Cover Feature

Glück Pipe Organs, New York, All incarnations present compelling New York effects, from jumping between main and Mayflower Congregational dorsal cases in a North European organ, United Church of Christ, to the roaring, shuttered reeds scraping at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma the triforium of an English cathedral. The choice at Mayflower UCC was an arrange- An essay in determination ment that addressed the new chancel The quest to replace a six-stop unit and choir area as if it were a concert organ in Oklahoma City became a study hall, surrounding the proceedings with in considered choices made by a fully four well-engineered, highly effective involved group who gave to the future an chambers that were proximate enough instrument that serves worship, choral to cooperate without losing individuality. programs, solo recitals, and orchestral Rigid walls, properly shaped ceilings, and concerts. The organ committee at May- thick, tightly fitting shutter blades make flower Congregational United Church of for an enormous range of amplitude. Christ, in cooperation with their pastor- ate and director of music Richard Jobe, Tonal development worked with consultant Scott Riedel of Traditional structure—independent Milwaukee to develop an architectural, Principal forces for at least two manuals acoustical, and musical plan. They enthu- and the Pedal—anchors the organ in ter- siastically educated themselves, traveled raced levels of open tone at 16′ for the the nation to see and hear instruments, Pedal, 8′ for the Great, and 4′ for the and selected their architects, contrac- Swell. The Pedal has no chorus, per se, tors, and organbuilder. but a dedicated, extended rank retained Living with a mid-twentieth century from the previous instrument, voiced The new organ in the rebuilt chancel. The left chamber houses the Swell division stock-design instrument, the church so that movement of the pedal line is and the Pedal 16′ Trombone, with the right chamber accommodating the Choir, Great II, and Pedal flues. Behind the façades that flank the central window is the was moving from a position of extreme heard. An additional 8′ Open Diapason, unenclosed Great I; the bottom octave of the division and the Haskelled Pedal 16′ limitation to one of enormous freedom– extended up from this Pedal stop, is Contra Bass are behind the speaking façade on the left, and the main windchest is and its attendant responsibility. It was enclosed with the Choir division. There behind the non-speaking façade on the right. known from the outset that the stoplist was no room in the Swell for a desirable would evolve; omissions would be rein- 8′ Principal, but this voice serves as an to strengthen the alto voice in the middle ranks were revoiced and incorporated, stated, new ideas would be raised and English Second Diapason, as well as a and soprano octaves. The Swell while the and Harmonic abandoned. That is how pipe organs are solo under expression to be accompa- breaks less frequently, maintaining a are new to the organ. refined toward their final design once nied by other divisions. slightly higher aggregate pitch in the con- The key was to make certain that inde- the builder is selected, a process that at The Pedal 16′ Contra Bass is not trapuntal range, the shimmer enhanced pendent voices could be drawn at each times both disappoints and elates during intended to be a 16′ Principal, but to by power parity between harmonic com- pitch, and that if two stops on the same the pursuit of cleverness. add definition through distinct tone and ponents. Toward the top of the compass, division were drawn from the same rank, There was no focus upon an idiom a substantial degree of independence a larger-scaled 8′ pitch enters to fortify we strive for a two-octave separation that would back the organ into a stylis- from the unit rank. Making evident the the unison line in the absence of an inde- to minimize “missing pipe syndrome.” tic or nationalistic corner. Mayflower’s motion of the pedal line was the goal, pendent 8′ Principal. The benefits are an elegant, clear third instrument is by all means an American and it works as well under full forces as ensemble punctuated by the sparkle of , from its geographic location it does under the two undulants during The compound Great/Choir the 1′ Gemshorn, an historically dictated to the fact that its components were built introspective passages. Pedal power Between the wars, Mr. Skinner’s three- position for the Clarinet, and the nuance by Americans in selected shops through- comes from the 16′ Sub Bass, the 16′ and four-stop Choir divisions unintention- enabled by a second expression enclo- out this nation. Nonetheless, the term Trombone, and the harmonic complexity ally opened a window onto Classicism for sure. The Great gained the indispensable “American Classic” never entered our of duplexed mezzo-forte voices from the those Americans who had looked beyond 8′ Harmonic Flute for the French lit- thoughts or vocabulary. That era remains compound Great/Choir section. the vested American zeitgeist during their erature and a solid 16′ to carry a crucial and brilliant transition, to be The mixtures are kept to an even overseas travels; in recent organs, I have hymnody and undergird the plenum. acknowledged for its contributions, but number of ranks for harmonic balance, followed his lead with very small third it was dotted with obstacles to the full and achieve different effects. The Great manuals that can make playable more The mutations understanding of organ literature and Mixture is unenclosed, speaks directly of the literature with satisfying accuracy For an instrument furnished with history. Many of its lessons still apply, but down the nave, sits at the front of the while enhancing the service of prayer. only one tierce combination, published should its templates? soundboard, breaks successively lower, I was determined not to make the Choir works—both treatises and scores—from and keeps its quints two scale diameters a garage for miscellanea at the expense of the 17th through 19th centuries provide Architectural placement smaller than the unisons, resulting in a filling out the Great, and recommended to guidance. Historically ensconced in the The spatial arrangement of pipe organs fuller treble. While I am personally dis- the consultant and the organ committee Choir or Positiv, the cylindrical half- has been under discussion for centuries, inclined toward the guttural infusion of that we strip and releather Mayflower’s length reed (here the Clarinet) cannot be as evidenced by myriad cyclical catch- a bold twelfth entering the chorus too far original six-stop unit windchest to accom- roommates with the Tierce combination phrases—“mixing chamber,” “line-of- down the compass, it was eased in care- modate enclosed voices that could both and perform the French dialogues of the sight,” “functional display,” “high and fully during tonal finishing, avoiding the embolden the Great and furnish a small Baroque (why deprive future organists encased,” “tone chute,” and “entombed.” “pull,” and in this case, actually appears Choir division. Four of the organ’s seven of that option?), and it is well unwise

