Better Pipe Organ Database

Holtkamp Opus 1581 (1934)

St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church
627 W Pike Street
Covington, KY

OHS convention: 1965

Images

1934 - Organ in factory before delivery (Photograph from an archival source: Don Daley, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

2020-12-02 - Builder nameplate engraved with builder and consultant name. (Photograph by Don Daley, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

2020-12-02 - Exposed pipework (Photograph by Don Daley, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Traditional Without Cover
Console position: Console in Fixed Position, Center
2 manuals
16 stops
15 registers
3 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)
Combination action: Adjustable Combination Pistons
Has combination thumb pistons
Has coupler toe pistons

Notes

2008-12-20 - Identified through information published in John Ferguson's <i>Walter Holtkamp: American Organ Builder</i> (DMA treatise, Eastman School of Music, 1976). Although neither Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling nor their successor Holtkamp Organ Co. assigned Opus numbers to their instruments, this organ was identified in factory documents as Job number 1581. That number appears here as the Opus number of this instrument. -Database Manager

2010-03-29 - Updated through on-line information from James R. Stettner. -- The Great and Swell employed two windchests-per-division. Both had notes 1-27 on the first chest. The Great 1-27 was on 2-3/4" w.p. The Swell 1-27 was 3-1/2" w.p. The remainder of the Great (28-68) was on 4" w.p. as was the remainder of the Swell (28-61). The Pedal 16' Contra Bass was on 3-1/2' w.p., while the 8' Cello and 8' Posaune were on 4" w.p. The organ was exposed and encased with a symmetrical Great in the center and the Pedal cello and Posaune flanking the Great on either side. The Swell was behind the Great with the Pedal 16' Contra Bass (open wood) flanking it. -Database Manager

2013-03-24 - Updated through online information from Don Hurd. -- The organ is currently being refurbished. (January 2013) I don't know who is doing the work. Keep your fingers crossed--this is an important organ for our area! -Database Manager

2020-12-15 - Organ refurbished - no tonal changes made - by Schaedle Organ Services c. 2013. -Paul R. Marchesano

2022-10-27 - In a letter, dated April 20, 1965, Walter Holtkamp, Jr. writes : "we can tell you that the organ at St. John's, Covington, was built by my father in 1934-35. It was one of the most significant arid marked a turning point in his thinking. It was his first completely exposed instrument. The Ludwigtone was Henry Holtkamp's creation and was used till the mid 40s." (Henry Holtkamp was the father of Walter Holtkamp, Sr.) St. John Church building was dedicated Nov. 1924. Its tower is 163 feet tall, the same as the building's length. -- *1965 OHS Handbook* -Paul R. Marchesano

Stoplist

Stoplist taken from the console December 20, 2014 Source: Supplemental info from 1965 OHS Handbook Date not recorded

Covington, Kentucky
St. John Catholic Church

Holtkamp (tarnished nameplate is illegible)

GREAT                  SWELL                  PEDAL

16     Quintadena  68    8     Gamba    61      16     Contra Bass 32
 8     Diapason    68    8     Flute    61      16     Quintadena (GT)
 8     Salicional  68    4     Gemshorn 61       8     Cello 32
 8     Ludwig Tone 68    2 2/3 Nazard  61       16     Posaune 32
 4     Principal   68    1 3/5 Tierce  61
                       III   Mixture  159
                       4     Oboe-Clarion  61    

 [Received from Don Hurd 2015-02-22.]