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Skinner 751 is recreated as Scott Smith Pipe Organs Opus 3

By Joe Granger

  First Congregational Church

Saginaw, Michigan

Scott Smith Pipe Organs of Lansing, Michigan

Opus 3, 2014

  The organ began its life in 1929 as Skinner Organ Company #751 and was the fourth organ in the 1868 church. It was a unique placement for a Skinner, situated above and behind the altar, speaking directly out to the spacious 300 seat sanctuary. A small Echo division sat inside the bell tower in the balcony at the opposite end of the church. The original specification called for three manuals and 36 ranks and had a somewhat limited stoplist. The specification had a few puzzling items, including the omission of a 4’ Flute in the Great and a 16’ reed in the Swell that was not available in the Pedal.

The Original Specification of Skinner 751, 1928/1929

Contract signed 12/19/1928

GREAT (Manual II) 5” WP, 61 notes 16 Bourdon (Pedal) 8 First Diapason sc42  8 Second Diapason sc45  8 Flute Harmonique 8 Erzähler 4 Octave 2 2/3 Grave Mixture II 8 Tuba (10”, enclosed in Choir) Chimes 16 Great Unison Off 4 Great Tremolo SWELL (Manual III) 7 1/2” WP 73 Notes 8 Diapason sc45  8 Rohrflöte 8 Salicional 8 Voix Celeste 8 Echo Dulcet 4 Octave 4 Flute Triangulaire IV Harmonic Mixture 16 Waldhorn 8 Trumpet 8 Oboe d’Amour 8 Vox Humana 4 Clarion Tremolo 16 Swell Unison Off 4 Swell CHOIR (Manual I) 6” WP, 73 notes 16 Dulciana 8 Cello 8 Concert Flute 8 Dulciana (ext.) 8 Unda Maris 4 Flute d’Amore 2 2/3 Nazard 8 Corno di Bassetto Tremolo 16 Choir Unison Off 4 Choir ECHO  5”WP, 61 notes 8 Fern Flute 8 Vox Humana PEDAL 5” WP, 32 notes 16 Diapason (wood) 16 Bourdon 16 Dulciana (Ch.) 8 Octave (ext.) 8 Gedeckt (ext.) 4 Flute (ext.) 16 Trombone (10”) Chimes

  The 1965 Rebuild

As was all too frequently the case, by the 60’s the Skinner at First Congregational was deemed out of date. A local builder took on the job of “improving” the organ into a partial-Skinner/Neobaroque conglomeration. The work done in 1965 stripped the identity of the instrument until it bore almost no resemblance to its 1929 incarnation.  

  The majority of the Skinner Great was reduced to 32 notes and became the basis for the Pedal division, which gained a 4 rank Mixture and 4’ Rohrschalmei. An entirely new Great and Rückpositiv along with 12 additional ranks were commissioned from Casavant. The pipework was distinctly Phelps. It should be mentioned here that Casavant was NOT the builder on this job, but simply supplied the chests and pipes by request of the local builder who carried out the work. The Choir and Swell organs were also drastically altered, with most of the ranks repitched up an octave, or turned into mutations and swapped between the divisions. The unique four rank Harmonic Mixture from the Swell was replaced by a 1’ Scharff (on 6”!).

The organ of 1965 contained three manuals and 64 ranks, 18 of which were mixtures. The organ was what can only be called schizophrenic. It still contained some Skinner sounds, enough to completely clash with the neo-baroque tonal quality of the 1960’s pipework. For example, the Swell Diapason was one scale larger than the Great Principal. The organ was in a constant struggle to find its identity, each rank fighting the others for dominance. Only12 original ranks survived intact, while the rest were either altered or discarded altogether.

Another big issue was the Pedal Trombone, an original Skinner set, on 10" of pressure and was the only rank in the entire organ whose pressure was not lowered. This created a massive sound imbalance when played against the 1965 Great...on 3". It overwhelmed the entire organ. In the Swell, the Waldhorn was removed and moved to the pedal. In its place, the Choir Corno di Bassetto was extended to 16' and became the Swell 16' reed. The Choir and Swell organs contained ranks on the opposite end of the tonal spectrum, with no middle ground. Creating a smooth or cohesive ensemble was impossible and created massive barriers for anyone attempting to play. Something clearly needed to be done.