Glück Pipe Organs, Opus 14

GREAT I – Manual II, CHOIR – Manual I, enclosed unenclosed 8′ Solo Diapason* (Pedal 8′ Princ) 8′ Open Diapason 50% tin 8′ Bourdon* (ext) 8′ Holz Gedeckt pine 8′ Gemshorn* 50% tin 4′ Principal 50% tin 8′ Vox Angelica* 50% tin 2′ Fifteenth 50% tin 4′ Gemshorn* (ext) Chorus Mixture IV 50% tin 4′ Harmonic Flute pine C 1 19 22 26 29 2′ Principal* (ext, Ped 8′ Princ) A#11 15 19 22 26 2′ Recorder* (ext, Bourdon) G#21 12 15 19 22 1′ * (ext, Gemshorn) F#31 8 12 15 19 8′ Clarinet 30% tin E41 1 8 12 15 G#57 1 8 Chimes (25 tubes) 8′ Trumpet (Swell) Zimbelstern (unenclosed with Gt I) Chimes 16′ Choir to Choir Great I Silent Choir Silent 4′ Choir to Choir GREAT II – Manual II, enclosed with Choir 16′ Bourdon* mahogany 8′ Harmonic Flute (Choir) C1–B12 from 16′ Bourdon 8′ Gemshorn (Choir) 8′ Vox Angelica (Choir) 4′ Nason Flute (ext, Bourdon) 8′ Clarinet (Choir) Tremulant (duplicate control) 4′ Great II to Great

The console

30 n THE DIAPASON n FEBRUARY 2013 WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM Cover Feature

The Swell soundboard nearest the expression shutters The compound Pedal/Great/Choir (left to right): Pedal Panoramic view of the Swell division. In the back- (left to right): 8′ Viole de Gambe, 8′ Stopped Diapason, 16′ Sub Bass (painted Portland blue), 8′ Bourdon, 8′ ground, mitered to follow the roof line, stands the 16′ 8′ Voix Céleste, 4′ Principal, 8′ Trumpet (with harmonic Pedal/Choir Open Diapason, 4′ Harmonic Flute, 8′ Clari- Bassoon, with the Pedal 16′ Trombone behind. The resonators), 8′ Oboe d’Amore net, 8′ Vox Angelica, 8′ Gemshorn, expression shutters. angled ceiling and heavily braced walls enhance the The 16′ Bourdon extension stands in the background. tone’s blend and clear projection into the sanctuary.

