2005-01-08 - Information identifying this instrument from the Austin Organs, Inc. web site, accessed December 31, 2004: http://www.austinorgans.com/organ-research.htm. -Database Manager
2005-12-05 - Updated through on-line information from James R. Stettner. -- This organ was built for the previous edifice to the present church, and replaced a previous tracker organ by S. S. Hamill. The organ was rebuilt with new chests and a new console by Austin in 1911 as their opus 319 for the new (present) church. -Database Manager
Source: Stoplist copied from a copy of the original contract 1900
Evanston, Illinois
First Methodist Episcopal Church
AUSTIN ORGAN CO., Opus 41, 1900 - Original Specifications
GREAT (Enclosed in Choir *) SWELL (Expressive)
16 Double Open Diapason 61 16 Bourdon 61
8 Open Diapason 61 8 Open Diapason 61
8 Stentorphone 61 8 Flute Harmonique 61
8 Viola da Gamba (*) 61 8 Stopped Diapason 61
8 Doppel Flöte (*) 61 8 Viole d'Orchestre 61
8 Clarabella (*) 61 8 Salicional 61
8 Gemshorn (*) 61 8 Voix Celeste (tc) 49
4 Octave 61 8 Aeoline 61
4 Flute Harmonique (*) 61 4 Fugara 61
2 2/3 Octave Quint 61 4 Flauto Traverso 61
2 Super Octave 61 2 Flageolet 61
IV Mixture 244 III-V Dolce Cornet 275
8 Trumpet (*) 61 16 Contra Fagotto 61
8 Cornopean 61
Great Sub 8 Oboe 61
Great Unison Off [hitch-down] 8 Vox Humana 61
Great Super 4 Saxaphone 61
Tremulant
CHOIR (Expressive) Swell Sub
16 Contra Gamba 61 Swell Unison Off [hitch-down]
8 Open Diapason 61 Swell Super
8 Geigen Principal 61
8 Concert Flute 61
8 Quintadena 61 PEDAL
8 Dolce 61 16 Open Diapason 30
4 Rohr Flöte 61 16 Violone 30
4 Violina 61 16 Bourdon 30
2 Piccolo Harmonique 61 16 Lieblich Gedackt (Sw) –-
8 Clarinet 61 10 2/3 Gross Quint 7
8 Orchestral Oboe 61 8 Violoncello 12
Tremulant 8 Flöte (Clarabella - Gt) –-
16 Trombone 30
Choir Sub
Choir Unison Off [hitch-down] Pedal Unison Off [hitch©down]
Choir Super Pedal Super
COUPLERS FINGER PISTONS
Swell to Pedal [8] Swell & Pedal 1 – 6
Great to Pedal [8] R [Release]
Choir to Pedal [8] Great & Pedal 1 – 6
R [Release]
Swell to Great Sub [16] Choir & Pedal 1 – 6
Swell to Great [8] R [Release]
Swell to Great Super [4] S [Single-Acting]
Choir to Great Sub [16] D [Double-Acting]
Choir to Great [8] R [General Release]
Swell to Choir [8]
FOOT LEVERS (Order l - r Unknown)
Pedal 1 [h-d]
PEDAL MOVEMENTS Pedal 2 [h-d]
Swell Expression (bal.) Pedal 3 [h-d]
Gt/Ch Expression (bal.) Strings [of entire organ] [h-d]
Crescendo (bal.) Reeds [of entire organ] [h-d]
Diapasons [of entire organ] [h-d]
Gr. to Ped. (rev)
Sforzando [h-d]
Release
ACTION: T-P VOICES: 45 STOPS: 49 RANKS: 52 PIPES: 2,995
NOTES
The contract was signed on July 14, 1900, and the organ was to be delivered, in-
stalled, and ready for use by December 15 of that same year. The organ was free-
standing and encased - made of quarter-sawn oak. The façade pipes were to be,
"Decorated in harmony with case and church." The console was detached but within
five feet of the case. It featured oblique drawknobs. All of the couplers appeared
- grouped - as drawknobs over the Swell manual. All drawknob faces, pistons, and
manual key coverings were of ivory. The wind pressure was 3 1/2". The cost of the
organ was $12,000.00 which was broken-down as $11,250.00 cash and the church's
existing S.S Hamill tracker organ taken in trade, the ultimate disposition of which
is unknown. The exact nomenclature of stops and controls is not verified since the
original console has long since been replaced. Names and spellings given here are
based on the original contract and on other extant and documented examples of the builder's work from this period.
There are a few discrepancies regarding this instrument. The published Austin opus
list records this organ as being IV-manuals and 84 registers, yet the contract and
stoplist given clearly indicate that it was a III-manual instrument. Perhaps the
4th manual was prepared-for, but there is no specific indication of this in the
typed contract. A hand-written note in the Choir division pointing to the 8' Orchestral Oboe asks, "Trans to Solo. Put Cor Ang. Here?"
The Pedal division on the typed contract also contains several discrepancies. Each
of the eight Pedal stops is listed as having 30 pipes, even though the 16' Lieblich
Gedeckt, 10 2/3' Gross Quint, and 8' Flöte are also clearly marked as borrows or
extensions. Hand-drawn lines indicate that the 8' Violoncello was an extension of
the 16' Violone; that there was to be an 8' register as an extension of the 16'
Open Diapason; and that the 8' Flöte was part of the 16' Bourdon unit. The 16'
Trombone was crossed out with the notation: "16-8-4 from So" written in. A 16'
Fagott and a 32' Magnaton are also written in, and a line drawn to the Choir 16'
Contra Gamba seems to indicate that it was to be borrowed as well. With the
exception of the 16' Fagott, these tonal discrepancies appear as the Pedal division
of this organ when it was rebuilt form in the 1911 rebuild.
The divisional release and General Release pistons were of red ivory. The pistons
listed as "single-acting" and "double-acting" were located in the Choir key slip to
the right side. They affected each of the three sets of 6 division & pedal pistons
and the three hitch-down pedal levers. All of the combination action pistons and
foot-levers were adjustable but did not physically move the drawknobs. The hitch-
down foot levers are all pre-set and do not move the drawknobs except for the Great
to Pedal reversible which did move the drawknob.
Wood pipes were of selected white pine. All metal pipes from 4' C and up were of
spotted metal with not less than 40% tin. Pipes from 8' BB and down were of
annealed zinc. The reed voicing was by Thomas Dyson. The flue voicing was by Philip
Wirsching who also tuned the organ in the church. All of the pipework was built by
Austin with the exception of the Swell 8' Vox Humana which was imported from
England.
Sources: Austin opus list and contract.
First Methodist Episcopal Church
Evanston, IL.Regrettably, it is not possible to display the information about the sponsor of this pipeorgandatabase entry or if there is a sponsor. Please see About Sponsors on Pipe Organ Database.