The 1965 Great, Ruckpositiv and Pedal

  The Specification of 1965

Reworked by Shawhan Organ Company, 1965 with new pipework by Casavant (Opus 2809) All pressures lowered

II. Great (All new Casavant) 3” WP 16’ Gedacktpommer 8’ Prinzipal 8’ Rohrflöte 4’ Oktav 4’ Spitzflöte 2’ Oktav 2’ Blockflöte IV Mixtur (1 1/3’) 8’ Trompete

I. Choir (enclosed, all Skinner unless noted) 4” WP 16’ Dulciane (1-12 new) 8’ Dulciane 8’ Unda Maris (TC) 8’ Cor de Nuit (old Swell Rohrflöte) 4’ Flute (old Choir 8’ Concert Flute, cut) 2 2/3’ Nazard (old swell Flute Triangulaire) 2’ Quarte de Nazard (old Choir 4’ Flute) 1 3/5’ Tierce (2’ from old Swell Mixture) 8’ Bombarde (old Great Tuba with new tongues, 8”) Tremulant

I. Positiv (All new Casavant) 2 ½” WP 8’ Gedackt 4’ Prinzipal 4’ Spillflöte 2’ Oktav 1 1/3’ Spitzquint 1’ Oktavklein II Sesquialtera 2 2/3’ (TC) IV Scharff 2/3’ 8’ Krummhorn Tremulant

III. Swell (enclosed, all Skinner unless noted) 6” WP 8’ Principal Etroit 8’ Flute Harmonique (old Great Flute Harmonique) 8’ Viole de Gambe (old Choir Cello) 8’ Voix Celeste 4’ Octave 4’ Flute Douce (old Swell Salicional) 2’ Doublette (old Swell 8’ Echo Dulcet cut) IV Plein Jeu 1’ (new Casavant) 16’ Basson (old choir Corno di Bassetto, 12 new Casavant basses) 8’ Trompette 8’ Hautbois 8’ Voix Humaine 4’ Clarion Tremulant

Echo (floating, new pipework by unknown builder except Chamade) 8’ Fernflöte 4’ Prinzipal 8’ Chamade (Casavant, 1968 addition) Tremulant

Pedal 5” WP 16’ Prinzipal (ext, 1-12 new Casavant, metal) 16’ Subbass (original Skinner) 16’ Gedacktpommer (Great) 16’ Dulciane (Choir) 8’ Oktav (old Great Second Open) 8’ Gemshorn (old Great Erzähler) 8’ Gedackt (ext, 33-44 new Casavant) 4’ Choral Bass (old Great 4’ Octave) 4’ Gedackt (ext, 45-56 new Casavant) II Rauschquint 2 2/3’ (old Great Grave Mixture) IV Mixture 1 1/3’ (New Casavant) 16’ Posaune (old Skinner Trombone) 16’ Waldhorn (old Swell Waldhorn) 4’ Rohrschalmei (new Casavant)

The Proposal

  First Congregational formed an Organ Committee back in 2011. They had decided something needed to be done about their current instrument. The church was fortunate enough to have a very informed organ committee who realize what they had and expressed their desire to return their instrument to what it once was. Several major builders from across the United States and Canada were asked to submit proposals. Scott Smith Pipe organs submitted a drastic proposal whereas the damage done in the first 1965 rebuild would be undone and the organ would be returned to its original specification, with 6 additional stops. While completely recreating 751, these additions would make the organ vastly more versatile including extensions, a plethora of couplers and making certain stops available in more than one division. A new four manual oak Skinner replica console would also be built. A full day field trip with the organ committee to 3 Skinner instruments around Detroit drummed up the necessary excitement to put our proposal up to a congregational vote that was ultimately approved.  With much excitement, we took on the massive challenge.

  Out with the old, in with the older

 Removing the 1965 Ruckpositiv

All additions made in 1965 were removed. While the Casavant chests were of the highest quality, they would not have worked under the high pressures, nor would they accommodate the new specification with its abundance of 8’ stops and large scales. New Pedal, Great, and offset chests were built in the Skinner style. Vintage Skinner tremulants and reservoirs were purchased from across the country and fully restored to keep the winding system of the instrument consistent. Every 1929 component left in the organ was restored, including the Choir and Swell chests, pouchboards, and engine motors. To keep as much of the organ Skinner as possible, this organ contains pipes, reservoirs, and tremulants from Skinners #372, #567, #710, #720, #751 and #784, all of which had been rebuilt, removed or parted out over the last few decades.

