The Organ at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

Site survey and visits: 29 September to 2 October 2005 Draft: 10 January 2006

CONTENTS I. Introduction and Summary...... 2 IV. Mechanical Condition, continued II. History and Background viii. Console and Combination Action...... 12 i. The Skinner Organ Company...... 4 ix. Pipes and Racking ...... 13 ii. Saint Paul’s Rochester, Op. 655...... 5 x. Percussion ...... 13 iii. Chronology...... 6 V. Musical Condition III. Description and Value i. General Observations ...... 13 i. Description ...... 6 ii. The Pipework and Percussion ...... 14 ii. Cash Value ...... 6 iii. Reversing Tonal Changes ...... 17 iii. Replacement Value...... 7 VI. Environmental Conditions iv. Maintenance Budget...... 7 i. Building Fabric...... 19 IV. Mechanical Condition ii. Climate ...... 19 i. General Observations ...... 7 iii. Acoustics...... 19 ii. Blower Room and Static Bellows...... 7 iv. Visual Appearance...... 19 iii. Organ Chambers...... 8 VII. Recommendations iv. Wind System...... 9 i. Suggested Project Plan ...... 20 v. Windchests ...... 9 ii. Fundraising ...... 21 vi. Expression ...... 11 iii. Personnel ...... 21 vii. Electrical System...... 11 VIII. Maintenance Objectives ...... 22 Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 2

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY All organs require periodic overhaul, in which perishable materials are renewed, the pipes cleaned and made to sound their best, and the console and electrical system overhauled. This process of rejuvenation is similar to what every church endures with heating systems and roofs, or a car owner with tires and brake linings. In order to find out more about this particular instrument, last September Rev. Tom McCart invited me to survey the organ, draft a report of existing conditions, and offer conclusions and recommendations with respect to completing the work on the organ. From September 29 to October 2 of 2005, I undertook the following:

• tested every pipe and mechanical function; • listened to the organ in rehearsal from the chancel nave and choir stalls; • auditioned the organ for balance from the nave during Sunday service; • documented sample organ’s mechanisms to observe general mechanical conditions; • consulted archival records, including factory data; • visited the Parsons workshop (the firm who look after the organ and carried out the most recent mechanical restoration), to inspect their facilities and discuss the organ’s care and; • met with Tom McCart, Tim Pyper and various parishioners to convey my conclusions. What follows is a snapshot of the organ’s mechanical and tonal state as encountered over a four-day period. It isn’t possible to uncover every problem in so short a time, nor really is that the brief set forth. Rather what follows is an overall evaluation, touching upon mechanical, musical and contextual issues. In what follows, please recognize that the aim is not to criticize but rather to report objectively, in order to help in bringing the organ into the best possible condition.

Even small organs are complex, and any description of this one is bound to go on at some length. For those wishing an overview, the points below summarize my findings:

• The organ has a cash or salvage value far lower than its intrinsic worth, perhaps $75,000 or $100,000. Its replacement value, however, approaches $2 million. Your insurance should reflect at least $1.75 million. • In most respects the organ is admirably original. Its excellence couples to its rarity; Skinner organs were out of fashion from 1954 to the late 1970s, during which period many were either changed beyond recognition or discarded altogether. While minor changes were made, the Saint Paul’s organ retains most of its original musical character and all of its original mechanism. Moreover, it comes from a period many consider to be Skinner’s greatest. Like the building itself, the organ is that happy combination of the historical and the distinguished, for it makes a marvelous sound while meeting all the goals asked of it. In this organ, Saint Paul’s has the æsthetic equivalent of a Tiffany window or a Steinway piano, only much more rare. • Most pipe organs last forty to sixty years before needing comprehensive rebuilding. Mechanically, the Saint Paul’s Skinner held itself together in most essential respects until the early 2000s — more than seventy years, and a wonderful return on the original investment. Some of the mechanism has now been restored, but much work remains: the rest of the mechanism, a complete cleaning and repair of the chamber, complete reconditioning of all pipework, and rebuilding the blower.

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• Two principal environmental concerns exist. First, the chamber climate has been chronically unstable, making it difficult to keep the organ in tune through the winter months. Since the chamber has other cleaning and repair work necessary, it would be an opportunity to solve the climate problem after almost eighty years. Second, the church could stand considerable acoustical improvement, to the benefit of all music, but primarily congregational singing. Valuable acoustical improvements were made during the recent renovation, including the stone floor in the chancel and the sealing of the walls. But acoustical transformation — one that would create a vibrant space for singing and active worship — will involve possibly sealing or reinforcing the wooden ceiling.

These conditions suggest a fairly straightforward project plan. The situation can be summarized as follows:

a. the organ has been very well cared for, and is today; b. the chamber needs a thorough cleaning, with plaster patching and painting, and some solution to climate stability c. the excellent mechanical restoration work done thus far needs to be completed; d. the pipes need thorough cleaning and reconditioning; e. the console needs a complete overhaul.

And finally, two historical decisions need to be made before proceeding with the console and pipes: a. should the console remains in its original mechanical configuration or become modernized? b. should the musical changes of 1971 be reversed? And if not all of them, which ones?

Both decisions have practical and budgetary consequences, but also a larger effect on the instrument’s historical and musical integrity. Once you have more clearly defined how you wish to proceed, and bids have been received, it will be possible to develop a budget, a fundraising plan and a timeline. My initial guideline would be that remaining restoration and reversing tonal changes could run between $550,000 and $750,000.

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HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

I. THE SKINNER ORGAN COMPANY The Skinner Organ Company and its successor, the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, are considered the foremost names in American organbuilding from 1905 to 1960. In operation from 1901 to 1971, the firm produced about 1,400 new instruments, in addition to completing hundreds of rebuilding projects.

After training with George Ryder, Ernest M. Skinner (1866-1960) joined the Boston organbuilder George Hutchings, acting as superintendent from 1890 to 1901. Hutchings had been Boston’s most progressive organbuilder from the 1880s onward, increasingly due to Skinner’s many technical refinements. At this time, most organs had a mechanical key-action, in which the valves were linked directly to the keyboards. Full organ could be quite a handful, and the organ needed to be close to the organ and immovable. With the advent of electricity came the option of electric key-action. When such systems were in their infancy, Skinner developed a reliable system for Hutchings and continually refined it. Coupled to impressive tonal resources and fine construction, the Hutchings organ set a new benchmark for the Boston organbuilding tradition.

