Sept 09 Pp. 30-32.Indd

Cover feature Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, organ. The Great provides a myriad of Inc., Bellwood, Illinois combinations suited for a range of de- La Casa de Cristo Lutheran mands from the liturgical service to the Church, Scottsdale, Arizona solo organ repertoire. Opus 224 (2008) The Swell division contains 21 stops, 23 ranks, and is “double-stacked,” with From the organbuilder the complete principal chorus, muta- Overview tions, and reeds occupying the lower Berghaus opus 224 at La Casa de Cris- level. Flutes, strings, and celestes are to Lutheran Church contains 91 ranks, 94 mounted above. The principal chorus is stops, and 5,067 pipes over four manuals based on an 8′ Diapason of spotted met- and pedal. The instrument takes its place al, crowned with a 2′ IV-rank Plein Jeu. as one of the largest pipe organs in the The relatively low pitch of this mixture, state of Arizona. The majority of the in- combined with a narrow scale, allows the strument (Pedal, Great and Positiv) is lo- pipes to be blown full, which helps to cated on the mezzanine level at the front produce a clear principal tone. Further- of the sanctuary, on a concrete platform more, the mixture is voiced softly enough measuring 42 feet across. The enclosed to give the entire plenum a gentler qual- Swell is located above the musician’s gal- ity suitable for choral accompaniment. lery in a resonant chamber measuring 14 The III-rank Cymbale is designed as a by 18 feet, and the Antiphonal is divided tierce mixture and voiced to its full po- and elevated on two sides of the rear gal- tential to reinforce harmonics present in lery, fl anking the large rear window. the fi ery chorus reeds. It also blends well The casework is constructed from and can be used as a higher-pitched mix- light-golden, rift-cut oak. The design ture with the principal chorus. emulates contemporary shapes found The Viole de Gambe is made of 75% elsewhere in the sanctuary. The visually tin and slotted for optimum harmonic striking façade, including polished tin development. The combination of this Principals from the Pedal, Great, and stop with its 61-note Voix Celeste is Positiv divisions, takes its inspiration intended to produce true string tone, from the McDowell mountain range, Full view of mezzanine and Swell expression chamber and not tone associated with narrow located in the northeast corner of the principals or stringy hybrid stops. This Phoenix valley. A sense of depth is creat- approach allows us to keep each of the ed with the mountain-like arrangement tonal categories of the instrument sepa- of fl amed-copper 16′ Principal pipes rate and distinct. The Swell is also home from the Great and Pedal divisions. The to the softest rank of the organ, the façade also contains twelve non-speak- 8′ Flûte Conique, which when paired ing wood pipes, painted sage green, in with its celeste elicits a most haunting homage to the majestic Saguaro cactus timbre. Other fl utes in this division in- found in the region. Adding to the visual clude the 8′ Flûte à Cheminée, which display is the asymmetrical layout of the is wood in the bass and is extended to Trompette en Chamade, constructed 16′ pitch, and a 2′ Octavin, which goes with fl amed-copper resonators. The harmonic at no. 13. This 2′ fl ute is not twin Antiphonal façades echo the details intended to be used with the mixture, found in the main organ. but rather with the 8′ and or 4′ fl utes. However, it works equally well with the Tonal Approach principals, as the scale is moderate and We designed an eclectic instrument, the voicing is light. The battery of reeds taking cues from the American Classic consists of a full-length 16′ Basson, an and Romantic traditions, that would be 8′ Trompette and 4′ Clairon of French able to handle a comprehensive reper- construction, and an 8′ Hautbois featur- toire, including a wide range of expres- ing coned-in bells and parallel French sion, both dynamic and tonal. To that shallots. When combined with founda- end, there are no less than fi ve manual tion stops, the 8′ Hautbois becomes a 8′ principals, ten different 8′ and 4′ most useful solo voice, especially for fl utes, strings and hybrid (tapered) Partial view of mezzanine with sun sculpture music from the French symphonic stops of varying tone and construction. school. The Voix Humaine is of Ameri- The versatility of this instrument results can Romantic construction. from our ability to treat each of these The Positiv division is located adja- stops as a beautifully unique voice when cent to the Swell, which allows this divi- used alone, as well as having the abil- sion, along with the Swell, to accompany ity to blend well, thus creating new and the choir. Totaling 19 stops and 19 ranks, desirable tones when used in combina- the Positiv is based on an 8′ Prinzipal tion. This is evident in the Great, which constructed of 75% tin and is complete contains the standard French-Romantic through a 1′ IV-rank Scharf. The ranks foundation of Principal, String, Open of the plenum are narrower in scale than Flute, and Stopped Flute. in the other divisions and provide a good