Our Thoughts on Three Manual Design
For several years we have had an ideal three-manual organ design in our minds. Our very well received instrument at Cumming First United Methodist Church, was the early prototype for the design, but it did not quite go the full distance, due to budget restraints.
As one reads the trade journals of late, it seems that the stoplists of many medium-sized three-manual organs are similar, yet we think there is more to a successful solution: correct selection and placement of the exact elements is critical.
The several instruments that follow all corrrectly incorporate the things we think should be in a complete, but moderately-sized three-manual organ in the 21st century.
These include:
-Two expressive divisions
-16' Open plenum on the Great with English Trumpet
-16' Closed Flute/8' Principal plenum on the Swell with Cornet, broadly scaled strings with extended-range Celeste, and French reeds
-8' Open plenum on the Choir with bright, but relatively low-pitched mixture and broad, blending color reed.
-8' Harmonic Flute as one of four 8' flue stops on the Great
-8' Solo Trumpet
-32' pitch line in the Pedal
The Greats contain stops that are homed inside the Choir expression box, as noted by the (Ch.) superscript on the drawknob heads. That superscript, however, is more informational than anything, to let the organist know that the stops in question are under expression. In practice, we regard the Violone, Flute Harmonique and Trumpet ranks as being part of the Great ensemble, and they are so scaled. But putting these pipes in the Choir allows the Violone to be the tertiary 8' Principal, the Flute Harmonique to have expression and tremulant, and the Trumpet to crescendo as the Great plenum is played. The plethora of 8' tone under expression makes choral accompaniment a sheer joy.
The Cornet requires special attention. We have always believed it needs to be in the Swell, which then allows the Choir to be a real division too. But just as important, it must also include the correct elements if it is to be a good Cornet wherein the pitches lock together to produce a solid sound. These include a fully capped 8' Flute, a tapered 4' Flute of medium scale, and additional pitches above that comprised of ranks that get more and more cylindrical with progressively narrower mouths.
As our ears have matured, the tone of our organs has taken a noticeable Anglican bent. By that, we mean they sound broader and fuller; some might say darker--we prefer to say richer. And while we find screeching Mixtures a particular annoyance, our organs are still clear in tone. Each of the Mixtures throughout our organs, are set at a different pitch, none as high as they would have been 20 years ago. Brightness is achieved through voicing which blends, not through shrill pitches that test the upward limits of human hearing. And super-coupling of Mixtures is definitely not required.
Like many of your parishioners, we have come to dislike organs that anihilate the listener with sheer volume. We know that the broader the sound of the organ, the more likely the congregation will accept a grander overall volume level without complaint. Our client congregations have approved our approach by singing heartily with our instruments, the ultimate test of success.
We strongly believe that organ specifications are not something that should be blythely drawn up for the fun of it, or just to be different. We now have several instruments to the same basic stop list. They are in a variety of room sizes and seating capacities, and for clients with differing musical programs. Scaling and voicing treatments are definitely adjusted to the clients' needs.
But the literature of the instrument, as well as the requirements for accompanying, demand that certain stops be in certain positions on an organ of any given size. If you have more money in the budget, there are certain stops that are correct to add next. Failure to include the right stops on any instrument, severely limits that organ's ability to do its job.
When you have a winning combination of the right stops in the right place, that work together to do their job of accompanying congregation and choir, and playing the literature of the instrument, we think that is pretty special. You should hear what we mean!
________________________________________________________________________
As one reads the trade journals of late, it seems that the stoplists of many medium-sized three-manual organs are similar, yet we think there is more to a successful solution: correct selection and placement of the exact elements is critical.
The several instruments that follow all corrrectly incorporate the things we think should be in a complete, but moderately-sized three-manual organ in the 21st century.
These include:
-Two expressive divisions
-16' Open plenum on the Great with English Trumpet
-16' Closed Flute/8' Principal plenum on the Swell with Cornet, broadly scaled strings with extended-range Celeste, and French reeds
-8' Open plenum on the Choir with bright, but relatively low-pitched mixture and broad, blending color reed.
