The Pipe Organ
Central Lutheran Church
512 South Bernard Street
Spokane, Washington 99204
Aeolian-Skinner/Balcom & Vaughan
Opus No. 880
An Informational Pamphlet
The Pipe Organ
at
CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Spokane, Washington
Aeolian-Skinner/Balcom Vaughan
Opus No. 880
A Brief History of Previous Organs
In 1966, an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ was installed at Central Lutheran Church replacing a three rank Wicks pipe organ that was brought from the original church building at 312 East Third Avenue. The new organ was designed by William Bunch (who later became president and head designer at Balcom and Vaughan) in consultation with Dr. David Dahl, Pacific Lutheran University and Dr. Harold Einecke, organist at Spokane’s St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral. The organ’s tonal resources were patterned after the “American Classic” ideal made world famous by Aeolian-Skinner organs in places such as Boston’s Church of the Advent, Riverside Church in New York City, The Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City and San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. Central’s instrument was made possible through generous gifts of our members at that time. Because of those gifts, the organ was a musical blessing for over thirty years as its music led in worship and praise to God.
The Initiation of the 1998 Revision and Expansion
The organ revision and expansion project had its beginning at a 1994 Worship and Music Committee meeting when a report was made that many of the bushings and felts on the manual keys and most of the pedal keys of the console were becoming worn and very loose. The committee voted to have Jon Moir of Balcom and Vaughan evaluate the condition of the instrument. The Balcom and Vaughan Organ Company was chosen for three reasons: 1) The firm’s long-standing association with the existing instrument, 2) Their expertise in designing organs which not only perform the wide range of organ literature well, but also meet the needs of liturgical worship, 3) The company’s understanding of classical church buildings such as we have a Central Lutheran. Mr. Moir was asked to inspect the mechanical condition of the instrument and evaluate the tonal resources of the organ. His report was to include several proposals to ensure the instrument would continue to serve the congregation for many years.
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Results of the Inspection
The inspection revealed the wind chests, blowers and pneumatic action were in excellent condition, but the existing console was quite deteriorated. In light of the inspection, there were three proposals presented. The first proposal allowed only for the refurbishing of the existing console. It was not a recommended option because the console’s antiquated design could not be modernized or expanded. The second proposal detailed a new state-of-the-art console incorporating modern technology and future expansion capabilities. It was quickly determined that replacing the existing console was the only prudent option, however, after discussing this proposal, the church council decided that the congregation would be more willing to donate money to the project if they could hear tonal improvements. The third proposal addressed this opinion by including an estimate for tonal expansion and revision as well as a new console. The council voted to adopt the third proposal and to poll the congregation to see if Central’s members would be willing to fund a comprehensive expansion project along with replacing the organ console.
The Recommendation
The expansion recommended by the church council would provide the organ with more playing resources, more flexibility and unlimited compatibility with the latest technology. The rationale for the recommendation was based first on the fact that many musical compositions for organ call for three manuals (keyboards played by the hands) and three tonal divisions (three separate groupings of pipes; Great, Swell and Positiv). Secondly, it was deemed prudent to purchase the new organ console with Musical Instrument Digital Interface. MIDI technology in the console would ensure that the organ would integrate with other electronic instruments and computers thereby making its flexibility practically limitless.
At a meeting explaining the council’s recommendation, the congregation agreed to proceed with an expansion project provided that two-thirds of the needed funds could be raised through designated gifts. That goal was met in the spring of 1997, and at a June meeting of the congregation, the members voted to continue with the next step, which was to request renderings of the new case and pipework. Those drawings were submitted to the congregation and in October of 1997, the congregation approved the final design and voted to enter into a contract with Balcom and Vaughan.
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The Church Building
Central Lutheran Church was built in the timeless English Gothic architectural style by Harold C. Whitehouse, who also designed St John's Episcopal Cathedral. The church is in the shape of a Latin cross with the transept designed as part of the chancel (or more correctly, Quire). As in European Cathedrals, the organ was placed in the Quire. In the ancient buildings of Europe however, the organ had one function; to support the choir and clergy in worship. Putting the organ in the Quire made perfect sense because for many centuries of Christian Church history, only the choir and the clergy were allowed to sing in the service. Many church buildings even had a wall or fence called a Pulpitum which physically separated the celebrants from the common people in the Nave. Since the Reformation however, the laity has been invited to actively participate in worship. Especially in the Lutheran Church, with the belief in the Priesthood of all believers, the tradition of laity taking an active role in worship is paramount.