In 1901, Skinner left Hutchings to form his own company, intent on realizing the dream of a more orchestral-sounding instrument. He was soon successful, securing by 1910 several prestigious contracts, chief among them the new Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. By the end of the First World War, Skinner’s was clearly the next name in American organbuilding. His organs were conceived in an almost Wagnerian style, with lush strings, full-toned flutes, orchestral colors of surprising fidelity such as English and French horns, and an overall sonorous grandeur — a new sound to 20th-century ears. Skinner was rewarded with immense popularity in both the sacred and secular arenas, and by 1915 the young firm already had several prestigious contracts to its credit. Boston’s Kings Chapel and Harvard’s Appleton Chapel; and Columbia University, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City, are but a few of the jobs the firm garnered in its first dozen years.

Skinner never stopped refining, and was constantly engaged in creating new orchestral colors. A trip to England in 1924 revived his interest in the stricter, non–orchestral-toned organ sounds. In England, he heard instruments more brilliant than his own, due to the high-pitched stops known as “mixtures.” Upon returning home, Skinner began to introduce his own mixtures; in 1927 the Boston-London alliance was further solidified when G. Donald Harrison, a director of the English organbuilder Willis, immigrated to America and joined Skinner to assist with artistic development. Harrison infused the Skinner organ with sounds familiar to him from England, marking a distinct change in the Skinner instruments built from 1927 forward.

In 1932 Skinner merged with the organ division of the Æolian Company, America’s premier manufacturer of automated home musical instruments, including pipe organs for stately residences. Harrison led the new company, Aeolian-Skinner, in different musical and aesthetic direction. The new style was a repudiation of the old, and Skinner’s star waned with considerable speed. From the 1940s through the early 1980s, numerous Skinner organs were radically changed to conform to a style they never embodied.

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In the 1980s, Skinner’s work was rediscovered in a sympathetic light, much as Art Déco and any number of other early 20th-century æsthetic developments. Restorations rather than rebuilds began to occur, and the remaining heritage was cherished with a new understanding. In 2005, of the 700-odd Skinners, slightly more than 100 remain in entirely original condition.

II. SAINT PAUL’S ROCHESTER, OP. 655 The late 1920s were golden years for Skinner: the organs sounded better than ever and were just as beautifully built. From 1925 to 1932, a seemingly unbroken string of prestigious contracts came to the company — Yale University, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Princeton University, University of Chicago, Severance Hall Cleveland, Girard College Philadelphia — and Saint Paul’s is in the midst of that distinguished progression. The contract was signed in June 1927 and the organ put into immediate production. The flue pipes were voiced that October, and the reeds finished in late November, so the organ may have been installed and largely playable for Christmas. Such speed is uncommon for this period in the Skinner output — 12 to 16 months is more the norm — indicating that perhaps a place was being held in the schedule. But Saint Paul’s was definitely a select project, and the organ teems with features that make it both unusual and complete: • the organ is admirably complete: 16-8-4 reed choruses on both Great and Swell, two Pedal 32-foot voices, five celestes, a full complement of specialty color reeds (English and French horns, Clarinet, Orchestral Oboe, even a Musette, rarely found on even the largest Skinners); • a special Processional Diapason stop in the hallway allowed the Choir to hear the opening of the hymn while still outside the sanctuary. In reality, this stop was rarely in tune with the main organ, sometimes confusingly so. But it was certainly a luxurious extra; • an Echo department enclosed with the main organ is atypical; most were located away from the main organ, in a gallery or tower, thus creating additional atmosphere and mystery; • the console teems with special features and devices rarely found on Skinners: Unison Off controls; indicators for the swell shoe positions; Great 16-4 couplers; a melody coupler for the Swell, in which the top note is doubled to its octave; and finally a facility for dividing the pedals so that the right foot can play a solo while the left foot can play the bass with a separate choice of stops. This was as high-tech as any Skinner console of its day.

Progressive tonal design: The organ’s stoplist resembles the most progressive of the other large Skinner organs of its year, while a few details of pipe construction and show the early influence of G. Donald Harrison, even four months into his tenure at the Skinner Company. The mechanical nature of the organ is pure Skinner, as is the organ’s layout and engineering. A central Great is flanked by Pedal at either side, with the expressive divisions forming a bank along the back wall, using the vertical shutters typical of Skinner, not the horizontal ones Harrison favored and implemented in early 1928.

Consultant involvement: A console plate names Warren Gehrken as author of the specifications. A published composer of organ music, Gehrken was organist of Saint Paul’s when Op. 655 was installed. I came across no record that Harold Gleason (first Chair of the Eastman School Organ Department) was involved in the instrument’s design, but the organ has many tonal and mechanical features similar to those Gleason designed, such as the 1921 Skinner at the Eastman School’s Kilbourn Hall and the 1930 Skinner at U.C.L.A; the very presence of the nameplate echoes the one at Kilbourn naming Gleason as designer. Upon Gehrken’s death, Gleason became organist of Saint Paul’s.

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III. CHRONOLOGY Since its installation in 1927, the more significant events in the life of this instrument have been: • 1955: David Craighead becomes organist. • 1971: Dr. Craighead has the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo carry out several tonal changes (outlined in “Musical Condition” below). The tonal work is handled by Don Bohall of Schlicker. At the same time, a few console modifications and mechanical repairs were handled. Some disused pipes from Saint Paul’s are ultimately relocated to Church of the Ascension, which owns Skinner Op. 711. • 2001: The Church renovation occurs. The blower room is renovated along with the undercroft. The Processional Diapason is removed, and its windchest and reservoir are stored in the blower room. The Diapason pipes, along with the old Cornopean and Waldhorn of the Swell, are sold to Nelson Barden of Boston, who later uses them in his amalgamated Skinner organ for the Community of Jesus in Orleans, Massachusetts. • 2002-’04: Parsons Builders undertakes partial mechanical renovation of the Great, Swell, Solo and Echo departments, and certain Pedal registers. • 2003: Dr Craighead retires after 48 years’ service, and is named Organist Emeritus. DESCRIPTION AND VALUE I. DESCRIPTION This organ originally contained 55 registers, 68 ranks and 4,523 pipes. In losing the Processional Diapason, but gaining a few added Violone pipes, those figures become 54 registers, 67 ranks, and 4,474 pipes respectively. This is an instrument of good size, not overly ample, appropriately matched to the size of the church and the ambitions of the music program.

The organ is found in three general locations: • the machinery in the basement, including the blower, three preliminary wind regulators, and the relays for the Pedal and melody coupler; • the organ chamber, containing the pipes and mechanisms; • the console, with its keys, stops and controls.