-8' Harmonic Flute as one of four 8' flue stops on the Great
-8' Solo Trumpet
-32' pitch line in the Pedal
The Greats contain stops that are homed inside the Choir expression box, as noted by the (Ch.) superscript on the drawknob heads. That superscript, however, is more informational than anything, to let the organist know that the stops in question are under expression. In practice, we regard the Violone, Flute Harmonique and Trumpet ranks as being part of the Great ensemble, and they are so scaled. But putting these pipes in the Choir allows the Violone to be the tertiary 8' Principal, the Flute Harmonique to have expression and tremulant, and the Trumpet to crescendo as the Great plenum is played. The plethora of 8' tone under expression makes choral accompaniment a sheer joy.
The Cornet requires special attention. We have always believed it needs to be in the Swell, which then allows the Choir to be a real division too. But just as important, it must also include the correct elements if it is to be a good Cornet wherein the pitches lock together to produce a solid sound. These include a fully capped 8' Flute, a tapered 4' Flute of medium scale, and additional pitches above that comprised of ranks that get more and more cylindrical with progressively narrower mouths.
As our ears have matured, the tone of our organs has taken a noticeable Anglican bent. By that, we mean they sound broader and fuller; some might say darker--we prefer to say richer. And while we find screeching Mixtures a particular annoyance, our organs are still clear in tone. Each of the Mixtures throughout our organs, are set at a different pitch, none as high as they would have been 20 years ago. Brightness is achieved through voicing which blends, not through shrill pitches that test the upward limits of human hearing. And super-coupling of Mixtures is definitely not required.
Like many of your parishioners, we have come to dislike organs that anihilate the listener with sheer volume. We know that the broader the sound of the organ, the more likely the congregation will accept a grander overall volume level without complaint. Our client congregations have approved our approach by singing heartily with our instruments, the ultimate test of success.
We strongly believe that organ specifications are not something that should be blythely drawn up for the fun of it, or just to be different. We now have several instruments to the same basic stop list. They are in a variety of room sizes and seating capacities, and for clients with differing musical programs. Scaling and voicing treatments are definitely adjusted to the clients' needs.
But the literature of the instrument, as well as the requirements for accompanying, demand that certain stops be in certain positions on an organ of any given size. If you have more money in the budget, there are certain stops that are correct to add next. Failure to include the right stops on any instrument, severely limits that organ's ability to do its job.
When you have a winning combination of the right stops in the right place, that work together to do their job of accompanying congregation and choir, and playing the literature of the instrument, we think that is pretty special. You should hear what we mean!
________________________________________________________________________
FIrst United Methodist Church,
Several years ago we took on the annual maintenance of the organ at Tuscaloosa's FIrst United Methodist Church, for a friend of the firm, who was organist at the time. We did so with the understanding that we would not do it indefinitely because of its condition, and that by so doing, we would be in a good position to be selected to build a new organ at an early point.
The basis of the old organ was a Moller installed in the 1920's. During the 1970's the Moller Company had a department whose sole responsibility was the rebuilding and upgrading of the firm's instruments from bygone times. The organs were taken back into the factory, and a total remanufacturing was done, as if the instrument were moving through the shop new. Chests and reservoirs were releathered, new consoles were provided, and many new ranks of pipes replaced older ranks.
At the time the Tuscaloosa organ went through this process, the use of Perflex, a plastic substitute for the leather in the chest actions, was being used by several firms, so this particular organ had been releathered for a second time, on site, when the Perflex failed, about five years after reinstallation.
By the time we started working on it, the organ was once again failing, and we made it clear from the outset, that it needed to be replaced. That said, we also knew there were several ranks of pipes from the 1970's upgrade, that could be used in a mechanically new organ.
When the contract was ultimately let, we began the process by totally removing the old organ, and stripping the chamber out to a bare room. This included the former facade, with its exposed, cantilevered Great chest, which, by virtue of its location directly under an A/C outlet, was never in tune with the rest of the organ.
A dumpster was placed in the side street, easily accessed from the organ chamber, and most of the organ was sent to its final resting place. The old Kinetic blower, with its extremely dangerous coupling between the motor and blower housing, was the first thing to go. A few ranks were bought by enthusiasts, and we retained the ranks noted in the stop list below, for reuse.