Organ Placement
The expansion of the organ at Central Lutheran raised a question as to where the additional pipework shouldbe placed when there is not enough room in the organ chamber. Acoustically, the answer would be to place the pipework in the same worship space with the congregation (in other words; in the Nave). Many Gothic churches in Europe have additional pipework in the Nave to support congregational singing. Central Lutheran is not so large that additional organ pipes needed to be placed in the Nave, nor was it deemed plausible to put the organ in the balcony or to mount additional pipes on the Pulpitum wall as originally suggested. Therefore, the best place for additional pipes was the east wall of the Chancel, in the front of the church. Here however, was where architecture, liturgical worship and acoustics could have come into conflict. The traditional architecture of the liturgical Church requires the reredos and the altar to remain the visual focal point of the structure. To meet that requirement in the organ expansion at Central, ten ranks of the new Great division were placed against the exposed brick walls on each side of the reredos. The artistic design of the new organ cases and the Trinitarian pipe arrangement were created to visually blend with the original architectural appointments in the chancel. The Sacrament and the Word remain the focal point as the new Great Organ serves to gracefully accent the reredos and the altar, even as it lifts the worshiper's gaze to the rose window.
The Pipework
The original pipework of the instrument was lovely and most of it has been incorporated into the new design. The only pipework that spoke clearly to the congregation, however, was the original Great Organ because it was exposed on the cantilever in front of the organ chamber screen. The rest of the pipeworks' articulation (clarity of its initial attack) was gradually muffled as the listener moved further back (west) into the nave of the church. The balance between the exposed Great pipework and the rest of the organ's pipes was adversely affected as well. It was decided to overcome this acoustical problem by installing the new Great Organ on the east wall of the Chancel, placing the new Positiv Organ where the original Great pipework had been, and acoustically sealing the brick walls in the chancel.
Scope of the 1998 Project
The 1998 organ project created a significant improvement in the instrument's playing ease, tonal resource, flexibility and worship leading potential. The plan had three aspects:
a. A new console: three manual, draw knob stop action, rocker tablet couplers, equipped with MIDI in, out and thru with sequencing capabilities on all four divisions, and solid state combination action.
b. Tonal revisions of the existing pipework:
Swell: Provide a 4' Principal (12 new pipes) and a 3-4 rank 1' Plein Jeu Mixture (reconstituted from the original Great mixture)
Great: Provide a 16' Pommer (second 12 new wooden pipes) and a 4' Clarion (last 12 new pipes)
Positiv: Revoice five ranks of the original Great Organ to create a 8' Geigen Principal, 8' Pommer, 4' Octave and a two rank 2 2/3 + 1 3/5 Sesquialtera
Pedal: Provide an 8' Trompette
c. Tonal additions to the existing pipework:
Great: New 11 rank Great Organ (659 new pipes)
Positiv: New 4' Spillflote, 2' Octave, and a 2-3 rank 2 2/3' Cymbal Mixture (293 new pipes)
Pedal: 8' Principal (32 new Pipes)
At the completion of this project, the instrument had 2,278 pipes in 37 ranks with 42 stops.
Tonal Additions in 2002
When the organ project was completed in 1998, there was room left on the console to add stops as the money became available. The tonal design called for a foundation stop of 32' length in the pedal to balance the richness of the full organ and other applications. Also, the need for a fuller 16' pedal stop was suggested because the original 16 Principal was of such a narrow scale. Finally, it was at the suggestion of Janice Newell that the Great Trompette be made playable from the Positiv in order to use it in contrast to and with the full Great Organ. In 2002, memorial money became available to purchase these three additions to the organ. After consultation with Jon Moir, it was believed the addition of an electronic 32' and 16' Subass would provide an acoustic foundation to the expanded organ. Using electronic generators to provide the lowest pitches is musically acceptable in contemporary pipe organs due to space and monetary issues. The new instrument has 39 ranks with 45 stops. The instrument combines the latest in computer technology with the best of the ancient art of pipe organ building and timeless Christian church architecture.