II. CASH VALUE Fair-market appraisals of pipe organs are speculative and vague, since the rate of activity is too low to establish any kind of regular pattern. A larger factor also comes into play: pipe organs are hardly portable. Even a valuable instrument commands a fraction of its true value, since its purchase is only the first step in an expensive process for the buyer: removal, storage, shipping, restoration, re-engineering and installation in a new location. Such costs are within reason for, say, a piano, but they skyrocket with large, complicated organs. Since these expenses can easily equal or exceed that of a new, similarly-sized instrument, any prospective purchaser is in the position to pay only a small sum for the organ itself.

Saint Paul’s has an essentially intact Skinner organ from the very best period, so it can be possible to think of cash sale terms approaching $100,000. Still, this is a fraction of the organ’s true worth.

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III. REPLACEMENT VALUE An organ of this size and scope from one of the reliable factory builders (e.g. Schantz, Reuter or Casavant) would cost about $1.2 million. This figure would not include those items the purchaser usually handles directly when buying a pipe organ, which can include (but are not limited to) sales tax, shipping, hoisting, insurance and site preparation costs.

The $1.2 million figure describes what might be termed a “middle-class” result. A new organ from one of the country’s top builders would run almost $2 million, again not including sales tax, &c. as listed above. It would be sensible if the Church’s insurance reflected replacement value at a minimum of $1.75 million. The simple fact, however, is that a Skinner organ cannot be had today at any price; the people and materials that made them are long gone.

This replacement figure should be reviewed periodically. Inflation in organbuilding has overtaken Consumer Price Index figures in the last several years, and prices may go yet higher. Apart from the building itself, no other single item in the church is probably worth as much as the organ.

IV. MAINTENANCE BUDGET Annual maintenance generally runs between one-half and 1¼ percent of replacement cost. In general, one would think $7,000 and $10,000 per annum an adequate sum for six tunings, maintenance and the occasional emergency call — not including any rebuilding or restoration work. As a citizen of one of the country’s most expensive cities, my sense of adequate curatorial compensation is probably distorted, and your service costs may well be less. MECHANICAL CONDITION I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS At first acquaintance, the organ appears to function adequately. There were a few reluctant notes, but at the end of my survey, it was clear that any problems stemmed from dirty, aging pipes, not mechanism. The greatest signs of wear come in the as-yet un-restored Choir organ, various restored items that have yet to receive their final adjustments (swell shades, tremolos), and the console. The console had attention in 1971 but now needs a complete overhaul. At present, this comes across more as fatigue than outright failure, but that can only deteriorate further.

II. BLOWER ROOM and STATIC BELLOWS The blower room is essential to the organ’s health. When the blower draws in dirty air, inevitably the dirt finds its way into the organ, causing mechanical and musical trouble.

The salient points here are: a. The blower draws air through a crude fiberglass filter from a corridor formed behind the blower and linked to the janitor’s room. Since the source probably isn’t the best, and the filter may not be the most effective, it’s possible the blower is drawing in some dirt and damp. It would be ideal if the blower could be supplied from a more reliable source — the best route being a new duct installed to draw ambient air from the organ chamber itself. b. The blower was made by Spencer of Hartford. These machines are among the best ever made,

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and with good care and conservative overhaul, they can last indefinitely. The Woods motor runs surprisingly warm, however, and there is a distinctly grinding bearing noise. Woods motors often have a bit of bearing noise, however, and if the bearings were in terrible shape, the blower shaft wouldn’t keep turning so long after powering down (this one goes five minutes and more). The blower heat is a concern; a motor specialist might want to inquire, and the further indication may be that it is time to rebuild both motor and blower, replacing bearings as necessary. Cer- tainly the padding underneath the blower wants changing, and this can be done at the same time. c. The three static bellows perform the preliminary regulation before conveying wind to the organ chamber. These three bellows have clearly been done over once, and have some life left in them now, but they haven’t received the admirably full treatment of those in the chamber. When the blower is refurbished, it would be good to restore these bellows as well, putting the organ’s entire wind system on the same footing. d. It was good to see that the blower room seems reserved for the exclusive use of organ machinery, not employed as a storage room. The items that are stored here and in the adjacent relay room are, in fact, disused organ parts — a sensible home for them. III. ORGAN CHAMBERS a. CONFIGURATION and CONSTRUCTION: Sound travels like light. If the pipes are within line of sight, chances of hearing them cleanly and clearly are the best. However, in many liturgical churches whose chancel architecture grows out of Oxford Movement premises, the divided choir dictates that the organ live at one or both sides of the chancel. All too often, such side-positioned organ locations can be dangerously deep, seriously swallowing the tone inside. Here, given the fact that the chambers were built several decades after the Church, and particularly for the organ, clearly some forethought was given to chamber shape, which is taller and wider than it is large. As a result the organ gets out fairly well; its effect would be magnified by a better acoustical environment. b. ACCESS: entrance is gained up a permanent ladder in one of the janitor’s closets. While not the most direct of routes, it is sufficiently daunting to deter the idly curious. Once inside the organ, the technician has ready access to almost every pipe, and pretty much all the mechanism. The original ladders and access are well thought-out; several new grab handles have been added, helping out in any tight spots — a nice touch on the part of the curators. c. LIGHTING: Abundant lighting in the modern sense was not a consideration in 1927, when the organ chamber was lit by a few bare bulbs. The organ now contains more lighting, strung together in a sporadic fashion. It would be good to install more fluorescent lighting with proper conduit. This would be best handled when the chamber is emptied of pipes for cleaning and plaster repair. d. CLEANLINESS: Cleanliness in an organ is not a luxury, but a necessity, otherwise dirt enters the pipes and mechanism, causing stuck notes and bad tone. Vacuum cleaning and damp-wiping should be carried out periodically as a part of regular maintenance. The pathways, walkboards and perchboards were all commendably clean on my visit, but the chamber cannot help but show its eight decades of dirt. e. WATER DAMAGE: In the northeast corner of the , the ceiling and walls show evidence of a major drain leakage. None of it looks recent, and, as the roof and drains system was entirely reconditioned in the recent renovation, hopefully the chamber is currently free from

