Cover
Lauck Pipe Organ Company, Otsego, Michigan
Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights,
Illinois
Trinity Christian College is a four-year liberal arts college founded in
1959 and located in Palos Heights, Illinois, a suburb 25 miles southwest of
Chicago. It is dedicated to providing students with a quality higher education
in the Reformed Christian tradition. The college has grown extensively in
recent years with many new buildings erected. In 2001, the college dedicated a
new 1,200-seat auditorium: The Martin and Janet Ozinga Chapel. The chapel is
also the home of the college's music department with faculty offices, rehearsal
rooms, a recital hall, a music computer lab, and practice rooms. An organ for
the auditorium was envisioned from the building's conception.
Under the chairmanship of music department chair Helen Van Wyck, a committee
was formed to choose a builder for the organ. Paula Pugh Romanaux was selected
as the consultant to work with the committee. After visiting several of our organs,
Lauck Pipe Organ Company was chosen to build the organ. Working with the
builder, the committee decided that the instrument would be located at the back
of the stage and would occupy the central position. The committee felt that an
organ with a detached console would prove more flexible, especially when used
with orchestra and to accompany small ensembles.
Several designs for the organ case were prepared ranging from traditional to
contemporary, the latter being chosen. The proportions of the case are generous
in order to fill the expansive rear wall of the stage area. The façade
consists of the 16' Principal, 8' Pedal Octave and the 8' Great Diapason,
with pipes of polished tin. The
casework is arranged so that the Pedal division occupies the center and two
outer towers. Between the left and center tower is the Great Principal chorus
with the Choir division above. Between the right and center towers are the
Great flutes and reed with the Swell division above. A shallow case with
expression shades capable of a full range of motion allow for excellent egress
of sound. The emblem at the top of the center tower is the college's logo done
in relief and gilded.
Over the past 30 years, we have built many French-terraced consoles with
curved terraces, but Marilyn Mulder, the school's organ instructor, suggested a
console based on a design she saw at Chicago's Orchestra Hall. From her
photograph, we designed and built a console with straight, oblique terraces.
The woodwork is of cherry to match other furnishings in the chapel. The
terraces, keycheeks, manual and pedal sharps, and drawknobs are all of
rosewood. The manual naturals are of bone. Peterson supplied the MIDI system
and combination action. Lauck manufactured the coupler and relay systems, as
well as the electric expression servos.
The room, alas, suffers from insufficient reflection of sound. As we worked
with the acoustician and architect, the organ committee and I realized we would
not be able to have all of our requests granted; the acoustician was more
interested in absorbing rather than reflecting sound. The architect and
building committee did agree that the expansive drywall ceiling would be well
supported and made up of a double layer glued together so as to not absorb the
lower frequencies. Preliminary acoustical tests of the room proved that we
needed a lot of sound to fill it. The organ had to be scaled very boldly, with
variable scales and higher cut-ups being freely employed. In addition, generous
wind pressures, especially in the reeds, would be used. Our tonal concept was
to establish well-developed Principal choruses in each division, colorful and
contrasting flute choruses, and chorus reeds that bind together well. This goal
was achieved and supplemented by colorful solo reeds and strings with character
and variety.
The Great is based on a 16' Principal. The 8' extension of the Principal can
be used as a second Diapason and creates a rich fond d'orgue with the open and
stopped flutes. Mutations provide for a Great Principal Cornet. To ensure a
bold, full pedal, the 16' Diapason is really a 16' open wood located in the
central tower of the case. The Great 16' Principal is also available in the
Pedal for use in lighter textures, while the 8' Octave and 4' Choralbass are
independent. The Trumpet-en-Chamade is made of tin and is voiced on 10 inches
of wind pressure using domed parallel shallots. The Pedal Trombone unit is also
voiced with domed parallel shallots on 8 inches of wind pressure. The Swell
reeds are on 6 inches of wind with the Bassoon/Oboe having tapered shallots and
the Trumpet/Clarion parallel shallots. The Swell Gamba and Gamba Celeste are
slotted with rollers throughout. It is a well-developed string tone with good
strength and carrying power; however, the expression boxes and shades are
heavily built and can make the strings evaporate when desired. The Swell also
has a Flute Celeste, which is built as a Ludwigtone; basically, two wood pipes
built with a common middle wall on one foot. The Choir Viola and Viola Celeste
are of about equal power to the Swell strings but are not slotted and are of a
broader tone quality. They are voiced to work together perfectly yet retain
their individual colors.
