Swell
to Pedal 8, 4

                                    Choir
to Pedal 8, 4

                                    Status
Screen

                                    Swell
to Great, 16, 8, 4

                                    Choir
to Great, 16, 8, 4

                                    Swell
to Choir, 16, 8, 4

                                    Great/Choir
exchange

                                    Chancel
ON (Swell/Choir)

                                    Main
OFF (Swell/Choir)

                  Cover
photo by Barry Halkin, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania