Organ Project Tasks and Components

First Parish has undertaken a major project to rebuild, repair and reconfigure the organ both to better serve the existing music program and to provide good stewardship that will support our music ministry into the future. The new installation will be an American Classic/Symphonic style organ, which will provide us the maximum musical flexibility and best serve the needs of First Parish.

First Parish is rebuilding and reconfiguring the organ to create a complete, coherent tonally finished organ which will allow the organist to:

• Stimulate, inspire and support congregational singing.
• Effectively play the entire range of organ literature.
• Effectively accompany the sacred choral and solo repertoire.

Our project goal is a high quality instrument which supports our worship and our outreach to the community and is attractive to high-caliber organists.

PIPEWORK

Much of the pipework from our Austin organ is being reused, though with considerable rescaling, rebuilding and revoicing in order to achieve the desired tonal results. Used pipework incorporated into the design is being thoroughly cleaned, repaired, rebuilt or otherwise reconditioned so as to have the proper tonal qualities to suit the overall design. It will be the equivalent of new pipework.

New pipes are being fabricated as required to facilitate rescaling and built to specifications developed to provide tonal characteristics appropriate to the First Parish sanctuary acoustics.

Definition: Rebuilding of pipework – existing pipes are first washed and then sawn apart at the mouth. Repairs to the tapered “foot” section of the pipe and the cylindrical “body” section of the pipe are made as required. The mouth area of the pipe is reworked as required by the new tonal design and a new languid is fitted to the pipe when it is soldered back together. The result is essentially a new pipe made from the old material.

TONAL DESIGN

The organ is being tonally redesigned to create a sound which is rich, warm and supportive while maintaining clarity and diversity of tonal colors. Each pipe is being voiced to be a beautiful musical instrument on its own; part of the “American Classic/Symphonic” organ.

The scaling, voicing and tonal finishing are specifically designed for the First Parish sanctuary. The work is being carried out in the best traditions of American, English, and European organ building. Historical traditions of organ performance and design, as well as choral accompaniment, are the prime considerations in the scaling, voicing and tonal finishing of the instrument. The organ will be tonally finished only in its final location and configuration to ensure an ideal balance of the tonal resources with the acoustical environment of the First Parish sanctuary.

CONSOLE

A new, three manual and pedal, draw-knob organ console will be built.  The organ console will be relocated to the side of the balcony, providing better sight lines with service leaders and with the choir director. Preparation has also been made for the possibility of a remote console that would be located in the front of the sanctuary.

CASEWORK

The organ will be housed behind existing casework with modification to the side areas of the organ case as required to accommodate the redesign of the organ. The façade of the organ case is being moved back approximately four feet which will improve tonal egress above and around the case.

By moving the console to the side and moving the façade of the organ case back, we will increase the area available for the choirs and instrumentalists and make it more flexible. Relocating singers and instrumentalists to the center of the balcony will improve both the projection of the sound into the sanctuary and the sight lines for the musicians.

WINDCHESTS

New windchests will be provided in all divisions for all pipes except as existing windchests may be rebuilt and/or reused effectively. New windchests will be primarily electropneumatic pitman and electro-pneumatic unit chests constructed in Aeolian-Skinner style. Some electric slider wind chests may also be employed. Vox Humana chest will be all electric action.

ACTION

Key and stop action on the new console will be electric with solid-state controls. Only solid sterling silver contacts and silver tipped contact plates, gold plated spring contacts, sealed reed switch or optical contacts will be used for maximum reliability.

WINDING

The existing organ blower is being used for the new installation. A static reservoir and output silencer is being fitted in the blower room to assure a quiet supply of wind to the organ. A new highspeed booster organ blower is being provided for the Tuba Harmonique within the organ space. A special silencing cabinet will house the new blower to ensure near total silence of operation. New wind regulators will be provided throughout the organ to ensure an ample and resilient supply of wind.