The Lauck employees that built Opus 55 include: Craig Manor, console design
and construction, wood pipes; Ken Reed, pipemaker, office manager; Ben Aldrich,
design, windchests, foreman; Bob Dykstra, windchests, wood pipes, casework;
Dick Slider, windchests, lower casework; Dan Staley, circuit board
manufacturing, wiring; Jim Lauck, design, voicing, tonal finishing; Jonathan
Tuuk; tonal finishing.
--Jim Lauck
Lauck Opus 55, 2002
3 manuals, 46 ranks, electric action
GREAT
16' Principal (61 pipes)
8' Diapason (61 pipes)
8' Principal (12 pipes)
8' Rohrflute (61 pipes)
8' Flute Harmonique (61 pipes)
4' Octave (61 pipes)
4' Principal (12 pipes)
4' Flute Octaviante (12 pipes)
22/3' Quint (61 pipes)
2' Superoctave (61 pipes)
13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)
IV Fourniture (244 pipes)
8' Trumpet (61 pipes)
8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (61 pipes)
Great
to Great 4
Swell
to Great 16-8-4
Choir
to Great 16-8-4
Zimbelstern
SWELL
16' Bourdon (12 pipes)
8' Bourdon (61 pipes)
8' Gamba (61 pipes)
8' Gamba Celeste (49 pipes)
8' Flute Celeste (49 pipes)
4' Principal (61 pipes)
4' Spitzflute (61 pipes)
2' Blockflute (12 pipes)
V Mixture (293 pipes)
16' Bassoon (61 pipes)
8' Trumpet (61 pipes)
8' Oboe (12 pipes)
4' Clarion (12 pipes)
Tremulant
Swell to Swell 16-UO-4
CHOIR
8' Gedeckt (61 pipes)
8' Viola (61 pipes)
8' Viola Celeste (49 pipes)
4' Principal (61 pipes)
4' Koppelflute (61 pipes)
22/3' Nazard (61 pipes)
2' Octave (61 pipes)
2' Flautino (12 pipes)
13/5' Tierce (61 pipes)
11/3' Larigot (5 pipes)
III Scharff (183 pipes)
8' Cromorne (61 pipes)
8' Trumpet-en-Chamade (Gt)
Tremulant
Choir to Choir 16-UO-4
Swell to Choir 16-8-4
PEDAL
32' Sub Bourdon (electronic ext)
16' Diapason (open wood) (32 pipes)
16' Principal (Great)
16' Subbass (32 pipes)
16' Bourdon (Swell)
8' Octave (32 pipes)
8' Principal (Great)
8' Bass Flute (12 pipes)
4' Choralbass (32 pipes)
II Rauschquint (64 pipes)
II Mixture (24 pipes)
32' Contra Bassoon (electronic ext)
16' Trombone (32 pipes)
16' Bassoon (Swell)
8' Trumpet (12 pipes)
4' Clarion (12 pipes)
4' Cromorne (Choir)
Great to Pedal 8-4
Swell to Pedal 8-4
Choir to Pedal 8-4
Lauck Pipe Organ Company
92 - 24th Street
Otsego, MI 49078-9633
Telephone: 269/694-4500
Fax: 269/694-4401
Cover photo by Richard Lanenga
Paul Fritts and Co., Tacoma,
Washington, has built a new organ for Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York.
The mechanical-action pipe organ is installed in the 500-seat Mary Anna Fox
Martel Recital Hall of the Belle Skinner Music Building. It contains 34 stops
distributed over two manuals (Hauptwerk and Positiv) and Pedal.
The tonal design reflects both the North and Middle German schools of
organbuilding from the first half of the eighteenth century. North German
features include fully independent manual and pedal divisions with
well-developed upper work; a full spectrum of mutation stops (two on double
draws); and seven reed stops, 20% of the registers. Middle German building is
represented by a variety of six manual 8' flue stops; the “gravity”
of 16' stops in each manual division and four 16' pedal stops; a Tierce rank
which can be added to the Hauptwerk Mixture; and the inclusion of the Positiv
division in the main case, rather than positioned to the rear of the player.
The northern features pay homage to the seventeenth-century style of Arp
Schnitger and the middle German school points more to the pre-Romantic
eighteenth-century styles of Wender, Trost, Hildebrandt and others. The new
Vassar organ is well-suited for music of J. S. Bach with its cosmopolitan
mixture of northern, middle, and southern European traits. Other literature
from the sixteenth-century through the works of Mendelssohn will also sound to
advantage.
