Pipe Organ Database

Additions/alterations to 1986 Reuter organ.

"In the recent renovation and expansion of the organ, we worked to best make the organ fill the sanctuary and support the choir across a wider range of frequency, dynamic and color. Some of the very delicate "prayer stops" of the organ that were typical of the 1950s to provide cover music, have given way to more powerful orchestral voices that will accompany the choir and work with a large orchestra in today's music program. Stops were added to the Choir division to give it a flavor found within English instruments that are specifically designed to accompany choirs. The dark, trumpet-like Tromba provides weight in the reed chorus of the organ. The Clarinet, which was of a much larger design than we have previously employed gives a rich and wooden orchestral color. The English Tuba allows for a controlled and colorful solo reed when the style of the music would be interrupted by the use of the commanding horizontal Trompette en Chamade. Much of the existing organ was revoiced to achieve better balance and blend while creating voices rich in harmonic content that will carry within the room regardless of volume level. The early solid state switching and memory system of the 1980s era has been replaced with current technology that allows transmission of data from the console to the pipe chamber through a single fiber optic line and uses a micro-processor for record/playback, transposer and increased memory and piston functions. The manual keyboards were refelted and refinished. Aging chest leather from the 1950s has been replaced to give the organ new mechanical life along with the installation of new Swell and Choir expression motors and tremulants. The organ was also completely cleaned.

An Antiphonal organ was added for increased musical flexibility. It has its own keyboard that can be used with choirs from the balcony location, or it can be played from the main console as desired. It was originally built by the Reuter Organ Company and served for many years in Protestant Chapel at BoysTown, Nebraska." -David Salmen

                Source: 2014 Organ Re-dedication booklet