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SSPO OPUS 3

See the entire process of the creation of this organ with over 100 photos chronologically documenting the process from inspection to completion at our Tumblr account.

The organ began its life in 1929 as E. M. Skinner #751 and was the fourth organ in the 1868 church. It was a unique placement for a Skinner, situated above and behind the altar, speaking directly out to the spacious 300 seat sanctuary. A small Echo division sat inside the bell tower in the balcony at the opposite end of the church. The original specification called for three manuals and 36 ranks and had a somewhat limited stoplist. The specification had a few puzzling items, including the omission of a 4’ Flute in the Great and a 16’ reed in the Swell that was not available in the Pedal.

 

The Original Specification of Skinner 751, 1928/1929

Contract signed 12/19/1928

GREAT (Manual II) 5” WP, 61 notes
16 Bourdon (Pedal)
8 First Diapason sc42 
8 Second Diapason sc45 
8 Flute Harmonique
8 Erzähler
4 Octave
2 2/3 Grave Mixture II
8 Tuba (10”, enclosed in Choir)
Chimes
16 Great
Unison Off
4 Great
Tremolo

SWELL (Manual III) 7 1/2” WP 73 Notes
8 Diapason sc45 
8 Rohrflöte
8 Salicional
8 Voix Celeste
8 Echo Dulcet
4 Octave
4 Flute Triangulaire
IV Harmonic Mixture
16 Waldhorn
8 Trumpet
8 Oboe d’Amour
8 Vox Humana
4 Clarion
Tremolo
16 Swell
Unison Off
4 Swell

CHOIR (Manual I) 6” WP, 73 notes
16 Dulciana
8 Cello
8 Concert Flute
8 Dulciana (ext.)
8 Unda Maris
4 Flute d’Amore
2 2/3 Nazard
8 Corno di Bassetto
Tremolo
16 Choir
Unison Off
4 Choir

ECHO  5”WP, 61 notes
8 Fern Flute
8 Vox Humana

PEDAL 5” WP, 32 notes
16 Diapason (wood)
16 Bourdon
16 Dulciana (Ch.)
8 Octave (ext.)
8 Gedeckt (ext.)
4 Flute (ext.)
16 Trombone (10”)
Chimes

 

The 1965 Rebuild

As was all too frequently the case, by the 60’s the Skinner at First Congregational was deemed out of date. A local builder took on the job of “improving” the organ into a partial-Skinner/Neobaroque conglomeration. The work done in 1965 stripped the identity of the instrument until it bore no resemblance to its 1929 incarnation. The organ now contained three manuals and 64 ranks, 18 of which were mixtures.

 

The Specification of 1965 Organ


All pressures lowered

II. Great 3” WP
16’ Gedacktpommer
8’ Prinzipal
8’ Rohrflöte
4’ Oktav
4’ Spitzflöte
2’ Oktav
2’ Blockflöte
IV Mixtur (1 1/3’)
8’ Trompete

I. Choir (enclosed, all Skinner unless noted) 4” WP
16’ Dulciane (1-12 new)
8’ Dulciane
8’ Unda Maris (TC)
8’ Cor de Nuit (old Swell Rohrflöte)
4’ Flute (old Choir 8’ Concert Flute, cut)
2 2/3’ Nazard (old swell Flute Triangulaire)
2’ Quarte de Nazard (old Choir 4’ Flute)
1 3/5’ Tierce (2’ from old Swell Mixture)
8’ Bombarde (old Great Tuba with new tongues, 8”)
Tremulant

I. Positiv (All new Casavant) 2 ½” WP
8’ Gedackt
4’ Prinzipal
4’ Spillflöte
2’ Oktav
1 1/3’ Spitzquint
1’ Oktavklein
II Sesquialtera 2 2/3’ (TC)
IV Scharff 2/3’
8’ Krummhorn
Tremulant

III. Swell (enclosed, all Skinner unless noted) 6” WP
8’ Principal Etroit
8’ Flute Harmonique (old Great Flute Harmonique)
8’ Viole de Gambe (old Choir Cello)
8’ Voix Celeste
4’ Octave
4’ Flute Douce (old Swell Salicional)
2’ Doublette (old Swell 8’ Echo Dulcet cut)
IV Plein Jeu 1’ (new Casavant)
16’ Basson (old choir Corno di Bassetto, 12 new Casavant basses)
8’ Trompette
8’ Hautbois
8’ Voix Humaine
4’ Clarion
Tremulant

Echo (floating, new pipework by unknown builder except Chamade)
8’ Fernflöte
4’ Prinzipal
8’ Chamade (Casavant, 1968 addition)
Tremulant

Pedal 5” WP
16’ Prinzipal (ext, 1-12 new Casavant, metal)
16’ Subbass (original Skinner)
16’ Gedacktpommer (Great)
16’ Dulciane (Choir)
8’ Oktav (old Great Second Open)
8’ Gemshorn (old Great Erzähler)
8’ Gedackt (ext, 33-44 new Casavant)
4’ Choral Bass (old Great 4’ Octave)
4’ Gedackt (ext, 45-56 new Casavant)
II Rauschquint 2 2/3’ (old Great Grave Mixture)
IV Mixture 1 1/3’ (New Casavant)
16’ Posaune (old Skinner Trombone)
16’ Waldhorn (old Swell Waldhorn)
4’ Rohrschalmei (new Casavant)

