2010-02-03 - Identified through online information from Tom Scheck. -Database Manager
2014-08-28 - Updated through online information from Tom Scheck. -- I became organist of St. John's Church in 1967 and was organist at the time this organ was installed. The following information is from my personal observations as well as conversations with Mabel Zehner, consultant for the organ; Harold Konz, then pastor of St. John's Church; Robert Hillgreen, Jr. of Hillgreen, Lane; and Robert Barney, who, along with his wife, Maxine Barney, installed the organ.<br>In addition to the proposal from Hillgreen, Lane, the church had received a proposal from Schantz, which had maintained the previous 1926 Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling organ. Although I have no knowledge of additional proposals, others may have been received. Someone had suggested that the church request a proposal from Casavant. However, Miss Zehner advised the church she didn't think the church would be happy with the kind of organ Casavant would have built.<br>The contract for the organ was executed in 1965 and the organ installed in 1968. The purchase price was approximately $45,000. The original contract specified a tilting-tablet console, but that was later changed to a draw-knob console. The tonal design was by D. Byron Arneson. (When I mentioned this organ to Mr. Arneson after meeting him some years later, he said he didn't recall this organ, but stated it was very possible he had designed it because he designed organs for Hillgreen, Lane during that time.) The original design did not include the Swell 4' Hautbois. Miss Zehner recommended adding an 8' Oboe and extending the 8' Trompette to 4' pitch. Hillgreen, Lane said the extension would be difficult due to the chest design they planned to use and recommended adding the 4' Hautbois instead.<br>The 1911 church building is Akron plan, with the altar in the southeast corner. The organ is in a space along the east side of the church specifically added to the building in 1926 for the Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling. Although the Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling casework was retained by Hillgreen, Lane, it was moved back approximately two feet, increasing the space for the choir but reducing the space for the organ.<br>The console is oak to match the church furnishings. The stop jambs, coupler rail, key cheeks and lower half of the music rack (the upper half being acrylic glass) were walnut, stained black, with gold dust rubbed into the grain. The Great is located in the center of the organ, with the 2' Holpfeife in front, the 4'Octave immediately behind, and the other three Great stops behind that. All Pedal pipes 4' pitch and above are behind the Great, below the rose window. All Great and Pedal pipes in this center section are diatonic with the lower pipes in the center except the Quartane, which has the larger pipes in the center.<br>The Swell is to the right of the Great and the Choir to the left. FFF#, GGG# and AAA# of the Pedal 16' Principal are in a tower between the Choir and Great with CCC, BBB and EEE on a lower level behind. GGG, AAA and BBB are in a tower between the Great and Swell, with CCC#, DDD# and FFF on a lower level behind. CC-BB of the Great and Pedal 8' Principals are in front of the Swell and Choir. <br>There are six dummy pipes in the facade, one equivalent to CC in the left tower and one equivalent to CC# in the right tower as well as pipes equivalent to one AAA and one AAA# in front of each of the two enclosed divisions. Although these dummy pipes were not in the original plan, some Hillgreen, Lane personnel thought the organ would look better with them. (Mr. Barney said this decision was made without the knowledge of company management and that management was not pleased when they found out about the additional expense of those relatively large pipes. Barney likened the look of the original facade plan, with more space between the pipes, to that of a picket fence.) <br>Flue pipes were made by Stinkens; reed pipes by A. R. Schopp. With the exceptions listed below, all ranks are spotted metal, with larger pipes of zinc. Exceptions: 1-24 of the Pedal/Swell 16'/8' Rohr Flute and 1-37 of the Choir 8' Nason Gedeckt are wood; the Choir 4' Krummhorn is brass. Hillgreen, Lane had intended to enclose the Chimes with the Choir, but there was not sufficient space for them there. They are unenclosed, but a volume control was added to vary the force of the strikers.<br>No tonal finishing was done. The pipes were voiced at the factory and simply taken from the pipe trays and put in place. Apparently that was Hillgreen, Lane's practice at the time. There were two blank stop knobs, one for the Great and one for the Swell. Mr. Barney suggested adding a 16' Quintadena to the Great and a 16' reed to the Swell and said there was sufficient space for the additional pipes. However, the church chose not to make the additions. When I visited the church some years ago, the walnut on the console had been replaced by more ordinary wood and numerous draw knobs had been added. Upon turning the organ on, I heard the very loud hum of speakers, indicating the addition of electronic voices. Although all of the pipe stops were working, none of the electronic voices was functioning. All of the original Hillgreen, Lane organ appeared to be intact and working, with no pipe stops added. -Database Manager
2023-09-19 - At some point (before 2005), Bunn=Minnick did work on the console. -Grant Farragher
Stoplist taken from the console and examination of interior of organ, 1968 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
GREAT 8’ Principal 61 8’ Metal Bourdon 61 4’ Octave 61 2’ Hohlpfeife 61 IV Mixture (2') 244 Chimes 21 tubes Sub Unison Off Super SWELL 8’ Rohr Flute 68 8’ Viola 68 8’ Viola Celeste tc 56 4’ Gemshorn Principal 68 2’ Block Flute 61 III Plein Jeu (1') 183 8’ Trompette 68 4’ Hautbois 68 Tremulant Sub Unison Off Super CHOIR 8’ Nason Gedeckt 61 8’ Erzahler 61 4’ Koppel Flute 61 2’ Italian Principal 61 1 1/3’ Larigot 61 III Zimbel (1/2') 183 8’ Bombarde 61 4’ Krummhorn 61* Tremulant Sub Unison Off Super PEDAL 32’ Resultant (Principal) 16’ Principal 32 16’ Rohr Flute 12 SW 8’ Principal 12 8’ Rohr Bourdon SW 4’ Principal 12 4’ Rohr Bourdon SW II Quartane (2 2/3’) 64 16’ Contre Bombarde 12 CH 8’ Bombarde CH 4’ Bombarde CH *This is the correct pitch of this stop. The stoplist published in The Diapason when the organ was new incorrectly showed this stop at 8’ pitch. [Received on line from Tom Scheck February 19, 2010.]
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.