Randall Dyer & Associates, Inc.

We consider our instrument at Church Street United Methodist Church to be our magnum opus. Our affiliation with the church spans more than 40 years, when, as a high-school graduate in 1965, Randall Dyer worked on the crew to remove the 55-rank Pilcher organ that had been installed when the building was new in 1931. As a junior at the University of Tennessee, his organ instructor, Calvin Bower, organist/choirmaster at the church, turned the servicing of the new Aeolian-Skinner instrument over to him.

The organ proved pivotal in the development of our firm’s tonal philosophies, and several opportunities arose over the years to do major work on the organ. These included solid-stating of the electrical system in 1984, with some minor additions and revoicing in each of the manual divisions.

Again in 1991, following a fire on the stage of the parish hall, and ensuing smoke damage in the nave, the organ was completely cleaned and additional tonal work was done. A positive result of that near-disaster was covering the 1 ¾” cork ceiling with plywood panels, greatly enhancing the acoustics.

By the late 1990’s the organ was showing signs of imminent leather failure. We developed a master plan for mechanical overhaul and an expansion of the instrument, that would nearly double its size. The work began with a division by division replacement of the leather, a new four-manual console, and a new Antiphonal organ, located in the church’s rear balcony. The work proceeded along a timeline that allowed most of the instrument to remain playable; only two Sundays were without organ sound while the console was being connected.

As leather work proceeded, additional funds were made available to realize the desired tonal additions. Pressures were raised. Original pipe ranks were rescaled, revoiced, and in some cases, moved to different locations. Added stops were fitted on our electro-pneumatic slider-and-pallet chests, which work perfectly with the original pitman chests. The gift of an organ formerly located in the Florida home of M. P. Moller, provided several stops in the new Solo division. We custom designed and constructed a new pitman chest for this section.

A 16’ Wood Open Diapason from an Austin organ in Cincinnati, replaced the Pilcher rank which had become the 32’ Subbass in 1966. Most of the Pedal division had to be removed and reoriented to install the Solo and the Wood Open, the latter being placed horizontally behind the Swell and Choir enclosures.

Our new four-manual console is designed in late Aeolian-Skinner style, and features the first new ivory keys in this country in more than 20 years. Space in the console and organ allows up to 8 more ranks to be added at some point in the future. An attached two-manual console can control the Antiphonal organ, as well as the Chancel Great and Pedal, from the rear balcony.

The essence of the Aeolian-Skinner sound is still present, and though it frequently continues to be referred to as an Aeolian-Skinner organ, our vision of what a large 21^st century organ could and should be, has taken it far beyond the scope of the original 46 ranks. An eclectic instrument, broad in sound, it is capable of playing with authenticity, the great repertoire of the organ and choral traditions, as well as leading inspired singing. Our hard work, which went well beyond the parameters of the original contract, has been well received by the congregation, the community, and the organ world at large.

The Randall Dyer & Associates organ at Church Street United Methodist Church is, by any measure, a world-class organ!

Key to stoplist:

N=new, V=revoiced, S=rescaled, M=moved from another division, NM=new to organ, from Moller house organ