Tools for the Organ Committee - Distinguished Pipe Organs...benefits than an organ builder who might build a pipe organ based on a specific stop list or historical basis. 1) Organ

TOOLS FOR THE CHURCH PIPE ORGAN COMMITTEE

770.368.3216 Fax 770.368.3209 3870 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Suite 340-285 Duluth, Georgia 30096 www.parkeyorgans.com

www.parkeyorgans.com • Ph 770.368.3216 • Fax 770.368.3209 • Duluth, Georgia 30096 ©2011 - Parkey Organs. All rights reserved.

I The Purchasing Process So the purchase of an organ is imminent. Your reasons for choosing a new organ can range from the need for a small practice instrument to the need for a new organ for worship or a concert hall. These reasons will help shape the purchasing process for the new organ. For most people, the purchase of a pipe organ will be one of the largest single purchases that they will make, short of a home or a facility to house the organ. Many factors play into the decision of whether to purchase an electronic, hybrid, or pipe instrument. A) Church organs -- These instruments are called on for the widest array of musical needs: this can range from the foremost duty of leading congregational singing and choral accompaniment to the performance of literature for preludes, postludes, and concerts. Often the pipe organ is a key piece in the design of a worship space. The visual design of a pipe organ is sometimes an anchor for the visual perspective of the room. The location of the pipe organ in the building — whether it is located in the chancel or the gallery — will affect the prominence of the design. A chancel design is usually expected to enhance the cross or altar area without overpowering it. A gallery installation usually provides a visual anchor or enhances an existing stained glass window, as well as providing a backdrop for the choir. Whether the pipe organ provides a tonal backdrop for a Eucharist service or the commanding presence for the presentation of elements or entry of a Bishop, the pipe organ has to provide an array of tonal colors ranging from soft to commanding. In our company, church organ designs are a tactful balance of European organbuilding designs combined with the feel for American worship services and rooms. A cross-section is essential, as most American congregations embrace many different aspects of music in a single worship service. A good design will have tremendous impact on the longevity of the instrument for the congregation. An pipe organ builder who embraces the organ design as a function of the worship space can usually offer more benefits than an organ builder who might build a pipe organ based on a specific stop list or historical basis.

1) Organ Committee – In selecting a church pipe organ, an organ committee will determine the needs that the pipe organ must satisfy for their congregation, then select an organ builder who best meets the requirements of those needs. You may be among the people selected to be on such a committee. The pipe organ selection process considers not only how the pipe organ will sound, but also how it will look and fit the space. Organ committees often include people from the music department of the church, people from the leadership of the church, and people from the congregation. Proper representation on the committee is essential, but it is wise to avoid having too many people on the committee as this can slow or sometimes simply stall the process. Good musicians will guide you on the path to ensure the instrument is capable of meeting the demands. The committee will embrace and pass decisions on many different levels of the project. A general list of considerations the organ committee will be facing:

• Why should we purchase a new pipe organ?


• In an existing pipe organ, should renovation be a viable option? • Is a new pipe organ part of a larger project, such as a new building or renovation of a

current space? If so, be prepared to make necessary recommendations to building committee and architect. The organ committee will also have to stand firm on such recommendations for a successful project.

• What is the artistic impact on the worship space and service? • How will the project be funded?

Once the organ committee has reached initial conclusions on the first set of questions, the following thoughts can help you to evaluate a pipe organ builder. When working with organ committees, one of the key factors we focus on is how our organs are involved with the space. When you visit installations, notice how the pipe organ looks in the building. Does the pipe organ design dovetail with the architecture of the space? Don’t be afraid to ask how the pipe organ builder arrived at such designs. Sometimes building and liturgical architects may have played a role in such decisions. Was the pipe organ builder involved in space design to properly accommodate the organ? Or was the pipe organ builder just willing or asked to install the pipe organ where it would fit? When an organ committee sets up a trip to visit a prospective organ builder's instruments, consider having a standardized list of demonstration pieces for the organ committee to be played on each instrument. This provides a better base line for you to review each instrument. Does the sound fill the space comfortably? Is there a good blend between treble and bass, or does one end of the spectrum become oppressive or weak? Aggressive trebles will make the pipe organ shrill or piercing. Heavy bass can make the pipe organ sound muddy and unclear. A certain level of prominence in the trebles is necessary to promote congregational singing, as this upper register is the leading tone for the hymns. Treble balance is a very delicate process and a key mark of the successful Tonal Director and Tonal Finisher. These are a few of the artistic factors that a committee should consider in the process. Though musical tastes have always changed — and will continue to do so — a good instrument should still manage a wide variety of musical tastes equally well. In the end, the final selection of a pipe organ or even an organist will always be a direct reflection of the thought and intent of the committee and congregation.

2) Consultant – Occasionally, organ committees find it advantageous to work with a consultant. A good consultant can be a great facilitator for a number of issues. However, the selection of a consultant will require some thought as well. It is recommended that the consultant should be a proficient organist. Organ professors are often a good consideration, but be sure that the candidate has ample experience as a church organist. Not all professors have that experience. Interview the prospective consultant. Does he or she have a particular style of musical interests or a particular preference of pipe organ builder? Your consultant should be able to weigh options and make recommendations in your best interest. A consultant with very specific ideas for an organ builder or style of pipe organ may not be a good option for your organ


committee. A good consultant should have a wide level of experience with a number of different instruments and installations.