to lock up two of the most pungent solo the last, is vital to the performance of the Carrying the chorus reed burden of anthem literature in lieu of a caricature effects on the same manual. The Nazard literature and should not be diluted. the entire organ, the Mayflower Trum- voice that might elicit questions of taste and Tierce (originally conceived as a pet is large, bold, brilliant, and must be or judgment. The Clarinet is made avail- II until funds made it possible to The three reed stops handled with care. Fortunately, it could able in the enclosed Great II section so separate them), reside in the Swell, ben- The reed allotment challenge in a be scaled and voiced with abandon as it that it can be accompanied by stops from efiting from the recombinant capabilities small organ is one of both color and descends into the Pedal 16′ Trombone its own department, and appears in the of the fully independent flute choir, and pitch. The three historically primary extension where it needs not serve two Pedal as a cantus firmus voice. where they can engage with the reeds for colors (Trumpet, Clarinet, Oboe), and masters. Part of the rank’s success is that the fiery Grand Jeu, an effect unique in relative unison pitches (8′ for the manu- it grows toward the bass in the French The 32′ stops the world of music. als, 16′ for the pedal) jockey for position, tradition, and there is no 4′ Clarion exten- The new acoustic at Mayflower could and the balance tips inevitably when one sion to pierce and fragment the grandeur. support gently balanced 32′ tone, but The undulants is limited to a single rank of Trumpets The Swell 8′ Oboe d’Amore, extended there was no available space for the pipes. The Choir Gemshorn and GG- that is hoped might fulfill the needs of to 16′ as the Bassoon, is firm, full, and Resultant basses almost never work effec- compass Vox Angelica are the source the Great, Swell, and Pedal depart- warm, avoiding nasal tone in favor of a tively in American organs, although they for gentle tone with more slowly tuned ments. The dilemma of rationed budget plump, round voice that is essential to the appear to be standard equipment, false undulation. They were well-made pipes and space is not new, and Americans fonds d’huit. The richness achieved with hope in the form of a switch. They suc- that the church already owned, and with have faced it for decades. It is for this full-length resonators facilitates blend ceed in brief ranges, with certain scales, revoicing and tonal finishing, they serve reason that I chose to place the organ’s when introducing milder reed tone into and with pipes of particular tonalities, but well in services of prayer; sacrificed three reed stops on individual electro- ensembles for textural buildup or choral only if carefully placed in relationship to were the likes of an English Horn and pneumatic valve actions and present accompaniment. In the American tradi- their neighbors and to the physical struc- a bit more Choir independence, both a candid acknowledgement of the tion of the last century, it is duplexed into ture that houses them. The failure rate is of which had been on the “wish list.” By available assets. Tonal directors choose the Pedal at 16′ and 8′ pitch. compounded by the assumption that any contrast, the Swell strings are authenti- sleights of scaling and make accommo- The Choir 8′ Clarinet makes no stopped flute will suffice and that physics cally brilliant, cutting, shimmering, and dation in the so that musicians concessions, free to be gutsy, woody, will intuitively provide a musical effect. unapologetically orchestral, taking the might take their cues from the resulting and forthrightly characteristic. Highly Fortunately, the Mayflower 16′ Sub Bass vibrantly tuned undulant all the way resources. If the conservative builder or identifiable to the “non-organ” ear (the is of the scale, cutup, voicing, and posi- down to 8′ CC. This type of tone, desired designer chooses not to sustain the com- target audience of the future?), the tioning that it produces an unobtrusive and characteristic during the fourth promise, the clients and their successors evocative, orchestral style of Clarinet and pervading 32′ tone without muddy- quarter of the 19th century and well into must manage without. fulfills the needs of both the solo and ing the waters. Now that weight had been achieved, something unusual had to be introduced. What would prove to be most interest- Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ing? Resultant 32′ Dulcianas date back at least to Hilborne Roosevelt’s 1879–1883 SWELL – Manual III, enclosed PEDAL – enclosed except for Interdivisional Couplers double organ at the Cathedral of the 8′ Viole de Gambe (slotted) 90% tin 16′ Contra Bass 8′ Great I to Pedal Incarnation in Long Island City. The 8′ Voix Céleste (slotted) 90% tin 32′ Infrabass§ 8′ Swell to Pedal concept resurfaced in 1922 in Casavant’s 8′ Stopped Diapason pine 16′ Contra Bass† (ext) zinc 8′ Choir to Pedal tonal recasting of the 1902 Hook & Hast- 4′ Principal 50% tin 16′ Sub Bass pine 4′ Chimney Flute 50% tin 16′ Bourdon (Great) 16′ Swell to Great ings built for Temple Beth-El in Detroit, 2 2 ⁄3′ Nazard 50% tin 8′ Principal* 50% tin 8′ Swell to Great but the Mayflower 16′ open metal proved 2′ 50% tin 8′ Gemshorn (Choir) 4′ Swell to Great too incisive and exposed to achieve such 3 1 ⁄5′ Tierce (breaks to 4′ at F54) 50% tin 8′ Bourdon (Great) 16′ Choir to Great an effect with the desired subtlety, so I Mixture IV 50% tin 4′ Fifteenth* (ext) 8′ Choir to Great C 1 19 22 26 29 4′ Flute (Great) 4′ Choir to Great opted for a hint of spectacle. Cavaillé- C13 15 19 22 26 2′ Choral Bass* (ext) Coll’s 1880 organ for La Cathédrale C25 12 15 19 22 32′ Contrabassoon§§ 8′ Great II to Swell Saint Croix in Orléans sports a clamorous C37 8 12 15 19 16′ Trombone (ext) zinc 8′ Swell to Choir 2 10 ⁄3′ Bombarde, breaking to 32′ at C13, A46 1 8 12 15 16′ Bassoon (Swell) 8′ Great and Choir Reversed G#57 1 8 8′ Trumpet (Swell) labeled Contre Bombarde. While such 16′ Bassoon (ext) 30% tin 8′ Bassoon (Swell) Wind pressures noise would be utterly inappropriate at 8′ Trumpet 30% tin 4′ Clarinet (Choir) Pedal Trombone and Swell: 5 inches Mayflower UCC, the transfer of this effect 8′ Oboe d’Amore 30% tin Chimes Remainder of the organ: 4 inches to the Bassoon is telling but unobtrusive. Tremulant 16′ Swell to Swell * Four ranks of pipes revoiced from the Swell Silent original organ The console 4′ Swell to Swell † C1 through G8 with Haskell re-entrant The keydesk was inspired by the Aeo- tubes, extension of Great 8′ Open Diapason lian organs for the homes of the aristocracy § C1–B12 resultant from Sub Bass; 32′ Sub Bass at C13 during the nation’s Progressive Era, and §§ C1–B12 resultant from Bassoon; 32′ further informed by later Hook & Hast- Bassoon at C13 ings consoles. The balanced tablets on side jambs permit the musician to “read” the specification quickly and clearly; each

WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM THE DIAPASON n FEBRUARY 2013 n 31 Cover Feature New Organs

Scott Smith Pipe Organs, Diapason. The older instrument, Opus Lansing, Michigan 1743 (1935) from Sacred Heart Catho- Newman Residence, lic Church in nearby Flint, offered a Clio, Michigan typically simple but handsome case for When the builder was firstthe Wicks Sonata line, which became approached about this project, the con- the Great division. The other instru- cept was merely to combine two identi- ment, from the mid-1940s, was origi- cal three-rank Wicks organs into a single nally installed in an unknown church in instrument. By the end of the initial Ohio, and forms the basis for the Swell. meeting, and with a little arm-twisting, The original Bourdon bass in the the owner became convinced that with Great was a rather demure, almost inau- a few changes, a much more musically dible set, and was replaced by another satisfying outcome was possible. Wicks Bourdon originally installed in To say that organist and choir direc- an unknown Flint church. In an ironic tor Richard Newman is a devoted music twist, this orphan Bourdon was picked lover is an understatement. His ever- up rather coincidentally by the builder evolving music room contains three during an acquisition trip in Wisconsin, reproducing grand pianos, one upright, and has now returned to the other side two Victrolas, a disk-type music box, of “The Lake” to a location near where and at least two harmoniums in addi- it played for many years. Being of larger tion to the pipe organ. Elsewhere in scale, the Bourdon now resides outside the house are two more reproducing the case, and the holes that previously grands, several other harmoniums, held the original Bourdon now contain Sebastian M. Glück, artistic and tonal director; Albert Jensen-Moulton, general and more music boxes. The space, a an orphan 8′ Diapason bass; something manager; Robert Rast, senior technician (photograph by Robert Rast) converted three-car garage open to the it never had before, and as we found it, rafters, has been expertly finished by remarkably mitered to fit inside the case field of stop controls is in the same loca- (chief technician), was supplemented the owner in a manner compatible with perfectly. The Great Viole was moved tion that it would be if drawknobs had by students from the American Organ the historic 1860s farmhouse to which to the Swell to become the celeste for been used. It glides less than half an inch Institute at the University of Oklahoma it is attached, replete with beveled glass the matching set there, and replaced above the floor with the gentle push of a and volunteers from Mayflower Con- entry doors, stained-glass windows, by a Wicks Dulciana, whose overall hand as it is repositioned for its many uses gregational Church during the removal custom-milled paneling, and period tonal characteristic is similar to that of in association with Mayflower’s ministries. of the church’s original pipe organ and furnishings. Acoustics are good, and the a small Diapason. The middle portion As with all Glück consoles, it is equipped the installation of the new one. Along organ fills the room well, without being of the Stopped Flute was removed with a high-capacity combination action, with the trusted American suppliers with either mousy or overwhelming. and replaced with a wooden Harmonic MIDI interface, and record and playback whom this firm has worked for over a The two original instruments, built Flute from a 1916 Aeolian residence capabilities, yet the clutter of gadgetry is quarter of a century, they liberated me ten years apart, were identical in some organ in Grand Rapids. The large Open kept to a tasteful minimum. to