Pipe Organ Rebuilding
As you know, we are having some scheduled, but major work done on our nearly million dollar church organ. The organ is a 59-rank instrument built by the Schantz Organ Co., Orrville, OH when the sanctuary was built in the late '60s. By the way, a rank is a set of pipes that make the same sound and there are 61 notes in most ranks. This instrument consists of 3,236 pipes. The largest is 32 feet long and the shortest is 3/8 inch. None of the work is being done on the pipes, but on everything feeding the pipes - from the blower room, through the console (the part Vicki Wright plays), to the last supply duct bellows.
Our pipe organ is currently a pneumatic (air-powered), electronic, and mechanical machine. Air powers all the pipes and much of the mechanisms on the console.
The work we are having done includes:
- replacing the leather on all 18 bellows which stabilize the air pressure and air flow to the pipes
- changing the console pneumatics to solid state
- expanding the memory system
- adding MIDI capability to the console, which allows it to communicate with other instruments.
Last Friday I ventured to the outskirts of Eagleville, TN where much of the work is being done. Our technician, Dennis Milnar of Milnar Organ Company lives on a farm out there and is into cattle, John Deere tractors, and pipe organs. (Now that's my kind of outfit!) Dennis has 4 adult sons and they are all in business with him. A daughter-in-law is their office person and scheduler. When I got there, they were all gathered around visiting. How cool is that? - to be to be in business with your kids and mid-morning get to huddle for a little catching up. They seem to enjoy each other, but I'm telling you, they've got a major operation around there. Each son has a specialty - leather work, wood work, painting, voicing - or some such, but each can do it all.
Parts of our dismantled instrument are appropriately spread out over two buildings. I don't see how they are ever going to get it back together by the end of the month, but they're not concerned about that at all...so I'm not either. Click here for pictures with explanations of the work being done.
Mark Edwards