Given the challenge of creating a large secondary chorus to the Great, especially organ with only one expressive division, in Baroque music. The 8′ Gemshorn has it was clear from the onset of the project a very wide mouth with a low cut-up and that great care would have to be taken a 1/3 taper, giving it a string-like tone. in the tonal fi nishing process to ensure A complete Cornet decomposée includ- a seamless crescendo and to create an ing Septième comprises pipes of various organ with equally balanced manual divi- construction, from the 8′ Holzgedackt 2 sions. The ranks of the unenclosed Posi- made of poplar to the 2 ⁄3′ chimneyed tiv are designed and voiced to provide a Rohrquinte. There are three solo reeds remarkable degree of expressiveness, and in the Positiv division, including an imi- to serve as a tonal bridge between the tative 16′ English Horn, an 8′ Cromorne, Swell and the Great. The overall effect in and an 8′ Trumpet with English shallots. the crescendo is that of a seamless transi- The Antiphonal division comprises tion from ppp to fff without experiencing 9 stops and 10 ranks, and provides ad- staggering dynamic or color steps. ditional support for congregational singing as well as interesting echo effects to Tonal Analysis the main instrument. Placed on oppos- The Great division consists of 19 ing sides of the gallery, the Antiphonal is stops, 22 ranks, and is mostly divided higher in elevation in comparison to the between two large slider chests, one Antiphonal main organ. The Antiphonal principals containing the principal chorus through are voiced in a mild fashion, to give a mixture, the other containing the fl ute diapason tone that is more subdued than 4′ Flûte Octaviante, and a II-rank Gross sense of surrounding the listener while and string stops. The 8′ First Principal its larger neighbor, yet is large enough to Kornet, constructed of large-scale open providing a supplemental role to the 1 1 is of generous scale, and is constructed be a lighter 8′ texture for the entire ple- fl utes at 5 ⁄3′ and 3 ⁄5′ pitches to enhance main instrument. This approach was pre- of 75% tin throughout. This creates a num. The principal chorus is completed the 16′ harmonic series. The 8′ Gamba is ferred to bombarding the listener with timbre that is simultaneously bright and with narrowly scaled mutations, and is of slender scale and is gently voiced to be sound from the gallery and purposely full, and gives it a singing quality that crowned by two mixtures: a full 2′ V-rank a blending stop. The 16′ and 8′ unit Kon- announcing the Antiphonal’s presence. 1 provides a strong foundation upon which Fourniture, and a sparkling ⁄2′ III-rank tra Posaune is a blending chorus reed Of note are the two solo fl utes: the 8′ the subsequent ranks are built. The 16′ Cymbale. The Flûte Harmonique is of German construction. The 16′ and 8′ Doppelfl öte and the 4′ Flauto Traverso Sub Principal is scaled proportionally large scale, with harmonic pipes starting Trompette en Chamade contains schiff- (harmonic), both made of poplar. The (smaller) to the First Principal and is ex- at no. 30, and is voiced with a very strong chen-style shallots, producing a sound organ’s heroic reed, the 8′ Trompette de tended to be available as an 8′ stop (Sec- increase in the treble. Other fl ute stops reminiscent of older Spanish trumpets, Fête, is located in the Antiphonal divi- ond Principal). This gives an alternative include a metal 8′ Bourdon, a harmonic yet it can be used as a crown for full sion as well. The Trompette de Fête fea- 30 THE DIAPASON Sept 09 pp. 30-32.indd 30 8/12/09 12:10:18 PM Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, Inc., Bellwood, Illinois La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, Scottsdale, Arizona Opus 224 (2008) GREAT – Manual II (unenclosed, 90 mm wind pressure) 16′ Sub Principal (façade) 61 pipes fl amed copper and 75% tin 8′ First Principal (façade) 61 pipes 75% tin 8′ Second Principal (façade) 12 pipes (extension of 16′ Sub Principal) 8′ Flûte Harmonique 49 pipes 1–12 from Bourdon, harmonic @ f30 8′ Bourdon 61 pipes 52% tin 8′ Gamba 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin 4′ Octave 61 pipes 52% tin 4′ Flûte Octaviante 61 pipes 52% tin; harmonic @ c25 2 2⁄3′ Twelfth 61 pipes 52% tin 2′ Fifteenth 61 pipes 52% tin 3 1⁄5′ Tierce 61 pipes 52% tin 1 1 1 5⁄3′ Gross Kornet II 88 pipes 5 ⁄3′ and 3 ⁄5′, 52% tin; c13 to g56 2′ Fourniture V 305 pipes 75% tin (15-19-22-26-29) 1 ⁄2′ Cymbale III 183 pipes 75% tin (29-33-36) 16′ Kontra Posaune 61 pipes 1–12 L/2, resonators zinc and 52% tin 8′ Trompete 12 pipes (extension of 16′ Kontra Posaune) Tremulant Zimbelstern 5 bells with adjustable delay, speed, and volume 16′ Trompette en Chamade 61 pipes 1–12 L/2, fl amed copper resonators 8′ Trompette en Chamade 12 pipes (extension of 16′) 8′ Trompette de Fête (Antiphonal) Jonathan Oblander in mezzanine interior SWELL – Manual III (enclosed, 80 mm wind pressure) 16′ Bourdon 24 pipes poplar (extension of 8′ Flûte à Cheminée) 8′ Diapason 61 pipes 1–12 zinc, 13–61 52% tin turbulence and the resulting wind noise.

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