Roche Organ Co. (1971)

2004-05-10 - Detail of Organ Case and Pipe Facade (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

2004-05-10 - Organ Case Detail (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

2004-05-10 - Sanctuary Interior and Left Organ Case (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

2004-05-10 - Chancel and Twin Organ Cases (Photograph by William T. Van Pelt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

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2022-05-03 - The church turned to a relatively unknown builder in Taunton, MA, whose recent work showed promise. F. Robert Roche was willing to work within the church's visual constraints, changing only what was not seen, and retaining the best of the Hutchings stops. The church agreed to move the console (as had been suggested by Gammons and others) from the southwest corner of the gallery to the center. The elaborate Hutchings console shell, with its amphitheater-style stop terraces, was fitted with new components and was sunk into the floor, out of view. Roche recalls that the church made one other important stipulation. In 1966, the First Unitarian Church in nearby New Bedford replaced its 1907 three-manual Hutchings-Votey with a two-manual Flentrop. The spartan appearance and uncompromising sound of the new organ was in stark contrast to the warm, comforting sounds of the old organ, and created much controversy in the region. At the Fairhaven contract signing, Roche was made to promise the church committee "that our organ won't sound like the one across the river!" Roche retained the Hutchings framework and expression boxes. New electropneumatic pitman and unit chests of mahogany were built by Charles Wahlgren in the Rostrum Kershaw shop in Lowell, MA. New metal pipework was built by Thomas Anderson of Easton, MA (principals) and Stinkens of Holland (flutes and mixtures). Some of the Hutchings ranks (Swell solo reeds and strings, Choir Clarinet and strings, Pedal 16' flues) were retained unaltered. Others were rescaled or revoiced. The Hutchings chorus reeds were all revoiced by John Steinkampf of Yonkers, NY. Flue voicing and tonal finishing was done by F. Robert Roche, John Hendrickson and Matthew Bellocchio. The Mounted Cornet (not in the original contract but added during construction), was made from recycled pipes. The 8' rank is an old Diapason, rescaled and canistered to make a bourdon. The other four ranks were initially made from cutdown harmonic flutes. They were later replaced by tin pipes from a wide-scaled Aeolian-Skinner-style Mixture that Roche had in inventory... The instrument was dedicated in a series of recitals in the spring of 1972 featuring organists W. Raymond Ackerman, Bernard Lagace, S. Deane Place and Rollin Smith. The company used it as a showpiece, gaining many contracts in the ensuing years. Recently the church started a fund drive to raise money to upgrade the electrical systems and replace the six-piston setterboard with a solid-state combination action. -- *2005 OHS Handbook* -Paul R. Marchesano

Stoplist

Great (unenclosed, Man. II, CC-c4) Echo Principal 16 (61, Hutchings Dulciana, 1-24 zinc, 25-61 spotted metal; 1-32 scrolled; 33-49 slots with slide tuners), Principal 8 (61, 1-17 zinc, 1 8-61 spotted metal), Bourdon 8 (61, Stopped wood; 13-61 inverted mouths), Octave 4 (61, 1-4 zinc, 5-61 spotted), Rohrflote 4 (61, Spotted metal, 1-49 canistered, chimney flute; 50-61 open), Quinte 2⅔ (61, Spotted metal, CC marked "1469 Gr 12th;" 1-24 tapered), Fifteenth 2 (61, Spotted metal), Fourniture IV-VI (330, New, spotted metal; 5-1/3' rank muted 37-48), Mounted Cornet [t.C-g3] V (220, 8' rank is canistered common metal; rest are open tin, 1-12 wired to play 13-24; 57-61 wired to play 45-49), Fanfare Trumpet 8 (73, 1-48 Hutchings Sw. Fagotto, revoiced; 1-36 zinc with spotted metal bells, 37-48 spotted metal; 49-56 harmonic, new; 57-73 spotted metal flues), Clarion 4 (from Fanfare Trumpet)

