Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2017-02-18 - This entry describes alterations to an existing organ. <br>Identified by Scot Huntington, citing information from this publication: 1969 Dedication program and church records.<br>The was the electrification of the 1894 Cole & Woodberry. Laws' typical approach was to upgrade key actions and wind systems, using Austin consoles, but for the most part leaving organs tonally unaltered. The original organ had a number of prepared-for toeboards, including a three-rank mixture on the Great, which were never fulfilled. While there are some incongruities concerning the provenance of the surviving wood ranks, I think it is fair to assume the 1969 Laws stoplist reflects the original state of the organ. In 1969, a 19th-century soldered-cap 4' Rohrflute was added to the Swell in place of an unknown existing stop occupying the toeboard in front of the Oboe 8', perhaps a Vox Humana. No other details of the 1969 intervention have been archived. <br>In 1976, an extremely inaccurate anti-organ dossier was prepared advocating the replacement of the organ with a digital imitation, and a second document listed an inventory of ranks and chest being offered for sale. The Swell and Great chests, Swell enclosure, Swell pipework, case, façade pipes, main frame, and two ranks of Great pipework survive in 2017. The rest of the organ material was removed in 1976, the amplifiers and speakers being placed on the unenclosed toeboards of the Great chest. <br>The surviving Cole & Woodberry pipework is of extremely high quality and tin-rich spotted metal. While it has long been hoped the surviving parts of the organ could be resurrected, in 2017 the purchase of a replacement imitation is under consideration. -Database Manager
Original document from Scot Huntington. Source: Stoplist from November 30, 1969 2017-02-21
Quincy, MA Christ Church Organ by William W. Laws, 1929: Beverly, Massachusetts Electrification of Cole & Woodberry No. 102, 1894 Renovated by William F. Laws, 1969 Organ largely dispersed 1976 Compass: 61/30 GREAT 8' Open Diapason 8' Melodia 8' Dulciana 4' Octave 4' Wald Flute 2' Fifteenth* 8' Trumpet* * enclosed with Swell SWELL (enclosed) 16' Bourdon (t.c.) 8' Violin Diapason 8' Salicional 8' Vox Celeste (t.c.) 8' Gedeckt 4' Rohr Flute (1969, recycled pipes) 4' Violina (1894 Gemshorn: original nomenclature?) 2' Flageolet 8' Oboe Tremolo PEDAL 32' Resultant (from Bourdon) 16' Open Diapason 16' Bourdon 16' Lieblich Gedeckt (12 pipe Swell extension, 1929) 8' Gedeckt (ext. Bourdon, 1929) 4' Flute (ext. Bourdon, 1929) no couplers listed
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