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further harm. The debris needs to be cleaned, however, and the walls repaired and painted. f. FRAMING and STRUCTURE: All seems in superb condition. A partition has been cut between the Solo/Echo and Swell chambers, presumably to foster air circulation. If the chamber climate situation gets worked out, it may be possible to rebuild this partition and return full isolation to the two expression chambers. IV. WIND SYSTEM a. OPERATION: The organ has an excellent, solid wind system. Any slight unsteadiness does not detract from the tuning or the tone, and is natural to Skinner organs. However, pressures in the organ are uniformly low of what was established in the factory. Additional notations should be researched, and the organ returned to whatever the research best dictates. b. DUCTS: As with a heating system, ductwork conveys wind from one part of the organ to another. Most are covered; some aren’t, and have been used as steps, crushing somewhat over the years. In the restored parts of the organ, I did not detect that the duct gaskets had been replaced, nor the flanges repaired; this should be put on a list of work to be done. c. RESERVOIRS: Twelve bellows regulate the wind to the proper pressure and store it until needed. Most have been done recently and are in very good shape. The Choir and Harp bellows are next on the list, and the two Pedal reed bellows should probably be done as well. It is best to have all the bellows on a similar life cycle. d. TREMOLOS: These units impart vibrato to the tone of the pipes. The Swell’s and Solo’s have been restored; the Swell effect is most pleasant, while the Solo’s is perhaps a bit fast. The Choir’s works, but needs restoration; the Echo’s has failed completely. It is good to see these units have been restored, and not replaced with other types of equipment. e. WINKERS/CONCUSSION BELLOWS: These units help to stabilize the wind upon a large demand (big chords on large numbers of stops). Some have been done over. V. WINDCHESTS

PITMAN WINDCHESTS The manual pipes are placed upon pitman windchests, in which matrixes of pneumatics open the valves that wind the pipes. A windchest is a complicated mechanism, and its proper restoration involves more than merely replacing the most obviously failing perishable materials. For maximum longevity, a number of concurrent procedures should be integrated as a restoration process.

Pouches: Underneath every pipe is a circle of leather called a pouch. The leather is thin, like ladies’ gloves, flexing every time the pipe is called upon to play. Dryness and air quality have as much to do with deterioration as age. Leather from the ‘teens and ’20s tended to last depending on environment; urban organs needed releathering more quickly than their rural counterparts. Apart from a few patches to cure the odd failed note, it would seem that the organ was never systematically releathered until the early 2000s. Seventy-five years is exceedingly good life length! Since 2000, almost all the pouches have been replaced, leaving only the Choir and parts of the Pedal. The new leather is of the chrome-tanned variety — an important detail, since research has shown that chrome-tanned leather may last fifty to sixty years, while the older vegetable-tanned leather used before 1980 has shown an average lifespan of only twenty to thirty years.

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Valves. The valves sit atop the pouches and seal the holes underneath the pipe feet. In some cases the old valves are used, but it is increasingly customary to supply new valves. All the new pouches have new valves.

Pouch springs. Using new or old springs is more a matter of judgment than necessity. Some restorers use new springs because they are clean, have a guaranteed consistency and will not encounter metal fatigue in the future. Other restorers use the original springs with perfectly fine results. It’s more a case-by-case decision than any hard-set rules. It’s not possible to inspect the springs without ripping a pouch off, but since the new pouchwork is plenty responsive, no concerns arise here.

Pitmans: these are tiny pneumatic switches that determine whether a stop plays. The pitmans look original to 1927, and they seem in excellent shape. Changing out the pitmans is a matter much like the springs, in which the judgment is a case-by-case affair.

Primary actions: These key the notes of a given windchest. The departments whose pouches have been changed have also had their primaries restored, which leaves the Choir’s to be done. A few dead notes might be checked here: Solo, A#71; Great, E65 and B72.

Chest gasketing: The bottom panels of the windchests are gasketed in cork for wind-tightness. From my inspection in the Great, it would appear that none has been changed, but it was in fair shape. A judgment call like pitmans and pouch springs.

Blow leather: These strips are cleverly set against joints that cannot be otherwise gasketed; the organ’s wind pressure blows them into a position that makes them stop leaks. The blow leather has been replaced in the restored sections.

Dowel-nutting: As these windchests age, bottomboard screws have less and less hold into the soft poplar, thus increasing leakage as screws strip out. A recently-developed technique is to insert a hardwood dowel crosswise into the connection point, thus giving an old screw new bite. Given the wide swings of humidity, and the age of the instrument, these pitman chests are excellent candidates for this preventive measure, to assure wind-tightness well into the future.

STOP ACTIONS Leather pouches: These seem to have been done over with their respective pouchrails.

Pillow gaskets: Where the stop box attaches to the underside of the windchest, a felt-and-leather wrapped gasket secures one mechanism to the other and prevents leakage. The new ones look good, but probably need a little bit of refinement, since some leaks have been stopped up with silicone gel — not the best.

Tubes: Lead tubes connect stop actions to individual pitman rails. These are original and in good shape. However, the gaskets are original, as are their counterparts on the pitman rails. These really ought to be replaced.

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UNIT WINDCHESTS This type of windchest does not have the matrix described above, but instead has an individual action for each pipe, allowing it to be set off from the main chest, or play at more than one pitch or from more than one keyboard. These have restoration issue related to those above, with a few specific concerns:

Tubular manual offset chests: These chests have been restored with their associated departments, and work well. In the Great, it might be good to provide a trough to support the large tube array to keep it from sagging.

* * * * In conclusion, the windchests are in good shape, and all the restoration work carried out thus far has been to a fine standard. I would recommend that those restored chests be returned to for dowel-nutting, various gasketing efforts attended to. The Choir restoration work should encompass all the techniques and approaches discussed here.

VI. EXPRESSION Dynamic change in organ tone is achieved by louvers, called “swell shutters,” that open and shut in front of certain pipes, as Venetian blinds admit or deny light. At Saint Paul’s, there are three swell enclosures, one each for Swell and Choir, and a third housing Solo and Echo.

Three electro-pneumatic motors control each set of shutters. All have been recently rebuilt, and work beautifully. However, in the rebuilding perhaps the internal linkages were switched among the three; two sets of shades don’t open fully, while the third doesn’t entirely close. Whatever the situation, the adjustments should be made, since the expression is not working at full potential, and thus compromising the organ’s dynamic range.

VII. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Like a car or flashlight, electric-action organs work on low-voltage direct current. Depressing a key closes a simple electrical circuit, sending a signal to an electric air-magnet. From there the process is entirely pneumatic, signals of air collaborating through valves to make pipes sound. Apart from the new windchest for the treble of the Pedal Bourdon, and the new magnets in the Echo, the organ’s electrical system is entirely original.

ORGANIZATION: The wiring is a model of neatness, with cables bound, laced and routed with excellent logic and order.