Consultants can also relieve some of the pressure from the parish musician; they can alleviate concerns that the committee may have that the selection of the pipe organ could be based strictly on what the musician wants. The consultant should be able to draw out the thought process of the organ committee and work through recommendations. The consultant should be willing to work through the background checks of an organ builder with one of your business people in the church or on the committee. This can help the committee’s business liaison when making the recommendations to the church.

The organ committee should understand that the consultant is providing a paid service. To avoid bias between the consultant and the pipe organ builder, the consultant's fee should be based on this fair price for their time and travels involved and not as a percentage of the price of the pipe organ. A good consultant will know how much time is necessary given the estimated size of the instrument. Linking the consultant's fee and the price of the pipe organ together leaves the door open for potential problems. When negotiating the consultant's fee, consider the options available for the dedication recital. Will the consultant be the designated artist? Lastly, when using a consultant, be sure to be upfront with the potential pipe organ builders considered and be sure to delineate the chain of communication for the pipe organ builders. It is usually best to send correspondence to the consultant with a copy to the chair of the organ committee.

3) Final selection – The previous sections have discussed influencing factors for the church pipe organ, how a church would reach a decision, and who would be responsible for making the decision. Not to be overlooked is the sequence of events. Sometimes the sequence will be altered based on factors within the church. When do you decide to purchase a pipe organ? Is it a case of a new building for congregational expansion? Did the church suffer a catastrophic loss of the old pipe organ or building? Has the present instrument become unreliable or suffered water damage? Has the church been offered a gift for a new pipe organ? As you can see, these considerations might affect the sequence of decisions. Ideally, we all like to make decisions on definitive plans and items; however, in the case of a new building or major renovation, a committee should probably decide on a pipe organ builder that can be directly involved with the architect for the best installation. Pitting competing pipe organ builders against each other during a building project may be perceived as good, but it can often lead to problems in the preparation of the building space. Since the building architect has no definitive direction with a given pipe organ builder, who is ultimately responsible? Depending on the scope of the project, the church and organ committee should be prepared to engage the paid design services of a pipe organ builder even if they choose not to designate them as the final builder. Traditionally, the organ committee submits their recommendations for a specific pipe organ builder early in the project. Once designs have materialized on paper, the committee can


propose an instrument to the congregation with case renderings, specifications and price. With a clear plan on paper, fundraising is ultimately easier for the organ committee and finance committee. In our experience, the new pipe organ is usually funded by a small group or by individual donors. This has been true in over 70% of our projects. So the purchase of a new pipe organ should not be a daunting task as might be expected. Plan well and follow the course proposed, and the rewards will serve for generations to come. The decision process will be important to the stewardship of the donors and congregation. B) Practice organs -- For many, a small pipe organ is a valuable tool for study and practice for becoming a proficient organist. Many professionals will seek the purchase of a small pipe organ for various reasons. Though offering a smaller palette of tone color than an electronic instrument (which may have many stops), a pipe organ offers a greater array of personal integrity in the sounds than an electronic instrument. Pipe organs are breathing instruments and, like a human voice, are affected by temperature, humidity and the random variations of the wind itself. This is an important factor to avoid tonal fatigue for the many hours the organist will spend during practice. Two options are available for the practice organ: tracker action or electric action. The space, budget and needs of the artist will help determine this. Tracker action demands a much higher level of technical proficiency for artistic playing, but it offers a limited number of stops. Because of this, many performers prefer a tracker to keep their technique sharply honed. For an organist who is looking for a more tonally flexible instrument to aid the process of learning the music, an electric action pipe organ may be better suited. Trackers require a concentrated space for installation. Electric action pipe organs will allow the pipes and the console to be placed in two locations. The easy part of a small practice instrument is that the decision process is often less complex because the end user is usually the purchaser. C) University and Recital Hall organs -- Though high profile, these organs are smaller in numbers. Each can represent a number of exciting options for the pipe organ builder. The purchase of an instrument for these venues is often different from the selection process for a church pipe organ or a practice pipe organ. University pipe organs range from chapel instruments designed to meet church needs to practice pipe organs to recital hall instruments. The university professor and music department will select instruments based on highly detailed parameters. Since these pipe organs form the core for teaching, there is often a variety of pipe organs in a large organ department. Many of these organs can be quite a change for most pipe organ builders, as builders get an opportunity to build in a very classic or historical style. While such an organ may not fulfill the needs of a church pipe organ, it is a good exercise for students to learn how certain techniques and styles of organ building and music came into existence. Likewise, the recital hall pipe organ may be designed with a greater level of concert work in mind. Pipe organs that can stand up to the presentation of a large symphonic concert may be beyond the parameters needed for church music. Church organ committees doing research and investigation to search for a new church pipe organ should keep this in mind when reviewing recital hall and university pipe organs.


