Better Pipe Organ Database

W.B.D. Simmons & Co. (1852)

First Baptist Church
1013 Worcester Road
Framingham, MA

OHS convention: 1961, 2000

Images

2021-06-17 - Church Exterior. (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen St. Denis)

2021-06-20 - OHS Historic Organ Citation (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen St. Denis)

2021-06-20 - Church Interior (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen St. Denis)

2021-06-20 - Organ façade (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen A St. Denis)

2021-06-20 - Console (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen A St. Denis)

2021-06-20 - Organ in the rear gallery. (Photograph by Stephen St. Denis/Stephen A St. Denis)

1999-05-04 - Organ Case (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt/Database Manager)

1999-05-04 - Builder's Nameplate (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Traditional With a Removable Panel in Front of Keyboards
Console position: Keydesk Attached, Manuals Set Into Case
2 manuals
20 stops
18 registers
3 divisions
Key action Type: Mechanical (Details Unknown)
Stop action Type: Mechanical
Stop layout Type: Drawknobs in Vertical Rows on Flat Jambs
Manual compass: 56 notes
Pedal compass: 27 notes
Pedal Type: Flat Straight
Expression Type: Trigger/Hitch-Down Expression
Combination action: None

Notes

2004-10-30 - Status Note: There 2000. -Database Manager

2008-09-07 - Updated through on-line information from James R. Stettner. -- The organ is free-standing and encased in the rear gallery in a case which is painted white. The manuals are fully recessed inside the case with a sliding door which rises-up behind the impost to expose the manuals. The facade contains 23 pipes - 17 of which are from the Great [8'] Open Diapason (DD-F#); and 5 are from the Great [4'] Principal. One is a dummy. The Great [8'] Clarabella is grooved to the [8'] St. Diap. Treble for its tenor octave. The Great [8'] Trumpet was replaced at an undocumented time and by an undocumented person or firm with an early 20th century spotted metal 8' Salicional. The Swell, while playing from a 56-note manual, is short-compass: 39 notes from tenor F. - with only one, unexpressive bass stop: [8'] St. Diapason Bass. While the Pedal compass is 27-notes, the actual 16' Subbass has only 13 pipes. An electric blower was provided in 1912. Sources: church history; extant organ documented April 1988. -Database Manager

2021-06-21 - The 1852 W.B.D. Simmons organ in the First Baptist Church in Framingham, Ma was awarded OHS Historic Organ Citation, number 261, on 8-23-2000. The organ is intact but is not in good playing condition as of 6-2021. The organ is not used for church services at this time. -Stephen A St. Denis

Stoplist

Stoplist copied from the console April, 1988 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

Framingham, Massachusetts
First Baptist Church

Wm. B.D. Simmons, 1852

GREAT
   [16]    Tenoroon           (tc)  44
   [8]     Open Diapason            56
   [8]     Dulciana           (tc)  44
   [8]     St. Diap. Treble   (tc)  44
   [8]     St. Diap Bass            12
   [8]     Clarabella         (mc)  32
   [4]     Principal                56
   [4]     Flute                    56
   [3]     Twelfth                  56
   [2]     Fifteenth                56
   [III]   Sesquialtra  [sic]      163
   [8]     Trumpet            (tc)  44

SWELL TREBLE (Expressive)
   [8]     Op. Diapason       (tf)  39
   [8]     Viol de Gamba      (tf)  39
   [8]     St. Diapason       (tf)  39
   [4]     Principal          (tf)  39
   [2]     Fifteenth          (tf)  39
   [8]     Oboe               (tf)  39
           Tremolo

SWELL BASS (unexpressive]
   [8]     St. Diapason Bass        17

PEDAL (27 notes)
   [16]    Subbass                  13

COUPLERS (Drawknob)
   Couple Pedal & Swell            [8]
   Couple Pedal & Great            [8]
   Swell to Great                  [8]

PEDAL MOVEMENTS
   Swell Expression              (h-d)

ACTION: Mech. key & stop
VOICES: 18
STOPS: 20
RANKS: 20
PIPES: 927

NOTES
The original cost of the organ was $1,400.00.

 [Received on line from James R. Stettner June 06, 2009.]