Better Pipe Organ Database

Unknown Builder (1970's)

First Presbyterian Church: Sanctuary; front
2001 Santa Clara Ave.
Alameda, CA

Images

Unknown - Facade (Photograph on Church's Website, courtesy of Steve Repasky (1990)/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

2 manuals
16 stops
20 registers
3 divisions
Key action Type: Electrical
Stop action Type: Electrical
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 tutti thumb pistons
Has tutti toe pistons

Notes

2010-04-27 - Identified through online information from Vince Ho. -- The original Austin was very orchestral with almost exclusively 8' ranks, one 16' pedal rank and two 4' ranks. In the 1970s, a local firm responsible for maintaining the organ added the 2' and the mixtures, which don't blend well with the Austin pipes; they also added the 32' resultant and REMOVED the Great Open Diapason (metal). So, too often I need to use the couplers (Sw-Gt and man-ped). There was also a harp which was not maintained, and never restored. --from David Zechman -Database Manager

Stoplist

Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

Alameda, California
First Presbyterian Church

Austin, Opus 272, 1909
Unknown Builder, 1970's - Installation and tonal modifications

    GREAT (unenclosed)        
8'  Hohlflute                    61
8'  Dulciana                     61
8'  Gamba                        61
4'  Octave                       61
II  Sesquialtera     (added)    122
III Mixture          (added)    183
    Chimes  (Deagan; G -g)      (25)       
        
Gt to Gt 4'   

    SWELL (Expressive)        
8'  Principal                    61        
8'  Gedeckt                      61
8'  Viole Celeste          (tc)  49  (?)
8'  Salicional                   61
4'  Harmonic Flute               61
2'  Doublette        (added)     61        
8'  Oboe                         61
8'  Vox Humana       (added)     61
    Tremulant

Sw to Sw 16'
Swell Unison
Sw to Sw 4'*      

    PEDAL (unenclosed)        
32' Resultant    (derived)       --        
16' Contrebass   (Bourdon)       32
16' Subbass       (added)        32
8'  Principal      (20 n)        --   
8'  Bourdon        (20 n)        --

    INTER-DIVISIONAL COUPERS
Great to Pedal              8' , 4'        
Swell to Pedal              8' , 4'
                
Swell to Great         16', 8' , 4'

    FINGER PISTONS
General                      1 - 5
Swell                        1 - 3
Great                        1 - 3
Pedal                        1 - 3  (I think)        
Sforz                        (rev)
Gen Can

    TOE STUDS
General                      1 - 5
Sforz                        (rev)

    PEDAL MOVEMENTS        
Swell Expression            (bal.)    
Crescendo                   (bal.) 

    NOTES
Console ca. 1970s?  The super-octave pipes (62 to 73) were removed
long ago so the 4' manual couplers only help up to c 49.  Not usually
a problem. The Great chimes are 2 octaves, G to G; located in the
Swell box so impacted by swell shutters and paddle tremolo. The Pedal
8' stops are borrowed from the 16' ranks but without extension pipes,
so they run out at G 20. The Swell Tremulant is a standard Austin
paddle tremolo.

[Current stoplist -- from David Zechman. On-line update from Vince Ho.]

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