Swell (enclosed, Man. III, CC-c4) Geigen Principal 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-19 zinc, 20-61 common metal; 1-11 scrolled, 12-48 slotted, slide tuners), Viola 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 tin; wood rollers to 42; 1-36 scrolled), Voix Celeste 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 tin, wood rollers to 42; 1-36 scrolled), Stopped Flute 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-49 stopped pine, 50-61 open common metal), Prestant 4 (61, Hutchings, marked "Prin," revoked; 1-5 zinc, 6-61 spotted metal; 1-12 slotted, tuning slides), Harmonic Flute 4 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 spotted metal; 25- 49 harmonic; 1-49 scrolled), Octavin 2 (61, CC marked "1517 Gr 15;" spotted metal, scraped languids), Plein Jeu IV (244 Spotted metal), Trompette 8 (61, Hutchings Gr. Trumpet, revoiced; 1-36 zinc with spotted metal bells, 37-49 spotted metal, 50-61 scrolled spotted metal flues), Oboe 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-49 zinc with spotted metal bells, 50-61 scrolled spotted metal flues), Vox Humana 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-49 tin with lifting lids, zinc boots, 50-61 scrolled spotted metal flues), Clarion 4 (61, Hutchings Cornopean, revoked; 1-3 7 zinc with spotted metal bells, 25-37 harmonic, 38-61 spotted metal flues, 38-49 slotted), Tremulant, Positif on Swell

Choir (enclosed, Man. I, CC-c4) Hohlflote [sic] 8 (61, 1-12 stopped wood; 13-61 open wood, inverted mouths), Dulciana 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 spotted metal; 1-36 slotted, scrolled), Unda Maris 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 spotted metal; 1-36 slotted, scrolled), Gemshorn 4 (61, Hutchings, CC marked "565 Gr Gemshorn;" spotted metal, 1/2 taper; 1-24 slotted, slide tuners), Cromorne 8 (61, Hutchings, revoked; 1-49 spotted metal, 50-61 scrolled spotted metal flues), Tremulant, Mounted Cornet (Gr), Fanfare Trumpet (Gr), Great Flues on Choir, Positif on Choir

Positif (unenclosed, floating, CC-c4) Gedeckt 8 (61, 1-12 sropped wood, 13-61 canistered spotted metal), Quintadena 8 (61, Hutchings, 1-12 zinc, 13-61 canistered spotted metal), Principal 4 (61, New, 1-5 zinc, 6-61 spotted metal), Koppelflote [sic] 4 (61, New, spotted metal; 1-49 canistered, 50-61 open, tapered), Flachflote [ sic] 2 (61, New, spotted metal, tapered), Scharff IV (244, New, spotted metal)

Pedal (unenclosed, CC-g1) Untersatz 32 (11, From Subbass; 2-1 1 former Hutchings Open Wood, box stoppers; #1 plays #2), Principal 16 (44, Hutchings Gr. 161 , revoked; 1-31 zinc, 32-44 common metal), Subbass 16 (32, Hutchings, stopped wood), Violone 16 (32, Hutchings, open wood, wood beards), Dulciana 16 (From Great Echo Principal), Octave 8 (Ext. 16' Principal), Bassflute 8 (32, Hutchings, stopped wood), Choralbass 4 (32, Marked "Oct;" 1-7 zinc, slotted, slide tuned; 8-61 common metal), Rohrfife 4 (32, Old pipes, stamped "O.D.;" canistered common metal, internal chimneys), Mixture IV (128, Old pipes, common metal), Contrabasson 32 (From Bombard and Fanfare Trumpet, low 8ve prepared), Bombard 16 (12, 1-12 Hutchings Sw. Fagotto, revoked; 13-30 from Fanfare Trumpet), Posaune 8 (From Fanfare Trumpet), Klarine 4 (From Fanfare Trumpet)

Couplers Great Unison Release, Swell Unison Release, Choir Unison Release, Great to Pedal, Positif to Pedal, Swell to Pedal, Choir to Pedal, Swell Sub 16', Swell Super 4', Swell to Great 16', 8', 4', Choir to Great 16', 8', 4', Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4', Choir Sub 16', Choir Super 4'

Combinations (Single level, settable by bat-switches) Master (ganged divisionals) Ml-M2-M3- M4-M5-M6 (thumb and toe), Great 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb), Swell 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb), Choir 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb), Pedal 1-2-3-4-5-6 (thumb and toe), Swell to Great (thumb reversible), Great to Pedal (thumb and toe reversible), Swell to Pedal (thumb and toe reversible), Choir to Pedal (thumb and toe reversible), Positif to Pedal (toe reversible), Tutti (toe reversible, indicator light), General Cancel (thumb and toe reversible)

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