A Challenge for Space ...

THE SMALL ORGAN

their church counterparts, and even ex­ amples of small instruments in the ar~a took up more space than was present m the confines of our home. Therefore, I had about abandoned the idea of pipe ownership until a member of our local Harri'mond Organ Society casually in­ formed me that the small chapel in his church complex was going to be con­ verted into an educational wing and that the small pipe organ in it was to be sold. Now being a church organist with a soft spot for the genus Hope-Jones, and hav­ PAUL WHITE, age 17 and already a veteran ing been taught that you cannot play organ technician, is here seen at work in the theatre organ on a church organ, I was immaculate chamber. by Ray Brubacher immediately prone to disregard the in­ strument and to not even b o t h e r to Upon looking at the instrument, a _ In the last few issues of THEATRE check. However, upon consultation with four-ranker, I immediately noticed that ORGANB0MBARDE, there have appeared two very good friends - Mr. Gil White though the instrument was built for av­ many exciting and informative narra­ and his son Paul, who were veterans of erage c h u r c h use, the scalings of the tives of how several large theatre pipe the art, having installed a three-manual, pipework were not the typical narrow organs have been rescued from eventual 11 - rank theatre organ in their own scalings being employed within the last oblivion by devoted theatre organ enthu­ home, and son Paul who at 17 is respon­ few years, but that there might be a pos­ siasts and how these instruments have sible for the 2-9 Moller in WPIK Con­ sibility for dual usage. Wind pressure been installed, often at considerable ex­ gressional Plaza radio studio- I was ad­ was four 1 n c hes, admittedly a far cry pense, in their homes. I would like to vised to waste no time in inspecting the from the usual ten to fifteen inches of a take the opportunity to take up the case instrument. theatre organ. The one tremulant was of of the organ enthusiast whose income At this time, I would like to empha­ the meager beater type which produced may be modest, and w h o s e residence size POINT ONE for the prospective hardly a flutter. In addition, the organ may be a shade smaller than some of the organ owner. Always consult someone, chamber was some twelve feet in height, fifty-room-plus mansions these large in­ not a professional o r g a n builder but and all chests were on five-foot-high sup­ struments have been fitted into, but nev­ someone who has already done what you ports. I was, at that point, ready to aban­ ertheless would desire a pipe organ in­ are planning on d o i n g. Professionals don the entire project but my organ stallation. I would like to use myself as have one thing in mind, that is, church builders still insisted that the instrument that person of modest income, and my work where there is far more space avail­ would fit into a chamber seven feet deep, own two-manual, four-rank instrument able than in the average residence. thirteen feet wide by seven and one-half as an example of what can be done in feet high, which was the measurement I the confines of a small home, in hopes had taken and had planned to ask for as that it might spur others in the same it represented half the space available in situation to enjoy the real thing, so to a room behind our recreation room. I speak, for less than the cost of a medium­ had in years past m a n a g e d to secure priced spinet model electronic. three of the seven feet for a chamber to Being 27, single, and living at home house the hi-fi speakers and Leslie organ immediately tends to press great odds speaker which spoke into the recreation against having a pipe organ. Having al­ room through a grillework, so I secretly . ready a large electronic in the recreation patted myself on the back for having had room, I had spent four years of fruitless the foresight to ask for this, as an addi­ effort trying to convince the powers that tional four feet if granted w o u l d not be, namely my parents, that a pipe organ look as bad as an initial seven. could fit into the house. Any efforts to­ Having now tried the instrument, I wards this purpose had been nullified by found that the tone was very beautiful their visiting area theatre pipe organ res­ and the instrument ranks blended beau­ idence installations and seeing for them­ tifully for a good ensemble-which shall selves just how much room a sizeable be POINT Two for the pros p e c ti v e instrument did take. And tales of local organ purchaser. Since we are consider­ organ owners cutting large holes in their ing a small instrument, of not over five living room floors to permit the sound ranks, it is vitally important that ensem­ to rise from the sub-basement pipe ble be considered of paramount impor­ chambers did much to quickly quench tance. One cannot afford any rank of the fires of hope of my getting my own KINETIC BLOWER and relay share precious solo quality which will not blend with instrument. As everyone knows, theatre space in this small organ with potted plants organ pipe scalings run far larger than behind the pipe chamber. (Continued on Next Page)

