St. John's Episcopal Church: Church
679 Farmington Ave.
West Hartford, CT
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
Images
1992 - East case post fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1992 - East chamber post fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1992 - Chancel post fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1992 - Swell chamber post fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1992 and previous - 1978 Antiphonal division location pre and post fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1980s - West organ case (Swell chamber) destroyed in 1992 fire (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1953 - Publicity photo of Clarence Watters at console (sacristy location) with roll player installed (Photograph from an archival source: Austin Organs archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1980s - Detail of angel carving, East organ case (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1980s - East organ case (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1979 - Choir stalls with console behind, showing location in the sacristy (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
1953 - 1950 console with pedalboard removed and player mechanism added, for recording of Lynnwood Farnam rolls "performed" by Clarence Watters, 1953 (Photograph from an archival source: church archives, submitted by Scott Lamlein/Scott Lamlein)
Consoles
Main
- Organ type: Traditional With Roll Top
- Console position: Console in Fixed Position, Right
- 3 manuals
- 32 stops
- 41 registers
- 4 divisions
- Key action Type: Electrical
- Stop action Type: Electrical
- Stop layout Type: Stop Keys Above Top Manual
- Manual compass: 61 notes
- Pedal compass: 32 notes
- Pedal Type: Concave Radiating (Meeting AGO Standards)
- Expression Type: Balanced Expression Shoes/Pedals (Meeting AGO Standards)
- Has crescendo
- Combination action: Adjustable Combination Pistons
- Has combination thumb pistons
- Has combination toe pistons
- Has coupler thumb pistons
- Has coupler toe pistons
- Has tutti thumb pistons
- Has tutti toe pistons
Notes
2005-01-07 - Information identifying this instrument from the Austin Organs, Inc. web site, accessed December 29, 2004: http://www.austinorgans.com/organ-research.htm. -Database Manager
2014-06-29 - 9-rank Antiphonal and en-chamade added in 1978; damaged beyond repair when the nave was nearly destroyed by fire on October 10, 1992; replaced in 1996 by 3/64 Austin Op. 2761, retaining 24 ranks from Op. 2123. -Database Manager
2023-05-20 - The casework from the ca. 1910 Austin, Opus 231, was retained. Unknown if any pipework was retained. -Jim Stettner
2023-05-20 - From St. John's organ history:
In 1949, Austin Organs was once again chosen to build a completely new instrument. Opus 2123, with three manuals and 37 ranks, was generously underwritten as a memorial to the founder and past-president of The Austin Organ Company, John T. Austin, by members of his family who were parishioners of St. John’s Church. It was dedicated in September, 1950, by Dr. Robert Baker.
A newly fabricated chamber on the right side of the chancel provided space for the Swell division which was concealed by a facade of non-speaking pipes trimmed with gold paint.
Thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Robinson, Jr., a nine rank Antiphonal Organ, including horizontally mounted trumpets, was installed on the rear wall above the narthex in 1978.
The venerable Austin performed faithfully for over forty years without any major repairs until the night of Saturday, October 10, 1992, when a devastating fire caused considerable damage to much of the building and organ.
The fire destroyed a significant portion of the beautifully carved main case in the chancel and spread to the large scale 16 foot Open Wood pipes which were fastened to the ceiling of the Great Organ chamber. The roof collapsed on the Swell Organ division on the right side of the chancel, crushing many of the pipes. The majority of the pipes of the Antiphonal Organ melted from the intense heat caused by the fire, and the console, which was located in the sacristy (current vesting room), suffered extensive smoke and water damage.
In spite of the considerable water and fire damage, a decision was made to try and use as much of the former instrument as possible in designing and constructing its replacement, Austin Opus 2761. As a result, approximately 38% of the pipework in the new instrument was recycled from the 1950 Austin and three of the original windchests were also reused. -Scott Lamlein
Stoplist
Stoplist copied from <i>The Diapason</i> August 1950 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
West Hartford, Connecticut
St. John's Episcopal Church
Austin Op. 2123 1950 3/37
_________________________________________________
GREAT SWELL
16' Violone 61 8' Geigen 68
8' First Diapason 61 8' Melodia 68
8' Second Diapason 12 8' Gamba 68
8' Harmonic Flute 61 8' Gamba Celeste 56
8' Gemshorn 61 4' Fugara 68
4' Octave 61 4' Chimney Flute 68
4' Quintaten 61 2' Flageolet 61
II Doublette 122 a III Mixture 183 c
III Mixture 183 b 16' Double Clarinet 68
Sub 8' Trompette 68
Unison Off 8' Clarinet 12
Super 8' Vox Humana 61
4' Clairon 68
CHOIR Tremulant
8' Viola 68 Sub
8' Bourdon 68 Unison Off
8' Dolce 68 Super
8' Dolce Celeste 56
4' Gemshorn Octave 68 PEDAL
4' Koppelflöte 68 16' Diapason 32
2 2/3' Nazard 61 16' Violone GT
2' Blockflöte 61 16' Gedeckt 12 SW
1 3/5' Tierce 61 8' Octave 12
8' Oboe 68 8' Lieblichflöte SW
Tremulant 4' Super Octave 12
Sub 16' Bombarde 32
Unison Off 16' Double Clarinet SW
Super 8' Trompette 12
a 12-15
b 19-22-26 c 15-19-22
[Received from Jeff Scofield June 29, 2014]
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