II Organs - Definition In our first section, we discussed the purchase process and three main categories of instruments. Items II to VI will discuss general information and definitions that an organist or organ committee person might encounter in the process of working with the pipe organ. A) Electronic organs - Electronic organs, for the purpose of this website, are instruments with keyboard(s) and pedalboard that emulate sounds characteristic of the pipe organ. The electronic organ may be configured as a theater instrument or classical church instrument. The number of manuals and stops will vary depending on its design. The tone generation is created via audio oscillators or computer-generated sample loops, played through an amplifier circuit and broadcast through loudspeakers. Custom electronic organs, like pipe organs, will vary in size depending on their installation location. The larger the space, the more stops, amplifiers and speakers will be required to fill the space with sound. With the advancement of electronics, most new electronic organs rely on computer-generated samples. Electronic keyboard instruments or synthesizers with "pipe organ" samples are not to be confused with electronic organs. B) Hybrid organs - In the early 1980s, we saw the advent of the hybrid (sometimes called "combination") organs. The hybrid organ, for the discussions within this website, is musical instrument with keyboards and pedalboard emulating sounds characteristic of the pipe organ. The tone generation may come from either electronic voices as per the electronic organ or by wind-blown pipes. The individual builder of the instrument is responsible for the configuration of voices, determining which voices are electronic and which are pipe. Below are the distinctions of the different realms or levels of hybrid organs.

• Electronic organs with pipe voices. The initial hybrids used core stops of real pipe voices with auxiliary electronic voices to provide additional presence and depth of tone in the electronic organ. In a typical hybrid organ, fewer than 25% of the stops are real pipes with the remaining stops as electronic voices, though larger hybrid organs may contain a much greater percentage of pipe voices.

• Pipe organs with electronic voices. Pipe organs with electronic voices have raised quite

a controversy within the electronic and pipe organ industries. The line has become blurred between what are electronic or hybrid organs and pipe organs. For the purposes of definition, the American Institute of OrganBuilders stipulates that an organ must remain a fully viable instrument without the use of electronic voices in order to be considered a pipe organ. Any organ that relies on electronic voices in any manner to complete core manual or pedal voices would be considered at the very least a hybrid organ, and in many circles will be considered an electronic organ.

C) Pipe organs – A pipe organ is a musical instrument that utilizes keyboards and pedalboard to operate wind-blown pipes. The tone generation source is the wind-blown pipe.


III Understanding Organ Specifications To an organist or committee person involved with an organ project, or even for the concert listener, the written specification for an instrument can prove to be a valuable asset. A visiting organist may ask for a copy of the specification to become familiar with an organ in preparing a concert. An organ committee person will find the specification valuable as they analyze a proposal for a new or renovated organ. Organ specifications, as we provide them, are clear and concise about the stops provided on an organ and the tone source of each stop. This distinction becomes crucial for a committee reviewing proposals as there are different ways to achieve a speaking stop for the organ, and some builders are using electronic voices to augment or build an organ. (See Section II for organ definitions). The following definitions are offered for ease of understanding: Specification - The list of speaking stops in an organ, as arranged by divisions or departments. A proper specification should indicate how many pipes are assigned to a given stop. If there is not a rank(s) of pipes for a given stop, it should indicate that the tone source for a stop is unified or duplexed from another set of pipes, or that it is provided as a digital/electronic stop. The specification will also give the basic information regarding the number of manuals or keyboards, the number of speaking stops and the complement of couplers and capture action provided. Division - The organ stops will be grouped together in divisions - or, in British specifications, departments. Each division is assigned to a given manual or to the pedals on the organ console. Likewise, the pipes for that division will be grouped together in a given chamber or section of the organ case. Rank (or pipe rank) - A set of pipes that develops a particular tone for the pipe organ, ranging from lowest note to highest note on the keyboard or pedalboard. Pedal ranks can have from 27 to 32 pipes, while manual ranks may range from 37 pipes for a short compass rank to 97 pipes for a unit rank. The average straight manual rank is 61 pipes. Stop (or speaking stop) - A stop is a control for a particular sound and pitch for a given manual division or pedal division. Pitch notations - In the specification you will see a list of stop names in each division. Each name will include numbers such as 16', 8', 4' and so on. Based on a concert pitch of middle A=440Hz, these numbers indicate the pitch of a given stop. Unison pitch is based on an 8' pitch, meaning that for an open flue pipe or full-length reed stop, low C will be approximately 8' tall (not counting the toe of the pipe). The number 16' indicates that low C will be approximately 16’ tall, so this stop will play one octave below unison pitch. Conversely, 4' pitch will be one octave above unison pitch. If a stop name includes a Roman numeral, this numeral indicates the number of ranks in a stop rather than the length of the low C. Stops with Roman numerals often indicate mixtures, which add brightness to the ensemble by playing several higher-pitched ranks at the same time. Most manual mixture stops are no more than 2' long at low C. This is an