FUSING and CODE ISSUES: Any instrument whose electrical system has never been altered is exempt from the requirements of the National Electrical Code for Pipe Organs.

MAGNETS: Magnets are used to convey on-off signals of air. When the magnet is energized, a small metal disc, or armature, moves its position within a channel charged with wind pressure, thus generating the pneumatic signals that ultimately make actions work and pipes speak.

1927 Skinner maple-cap magnets: These are excellent units without any perishable materials. Apart from cleaning the armatures and washing the caps, there’s nothing to restore, so they can last indefinitely. If a coil fails, it’s easy to rewind or make new. In recent years it has become customary to install new magnets rather than retain and restore the original ones. I recommend against this practice. The original magnets

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are excellent, easy to refurbish, and wonderfully fast. Apart from profiteering, there isn’t any reason to change them.

Supply-house magnets: These units have been installed in the Echo organ, not particularly recently and without obvious reason. In a truly conscientious restoration, they would be changed back to Skinner, but this is not essential.

COUPLING: The coupling is part of the console switch machinery; only a few dead notes exist, and they will hopefully relate to the switches’ not fully engaging due to initial deterioration of the pneumatic motors that engage them.

PEDAL RELAY: This unit is in the basement, and has been completely restored. It works perfectly. The switches for the 32’ Bourdon CCCC-EEEE have been disengaged, perhaps by request of the organist.

MELODY COUPLER RELAY: This unit is also in the basement but has not been restored. It would be great to have this exceedingly rare unit working again.

VIII. CONSOLE AND COMBINATION ACTION Skinner consoles are among the most elegant in 20th-century American organbuilding. French-polished stopjambs and ivory hardware for the natural keys, stopknobs, tilting tablets, thumb pistons and indicator tags all promote an environment of timeless elegance. This console, with its special features, all hand- made, is further distinguished by its elegant architect-designed cabinetry.

The Saint Paul’s console retains almost all its original appearance and elegance, and much of its feel. a. the keyboards were re-engineered in 1971 to change their touch characteristics. There has been sufficient wear to now require another rebuilding, and the question will come of whether the current set-up should be retained or the original Skinner toggle touch restored (which is readily done). Several ivories also require repair, as well as worn contacts for notes that don’t sound the first time; b. the pedalboard has already been rebuilt once, and wants restoration again, including bumper felt, new maple natural key coverings, and new ebony sharps; c. the expression pedals are showing signs of wear, both on the tread and in the main bearings. They too could use a complete overhaul; d. the electro-pneumatic machinery that recalls the combination memories and moves the stopknobs operates adequately. The setter pneumatics are not quite strong enough, and thus a combination has to be repeatedly set in order to gain the entire combination. I did not check the wind pressure at the console; this may also be a culprit. The console is a job best done all at once, for the greatest cost efficiency and minimal intrusion into the music program.

It must be said that many electro-pneumatic consoles have been modernized, with the original machinery substituted with solenoids to move the knobs and tablets, and solid-state circuitry to replace the electro-pneumatic switchgear. Certainly there is additional convenience in the additional levels of combination memory, but at a heavy historical price for an organ otherwise so original. Some Skinner consoles can be modernized with minimal intrusion into the historical mechanism; alas, this is not one of them. Either one retains the console entirely as it is, or submits to a complete modernization.

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Playing a Skinner organ isn’t just about the sound. From the feel of the keys and pedals to the responsiveness of the console, it is a complete experience, to which the console mechanics are integral. If this were a church with multiple organists and a large recital series, one might argue that the new technology was essential. But it hardly seems so here. Given the choice, for Saint Paul’s the real opportunity seems to be in having an entirely authentic Skinner organ of the best period, right down to every detail. Moreover, it may have a funding advantage (see “Bradley Foundation” below). Therefore, I recommend keeping the console and combination action original.

IX. PIPES and RACKING The racking is in very good shape generally, both original and modified sets. While each stop is dealt with specifically in the next section, two mechanical issues can be mentioned here:

a. The twill ties securing the bass pipes should be addressed. While new in the Great, they are somewhat older in the Swell, and perhaps even original in the Choir and Pedal. It would be a good idea to get all of these changed when the pipework is addressed.

b. Apart from routine cleaning and reconditioning, the most important note on the pipework is to add hooks to the Swell Corno d’Amore.

c. Thus far, this instrument has come through without losing any of its original reed tongues. While it has been customary in the past sometimes to replace the reed tongues while reconditioning reed stops, this should not be done here.

X. PERCUSSION

HARP: The Harp effect is produced by a percussion instrument with hammers striking metal bars. The tone is similar to the orchestral celesta (as in “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite); the few notes that work suggest that this instrument could as beautiful as any Skinner harp, if completely restored. The unit is completely shot.

CHIMES: 27 metal tubes produce these tones. The action has been fully restored and works perfectly. MUSICAL CONDITION I. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS To the casual listener, the Saint Paul’s Skinner retains its general majesty and suave elegance. Upon closer inspection, and certainly to organists or members of the choir, the organ will sound musically tired. Beautiful tone is still unquestionably present, but not a single stop is even in tone or volume throughout the compass.

Congregational singing, choral accompaniment and voluntaries are any pipe organ’s clichéd trinity of tasks. At Saint Paul’s, congregation-leading is surely the most important calling. Accompanying the choirs is a close second. Other musical offerings, such as the voluntaries that prepare and conclude the service, are unquestionably important, but in this context they rank behind the organ’s function as an agent that binds the worship together. And even this three-tiered priority is a bit misleading: an inherently musical instrument will render any music in an inherently clear and orderly fashion.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 14

This organ handily addresses any task that might be put before it. It is the best sort of organ to deal with a chambered position, having considerable fundamental strength and a power more mellow than brilliant. It has the potential to lead both congregation and choir with great delicacy and sophistication. Still, it will be a revelation to even its most dedicated admirers just how much more polished, alive and beautiful the sound will be once the pipes are fully cleaned and reconditioned.