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The Pipe Organ
at
CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Spokane, Washington
Aeolian-Skinner/Balcom Vaughan
Opus No. 880
Specifications
GREAT ORGAN (Exposed, East Wall of the Chancel) ranks
Pommer 16’ 12 new pipes (wood) Positiv/Pedal
PRINCIPAL 8’ 61 new pipes 1
GEDECKT 8’ 61 new pipes 2
Rohrflöte 8’ Swell
OCTAVE 4’ 61 new pipes 3
QUINTE 2 2/3’ 61 new pipes 4
OCTAVE 2’ 61 new pipes 5
TERZ 1 3/5’ 61 new pipes 6
FOURNITURE 3-4 rks 1 1/3' 232 new pipes 7-10
TROMPETTE 8’ 61 new pipes (in organ chamber: exposed)
11 Clarion 4’ 12 new pipes (extention Positiv 8’ Trompette)
MIDI
Swell to Great 16’
Swell to Great 8’
Swell to Great 4’
Positiv to Great 16’
Positiv to Great 8’
Positiv to Great 4’
SWELL ORGAN (Enclosed: in organ chamber South Transept) ranks
VIOLA 8’ 68 existing pipes 12
CELESTE 8’ 68 existing pipes 13
ROHRFLÖTE 8’ 68 existing pipes 14
PRINCIPAL 4’ 12 new +56 existing pipes 15
KOPPELFLÖTE 4’ 68 existing pipes 16
NACHTHORN 2’ 61 existing pipes 17
LARIGOT 1 1/3’ 61 existing pipes 18
PLEIN JEU3-4 rks 1’ 183 new and existing pipes 19-21
KRUMMHORN 16’ 68 existing pipes 22
HAUTBOIS 8’ 68 existing pipes 23
Krummhorn 4’ 24 existing pipes (extension 16’)
Tremulant
MIDI
Swell to Swell 16’
Swell to Unison Off 8’
Swell to Swell 4’
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POSITIV ORGAN (Exposed on the cantilever in South Transept) ranks
GEIGEN PRINCIPAL 8’ 61 existing pipes 25
POMMER 8’ 61 existing pipes 26
OCTAVE 4’ 61 existing pipes 27
SPILLFLOTE 8’ 61 existing pipes 28
OCTAVE 2’ 61 new pipes 29
SESQUIALTERA 2 rks 2 2/3+1 3/5’ 122 existing pipes 30-31
CYMBAL 2-3 rks 2/3’ 171 new pipes 32-34
TROMPETTE 8’ 61 existing pipes 35
Krommhorn 8’ Swell
Trompette 8’ Great
Tremulant
MIDI
Positiv to Positiv 16’
Positiv Unison Off 8’
Positiv to Positiv 4’
Swell to Positiv 16
Swell to Positiv 8’
Swell to Positiv 4’
PEDAL ORGAN (Exposed in organ chamber, South Transept) ranks
SUBASS 32’ electronic 36
SUBASS 16’ electronic 37
PRINCIPAL 16’ 32 existing pipes 38
Pommer 16’ 12 new pipes
OCTAVE 8’ 32 new pipes 39
Pommer 8’ Positiv
Rohrflote 8’ Swell
Octave 4’ 24 existing pipes (extension 16’ Principal)
Pommer 4’ Positiv
Trompette 16’ 12 existing pipes (extension Positiv 8’ Trompette)
Krummhorn 16’ Swell
Trompette 8’ Positiv
Krummhorn 4’ Swell
MIDI
Great to Pedal 8’
Swell to Pedal 8’
Positiv to Pedal 8’
32 Channel Solid State Combination Action
GENERAL: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
GREAT: 1-2-3-4-5-6
SWELL: 1-2-3-4-5-6
POSITIV: 1-2-3-4-5-6
PEDAL: 1-2-3-4-5-6
Great to Pedal reversible
Swell to Pedal reversible
Positiv to Pedal reversible
ZYMBELSTERN
Set and General cancel
MIDI in, out and through with playable functions on all divisions
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Central Lutheran Church Organists
Central Lutheran Church has been blessed by the service of our past organists: Mrs. Gilbert Rossing, Evelyn Myre, W. C. Schackenberg Jr., Mable Anderson, Doris Swanson, Adrienne Reisner, John Oss, Gary Laing, William Clausen, Keith Lundquist, Janice Newell and our present organist: Alice Hostetter
Acknowledgements
Don Neraas Architect, Spokane: Architectural & Artistic Consultation
Michael R Yantis Associates Inc, Seattle: Acoustical Consultation
Paul Brueggemeier: Design/Text, Organ Informational Pamphlet
The Organ Committee
Gary Dahlke: Chairman, Dr. Eric Paulson, Sandy Fink, Ron Lund,
ßKeith Lundquist, Pastor Roy Jeremiah, Paul & Sue Brueggemeier