important item to understand, because single rank stops of 16' and 8' designations take far more space in the organ chamber or case than would a IV-rank mixture. This will also have bearing on the "price per rank" used to estimate cost, because mixture ranks take far less metal and labor to build, and they produce less foundation tone . Straight ranks - A straight manual or pedal stop will have one independent set of pipes dedicated for use for that one stop only. Straight stops are one rank of pipes unless designated by a Roman numeral on the stop knob or stop tab. For example, IV Mixture would have 4 independent ranks of pipes for the one Mixture stop. Unit ranks – A unit rank is a single rank of pipes has been extended to play at multiple pitches in a given division. For example, an 8' Gedeckt (flute) will require 61 pipes. However, if we add 12 pipes to the treble, we can use a unit chest and relay to play the rank as a 4' Flute: 61 notes in total, with the first 49 pipes drawn from the upper end of the 8' flute and the last 12 notes played from the 12-pipe extension. In some cases a builder may number their stops in the specification, and the higher or lower pitch stop may say "from no. xx" indicating the rank that was extended to create the extended stop. Note: With unit ranks, you will have multiple stops drawn from a single rank of pipes. Duplex stops - A duplex stop is a single rank of pipes that has been wired to play as two or more independent stops. An excellent example is the "duplexing" of solo stops, commonly a Trompette (En Chamade, Festival, or Fanfare) or a Tuba. Only one rank of pipes exists, but for reasons of literature, the stop may be required to play in different divisions without the use of couplers. The stop may be duplexed as an independent stop in multiple divisions by means of a relay and stop control. In addition, manual 16' stops may also be duplexed to a pedal division. Capture System (sometimes referred to as a combination system) – The capture system allows the organist to set predetermined registrations or selected stops and “capture” them to a piston or toe stud memory. Older organs only employed one level or channel of memory for each piston, as the mechanisms were mechanical or electro-mechanical by design. Later, organbuilders began to employ the use of solid-state electronics for capture memory, thus allowing additional memory levels or channels. The description of the capture system should indicate the number of available memory levels or channels for memory. Note: Capture systems used with mechanical (tracker) action pipe organs will require the use of electric stop action to make the organ accessible for a capture system. Organ action – Pipe organs use one of two primary conveyances between the key and the valve under the pipes. A – Mechanical or tracker action systems use a physical mechanical link between the key and pipe valve. This link is built using rods or conveyances (called trackers) and various squares or corner connections. The rods and squares may be constructed of wood or metal. A well-designed tracker precisely transmits the action of the organist's finger to the pipe valve and is extremely advantageous for practicing performance technique. One of the keys to good design


is the arrangement and the length of the tracker runs. Therefore, large instruments -- or instruments that require considerable distance between the key and the pipe valve -- may present limitations or challenges that might better warrant electric actions. B – Electric action systems use electro-magnetic solenoids either to directly open pipe valves or, the preferred option with our company, to trigger a pneumatic action to open the pipe valves. Pneumatic designs may be referred to as electro-pneumatic actions and will be offered in unit, pitman, or slider chest configurations. (See Section V for chest action details.) In any configuration, the signal is sent from the console key as an electric signal rather than a mechanical link. Thus, electric consoles offer almost infinite options for placement. Console – The part of the pipe organ which contains the keyboards, pedalboard, stop controls, swell shoes and capture action is called the console. This is often mistakenly called the “organ.” In the realm of a pipe organ, the console serves as the control center for playing the pipes. Most electric action pipe organs will have a stand-alone console. For tracker organs, this will be called a “detached” console. If the organ is built as a free-standing case instrument, the organ console may be attached directly to the case of the instrument. Attached consoles are most common with tracker organs. Derived or Synthetic stops – In some pipe organs, certain stops may be derived from a combination of stops when space and/or budget will not permit the installation of a real set of pipes for the stop. One of the most common situations is the inclusion of a 32’ pitch stop. A 32’ stop usually requires the space for pipes that are 32 feet long. Since many churches cannot house such stops, the ear is lead to believe they exist by playing higher pitches in the harmonic series of a 32’ tone. For example, a 32’ Resultant plays a unison and quint (or fifth) tone from the 16’ octave to create overtones for a 32’. A 32’ cornet uses pitches to play the octave, quint, tierce, seventh, and ninth harmonics for a reedy overtone pitch. In our company, such stops are denoted in the specification as derived. Digital stops - These stops are created not with pipes but with computer tone generation sources. Our policy is to limit these stops to 32' pedal stops and percussion stops such as Chimes and Harp. Other builders may use digital stops for a wide variety of stops in the instrument. In any case, each digital stop should be duly noted in the specification. There are different manufacturers of digital stops, much as there are different builders of pipe organs. Winding systems - Like actions and windchests, there are different ways to build winding systems. Except for historic restorations or historical replicas, all current modern pipe organs use electric blowers to provide wind to the organ. The blowers are designed to provide high-volume, low-pressure wind for the organ pipes. The wind pressure and volume are regulated by devices called reservoirs or Schwimmers. (See Section VI for more on reservoirs.) AGO specifications - The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is a professional guild for concert and church organists. The AGO has established a set of physical configuration and measurement standards for the construction of pipe organ consoles. These standards have been refined over


the decades to provide ergonomically efficient and comfortable designs for organ consoles. Our firm uses these standards in our own console design to promote a comfortable and user-friendly instrument. Cases - Cases are used for architectural presentation on two levels. Cases may provide a front for an existing organ chamber designed as part of the building, or they may be designed as complete, free-standing enclosures for the pipe organ. The case offers benefits for focusing sound and providing tonal egress for the pipe organ. The cases also provide the visual personality of the instrument. F/L or L/2 - These are designations sometimes found when addressing reed ranks. When building reed pipes, the speaking length of an actual vibrating reed can affect the pitch of the pipe in spite of the actual length of the reed pipe resonator. Thus a reed pitch may speak a pitch lower or higher than the actual length of the pipe might dictate. Commonly in organ building, pipe organ builders may build reed stops that speak one octave lower than the actual length of the pipes. For example, a pipe organ may include a Trombone or Contra Bombard that speaks at 32’ pitch, even though the lowest pipe is only 16' long. The pipe organ builder will designate this by indicating the stop as follows: 32' Contra Bombard L/2 12 pipes (F/L @ C2) "L/2" is length divided by 2 or half-length. "F/L" indicates full-length. Since the church may not have space for the 32' pipes, the organ builder opts to build the pipes half-length (L/2) in the bottom octave, reverting to full-length (F/L) at C2 or note #13 (the second octave) and remaining full length for the balance of the rank of pipes. Enclosed or expressive – The term “enclosed” will usually appear just under the Division name. This indicates that the following pipes are enclosed in a chamber or in part of the organ case that has swell shades over the tone opening. These shades are controlled by a shoe on the console, which opens and closes the shades to express or control volume of the pipes. These shades control volume in much the same way that window blinds can be adjusted to let in or block out light. Unenclosed or non-expressive – These terms indicate that this division does not have swell shades to control tonal egress of the division.


