Preserving Melodies: The Past, Present, and Future of the Faith Lutheran Organ

John Roper, Plenum Organ Company

Construction History of the Instrument

(1909) Hook & Hastings Opus 2228

• 9 ranks
• 506 pipes

(ca. 1955) Martin Becker

• 12 ranks
• 705 pipes
• Electrified the instrument with new console
• Added and moved pipes around

(1993) Henri Lahaise & Son

• 12 ranks
• 686 pipes
• Switched out pipes for others (added trumpet)
• Disconnected some pipes that were added in 1955

(2009) Henri Lahaise & Son

• Installed new keyboards in the console

The Instrument As I Found It in 2021

Known Maintenance History (1)

(2016) Previous Technician

• Remove existing shade motor (disconnected but not removed)
• Remove shade motor windline and outlet cover (not completed)
• Install electric shade motor (not completed)

(2017) Previous Technician

• Restore Great Melodia (not completed)

(2018) Previous Technician

• Restore Swell Oboe (not completed)
• Repair console tilting tablets (completed)
• New sleeves on facade pipes (only completed on some pipes and in a poor manner)
• Cleaning/regulating Great pipework (can’t tell if this was not done or just not done well)
• Regulation of Swell pipework (can’t tell if this was not done or just not done well)
• Access/lighting improvements (not completed)

Identified Restoration Tasks

1. Install swell motor
2. Releather Pedal 16’ Bourdon
3. Clean chambers
4. Clean all pipework
5. Replace console electronics
6. Releather Pedal 16’ Lieblich
7. Releather Swell 8’ Gedeckt
8. Releather Great 8’ Melodia basses
9. Replace wind system
10. Repair and repaint facade pipes
11. Restore Swell Oboe
12. (Optional) Addition of 16’ Trumpet extension

Types of Restoration

Full:

• All identified issues solved at once
• Higher upfront cost
• Outcome is the instrument in tip top condition

Staged:

• Issues addressed in stages
• Cost split across time
• Outcome is the instrument is slightly rough around the edges but good enough to be played

Known Maintenance History (2)

(2021) Plenum Organ Company

• Install new swell motor (completed)
• Neaten rectifier placement (completed)
• Install safety handles for access (completed)

(2022) Plenum Organ Company

• Releather 16’ Bourdon pipework (completed, regulation work merged into next project)

(2023) Plenum Organ Company

• Cleaning of pipework and chambers (ongoing)
• New console electronics (ongoing)

Identified Restoration Tasks (With Progress)

• Install swell motor (completed)
• Releather Pedal 16’ Bourdon (completed)
• Clean chambers (in progress)
• Clean all pipework (in progress)
• Replace console electronics (in progress)
• Releather Pedal 16’ Lieblich (needed within next 3 years)
• Releather Swell 8’ Gedeckt (needed within next 3 years)
• Releather Great 8’ Melodia basses (needed within next 3 years)
• Replace wind system (not completed)
• Repair and repaint facade pipes (not completed)
• Restore Swell Oboe (not completed)
• (Optional) Addition of 16’ Trumpet extension (not completed)

Addition of a 16’ Trumpet Extension

• 12 pipes added to the instrument
• $5,000 total
• $2,000 needed to acquire the pipes
• $3,000 for the mechanism and electronics
• Easiest to install right now while the instrument is taken apart
• A “want” rather than a “need”

The Future

• Instrument will be in much better condition after cleaning and regulation is completed
• New console electronics will solve control issues and add additional resources
• Issues not yet corrected will be addressed once they become urgent enough to justify funding

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Anything else that could be done to help the organ sound better? -

Carpet removal (at least in the balcony where the visual impact wouldn’t be as major but where the most audible impact would be made)

Questions?

Thank You!