 

The Proposal

First Congregational formed an Organ Committee back in 2011 as a results of failing components and severe tonal issues and conflicts. They had decided something needed to be done about their current instrument. The church was fortunate enough to have a very informed organ committee who realize what they had and expressed their desire to return their instrument to what it once was. Several major builders from across the United States and Canada were asked to submit proposals. Scott Smith Pipe organs submitted a drastic proposal whereas the damage done in the first 1965 rebuild would be undone and the organ would be returned to its original specification, with 6 additional stops. While completely recreating 751, these additions would make the organ vastly more versatile including extensions, a plethora of couplers and making certain stops available in more than one division. A new four manual oak Skinner replica console would also be built. A full day field trip with the organ committee to 3 Skinner instruments around Detroit drummed up the necessary excitement to put our proposal up to a congregational vote that was ultimately approved.  With much excitement, we took on the massive challenge.

 

Our with the old, in with the older

All additions made in 1965 were removed. While the Casavant chests were of the highest quality, they would not have worked under the high pressures, nor would they accommodate the new specification with its abundance of 8’ stops and large scales. New Pedal, Great, and offset chests were built. Vintage Skinner tremulants and reservoirs were purchased from across the country and fully restored to keep the winding system of the instrument consistent. Every 1929 component left in the organ was restored, including the Choir and Swell chests, pouchboards, and engine motors.

 

Every original pipe left was returned to its 1929 location, pressure and speaking length by using either vintage Skinner ranks, having new trebles or basses made, or by having extensions soldered onto the pipes that were cut down. The Great was recreated by having 29 new pipes made for each rank still extant

 

A new 4 mmanual Skinner replica console was built and installed with a the new Peterson ICS 4000 relay.  The Chamade was the only Casavant rank to remain as not only was its 5” scale impressive for the 1970’s, but it was a gift given by a prominent member in 1974. Initially the Trumpet was nearly inaudible from the console due to its low pressure of only 3”. Now, with new shallots, tongues, and slip joints, the Trumpet speaks out clearly over full organ with its sumptuous round and powerful tone on 10” of pressure. The transformation from the 1965 organ to the instrument of 2014 is indescribable. Mr. Fred Swann performed the dedication concert on May 9, 2014 with an outstanding program demonstrating the entire tonal range of the organ beautifully. We were greeted with the hugs, laughs, tears and most rewarding of all, the speechless smiles of the congregation at their new organ.

 

 

The 2014 Specification

GREAT (Manual II) 5” WP – new pitman chests and offsets
16 Bourdon
16 Dulciana (Ch.)
8 Stentorphone (40 sc.)
8 First Diapason (42 sc.)
8 Second Diapason (45 sc.)
8 Flute Harmonique
8 Gedackt (ext of Bourdon)
8 Erzähler
4 Octave (57 sc.)
4 Flute
2 2/3 Twelfth
2 Fifteenth
 IV Mixture
8 Cornopean
8 Tuba (Ch.)
8 Chamade (Ech.)
Chimes
16 Great
Unison Off
4 Great
Tremolo

SWELL (Manual III) 7 1/2” WP
8 Diapason
8 Gedeckt

8 Salicional
8 Voix Celeste
4 Octave
4 Flute Triangulaire
2 Piccolo
IV Mixture
16 Waldhorn
8 Trumpet
8 Oboe d’Amour
8 Vox Humana
4 Clarion
Tremolo
16 Swell
Unison Off


CHOIR (Manual I) 6” WP

8 Cello
8 Concert Flute
8 Dulciana (ext.)
8 Unda Maris
 4 Flute d’Amore
2 2/3 Nazard
8 Tuba (10”)
French Horn (10”)
8 Corno di Bassetto
Zimbelstern
Tremolo
16 Choir
Unison Off


ECHO (Manual IV) 5” WP – new pitman chest in Antiphonal
16 Waldhorn (Sw.)
8 Tuba (Ch)
8 French Horn (Ch)
8 Stentorphone (Gt)
8 Rohr Flute
8 Vox Humana 
8 Chamade (10”)
Chimes
Tremolo
16 Echo
Unison Off
4 Echo

PEDAL 5” WP
32 Resultant I
32 Resultant II
16 Diapason
16 Bourdon
16 Lieblich (Gt.)
16 Dulciana (Ch.)
10 2/3 Quintbass
8 Octave (ext.)
8 Gedeckt (ext.)
8 Dulciana (Ch.)
5 1/3 Quint (ext)
4 Super Octave (ext)
4 Flute (ext.)
4 Dulciana (Ch.)
16 Trombone (10”)
16 Waldhorn (Sw.)
8 Tuba (Ch.)
8 Tromba (ext)
8 Waldhorn (Sw.)
8 Chamade (Echo)
4 Clarion (Ch. Tuba)
4 Waldhorn (Sw.)
Chimes
4 Pedal