The following example shows how our firm notates a specification for the benefit of the client and our shop.

GREAT – Division name

(unenclosed) No swell shades or enclosure

16 Spitzfloete 61 pipes 8 Principal 61 pipes 8 Bourdon 61 pipes 8 Spitzfloete 12 pipes (This rank is unified with the 16' Spitzfloete; thus one rank of 73 pipes plays at 16' pitch and 8' pitch, yielding 2 speaking stops.) 4 Octave 61 pipes 4 Flute 61 pipes 2 Super Octave 61 pipes IV Mixture 1 1/3' 244 pipes (This Mixture has 4 ranks of pipes as indicated by the Roman numeral and the pipe count: 4x61=244. Note the lowest pipe is 1 1/3' in length.) 8 Trompete 61 pipes 8 Festival Trumpet 61 pipes (Mounted Horizontal in case) Chimes 25 Notes/Digital (These chimes are provided as electronic sounds, not real chimes.) Cymbelstern existing

Stops = 10 Speaking stops Ranks = 12 Sets of pipes

SWELL - Division name (enclosed)

This Division is expressive 16 Bourdon 12 pipes


(This stop is an extension of the 8' Flute a Cheminee. There is a single rank of 73 pipes, which provides 2 speaking stops.) 8 Flute a Cheminee 61 pipes 8 Viola Pomposa 61 pipes 8 Viola Celeste GG 54 pipes (Note that this rank is 54 pipes and is marked GG. Celeste ranks, which provide an undulating sound for the string,

or the Viola Pomposa in this case, are often short ranks, beginning at C2 or Tenor C. This Celeste starts lower at G1 or GG.) 4 Geigen Principal 61 pipes 4 Nachthorn 61 pipes 2 Spitzfloete 61 pipes IV Plein Jeu 2' 244 pipes (This mixture has 4 ranks of pipes. The lowest pipe is 2' long.) 16 Basson L/2 12 pipes (This stop is an extension of the 8' Hautbois. Note that this 12 note extension is L/2 or half-length.) 8 Trompette 61 pipes 8 Hautbois (1-6 L/2) 61 pipes (For tonal reasons, the L/2 extends into the 8' part of the of the Hautbois.) 4 Clairon 61 pipes

8 Voix Humaine 61 pipes

Tremulant Swell 16 - Intramanual subcoupler, playing an

octave lower Swell Unison Off

Swell 4 - Intramanual supercoupler, playing an

octave higher Stops = 13 Speaking stops Ranks = 14 Set of pipes

CHOIR - Division name (enclosed)

This Division is expressive


8 Gedeckt 61 pipes 8 Gemshorn 61 pipes 8 Gemshorn Celeste 49 pipes (Note this Celeste rank begins at C2 or Tenor C and is thus a rank with 49 pipes.) 4 Praestant 61 pipes 4 Koppelfloete 61 pipes 2 2/3 Nazat 61 pipes 2 Oktav 61 pipes 2 Blockfloete 61 pipes 1 3/5 Terz 61 pipes 1 1/3 Quinte 61 pipes III Scharf 1' 183 pipes III Zimbel 1/2' 183 pipes

(Note that these two mixtures add six ranks to the organ. One mixture starts at 1’pitch and the second mixture starts at 1/2' pitch.)

8 Cromorne 61 pipes 8 Festival Trumpet Great

(Note the Festival Trumpet is "based” or physically located in the Great but is available as a separate stop on the Choir. Because it is a solo type stop, it is not affected by the intra- or intermanual couplers.)

Tremulant Harp Digital Celesta Digital (The Harp and Celesta are electronic) Choir 16 Intramanual subcoupler, playing an

octave lower Choir Unison Off Choir 4 Intramanual supercoupler, playing an

octave lower

Stops = 14 Speaking stops Ranks = 17 Sets of pipes


PEDAL - Division 32 Subbass 12 notes/Digital (This stop is an electronic extension of the 16' Subbass. Space was

a determining factor in this decision, and yes, it is possible to add electronic extensions to real pipe ranks.)

16 Principal 32 pipes 16 Subbass 32 pipes (existing) (This rank and two others were retained from the old organ as noted by the word “existing.”) 16 Spitzfloete Great (Home based in the Great and duplexed to the Pedal as an independent stop.) 16 Bourdon Swell (Home based in the Swell and duplexed to the Pedal as an independent

stop.) 8 Octave 12 pipes 8 Floetenbass 12 pipes (ext. of 16 Subbass)

(In addition to the 32’ electronic extension for the 16' Subbass, 12 more pipes were added to create the 8' Floetenbass stop.)