focus upon the design, scaling, voicing, ways, and quite different in others. Diapason was moved to the Great, dis- and tonal finishing, with a view toward Both began life with similar two-man- placing the smaller set to the Swell. The visual design the artistic and musical outcome. ual consoles and choice of ranks: 16′–2′ Builders who worked on the project When developing organ cases, I call Scott Riedel, working with both Glück Stopped Flute, 8′ (T.C.) Open Diapa- include Joe Granger, Scott Smith, with upon my university training as a preser- Pipe Organs and Steve Matthews, princi- son, and 8′–4′ (GG) Viole. The com- assistance from Richard Newman. Many vation architect to develop visual state- pal and project manager at Architectural parative scalings of the Violes and the thanks to Richard Swanson of Grand ments that take their cues from their Design Group, made it clear that consul- Stopped were somewhat similar, Ledge, whose advice and parts proved to surroundings. Ornamentally and pro- tants do not choose pipe organ builders, but oddly, it was the later instrument be invaluable. portionally, this firm’s new instruments but guide institutions toward educated that contained the larger-scale Open —Scott Smith appear as though they had always been decisions—not hopeful guesses. The joy in the buildings they serve. A relaxed with which this project came together presence and æsthetic harmony are is heard in the sound of the pipes, and achieved through the use of sympathetic we are thankful to have been chosen by Scott Smith Pipe Organs materials and elegantly adapted details this growing church, educational center, Newman Residence, Clio, Michigan that are meaningful to the community. and outreaching community unique in The classical arcuated pediment of the Oklahoma City. central window, the visual focus of the Summary SWELL church since its construction in 1957, Videos and compact discs 16′ Harmonic Flute (97 pipes, 1–24 16′ Bourdon served as my guide. Where there were A short documentary on the May- stopped; 1–18 exposed) 8′ Violin Diapason once two blank, sheer walls now stands a flower organ, a time-lapse film of its 16′ Stopped Flute (97 pipes, 1–61 stopped) 8′ Stopped Flute 8′ Open Diapason (73 pipes) 8′ Quintadena (derived) pair of pendant cases that echo the ceil- installation, and videos of other recent 8′ Geigen Diapason (TC, 61 pipes) 8′ Viola ing vault and the central window in order Glück pipe organs may be viewed at 8′ Viole (GG, 78 pipes) 8′ Voix Celeste to accommodate the unenclosed Great I http://www.youtube.com/user/Gluck 8′ Viole Celeste (TC, 49 pipes) 4′ Octave and Pedal Contra Bass. PipeOrgans/videos. Four compact discs 8′ Dulciana (GG, 78 pipes) 4′ Flute d’Amour 4′ Violina are available of Glück organs directly 2 GREAT 2 ⁄3′ Nazard Putting it all together from the builder’s website: http://www. 16′ Bourdon 2′ Piccolo 3 Pipe organs are made real by teams of gluckpipeorgans.com. 8′ Open Diapason 1 ⁄5′ Tierce people, and this firm’s lean business model —Sebastian Matthäus Glück 8′ Melodia Tremolo benefits from collegial cooperation. The 8′ Dulciana staff at Glück Pipe Organs, including Cover photo by Robert Rast. 4′ Octave PEDAL 4′ Flute 16′ Subbass Joseph DiSalle, Albert Jensen-Moulton All other photographs are by Sebas- 4′ Dulciana 16′ Lieblich Bourdon (general manager), and Robert Rast tian M. Glück, unless otherwise noted. 2′ Piccolo 8′ Gedeckt 2′ Dulciana 8′ Tremolo Swell to Pedal Swell to Great Great to Pedal

Two manuals, seven ranks Expression: Swell & Great Action: Electro-mechanical

Advertise in The Diapason For rates and digital specifications, contact Jerome Butera 847/391-1045 [email protected]

32 n THE DIAPASON n FEBRUARY 2013 WWW.THEDIAPASON.COM