Hutchings-Votey Organ Co. Opus 1510 (1904)

Images

2005 - Sanctuary with organ in gallery (Photograph from an archival source: 2006 OHS Atlas, Victor Hoyt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

2005 - Console and facade (Photograph from an archival source: 2006 OHS Atlas, Victor Hoyt, submitted by Paul R. Marchesano/Paul R. Marchesano)

Unknown - Church Exterior (Vintage Postcard, courtesy of T. Bradford Willis, DDS (1910)/Database Manager)

2006-12-30 - Manual keyboards (Photo by Brendan Moore/Database Manager)

2006-12-30 - Right stop jamb (Photo by Brendan Moore/Database Manager)

2006-12-30 - Left stop jamb (Photo by Brendan Moore/Database Manager)

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Notes

2008-01-21 - Updated through online information from Brendan Moore. -- The organ is located on the left side of the circular balcony of the church. While the Diapasons and Flutes are big and bold, the reeds are set far in the chamber, making them difficult to hear. Also, as of 2008, the organ is playable, but there are some dead notes and the 8' Vox Humana is not working. (On an interesting note, the Vox Humana has a separate tremolo that activates when the stop key is depressed) -Database Manager

2021-09-26 - The present stop tab console is by the Utica organbuilder Buhl, inside the oak casing of the original Hutchings drawknob console. It contains couplers and accessories not present on the original, including a pneumatic combination action adjustable at the keydesk, replacing the original blind Hutchings combinations by setterboard. The pedal Trombone is the only high-pressure stop in the organ, operating off blower static pressure, approx. 7"-8" wp. The original windchests are still in place, utilizing Hutchings side-bar pitman action. Each division has its own single-rise sprung regulator, and the blower feeds a sprung static reservoir. The facade pipes play off their own offset actions rather than being tubed from the main windchest. -Scot Huntington

Stoplist

Typed stoplist from the OHS PC Database. Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

St. John the Evangelist, R. C., Schenectady, NY 1904 Hutchings-Votey (Stoplist: Agnes Armstrong 1998) GREAT: 16' open diapason 8' first open diapason 8' second open diapason 8' gross flute 8' gemshorm 8' gamba 8' chimney flute 4' octave 4' flute harmonique 2 2/3' octave quint 2' super octave III mixture 16' posaune 8' trumpet 4' clarion SWELL: 16' contra gamba 8' open diapason 8' quintadena 8' concert flute 8' viol d'orchestra 8' salicional 8' vox celeste 8' aeoline 8' stopped diapason 4' violina 4' flute traverso 2' flautina III dolce cornet 16' contra fagott 8' cornopean 8' oboe 8' vox humana (has its own tremolo) tremolo CHOIR: 16' lieblich gedeckt 8' open diapason 8' geigen diapason 8' melodia 8' dolcissimo 8' gedeckt 4' fugara 4' rohr flute 2' harmonic piccolo 8' clarinet 4' saxophone chimes tremolo PEDAL: 16' open diapason 16' bourdon 16' violone 8' flute (extension) 8' gedeckt (extension) 8' violoncello 10 2/3 quint (extension) 16' trombone 8' tromba The organ is playable, but in an accelerating state of deterioration due to its age. Up until World War II, it was used regularly, but after the war, it was reported that the organ had become "unplayable" - in fact, as was discovered in the early 1970s, the old blower motor was simply incompatible with the (presumably changed) municipal electrical current. Schenectady being the home of Steinmetz and birthplace of the General Electric Corporation, the place abounds with retired electrical engineers, and some of them were able to re-phase the motor. Lo and behold! the organ played again. Perhaps it is this ignorance and disinterest that managed to save this organ, for instead of solving the original problem, the congregation brought in a big Allen and placed it right next to the Hutchings console. I am told that there are times when both instruments are used together (gasp)! Since the 1970s maintenance work has been carried on largely by volunteers connected with the local chapter of the Theatre Organ Society, who also look after "Goldie" - the big Wurlitzer at Schenectady's Proctor's Theatre. Sometime in the 1930s, the Hutchings-Votey's console innards were rebuilt using parts from Erie and Hagerstown companies. These replacement parts are in very poor shape. Presently, releathering is carried on "as needed", which is to say that in Guilmant's "Marche funebre et chant seraphique" when I play the 12-bar low pedal trill against large chords on the full organ, the poor old thing gasps as though being strangled. The sounds of the organ are/could be impressive, if one appreciates them in the context of their time. Certainly the Vox Humana is one of the most delightful examples of the Late Romantic style that I have ever encountered. The foundations are round, the flutes and strings are lush. The upperwork is lightweight, and the organ rumbles more than it screams, which is just right for the repertoire I prefer to play. The organ is chambered in a corner of the balcony, and the organist sits sidewise to the installation, which is odd at best - only the organist's right ear hears the full sound. And many of the pipes are so far away as to create multiple, unsolvable delay problems. Still, this is surely an organ worthy of being played, worthy of being heard, and certainly worthy of a full restoration. Agnes Armstrong