8 Spitzfloete Great (Home based in the Great and duplexed to the Pedal.) 8 Rohrbourdon Swell (Home based in the Swell and duplexed to the Pedal.) 4 Choral Bass 32 pipes (existing) 4 Flute 32 pipes (existing) IV Raushquinte 2 2/3' 128 pipes (4 independent ranks x 32 pipes each=128 pipes, As a Pedal mixture

this stop has a lowest pipe of 2 2/3 long.) 32 Contra Posaune 12 notes/Digital 16 Posaune 32 pipes (This reed is extended down to a 32' Contra Posaune with a digital

extension and extended in the treble with real pipes to create the 8' Trompete. The end result a unit rank that plays 32', 16' and 8' pitches from a single rank of pipes.)

16 Basson Swell (Home based in the Swell and duplexed to the Pedal.) 8 Trompete 12 pipes 4 Hautbois Swell (Home based in the Swell and duplexed to the Pedal.) 8 Festival Trumpet Great


Stops = 18 Speaking stops

Ranks = 9 Sets of pipes

COUPLERS These are inter-manual couplers that couple stops one from division to another division, as opposed to

intra-manual couplers (which couple stops up or down an octave within a single division). On a drawknob console, inter-manual couplers are usually found on tilting tablets on the name rail above the

keyboards, and intra-manual couplers are on drawknobs in each division. As noted earlier the 16' coupler plays one octave lower and the 4' coupler plays one octave higher than unison pitch.

Swell to Great 16' Swell to Great 8 Swell to Great 4 Choir to Great 16 Choir to Great 8 Choir to Great 4 Swell to Choir 16 Swell to Choir 8 Swell to Choir 4 Great to Choir 8 Great to Pedal 8 Great to Pedal 4 Swell to Pedal 8 Swell to Pedal 4 Choir to Pedal 8 Choir to Pedal 4

Total Stops = 56 Total Ranks = 52

CAPTURE ACTION (100 Memory Levels)

10 General Pistons Thumb and Toe 8 Divisional Pistons Manual Thumb only 6 Divisional Pistons Pedal Toe only Great to Pedal Reversible Thumb and Toe


Swell to Pedal Reversible Thumb and Toe Choir to Pedal Reversible Thumb and Toe Cymbelstern Reversible Thumb and Toe 32' Subbass reversible Toe only 32' Contra Posaune reversible Toe only Sforzando Reversible Thumb and Toe General Cancel Thumb only Reverse Piston for Sequencer Thumb and Toe Solid State Organ Systems "Any Piston Next" Sequencer Notes about the Capture action: Notice the number of levels of memory. General pistons affect each division in the organ, while divisional pistons only change registration in a given division. Thumb and Toe indicate how the organist can access the piston control. Thumb pistons are located on the manuals for the thumb. Toe studs are pistons for the feet. The next sections are descriptions that should be easily understood. These areas discuss detail designs relative to each individual instrument. Since pipe organs are custom creations for a specific space and use, these details will vary from instrument to instrument. Specialty items like finishes and woods or architectural details would be covered here. Each area listed is part of our specification. Each would be detailed as per the job specifics quoted. CONSOLE Console layouts and dimensions are to conform to AGO standards. Detailed per job. CASEWORK Attached with this proposal are proposed drawings of the pipe organ. Detailed per job. WINDING This section will be important so that space may be allocated or prepared for the necessary blowers and wind reservoirs required. Detailed per job. WINDCHESTS Our firm details the type of windchests and actions designated for the project. SWITCHING AND CAPTURE ACTIONS Many companies are available to supply such equipment. Some organ builders will shop price for each project and some organ builders use a given supplier for their own company standards. Our firm has used Solid State Organ Systems as our standard for over a decade. SSOS is recognized as the world standard for pipe organ capture and switching systems. PIPEWORK If select pipework has been designated as used or existing in the specification, we would distinguish the source of such pipework in this section.


INSTALLATION / TUNING / TONAL FINISHING Detailed requirements for electrical and structural needs for the pipe organ should be provided by the organ builder. Final building details are to be determined by licensed contractors and structural engineers. Some companies include things such as hoisting or certain structural supports; some companies do not. This area remains an important part of the cost of an organ project, and this section describes where certain costs and responsibilities are covered by the organ builder and the purchaser. Some builders consider tonal finishing and final tuning to be optional. Committees should be aware of that! WARRANTY This is a normal statement of warranty obligations by the organ builder and the purchaser. The length of time is usually stated and any exceptions that might fall under another manufacturer's warranty. Normal maintenance and tuning are the responsibility of the purchaser. Purchaser is responsible for temperature and humidity maintenance of the space occupied by the organ. Mechanical issues or problems with the pipe organ generated by faults in the structural integrity of the building are not covered by the organ builder's warranty. QUOTATION The work as outlined in the specification and case drawing is quoted at $xxx,xxx.xx. This quotation will be honored for a period of 60 days from the date of this proposal. Bids are protected by time limits to avoid problems with long decision timelines. This is standard for many organ builders. Most suppliers will only honor prices for 60 to 90 days from date of quotation. Good business practices are essential to ensure the organ builder can deliver the instrument desired by the purchaser.


IV Pipe Organ Placement and Acoustics The placement of the pipe organ is crucial to the ability to project sound well. Since the room is the resonating space for a pipe organ, acoustics play a key role in its success.

Tonal egress is the path sound has to follow to project in the room. Following some simple rules will help assure the pipe organ and the organ builder can provide the best results for the space. The pipe organ should have straight line egress, and it is preferred the egress should be aligned with the long axis of the room. Pipe organs do not speak well around corners or placed behind walls. Consider the fact that you would not expect a speaker or clergy to speak or preach from the hall or alcove around a corner due to problems with projection. The same theories apply to the pipe organ. In order to ensure consistent blend of the singer and the pipe organ, they should be located in the same area. This avoids time delays for the director and the organist. It is also important that the pipe organ should be located above the listening audience or congregation. It is best suited at the middle height of the building.

