S. L. Huntington & Co. (2024)

2024-03-19 - Facade (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Sanctuary interior with organ in rear gallery (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Restored keydesk (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Keydesk: Left stopjamb (Swell & Pedal) (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Keydesk: Right stopjamb (Great) (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Front of church and historic pulpit (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Builder's nameplate (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Side view of keydesk (Scot L. Huntington/Scot Huntington)

2024-03-22 - Organ case/facade in the rear gallery (Scot L. Huntington/Jim Stettner)

Consoles

Main

Notes

2024-03-12 - Scot Huntington on March 11th, 2024: This entry describes a restoration of the Warren organ to the state of its 1890s factory renovation by Hook & Hastings following substantial damage to the building and organ by a lightning strike to the steeple. Specifically, the Sw. St. Diap. replacement pipes and the vertical Swell shades and balanced Swell pedal dating from the 1890 renovation were retained. Otherwise, the 1872 portions of the instrument which remained unchanged in 1890 were returned to their 1872 state, The organ was subsequently altered in 1961 and 1967 according to the prevailing neo-baroque taste of the period, and in 2024 all the 20th-century alterations were reversed. The work was done in accordance with the OHS Revised Guidelines for Conservation. An original installation, which may be the oldest extant Hook & Hastings catalog organ in its original home, is located in the rear gallery. The gallery is rather deep and the organ was fully contained in an alcove at the back under the steeple. Prior to the restoration, the organ was completely surrounded by gallery carpeting. This was removed to expose an original and rather unlevel and rough wood floor, which was painted, and a raised platform area under the organ was built in order to have a level surface for the organ. For the reinstallation, the organ was pulled forward two feet to get it closer to the gallery railing and to pull the unenclosed Great division out from under the low ceiling of the alcove where it can couple more easily with the room acoustics. The result of this change is position is the instrument is now considerably more present in the room which belies its minimalist disposition. The church elected to add a t.c. Oboe to the Swell, and this was done with Hook pipes of similar vintage from Cranston, Rhode Island (H&H No. 986, 1880). A vintage H&H Dulciana from the same instrument replaced the 1961 Mixture, restoring the original 1872 Great disposition. The repurposed Dulciana was a tenor-c stop, while the original Warren stop was full compass with a Quintadena bass 1-12. To complete the stop in Warren, the bottom octave of a 1950s Quintadena was recycled and revoice on the lower pressure. The pitch and pressure of the Warren organ had been altered in the past, and were returned to A450 and 2 5/8" (67mm) respectively. A new rectangular reservoir and wooden windtrunk replaced the 1961 floating top reservoir and metal windlines. The electric-action pedal Bourdon (recycled Austin pipes) was replaced with a reconstruction of the original Hook stop, and replicated the unusual stock organ scaling which was designed to fit within the narrow 7' width of the catalog cases. A new mechanical action controls the pedal chest which is separated from the organ by several feet to permit the installation of a walkboard behind the organ, and the solid rear wall of the Swell box was converted to a frame with doors to permit easier tuning access to the Swell and new Oboe, itself added on a jump chest at the rear of the Swell. The Swell Viola had been softened to become an Aeoline, likely in the 1890s renovation, and was returned to its original power. The facade pipes (Diapason basses Bass G-t.f#), originally gilded and later covered over with gold radiator paint, were regilded. The original ivory keys had been recovered with plastic, either in 1961 or 1967, were recovered again in bone, and were the last keyboards to leave the Nelson Woodworking shop in Tiverton, R.I., the nation's premiere keyboard restorer for nearly 40 years. Replica turned stopknobs with hand-engraved ivory labels replicated the missing originals. The walnut woodwork was oiled and waxed, the many holes in the case were plugged, and the badly damaged right side panel was replaced. When the pressure was lowered in the 1960s, either to lighten the touch, lower the pitch, or both, the two Great Diapason stops received drastically enlarged toe holes, and poorly fitted coke-tin tuning slides were installed which deformed much of the pipework. The slides were replaced with more gently fitting stainless steel, and the two Diapason stops were reregulated to the original pressure and voicing. The Open Diapason 8' pipes, which had been shortened and repitched 1/2-step (G=G#) with a spurious tenor-g were extended and shifted back to their original position, G=G. Otherwise, the organ received standard restorative repairs: stoppers, pallets, bungs, couplers and keytails recovered; the very heavy springs were lightened to 38 grams; missing or mouse-eaten pipes replicated; chests were repaired and poured out without being retabled; the spurious beater tremulant was replaced with an exhaust tremulant; pedalboard refinished; action components cleaned, lubricated, and renutted with leather nuts; zinc offset tubing restored; sliders regraphited and reshimmed; etc. etc. The noisy second-hand Spencer blower installed in the 1950s was replaced in 2018. -Paul R. Marchesano

2024-07-02 - On Sunday, June 30, 2024, the organ and the "new" piano were rededicated in a service of musical celebration by the church choir, Director of Music Cindy Iffland (organ, piano, bassoon), two guitarists, a flute and oboe. The recently restored 1930s Knabe grand piano, a bequest received in April 2024 from the estate of a former member, was dedicated during the same service. The service was dedicated to the memory of John Angevine, who died two weeks prior after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Angevine was an avid proponent of organ projects and restorations in particular, and had a Robert Morton theatre organ in his home which was frequently opened to the public. He was instrumental in convincing the church in 2014 to restore the organ, (which was then in rather poor condition), rather than to discard it and replace it with an imitation, thus beginning the 10-year journey which culminated with the dedication yesterday. He was also a strong supporter of restoring the organ to original condition rather than conserving it in its altered 1960s form, and he personally funded the addition of the Oboe. The addition of the relocated and restored Hook Oboe was a transformation stop here, being of the famous Hook "Obumpet" variety as heard in the organs of similar age in Stonington, Conn.; Goshen, N.H. (the stop now relocated to United Church, New Haven); and Orwell, Vt. It is a plaintive and delicate solo stop, yet can add the harmonic richness of a mild trumpet to the tutti. -Scot Huntington

Stoplist

II M. II. M. Viola [8], II. M. St'ᵈ Diap'ᵑ [8], II. M. Unison Bass [8], II. M. Oboe [tc] [8], II. M. Flute [4]

II M. to Pedal 8 (II. M. to Ped.), I M. to Pedal 8 (I. M. to Ped.), II M. to I M. 8 (Manual Coupler)

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