Better Pipe Organ Database

Andover Organ Co. (1983)

First Congregational Church / Church of Hope: Sanctuary / rear gallery
1 Main St.
Hebron, CT

Images

June, 2021 - Swell stopjamb (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Great stopjamb (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Keydesk from the left (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Lower case and keydesk from the right (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Facade from the right (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Organ from left side (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

June, 2021 - Organ in rear gallery (Photograph by Josh Ziemski, submitted by Jim Stettner/Jim Stettner)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Traditional With a Keyboard Cover That Can Be Lifted To Form a Music Rack
Console position: Keydesk Attached
2 manuals
11 stops
17 registers
3 divisions
Key action Type: Mechanical (Details Unknown)
Stop action Type: Mechanical
Stop layout Type: Drawknobs in Horizontal Rows on Terraced/Stepped Jambs
Manual compass: 61 notes
Pedal compass: 30 notes
Pedal Type: Concave Straight
Expression Type: Balanced Expression Shoes/Pedals (Not Meeting AGO Standards)
Combination action: Fixed Mechanical

Notes

2021-06-12 - The Andover Organ Company renovated the organ with further tonal revisions in 1983. The work included restoration of the windchests, replacement of the Swell string with a 2' Principal- a standard Andover treatment of the period, as well as general renovation and regulation of the keyboards, pipework and action. Andover provided elegant stop labels for those missing or altered, which were exacting replicas of the originals and replaced the temporary labels from Wessel. The stenciled facade decoration is original. The organ was originally built for the substantial 1848 Italianate estate "Ashmere" in Windsor Locks, Conn. in 1883, and moved to the Broad Brook, Conn. Grace Episcopal Church in 1959 when the home was sold and demolished after ultimately serving as the Ashmere Inn from 1952-59 . Grace church was condemned as unsafe and torn down in 1962. No space was allowed for the organ in the replacement ediface so it was sold to the Hebron church and moved by John Wessel of Brattleboro, VT in 1963 with two tonal changes. The organ received maintenance and minor repairs by Richard Hamar between 1971 and 1979. The First Congregational Church disbanded in 2019 and the building sold to the Church of Hope pentacostal congregation. Emerging from Covid-19 distancing in the spring of 2021, the congregation has removed all evidence of traditional worship from the room and is planning to junk the organ as soon as possible as of the first week of June, 2021 although it is hoped a deserving home can be found at the eleventh hour. -Scot Huntington

Stoplist

Source: Console stop jamb photographs June 7, 2021

Andover Organ Co. (renovated 1983)
rb. Hewitt & Wessel (1963)
Geo. Ryder No. 76, 1883
First Congregational Church
Hebron, Connecticut

Compasses: 61/30
* Wessel alteration
** Andover alteration

GREAT
Gr. Open Diapason    8 ft.  basses in the facade, replacement label
Gr. Melodia          8 ft.  stopped basses
Gr. Dulciana         8 ft.  1-12 from Melodia
Gr. Octave           4 ft.

SWELL [enclosed]
Sw. Stop. Diap.      8 ft.
Sw. Flute Celeste    4 ft.
Sw. Nasard*      2 2/3 ft.  replaced Violin 4', replacement label
Sw. Principal**      2 ft.  replaced Keraulophon 8', replacement label
Sw. Oboe             8 ft.

PEDALE
Ped. Bourdon        16 ft.  replacement label
Ped. Nachthorn*      4 ft.  replaced Violoncello 8', replacement label

Swell to Great              replacement label
Great to Pedale
Swell to Pedale
Bellows Signal              replacement label

Pedal Movements [unlabeled]:
Great combinations: Piano, Forte
Gr. Octave Coupler [4']
Sw. Tremolo
Balanced expression pedal

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