II. THE PIPEWORK and PERCUSSION

GREAT — 5₁⁄™'' wind pressure (should be 6'') 16' Bourdon (Pedal) This stop now borrows the Violone rather than the Bourdon. Since the Violone had only 44 pipes, and not 61, random non-Skinner pipes were fitted to the 45-61 holes of the Bourdon, and a new chest made for 45-56, which still play in the Pedal as the 4-foot . The Bourdon would have made a more solid double; the Violone is a more transparent effect. 8' First Diapason Original. Cleaning and regulation will make this a very beautiful stop once more, but at present it lacks focus and drive. 8' Second Diapason Original. Presently more successful than the First, but still requires cleaning and regulation for optimal effect. 8' Doppel Flute A rare inclusion; a Claribel Flute or metal harmonic flute would have been more usual for Skinner in this period. This stop has been replaced. Notes 1-12 re-use the Processional Diapason pipes (stopped wood); notes 13-61 are an open metal Flute by Schlicker installed in 1971. 8' Erzähler Original, needs cleaning and regulation. 4' Octave Original, needs cleaning and regulation. Notes 62-73 break back to 8’. 4' Flute Original, needs cleaning and regulation. Typical Skinner metal 4-foot flute. 2' Fifteenth Original, needs cleaning and regulation, and a few repairs to the smaller pipes. V Replaced in 1971 with Schlicker pipes. (The original Mixture went to Church of the Ascension, where three of the five ranks are in use as that organ’s Great mixture.) The Schlicker replacement here is abrasive and out of character.

GREAT REEDS — 11⅞'' wind pressure (should be 12'') 16' |All three reeds are in original condition and 8' Tromba |tone, requiring only simple reconditioning. 4' Clarion |They are especially fine examples of the Skinner Tromba class.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 15

SWELL — 7'' wind pressure (should be 7₁⁄™'') 16' Bourdon Original. The stoppers certainly need recovering now. 8' Diapason Original. Cleaning and regulation will help greatly. 8' Salicional |Original. The string stops age perhaps more dramatically than the others, 8' Voix Celeste |particularly in the tenor octave where the weight of the pipes closes in the |delicate toes. 8' Rohrflöte Original, modified. The English precedent for this stop is made of thick, heavy metal with cork-lined wooden stoppers. The Skinner versions used soft metal, and as the wooden stoppers shrank and swelled summer to winter, so did the pipe metal. With the metal fully distorted, the stoppers became quite insecure, as did the tuning. In 1971, the stoppers were discarded, and the pipes trimmed and fitted with canister tops. Dr Craighead reports that the stop might be slightly softer than original; but the tone is charming and the tuning secure. 8' Aeoline |Both ranks have been replaced from notes 13-61 with the Flauto Dolce and 8' Unda Maris (t.c) |Flute Celeste from the 1921 Austin originally in the Eastman Theatre. The Aeoline and Unda Maris were typical of pre-1915 Skinner organs, but afterward the Flauto Dolce and Flute Celeste became standard Swell organ equipment; their appearance here is surely at the request of Mr. Gehrken. The change was part of the 1971 group; Dr Craighead found the Aeoline and Unda Maris too similar in effect to the Echo strings. Of the organ’s five celeste ranks, only this one stops at tenor c. 4' Octave Original, needs cleaning and regulation. Notes 62-73 break back to 8’. 4' Flute Triangulaire Original, needs cleaning and regulation. Typical for post-1924 Skinners. 2' Flautino Original, needs cleaning and regulation. V Original, needs considerable attention. A delicate stop for solo or accompanimental use. V Mixture Original, is probably in the worst shape of any stop in the organ. Some pitches have been silenced, others have experienced trauma from over-tuning. This was intended as a bold stop to go with the reeds, and could be superb once again. 16' Waldhorn Replacement, 1971 Schlicker. Originally a stop similar in character to the Great Ophicleide, but probably lighter and brighter. The present stop is a Schlicker Fagotto from 1971. 8' Cornopean Replacement, 1971 Schlicker. This is a bold, bright stop, whose energy is probably at variance with the mellow grandeur of the rest of the material. It is better when heard from the nave. 8' Corno d’Amore Original. A traditional organ Oboe stop with an operatic name. This stop is the result of a strange factory oversight: the pipes were not fitted with hooks to loop onto the pins of the skyrack, like every other reed. In its refurbishment, these hooks can be added. 8' Original. Requires the same straightforward reconditioning the other reeds require. This is a turning-cap stop, to produce a different effect from the stop of similar type found in the Echo. 4' Clarion Original, requires standard reconditioning.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 16

CHOIR — 5⅛'' wind pressure (should be 6'') 8 Processional Diapason Removed. Stood in a corridor now different since the renovation. The chest and reservoir are stored in the basement relay room. Pipes 1-12 (stopped wood) were used in the Great Flute; pipes 13-61 were sold. 16' Dulciana Original. Needs reconditioning and regulation. 8' Concert Flute Original. Needs reconditioning and regulation. 8' Gemshorn Original. Needs reconditioning and regulation. 8' Dulcet {II} Original. Meant to be a delicate string celeste, but the celeste rank has been silenced. Like the other string stops, these age perhaps more severely than the other stops, and this one in particular needs considerable attention. Other Skinner Dulcet stops are ravishing, and this will be too. 4' Harmonic Flute Original, needs cleaning and regulation. 2⅔' Nazard Original, of open tapered metal construction. Needs cleaning and regulation. 2' Piccolo Original, needs cleaning and regulation. 8' Orchestral Oboe Original. Needs the usual reed reconditioning. 8' Clarinet Original. Needs the usual reed reconditioning. Both of these reeds are particularly nice. Harp & Celesta Original, a percussion stop with piano hammers striking metal bars, like the orchestral celesta (think “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies” in the Nutcracker Suite). These are exceedingly charming; this one is totally shot and requires a complete restoration.

ECHO — 5'' wind pressure (correct) 8' Viole Ætheria Original, wants cleaning and regulation work like all others. 8' Viole Celeste Original, ditto. This is a particularly nice pair. 8' Still Gedeckt Original, needs reconditioning. Similar to the Swell 16' in tone, delicate and charming. 4' Echo Flute Original. A metal harmonic flute much like those in the Choir and Great. 8' Vox Humana Original. Requires the same straightforward reconditioning the other reeds require. This is a lift-cap stop, to differentiate the effect from the turning-cap Vox Humana in the Swell. Chimes Original, a percussion stop with metal hammers striking tubular chimes, in these case excellent Deagan Class A chimes. Lesser Skinner had a compass of 20 notes, tenor A to soprano E. Deluxe jobs received 25-note chimes, G to G. Saint Paul’s has 27 notes, extending to A. Who knows why, it’s yet another deluxe detail of this organ.

