Instruments of FPC

“The stained-glass windows magnify the light, one of God’s first creations; but the organ brings to the Church something similar to light that yet surpasses it; the music of the invisible.  It is the wondrous overture to the Beyond.”                                   

Olivier Messiaen

THE AUSTIN CHANCEL AND THE M.P. MOLLER GALLERY ORGANS

The first organ of the church structure was completed in 1919 and was the design and installation of the Ernest M. Skinner Organ Company of Boston, Massachusetts. This prestigious company was an appropriate choice to compliment the building that the celebrated architect Ralph Adams Cram designed in the modified English Gothic style.  The organ was a gift from Elizabeth Stauffer Moore. That instrument served the congregation well, but time and use had left their marks.  In the early 1960s, the church formed an organ committee, under the leadership of Chester L. Meyers, to investigate the condition of the organ.   Because of obvious deterioration, the church began a renovation program.   In 1965, the M. P. Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, installed a new, three-manual console, and in 1967, the same company releathered the great division of the organ and replaced the majority of pipes in that division.

In the early 1970s, it was obvious to many that the organ needed much more major repair work and a tonal updating so that its use could adequately perform the literature and accompany the worship services.  Under the leadership of Charles H. Snyder, the church formed another organ committee.   After much deliberation, it was decided to build an essentially new organ, while retaining the 1965 console and the new 1967 pipework so as to utilize funds already spent.  A financial campaign followed, and members and friends of the congregation pledged toward the financing of the new instrument.   Felicia Thomas Christner’s gift in memory of her husband, George “Ted” Thomas, procured the essential electrical materials.   The  Austin  Organ  Company  of  Hartford,  Connecticut  received  the  contract  for  the  new instrument, and William B. Stickel, area representative, handled the negotiations.  Edgar B. Highberger, minister of music of the church, and Richard Piper, tonal director at Austin, designed the specifications.  In the fall of 1974, Austin installed the organ supervised by Virgil Johnson, and Zoltan Zsitvay, also of Austin, completed the tonal finishing. At that time, the instrument had forty-four ranks of pipes in four divisions with preparations made for several additions, including an antiphonal, or gallery division, to replace the inoperable Skinner echo organ.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, additional changes occurred.   A gift of money of Gertrude P. Birmingham provided a new organ bench with backrest.  Also at that time, Thomas P. Cole, II, spearheaded the movement for the necessary additions to complete the original design of the instrument.  Since that time, the following chronological additions occurred:

1.      A Cymbal Star given by Edgar B. and Joanne S. Highberger in memory of their nephew, Matthew Baird Highberger.

2.    A Trumpet for the great organ division given by Dr. Jane D. M. Clotworthy in memory of her aunts, Olive M. Dick and Elizabeth D. Dick.

3.    An Open Wood rank for the pedal division, installed by William Hain and Son, given by Edgar B. and Joanne S. Highberger and Virginia B. Highberger in memory of Dr. Edgar S. Highberger and Joseph F. Salvador.

4.    A Sharp Mixture for the great division built by Austin and given by Dr. Jane D. M.Clotworthy to the Glory of God.

5.    A Royal Trumpet rank designed by David A. J. Broom of Austin and given by Edgar B. and Joanne S. Highberger, and capital funds in honor of First Presbyterian’s singers and bell ringers.

6.    New Peterson Cathedral Chimes from capital funds.

7.    A new pedal board for the 1965 console from capital funds.

8.    A gallery organ division and the thirty-two foot octave of the pedal Trombone installed in Spring 1989. It was Dr. Clotworthy’s wish that the gallery organ be completed, and Thomas P. Cole II transacted the arrangements through her estate.    The M. P. Moller Organ Company received the contract, and Daniel Angerstein, of Moller, did the tonal work. Peter Lumley, Walter Adkins, and Harold Showman completed the installation.   Elder­ Trustee Harry J. Ashbaugh oversaw the project and Charles W. Ross and Wayne R. Lewis enclosed the windlines and performed other cosmetic details.   This division of the instrument is fittingly known as the Dr. Jane Dick Meyer Clotworthy Memorial Gallery Organ.

9.    A rank of Harmonic Flute pipes for the great division designed and constructed by A. R. Schopp, installed by William Hain and Son, and was given by Edgar B. and Joanne S. Highberger in memory of Virginia Baird Highberger and Mary Elizabeth Highberger.

10.   A two-rank Comet for the great division, designed and constructed by A. R. Schopp and installed by William Hain and Son, made possible by gifts from Greer and Helen Bailey, Gary and Deborah Burton Watson in memory of Vivian Burton, and from memorial funds.

11.  In 1994 the Property and Finance Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Jan Orris and Diane Allsworth, recommended to the session that the 1965 Moller console be renovated and solid state action installed.   Approval was given and Peter Lumley of Lumley and Associates was given the contract.  The work was completed in February of 1995.

12.  A Peterson electronic 32′ Double Open Wood stop, purchased by money from the Hollingsworth Fund was installed in the pedal division of the organ.

13.  A First Open Diapason for the great division of the organ was given by James Campbell in memory of Dorothy M. Campbell.  The pipes were purchased from A. R. Schopp and installed by William Hain.  Daniel Angerstein did the tonal finishing.

14.  In 2006, during the sanctuary renovations, the gallery organ was cleaned by William Hain.  Alan Sterner and Ray Colby did the regulating and tuning.

15.  The swell reeds were sent to A. R. Schopp for new tuning scrolls and voicing.

16.  In 2009 and 2010, three of the organ’s seven reservoirs were releathered.

17.  In 2010 and 2011, considerable repair work was done to the 16′ Open Wood pipes of the pedal division and to the 8′ Nason Flute of the choir division.  The reed ranks of the choir, great, and pedal divisions were cleaned, voiced, and regulated.  The great diapason chorus and mixtures were cleaned, voiced, and regulated.  The work was done by Alan Sterner and Ray Colby.  Items 14 through 17 were made possible by monies from the Welty Memorial Music Funds.

Specification of the Organ