The new organ is placed centrally in a gallery nine feet above the stage
floor in the front of the hall. The case has a bright burgundy enamel finish.
Gold leaf highlights the gray painted pipe shades. The case and many internal
parts are crafted from popular.
Many other woods were chosen for their various properties, including
mahogany, oak, maple, ebony, redwood and sugar pine.
Along with the new organ came alterations to the organ gallery and stage
area significantly improving acoustics, and a climate control system for the
recital hall. The Marian and Speros Martel Foundation Inc. donated funds
covering both the organ and hall improvements. Glenn D. White recommended
acoustical improvements, and Richard Turlington designed architectural plans
for the room. Frances D. Fergusson, President of Vassar College, initiated the
project. George B. Stauffer was consultant.
To inaugurate the new instrument, Merellyn Gallagher, James David Christie,
and Joan Lippincott played solo recitals in February and March 2003.
HAUPTWERK
16' Principal
8' Octava
8' Rohrflöte
8' Viol di Gamba
4' Octava
4' Spitzflöte
Nasat/Cornet II*
2' Superoctava
Mixture Tierce
Mixture IV–VI
16' Trompet
8' Trompet
POSITIVE
8' Geigenprincipal
8' Gedackt
8' Quintadena
4' Octava
4' Rohrflöte
2' Octava
2' Gemshorn
11/3' Quinte
Quint/Sesquialtara II*
Mixture IV–V
16' Fagotto
8' Dulcian
PEDAL
16' Principal**
16' Violon
16' Subbass
8' Octava***
8' Bourdon***
4' Octava
Mixture V–VII
16' Posaune
8' Trompet
4' Trompet
* Double draw
** Bottom octave transmission from Hauptwerk
*** Extension
Couplers
Positiv
to Hauptwerk
Hauptwerk
to Pedal
Positiv
to Pedal
Manual/Pedal compass: 56/30, flat pedalboard
Burnished tin front pipes
Solid wood casework with pipe shades carved by Judy Fritts
Suspended key action
Mechanical stop action
Variable tremulant
Three bellows fitted with pedals for foot pumping
Wind stabilizer
Pitch: A 440
Temperament: Kellner
Wind pressure: 74 mm. (ca. 3≤)
Fabry Pipe Organs, Inc., of Fox
Lake, Illinois, has completed the 5-rank antiphonal division added to the
original Möller organ in Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, Homewood,
Illinois.
Fabry Inc. installed the original M.P. Möller instrument (2 manuals, 19
ranks) in 1980 in the rear balcony of the sanctuary and has been maintaining
the organ since that time. The console was prepared for an antiphonal division.
On many occasions while tuning the instrument, the organist, Mrs. Phyllis
Silhan, would always say, “I hope I get to see this instrument completed
before I retire.” Twenty-two years later, the church elected to add the
antiphonal division.
The new antiphonal division was installed in October of 2002. The original
specification for this division--8' Gedeckt, 4' Gemshorn, 2' Flautino, II
Mixture--was changed to 8' Gedeckt, 4' Octave, 4' Harmonic Flute, 2' Fifteenth,
and 8' Oboe. A new solid-state relay was provided that is totally prepared for
the addition of a small antiphonal console.
Fabry Inc. would like to thank the organist, Mrs. Phyllis Silhan, and
Reverend Dr. Timothy Knaff, who coordinated the entire project. David G. Fabry
built all the chestwork and new casework. Crew leader Joseph Poland handled the
installation.
GREAT
8' Principal
8' Bourdon
4' Octave
2' Super Octave
IV Fourniture
8' Trompette (Sw)
SWELL
8' Rohrflote
8' Viola
8' Viola Celeste
4' Spitz Principal
4' Rohrflote (ext)
2' Hohlflote
III Scharf
8' Trompette
ANTIPHONAL (new division)
8' Gedeckt
4' Octave
4' Harmonic Flute
2' Fifteenth
8' Oboe
PEDAL
16' Contra Bass
16' Rohr Bourdon (ext)
8' Principal (Gt)
8' Rohrflote (Sw)
4' Nachthorn
16' Bombarde (ext)
4' Clarion (Sw)
COUPLERS
Gt
& Sw to Ped 8
Sw
to Gt 16-8-4
Gt
4
Sw
16-UO-4
Antiph
to Ped 8
Antiph
to Gt 8
Antiph
to Sw 8