Schenectady, New York St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church Hutchings-Votey Organ Co. Opus 1510 1904 3 manuals, 48 stops, 52 ranks Buhl stop tab keydesk: reeds printed in red, coupler tabs are black Compasses:61/32 (originally 30, top two notes play couplers only) ____________________________________________________________________________ GREAT ORGAN SWELL ORGAN 16' Open Diapason 61 16' Contra Gamba 61 8' First Open Diapason 61 8' Open Diapason 61 8' Second Open Diapason 61 8' Concert Flute 61 8' Gross Flute 61 8' Stopped Diapason 61 8' Gamba 61 8' Viol d'Orch. 61 8' Gemshorn 61 8' Vox Celeste (TC) 49 Enclosed with Choir: 8' Salicional 61 8' Chimney Flute* 61 8' Quintadena 61 4' Octave 61 8' Aeoline 61 4' Flute Harmonic 61 4' Flute Traverso 61 2 2/3' Octave Quint 61 4' Violina 61 2' Super Octave 61 2' Flautino 61 Mixture 3 Rks. 183 Dolce Cornet 3 Rks. 183 16' Posaune 61 16' Contra Fagotto 61 8' Trumpet 61 8' Cornopean 61 4' Clarion 61 8' Oboe 61 Tremolo 8' Vox Humana (+tremolo) 61 Chimes Tremolo 16' Great to Great 16' Swell to Swell 4' Great to Great 4' Swell to Swell * later addition on separate chest CHOIR ORGAN PEDAL ORGAN 16' Lieblich Gedackt 61 16' Open Diapason 42 8' Open Diapason 61 16' Violone 42 8' Geigen Principal 61 16' Bourdon 42 8' Melodia 61 10 2/3' Quint (Bourdon) -- 8' Gedackt 61 8' Flute (Open Diap) -- 8' Dolcissimo 61 8' Violoncello (Violone) -- 4' Fugara 61 8' Gedackt (Bourdon) -- 4' Rohr Flute 61 16' Trombone 42 2' Harmonic Piccolo 61 8' Tromba (Trombone) -- 8' Clarinet 61 Chimes (Gt) 4' Saxophone 61 Tremolo 16' Choir to Choir 4' Choir to Choir COMBINATIONS BALANCED PEDALS Great & Pedal 0-6 (thumb) Choir Swell & Pedal 0-7 (thumb) Swell Choir & Pedal 0-5 (thumb) Crescendo (4 ind. lights) General 1-6 (thumb & toe) General Release (thumb) ACCESSORIES Pedal Release (toe) Tower Chimes on-off (switch) Master Setter Maas-Rowe chime dial Gr. to Ped. Rev. (toe) Generator indicator light Swell to Ped. Rev. (toe) Swing-away chime keyboard Ch. to Ped. Rev. (toe) (c13-c37, 25 notes) Sforzando (toe) Sforz indicator light COUPLERS (on back rail) Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4' Great to Pedal 8' Swell to Pedal 8' Swell to Pedal 4' Choir to Pedal 8' Unison Off toggle switches [on/off] on left keycheeks: Great, Swell, Choir COMPOSITIONS Great: Mixture Notes Swell: Dolce Cornet Notes 2 1 1/3 1 1-24 1 3/5 1 1/3 1 1-24 2 2/3 2 1 1/3 25-36 2 2/3 2 1 3/5 25-61 4 2 2/3 2 37-61 [Received from Steven E. Lawson 2018-05-03]

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