The new organ follows the basic concept of our III Manual model. The organ is mechanically new, and is built on our electro-pneumatic Blackinton-style slider and pallet chests, which allowed it to be placed totally within the confines of the chamber, for better tuning control. Several pipes, including the 16' Violone, were laid horizontally on top, or just under the inside of, the expression boxes, so the whole organ would fit the space.
All existing pipes received the same treatment in our voicing room as the new pipes, fresh from the pipe makers.
A facade of speaking Great and Pedal Principal pipes was designed without an overhanging "flower box", and the choir loft floor was leveled over the old console pit, so the new console could be movable. The choir rail was opened to facilitate locating choir, instruments, and handbells for special musical presentations.
The new organ has an exciting, full sound that envelopes and lifts the congregation in singing the hymns of the church, as was amply shown on its first day of use, Easter of 2015.
GREAT - Unenclosed
16' (Ch.)Violone, 12 pipes.
8' Principal (facade), 61 pipes.
8' Rohrflote, 61 pipes.
8' (Ch.)Violone
8' (Ch.)Flute Harmonique
4' Octave, 61 pipes.
4' Hohlflote, 61 pipes.
2' Super Octave, 61 pipes.
IV Mixture, 244 pipes.
8' (Ch.)Trumpet
Chimes
Cymbelstern
8' (Ch.)Grand Trumpet
SWELL - Expressive
16' Bourdon, existing, 12 pipes
8' Principal, existing, 61 pipes
8' Bourdon, existing, rescaled, 61 pipes
8' Viola Pomposa, 61 pipes
8' Viola Celeste, GG, 54 pipes
4' Octave, existing, 61 pipes
4' Spitzflote, 61 pipes
2 2/3' Nasard, 61 pipes
2' Blockflote, existing, 61 pipes
1 3/5' Tierce, 61 pipes
III-IV Mixture, 212 pipes
16' Oboe, existing, 61 pipes
8' Trompette, existing 61 pipes
8' Oboe, 12 pipes
4' Clarion 12 pipes
Tremulant
CHOIR - Expressive
8' Violone, 61 pipes
8' Flute Harmonique, 54 pipes
8' Gedackt, existing, 61 pipes
8' Erzahler, 61 pipes
8' Erzahler Celeste, TC, 49 pipes
4' Principal, existing, 61 pipes
4' Koppelflote, existing, 61 pipes
2' Octave, existing, 61 pipes
1 1/3' Quinte - from Scharff
III Scharff, 183
8' Trumpet, 61 pipes
8' Clarinet, existing, 61 pipes
Tremulant
16' Grand Trumpet, TC
8' Grand Trumpet, 61 pipes
PEDAL -
32' Resultant
16' Principal, (facade) 32 pipes
16' Subbass, 32 pipes
16' (Ch.)Violone
16' (Sw.)Bourdon
8' Principal, 12 pipes
8' Subbass, 12 pipes
8' (Ch.)Violone
8' (Sw.)Bourdon
4' Choralbass, 32 pipes
4' Nachthorn, existing, 32 pipes
III Mixture, existing, 96 pipes
32' (Ch.)Trombone, L/2, 12 pipes
16' (Ch.)Trombone, 12 pipes
16' (Sw.)Oboe
8' (Ch.)Trumpet
4' (Sw.)Oboe
8' (Ch.)Grand Trumpet
The basis of the old organ was a Moller installed in the 1920's. During the 1970's the Moller Company had a department whose sole responsibility was the rebuilding and upgrading of the firm's instruments from bygone times. The organs were taken back into the factory, and a total remanufacturing was done, as if the instrument were moving through the shop new. Chests and reservoirs were releathered, new consoles were provided, and many new ranks of pipes replaced older ranks.
At the time the Tuscaloosa organ went through this process, the use of Perflex, a plastic substitute for the leather in the chest actions, was being used by several firms, so this particular organ had been releathered for a second time, on site, when the Perflex failed, about five years after reinstallation.