SOLO — 7æ'' wind pressure (should be 10'') 8' Stentorphone Original, wants cleaning and regulation work like all others. Difficult to make an assessment when the wind pressure is so low, but this is a particularly beautiful stop — ringing, bold and happy. Its inclusion is another anomaly in the Skinner canon: more normally the fourth flue stop in a Solo would have been a 4-foot flute of some kind. 8' Flauto Mirabilis Original, an orchestral-tone flute of complex wood construction: the earliest known appearance of this famous Skinner voice. When the pressure is restored and the pipes cleaned up, this stop should sound beautiful once more.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 17

8' Violoncello |Original, needs reconditioning. This pair makes an adequate effect at present 8' ’Cello Celeste |but they suffer both from the degradation of tone common to the other strings and also the lack of wind-pressure. These will be riveting upon restoration. 8' English Horn Original. One of the earliest examples of the double-bell English horn, a change in construction from the practice of 1913-early 1927. Rough and uneven in tone at present, this ought to regain the typical Skinner elegance upon reconditioning. 8' French Horn Original, and very fine. Needs reconditioning as with the other reeds. 8' Musette Original; as noted above, a very specialized and buzzy sounding stop more usually associated with the . 8' Tuba Mirabilis Original; 25-inch wind pressure. An exemplary stop, one of the finest of my acquaintance. Often these commanding tubas can fail when placed inside swell boxes, but this one seems to triumph forward with no loss of life. PEDAL 16-8' Diapason Original, modified; the low 32 pipes have had their mouths lowered by applying metal plates. Correspondingly they have had modifications at the tops to shorten them into tune. This modification is perfectly successful in the low 20 pipes, but quite unappealing in notes 21-32. Notes 33-44 are in original condition. 16-8' Violone Original, poor regulation and uneven speech. This stop could be very attractive once again. Its 5-inch wind pressure is incorrect. Additional spurious pipes from 4' G# to 6" C have been placed upon the corresponding holes of the Bourdon chest to make possible the Violone borrow to the Great, in place of the original Pedal Bourdon borrow. 32-16-8-4' Bourdon Original, compass FFFF to 6" C, now extending only to 1' G. 2' G# to 1' G placed upon a new chest. Stoppers need repacking, general reconditioning. CCCC-EEEE presently play nothing; originally they would have combined the 16' Diapason with the Bourdon at 10⅔' pitch. 32-16-8-4' Trombone Original, and fantastically good. The portion from 16' CCC plays on 10-inch pressure, while the 32' octave speaks on 15". The lowest 24 resonators are made of heavy wood, which helps to produce a strong fundamental tone that shakes the room. The lowest six pipes are fitted with pneumatic starter/stoppers, large leather pouches that spring the tongue into quick action and stop it from rattling several seconds after the note is released (known as “death rattle”). III. REVERSING TONAL CHANGES Of the 55 stops: • one has been discarded (Choir Processional Diapason); • six have been replaced (Great Doppel Flute, Mixture; Swell Aeoline, Unda Maris, Waldhorn, Cornopean); • four have been modified slightly (Swell Rohrflöte, Swell Mixture, Pedal Diapason, Pedal Violone/Bourdon trebles).

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 18

I have the highest respect for Dr. Craighead, and appreciate both the sentiment and the context in which he changed this organ. Thanks to his innate conservatism, the scope of changes was minor, and he clearly did as little would make — in his opinion — the organ more musical and effective for both liturgy and for solo . Early in our meetings, he was fairly passionate in defense of his changes; more recent discussions elicited surprising flexibility in their potential reversal.

Still, the importance of this organ lies in the integrity of its musical message, and the 1971 changes were an attempt to make the organ something different than what it fundamentally is. Because some changes are more far-reaching than others, it is probably best to address them on a stop-by-stop basis.

GREAT 8' Doppel Flute This Schlicker open metal flute doesn’t seem fully successful. It is neither accompanimental nor melodic, and doesn’t have a compelling tone. The original Doppel Flute may have been quite large, but would have had the more prominent quality one expects of a Great flute. Either a Doppel Flute can be located here, or a replica of the more typical metal Harmonic Flute found in Skinners of this period. V Mixture No one, not even Dr. Craighead, seems to like this brash, icy stop. It is further enticing to know that the original mixture exists at Church of the Ascension. This is an important stop to recreate, either through the original pipework or replication. SWELL 8' Aeoline, Unda Maris Dr. Craighead’s reasoning here was logical, and certainly the original pipework is not reclaimable. The present ranks can be made more beautiful, and ought to have a suitable bottom octave, rather than the very precise Aeoline bass. 8' Rohrflöte The modification here echoes a similar approach Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner routinely implemented on such stops. Since the results are charming and very close to the original in effect, I see no reason to change this stop yet again. V Mixture This stop should be fully restored in power and tone. 16 Waldhorn |I don’t find these stops successful. The Fagotto is thin and froggy-sounding, 8 Cornopean |while the Trompette is brash and loud — superficially exciting, ultimately crude. Moreover, with the change of two manual doubles (Ped. Bourdon borrow, Waldhorn) to light, transparent stops, the organ lost much gravitas at the mezzo-forte level. The original reeds would have been brighter than the Great’s, and any replicas can certainly be lively in the manner of the late 1920s. CHOIR 8' Processional Diapason Almost every Skinner of this size had a Choir Diapason; the first specification proposed by Skinner contained one, but it was converted to the Processional stop. Although it constitutes a change, I would find a vintage Skinner Diapason and install it in the Choir with the original chest and switch-gear. PEDAL 16-8' Diapason While the low 12 might remain as they are, from 8-foot C the pipes would have better speech and tone if restored. As heard from the chancel, the original Diapason may have been enormous, but as heard from the nave, the organ certainly has no preponderance of 16-foot Pedal tone. It is precisely that stirring bass pitch that a congregation latches on to for hymn-singing.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 19

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES I. BUILDING FABRIC With the recent renovation, there should be confidence that the organ chamber is free from danger. Periodic inspection of roof and drains is essential to avoid future trouble. II. CLIMATE Stability of temperature and humidity are critical factors in the health of any pipe organ. The pitch of the organ depends upon stable temperatures; good operating condition relies upon a comfortable range of relative humidity. Tuning should be carried out at the temperature established for services. Having been so tuned, the organ should always come to pitch when the performance temperature is attained. In a clean organ with even climate, proper humidity control, well-made and -voiced pipes, an organ should hold in steady tune and require only periodic tuning.