One additional item of note is the presence of defining arches used in church designs to separate choir, chancel, transepts and nave spaces. While these provide visual benefits, arches are serious encumbrances to the projection of sound. An arch extension of just one or two feet around the opening of the space can impact the projection of sound (pipe organ and/or choir) by as much as 30% -- thus the reason choirs are sometimes moved to the steps of a chancel in front of an arch opening for concert purposes.

The acoustics of the space can be a very complicated matter, but some simple basics presented here should help provide a tremendous insight into that understanding. The pipe organ can generate basic foundation frequencies ranging from 10Hz (vibrations per second) to over 10,000Hz not counting overtones or articulation nuances.

Bass frequencies are usually omni-directional, allowing more options for placement. Bass frequencies also generate a large amount of energy that requires surfaces of dense mass for good reflection. Thus surfaces such as stone or masonry walls provide a good substructure for the reflective surface for bass frequencies. It should be noted, though, that rough or textured surfaces are common with such structures. Rough or porous surfaces should be polished or plastered to create a refined surface for reflection. Materials such as beaded board or plywood do not provide good density support for bass reflection. Drywall or gypsum board can suffer the same problems of reflection unless applied directly to masonry walls or unless extra support is provided. Multiple layers of drywall or gypsum board can be installed with better results. Additional options of construction are available with consultation by the organ builder, acoustician and structural engineer.

Treble frequencies are directional by nature and easily reflected by hard surfaces. Any surface with a hard smooth or polished finish will usually support good treble reflection. The organbuilder will also manage controlled placement of treble pipes, depending on the brightness or clarity they wish to obtain for the sound or ensemble.


When evaluating the room, the optimal space will have an even reverberation time across the spectrum of bass to treble frequencies. Reverberation is a sustained sound vibration in a given area. Reverberation time is the measured sustained tone after the tone source stops playing and before the final reflection decays. As music has a complex series of overtones, the sustained overtones assist in weaving the fabric of the music the listener hears. An even reverberation time should not be confused with the problem of echo. Echo is a reflection of a sound with clear and concise separation of tone or tones. Echo is very troublesome to the musician and the listener. Echo creates problems with tempos for the musician, because the listener becomes confused with which downbeat or tone to follow. In a good acoustical environment, musicians will desire to have a 2 to 4 second reverberation time. Since the spoken word is also an important part of a worship space, 2 to 4 seconds of reverberation time is a very comfortable window for managing the spoken word. The benefits of a good acoustical environment enhance the ability of the listener to hear the music equally in any place in the room. This also equates to a less forced sound for singers, instrumentalists, and the pipe organ. The sound flows more naturally and usually does not require excessive volume from each organ pipe to push or force the sound throughout the room. The end result is that the listener in the back of the hall or nave hears the organ and choir as well as a listener in the front of the hall or nave. Likewise, the spoken word will not require amplification in a live space. The support from a public address system can then focus on intelligibility of the spoken word more than volume amplification. Our firm has worked with a number of companies that have designed public address systems that achieved superior results with the spoken word in a live acoustical setting, so excellent results are quite possible. The structure and shape of the room will have impact on the time and effects of reverberation. Earlier we discussed density of walls and reflective surfaces. An organ builder should be involved with the design of a new space when possible or should be provided complete information on an existing space when considering the design of a new pipe organ. In a room with thin walls but a highly reflective surface, the room will favor the treble frequencies while absorbing the bass frequencies. The result to the listener is a room that creates a very bright sound with no foundation. Unsupported bright or tinny sound can be very irritating and tiring to the listener. Sometimes the opposite is true and the room may have masonry construction with dense walls and rough reflecting surfaces in which a room will favor bass response and absorb the treble frequencies. This would create a dull, dark and heavy tone environment. This setting creates the illusion of unclear tone or, even worse, just a wall of noise or sound. The listener then becomes disconnected and uninterested in the music. Good acoustical architecture design will address structure and surfaces as different but inter-related components. A good pipe organ builder will be able to compensate for some variations. Understanding the relationship of the space and the pipe organ will help in the decisions for a good organ installation.


V Key and Windchest Actions A) Key actions - The system or conveyance between the keys and the windchest to activate the valves.

1) Tracker or mechanical action - Tracker or mechanical action pipe organs use a mechanical or physical link between the keys or pedals and the valve in the windchest. The organist can control the valve as it is opened for the pipe to play. Tracker action windchests may be a slider windchest if there are multiple stops on a given manual or pedal division or it may be a unit chest if there is only one stop or rank of pipes for a given manual or pedal division.

2) Electric action - When the key is pressed, an electric signal is sent to the windchest to

open an electric valve to play the pipe. B) Windchest actions - The pipe organ uses wind to blow the pipes and create sound. One of the key components to a pipe organ is the windchests. The windchests provide the physical support for the pipes and contain the valve actions that open and close to permit wind into the pipe. For purposes of consideration there are several different types of windchest actions.