By the time we started working on it, the organ was once again failing, and we made it clear from the outset, that it needed to be replaced. That said, we also knew there were several ranks of pipes from the 1970's upgrade, that could be used in a mechanically new organ.
When the contract was ultimately let, we began the process by totally removing the old organ, and stripping the chamber out to a bare room. This included the former facade, with its exposed, cantilevered Great chest, which, by virtue of its location directly under an A/C outlet, was never in tune with the rest of the organ.
A dumpster was placed in the side street, easily accessed from the organ chamber, and most of the organ was sent to its final resting place. The old Kinetic blower, with its extremely dangerous coupling between the motor and blower housing, was the first thing to go. A few ranks were bought by enthusiasts, and we retained the ranks noted in the stop list below, for reuse.
The new organ follows the basic concept of our III Manual model. The organ is mechanically new, and is built on our electro-pneumatic Blackinton-style slider and pallet chests, which allowed it to be placed totally within the confines of the chamber, for better tuning control. Several pipes, including the 16' Violone, were laid horizontally on top, or just under the inside of, the expression boxes, so the whole organ would fit the space.
All existing pipes received the same treatment in our voicing room as the new pipes, fresh from the pipe makers.
A facade of speaking Great and Pedal Principal pipes was designed without an overhanging "flower box", and the choir loft floor was leveled over the old console pit, so the new console could be movable. The choir rail was opened to facilitate locating choir, instruments, and handbells for special musical presentations.
The new organ has an exciting, full sound that envelopes and lifts the congregation in singing the hymns of the church, as was amply shown on its first day of use, Easter of 2015.
GREAT - Unenclosed
16' (Ch.)Violone, 12 pipes.
8' Principal (facade), 61 pipes.
8' Rohrflote, 61 pipes.
8' (Ch.)Violone
8' (Ch.)Flute Harmonique
4' Octave, 61 pipes.
4' Hohlflote, 61 pipes.
2' Super Octave, 61 pipes.
IV Mixture, 244 pipes.
8' (Ch.)Trumpet
Chimes
Cymbelstern
8' (Ch.)Grand Trumpet
SWELL - Expressive
16' Bourdon, existing, 12 pipes
8' Principal, existing, 61 pipes
8' Bourdon, existing, rescaled, 61 pipes
8' Viola Pomposa, 61 pipes
8' Viola Celeste, GG, 54 pipes
4' Octave, existing, 61 pipes
4' Spitzflote, 61 pipes
2 2/3' Nasard, 61 pipes
2' Blockflote, existing, 61 pipes
1 3/5' Tierce, 61 pipes
III-IV Mixture, 212 pipes
16' Oboe, existing, 61 pipes
8' Trompette, existing 61 pipes
8' Oboe, 12 pipes
4' Clarion 12 pipes
Tremulant
CHOIR - Expressive
8' Violone, 61 pipes
8' Flute Harmonique, 54 pipes
8' Gedackt, existing, 61 pipes
8' Erzahler, 61 pipes
8' Erzahler Celeste, TC, 49 pipes
4' Principal, existing, 61 pipes
4' Koppelflote, existing, 61 pipes
2' Octave, existing, 61 pipes
1 1/3' Quinte - from Scharff
III Scharff, 183
8' Trumpet, 61 pipes
8' Clarinet, existing, 61 pipes
Tremulant
16' Grand Trumpet, TC
8' Grand Trumpet, 61 pipes
PEDAL -
32' Resultant
16' Principal, (facade) 32 pipes
16' Subbass, 32 pipes
16' (Ch.)Violone
16' (Sw.)Bourdon
8' Principal, 12 pipes
8' Subbass, 12 pipes
8' (Ch.)Violone
8' (Sw.)Bourdon
4' Choralbass, 32 pipes
4' Nachthorn, existing, 32 pipes
III Mixture, existing, 96 pipes
32' (Ch.)Trombone, L/2, 12 pipes
16' (Ch.)Trombone, 12 pipes
16' (Sw.)Oboe
8' (Ch.)Trumpet
4' (Sw.)Oboe
8' (Ch.)Grand Trumpet