Except! The chamber temperature is all over the place in the winter, a victim of inadequate insulation, uneven heating, an outside wall, and the bitter unpredictable cold of a Rochester winter. Ample graffiti inside the organ attests to the tuners’ frustration with varying temperatures. I did not have a chance to study the heating system in sufficient detail, nor was a late September visit indicative of mid-winter blues. However, if there is a way either to insulate the chamber or to provide it with a more controllable climate, it will have an immense and salutary effect on stabilizing winter pitch. During my visit the pitch of the organ circulated between A439.2 and A439.5 (perfectly respectable); I would be interested to see what it is in the middle of February. III. ACOUSTICS The ideal acoustic for organ and music is one in which sound is conveyed without distortion or lack of dynamic impact throughout a room. Additionally, since organs lack built-in soundboards (unlike pianos or stringed instruments), they rely instead on their environments to amplify, blend and refine the tone.

There are several reasons a “live” building is desirable for any church:

a. Congregational singing is immeasurably aided in a live room, since people are naturally encouraged to sing when they can readily hear those around them. This aspect is often overlooked in trying to determine the root of weak congregational singing; b. Music flourishes in a live room; a choir comes alive effortlessly, without having to force; c. Speech is often at its most effective when mostly naturally conveyed, using minimal and subtle amplification as needed for clarity.

Saint Paul’s seems to have began life with a very dead acoustic, with matters improving in the recent renovation, particularly in the chancel. But it is still a tough room to sing in. I’m not an acoustician, and can only make general remarks based on impressions and experience. However, based on experience with other buildings of this era, the wooden ceiling dries out, swallowing up bass energy and lessening the ability of sound to be naturally transmitted. IV. VISUAL APPEARANCE I wish there were some logical suggestion for improving the visual appearance of this instrument. The dormered figuration above the chancel seems at variance both with the general neo-Gothic atmosphere and the arts and crafts altar embellishments. Beyond the sense of not fitting in, it just looks odd.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 20

RECOMMENDATIONS I. SUGGESTED PROJECT PLAN From my interaction with clergy, musicians and the laity, exploring theoretical organ options would be a waste of time. There just doesn’t seem to be any question that Saint Paul’s wants to keep its spectacular Skinner organ and put it into first-class condition.

Therefore, moving forward entails first deciding the two aesthetic issues (console, reversing tonal changes) and committing to the choices made, then implementing those decisions into the overall plan of the remaining mechanical, pipework and chamber reconditioning.

1. Make decisions about reversing tonal changes and the console 2. Restore the remaining mechanism a. Blower and blower room; route new make-up air duct b. Return to Great, Swell, Solo, Echo and Pedal to complete various restoration tasks: i. Great tube trough ii. Dowel-nutting, duct gaskets, pillow gaskets, stop-action gaskets, pitman rail gaskets iii. Pedal reed reservoirs iv. Echo tremolo v. Expression engine adjustments vi. Solo tremolo adjustment c. Complete Choir mechanism d. Harp/Celesta, including its bellows e. Pedal reed bellows 3. Empty the chamber a. Explore insulation or climate control b. Restore the chamber walls c. Restore partitions between Solo/Echo and Swell d. Clean the pipework and carry out tonal restoration as planned 4. Restore the console a. Melody coupler relay, if console is restored

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 21

II. FUNDRAISING It is inappropriate for a consultant to establish a budget for the restoration. Firms have prices that are theirs alone to establish, and a firm in Kentucky won’t have the overhead of a similar firm in Boston. However, here are some very general guidelines to help the project move forward.

a. Restoration of entirely unaltered electro-pneumatic organs generally runs between 30 and 50 percent of replacement value. In a Skinner, these figures gravitate toward the lower end, as there is comparatively less mechanism per pipe than one finds in a Möller or Kimball organ, for example. If we take the 40 percent figure, we get $800,000. b. Quite a bit of restoration has already been done, however. c. To the figure, one must consider the cost of reversing the tonal changes, if elected. d. Finally, in the act of raising a capital sum for organ work, here is an ideal opportunity to establish an organ maintenance endowment — or, if one already exists, to build it. Therefore, it seems not unreasonable that combining the remaining restoration work with reversing tonal changes could run about $550,000 to $750,000, with any extra installed into an endowment.

Additionally, you may be able to secure outside help. The Bradley Foundation in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania helps fund restorations of Skinner organs, but their guidelines are strict. Generally speaking, they are interested only in unaltered Skinner organs in which no alterations have or will be made, either tonal or mechanical. The Foundation made a matching grant to the Toledo Museum of Art (Op. 603, finished only a few months before Saint Paul’s), and supplied about $500,000 of an almost $700,000 restoration to the First United Methodist Church of Oak Park, Illinois (Op. 528, 1925). If Bradley’s help is sought, there would be further incentive toward tonal reversals and console restoration. The Bradley Foundation c/o Mr. Andrew R. Nehrbas, Trustee The Bradley Charitable Foundation 873 Lancaster Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-3379 III. PERSONNEL In seeking to get the rest of the organ restored, it seems to me that there are two primary options. Either confidence is placed in the current Curators and they are entrusted with managing all future restoration, or a Request for Proposal is drafted and the job is put out to bid among local restorers and some of the country’s top firms. Either method has merit.

However, Saint Paul’s is a church, not a business; the firm involved are organbuilders, not other businessmen; and the situation involves a work of art, and not merely a roof or boiler. Therefore, the approach here can be justifiably different than the standard business transaction.

My impression is that Parsons have been fine stewards of this organ at eminently reasonable prices. While they have never done a big Skinner project, their work here shows conscientiousness and care, and a real desire to do the right thing. Moreover, I trust Duane Prill implicitly, both in the expertise of his technique as voicer and tuner, and his innate conservatism in dealing with the work of others. If Saint Paul’s were comfortable with this relationship, I see no problem not to vest complete confidence in this firm and proceed. If desired, I can continue to work with the Church in an advisory capacity to verify pricing and work methodology as needed.

Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Rochester — report on the organ 9 January 2006 — page 22

MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES • Any church should expect the following from a good organ maintenance technician: • Competent and regular tuning, within the limitations of the voicing • Regular vacuum cleaning in all parts of the organ, and in the blower room • Regular cleaning of console keys and vacuuming underneath the pedalboard • Checking the operation and lubrication of the blower • Having the technician inform you, preferably in writing, of any problems observed in the course of service calls • Having the technician furnish a written report as to the precise work accomplished on any given service call • Keeping a log of all service, with dates

* * * * *

There is a tremendous amount of information above, and should you require any clarification, please do not hesitate to ask.

I appreciate your patience in waiting for this report, and look forward to working with you in whatever other capacity you feel may be helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Ambrosino /jea