1) Electro-mechanical windchests - Electro-mechanical action is the use of an individual valve beneath each pipe that is activated by an electric magnet. The electro-mechanical valve design is manufactured by a several different suppliers and used by various organ builders. It is an inexpensive, simple way to build pipe organ windchests. Unfortunately this simple system comes with drawbacks. The valve design using electro-magnets consumes far more electrical current than other designs. Relying strictly on electro-magnets, the actual size of the valves are limited to approximately 1-1/2" in diameter, thus requiring multiple valves for some large pipes. The action is prone to inducing issues with pipe speech, thus creating additional obstacles with pipe voicing and tonal finishing. Serious thought should be given before using this action if there are high artistic expectations on the final instrument.

2) Slider windchests - The term slider here refers to a slide valve for each rank of pipes on

the windchest. On a slider windchest there is one wind or pallet valve per note of the keyboard or pedalboard compass. This valve can be operated via tracker action, electro-mechanical pull-downs, or electro-pneumatic actions and is mounted on the bottom of a chest channel. The slider valve is mounted to the top of the chest channel and beneath the pipe. When the pallet valve opens, it permits pressurized wind to enter a channel beneath the pipes of that given note for each rank. Once the channel is pressurized, the appropriate notes in a rank will play if the slide valve between the channel and the pipe is open. Slider chests were one of the earliest forms of pipe organ windchest construction and remain in use to this day. A well-designed slider chest offers the greatest number of benefits for the pipe voicer and tonal finisher. The tuning is improved as well and the


organist usually notes a cleaner response in the action. It remains the preferred chest for many top organ builders in the world.

3) Electro-pneumatic windchests - Electro-pneumatic windchests have been used

successfully for more than 100 years. In an electro-pneumatic windchest there are two valves required to complete the action of opening the pipe valve. A small electric valve is utilized to exhaust a pneumatic action, which in turn opens the pipe valve permitting wind to the pipe. The action is efficient and fast, but not so fast that it disturbs the natural flow of the wind. Since the pneumatic action relies on wind pressure, the pneumatic valves are not limited in size and very large valves can be utilized when necessary. Yet, each of the pneumatic actions is activated by the same type of small electric valve, with great success.

Summary - Our firm prefers the use of slider windchests with electro-pneumatic pallet valves. They allow us to follow our standards for tonal achievements in our organs. When slider windchests are not feasible, we use electro-pneumatic windchests. Electro-mechanical action windchests are not used due to negative impacts on pipe speech.


VI Winding systems The ability to keep wind at a constant supply and pressure is important to the overall tone of the organ. How precisely you manage the pressure is an item of artistic discussion. A slight flex in pressure is desirable for an artistic touch. However, huge dips or wind pressure drops under heavy demand are not desirable and are often considered poor pipe organ building design. Reservoirs are devices inserted between the blower and the windchest. The reservoir will be either a box with a lid hinged and sealed with leather or rubber cloth or a wedge assembly similar to large fireplace bellows. The reservoir has a valve controlled by the moving lid to regulate the amount of wind passing through reservoir while maintaining a regulated pressure on the wind. Standard or wedge reservoirs are usually mounted beneath or near the windchest. The exact determination of winding systems is determined by the layout of the organ and the available space. Our company prefers the use of box or wedge reservoirs. With proper sizing and regulation, they provide a desired flex or gentle push to the wind for better tonal life in the instrument. Flex or gentle push is not to be construed or confused with winding systems that create bouncy, unsteady or nervous undulations in the wind that translate into unsteady tone in the pipe speech. Schwimmer lids are wind-regulating devices that are mounted directly to the bottom of the chest. The Schwimmer lids are compact and highly efficient and use the windchest itself as the reservoir. Properly designed Schwimmers, while compact and efficient, can sometimes seem sterile in the management of wind supply and pressure.


VII Contracts and Payment Schedules Contract - Contracts will vary from company to company but should include basic information. The contract document should have the following information:

• The purchaser with location and addresses • The builder with location and addresses • Authorized contacts for each party • Detailed specification (and drawings where applicable) • What kind of insurance each party must carry and the stated limits • Physical location of construction • Physical location of installation • Details of warranty • Specifics regarding completion and acceptance of the instrument

Any binding contract should be fair and equitable for both parties. If problems should arise with either party the contract should have reasonable provisions for correction before incurring a legal path to remedy. For most established companies, contracts have usually been refined over the years to cover unexpected problems or situations in a responsible and ethical manner. Payment schedule - One of the attachments to the contract will be the payment schedule. This will outline the price to be paid for an instrument or major renovation and the course of expected payments. In our firm, the purchaser is not expected to pay for the organ in advance but instead payments are to be submitted on the basis of progress. These payments are generally based on items such as the following:

• Deposit amount due for the special order of materials and equipment • Amount due when engineering drawings are completed and construction work begins • Amount due when materials arrive • Amount due when installation begins • A 10% retainer is always placed at the end for final payment once the organ has been

accepted The payments schedules are usually reviewed based on the project and details. Bonding - Our company has continually been successful at meeting the requirements for performance bonding for many years. Not all companies can meet these stringent requirements. Bonding is not required, but questions do arise on occasion with clients that desire to have the job bonded. Note: Should you, the purchaser, require performance bonding, you should acknowledge this in the beginning of negotiations with any organ builder. Otherwise the bidding process will not reflect such costs. If performance bonding is required, the cost of bonding and related expenses will have to be paid in full in advance of the main contract payment schedule. You will want to discuss this with your organ builder.


Documents

Tools for the Organ Committee - Distinguished Pipe Organs...benefits than an organ builder who might build a pipe organ based on a specific stop list or historical basis. 1) Organ