Pipe Organ Database

Updated through online information from James Ziessler. -- The organ was played for Easter services 2013. The organ had two of seven ranks working properly. The other five ranks need the large stop pneumatics recovered and that has been done, but not installed yet. The swell shades do not work and repairs are needed on them. The organ overall is fixable and being restored slowly. Each repair brings more of the organ's life back.

Updated through on-line information from James Ziessler. -- I failed to mention in my last post on April 26th that the organ was played for Easter Sunday 2011. She still needs a lot of work, and a good tuning. But she performed beautifully for two services. Approx. 50 note pneumatics were recovered and resoldered. Several pedal pneumatics recovered along with 5 stop action pneumatics, and those repaired functioned perfectly. In time all the manual pneumatics will need to be recovered, but for now I only took the worst of the worst and recovered them. My understanding is that the organ hasn't played for a service since either the early 2000's or about 1996. I could be wrong on those dates since the recollection of former parishoners is sketchy. The next big hurtle is to tackle the console and the switching system. I suspect that the dead notes and lack of response of some of the stop tabs is due to the connections within the console itself. All the note and stop action pneumatics and magnets appear to be functioning normally and reliably.

Updated through on-line information from James Ziessler.

Updated through on-line information from James Ziessler. -- Accurate count of ranks is (7) 16' Bourdon 73 Pipes, 16' Dulciana 73 pipes, 8' Clarabella, 8' Viol, 8' Oboe, 8' Open Diapason, 4' Harmonique Flute, Chimes.

Updated through on-line information from James Ziessler. -- I have personally known this instrument for many years and enjoyed its mellow quality in playing hymns and leading worship singing. When I was organist in the mid 80's, it was one of the most pleasurable sounding and playing instruments. In the mid 90's the organ console was demonstrating signs of deterioration; dead notes, combinations not consistently coming on, ciphers on occasion from scoring of key contacts. The tremolo paddle, is inoperable due to a broken rubber belt. The console has a problem that once the organ is turned on the SFZ comes on. When individual stops are pulled on, there are many dead notes, and some stop tabs when pulled on do not operate the rank designated. The organ is in need of major repair and maintenance. I plan on spending many hours in hoping to get this "little" gem back into playing condition. The organ needs a general cleaning and closer inspection. My initial pursuit will be to inspect the console and ascertain the condition of the key contacts, electrical wiring, releather some of the reversibles that are completely deteroriated and inoperable. This will be a labor of love. It may be that the interior of the organ will have to be replaced with new contacts. Since the combination action is mechanical, replacing the contacts where the action is needed will be relatively manageable. In my humble opinion the organ is a diamond in the rough and worth every minute and dime of restoration and refurbishing. I am not certain that the number of ranks is correct. The initial entry says twelve ranks but I have noticed these specific ranks: Pedal 16' Bourdon; 16' Dulciana. Swell (from Gt) Clarabella 8', Viol 8', Dulciana 8', Oboe 8', Flute 4. Great Diap. 8', Clarabella 8', Viol, 8', Dulciana 8' Chimes. I count, without duplexing of pipes, Seven ranks. But I will check and make sure my count is accurate and revise at a later date.

Updated through on-line information from Phil Browning.

Information identifying this instrument from the Austin Organs, Inc. web site, accessed December 31, 2004: http://www.austinorgans.com/organ-research.htm.