17 theatre organ I bombarde SMALL ORGAN (continued) what offer is made. pipes would be necessary, the bass exten­ Removal of the instrument began on sions of the Viole and Diapason were ochers when used together. This is a lux­ August 5, 1967. Beginning operations, mounted at sixty - degree angles on the ury which, alas, must be left to t h o s e I was thankful, and am so even to this back wall of the chamber . It was neces­ with the larger installations but by no day, that I managed co persuade my par­ sary to miter the four lowest bourdon means should hamper feeling coward ents not co come co see the instrument pipes. The manual chests were of the in­ smaller instruments. in its original home. I am sure that if dividual unit type, and were installed on Still unbelieving of the fact that this they had s e e n the instrument at that a platform twenty inches high, leaving instrument c o u 1d go into my allotted stage, their reaction would have spelled enough s p a c e underneath for mainte­ space, we looked at the blower which finis in no uncertain terms. With Paul nance . In addition, all chest cables ter­ was of the Moller round kinetic type, supervising operations, the two of us minated into fifty connector plugs from running off of the ll0-volc main. It was managed to have the instrument disas­ the relay, making removal of any one fairly quiet, not of the "corn shucker" sembled in three days. component extremely easy. The s we 11 variety which graces so many furnace shades were p 1a c e d over the original rooms, and needed no soundproofing. grillework mentioned earlier and are op­ SPECIFICATIONS: The relay was of the direct electric Reis­ erated from a single-bellows type motor ner type, so altogether, things were start­ BRUBACHER 2-4 PIPE ORGAN Built by Newcomer Pipe Organ Co., which gives a slightly slower but very ing co add up to the remote possibility Washington, D. C. 1947 smooch swell, not of the step variety. At that there might be hope. At this point Reinstalled by Paul G. White 1967 this point, I learned how to handle a PEDAL SWELL both Gil and Paul were prodding me to propane torch, acid and solder, for there make an offer for the instrument, which 16' Bourdon 16' Bourdon 8' Open Diapason 8' Flute was much windline to connect . Both res­ I was somewhat reluctant to do, sin'ce 8' Flute 8' Viole ervoirs were placed as close to the pipes my parents knew nothing whatsoever of 8' Viole 4' Flute as possible, but windline from the small 4' Flute 22/2' Flute 12th my intentions. However, being reckless, reservoir which feeds the offsets and bass I made a very modest offer co the organ­ 8' Oboe Horn 2' Piccolo Great to Pedal 8' Oboe flute extension was run back outside the ist of the church who was handling the Swell to Pedal Sw 16 chamber in order to keep the floor in the disposition of the instrument, and from Swell to Pedal 4 Sw 4 chamber free to walk. At chis point an­ GREAT Unison Off the look on his face, I pretty well cal­ other tremulant was found, one of the culated that my offer would be laughed 8' Open Diapason Tremulant (theatre type) 8' Concert Flute theatre type, which upon tr i a 1 proved right out of the next board meeting. 8' Viole successful beyond our farthest dreams. 4' Octave Having mustered the courage to in­ The instrument was turned on for the form my parents, Gil and Paul adroitly 4' Flute 4' Violina ANALYSIS first time the th i rd week in October. withdrew to let me go into the ring by 8' Oboe Horn Open Diapason 85 pipes Since chat time, finishing operations have myself. I dropped the bomb, the first Gt 16 Flute 97 pipes been in effect. The volume of the sering Gt 4 String 85 pipes reaction being nothing short of having was increased; the oboe has been im­ me committed to an institution; how­ Sw to Gt 16 Oboe 73 pipes Sw to Gt 8 proved. Alterations have been made to ever, after much pleading, begging, and Sw to Gt 4 the console, providing more versatility, promising, the necessary permission was Unison Off NOTES both for the playing of theatre and clas­ finally granted. A few days later, a tele­ sical music. If I have any feelings of phone call from the organist confirmed 1) Wind pressure: 4 inches. Tremulant does not affect low octaves of flute, string, diapason, guilt or misgivings, it is because I dared the fact that the o r g an was mine. I and reed . to doubt the word of two experts in the would like here to state POINT THREE 2) Stop tablets: Diapasons and Flutes, WHITE; Reeds, RED; Strings, BLUE; Couplers, BLACK; field, the ocher being that I kept one de­ of this lesson. Prices for organs of the voted high school senior working many church variety run far less than prices Unison Offs, GREEN; Tremulant, YELLOW. an hour originally allotted to homework. for theatre organs. There is no reason why a well-voiced rank of pipes on lower Plans were drawn up for the chamber The instrument was dedicated during wind pressure than the theatre or g a n and the necessary materials were ordered . Christmas week, and since chat time ev­ counterparts should not answer for aver­ Being retired, my father was able to aid eryone who has played or heard the in­ age home use. Wind pressure doth not in the construction of the chamber. strument has been genuinely impressed the theatre organ make, in terms of vol­ When the first load of material arrived with its ability to do justice to all forms ume - especially when consideration is hom e the fact that a pipe organ was ac-· of music . Perhaps I may add a harp or being given for home use. I continually tually coming into the sanctity of our a vox humana as there is room in the observe r_idiculous prices b e i n g asked happy home seemed to hit like an atom chamber for two more ranks, but for the and realized for interior ranks of pipes, bomb, rather that is the condition that present I am content in the fact that for mass-produced by the big theatre organ all the basement area was in for the next an expenditure inc 1u ding cost of the builders, while many truly well - voiced few weeks while assembly took place. organ, of less than nine hundred dollars, ranks on lower wind pressures wind up One of the promises I had made prior I have an instrument which even when in the scrap bin for want of ownership. co being granted permission for the in­ played full is livable within the confines Speech of a pipe in regards to rapidity strument to live with us was that I would of our 13x25-foot living room. so necessary tor theatre organ playing is waste no time in getting it playing. Hav­ In closing, I had much help from sev­ determined to a great degree by chest ing inspected all chests, which are of the eral ocher chapter members, and I am action. Therefore a hint to prospective Kilgen type, we found leather in excel­ afraid that the debt I owe all of chem buyers: make very reasonable offers. It lent shape, but decided at that point to can never be fully repaid. I have been will cost the church or hall from which rewire everything except the relay itself. chided by many of my fellow organ­ you are purchasing the insqument often New color-coded cable was donated by owning friends chat I have joined the far more to have the organ disposed of, a friend of the cause, which made the "Idiot Club." If having a pipe organ and in my area, the professional organ installation job a great deal simpler, so gives one the pleasure it has given me companies will often haul the instru­ that when everything was installed, we in the shore time I have had it, I am ments away for nothing. The church had only four wiring errors in the entire indeed ready to enroll in that club as a treasury still stands to gain, regardless of instrument. So that no mitering of metal life member.

april 1968 18