  The new framing that will hold the Great chests

Trevor Dodd and Michael O'Neille preparing the second Great chest to be hoisted up onto the new frame

To make sure the restoration, and additions to this organ would be as authentic as possible, two local Skinner experts were brought onto the team. Ken Holden and Stephen Warner have an extensive knowledge of the Skinner mechanism and design, taking care and restoring countless Skinner organs across the state and proved an invaluable asset to this project. Warner also holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Michigan and is credited with the chamber layout.

A before picture of one of the vintage Skinner reservoirs we purchased from Massachusetts to complete the widing system.

This is the same reservoir after being restored and new spring arms by Joe Granger

  Every original pipe left was returned to its 1929 location, pressure and speaking length by using either vintage Skinner ranks, having new trebles or basses made, or by having extensions soldered onto the pipes that were cut down. The Great was recreated by having 29 new pipes made for each rank still extant. At our disposal was the Skinner master mixture list, which we were able to use to exactly replicate the Swell Mixture (D-4) that had been reworked into a 2’ Principal, as well as choosing a new appropriate mixture for the Great.

One of the many pipes we restored to original speaking length by having extensions soldered on. This pipe came from the Swell Harmonic Mixture that was cut down into a 2' Principal in the 1965 rebuild. These pipes were used to recreate the mixture in its entirety as the voicing had not been altered

Other new ranks were made as exact replicas of existing examples including the Choir Nazard, the Great 8’ Harmonic Flute basses and several others. Because so much of 751 was beyond salvation, several vintage Skinner ranks of appropriate scale were purchased to fill in the missing sets. The only reed that was revoiced in the first rebuild was the Choir Tuba. Luck was on our side when 59 of the original 61 tongues were discovered in a coffee can that had been left in a dark corner of the chamber. 

We were also granted access to five unaltered Skinners across the state to verify any other questions we had, including dimensions on everything from reed racking to pipework mouth sizes for the replacement ranks that would have to be made up new.

Joe Granger recreating the toeboard, routing out the new bleed channels for the Corno di Bassetto that was moved to the Swell in 1965

The new Toeboard, rackboard and upright racking that will return the Corno di Bassetto to its 1929 location in the Choir, recreated from an existing Skinner in Battle Creek, Michigan

Skinner 751 plays again

The first item to arrive at the church was the new oak 4 manual Skinner replica console on October 11, 2013. The new console contains a myriad of couplers, including a Pedal to Pedal 4’ and Pedal to Great, as well as all of the standard subs and supers, both inter and intra-manual. 6 generals strictly for the couplers were included. 21 generals and 8 divisionals per manual (including divisional cancels) make this console user friendly. A Peterson ICS-4000 was installed to control the organ.

New ranks and extensions were added to the 1929 specification including an independent 10 2/3’ Quint, 16’-8’ Bourdon, and 8’ Trombone extension for the Pedal, a Skinner French Horn enclosed in the Choir, a Skinner 4’ Harmonic Flute, , 8’ Cornopean and a new 4 rank 2’ Mixture for the Great (A-16), a Skinner Vox Humana and Rohr Flute for the new Echo, and a Skinner 8’ scale 40 Diapason for the Orchestral. The Swell 16’ Waldhorn was retrofitted with a borrow action and is now available in the Pedal. These additions, couplers, new ranks, and new extensions allow the 48 ranks of Opus 3 to sound much bigger.

The new French Horn that was one of the additions we made. This set came from Skinner 784 and is now enclosed in the Choir and on 10" of pressure

The organ slowly began to take shape. Six new golden façade pipes sit on either side of the Palladian grill to replace the originals which were discarded after the fire of 1973. A new enclosed Echo with grillwork designed by Stephen Warner to match the main organ’s façade was built by David Wigton. On Easter Sunday the entire 48 ranks of Opus 3 played for the first time, including the newly voiced en Chamade. The Chamade was the only Casavant rank to remain as not only was its 5” scale impressive for the 1960’s, but it was a gift given by a prominent member in 1968 whose family still attends regularly. Initially the Trumpet was nearly inaudible from the console due to its low pressure of only 3”. Now, with new shallots, tongues, and slip joints, the Trumpet speaks out clearly over full organ with its sumptuous round and powerful tone on 10” of pressure.

The new Echo and reworked Chamade. The new case was disgned by Stephen Warner to mimic the main grill and was built by David Wigton

The transformation from the 1965 organ to the instrument of 2014 is indescribable. Mr. Fred Swann performed the dedication concert on May 9, 2014 with an outstanding program demonstrating the entire tonal range of the organ beautifully. We were greeted with the hugs, tears and most rewarding of all, the speechless smiles of the congregation at their new organ.

Mr Fred Swann performing the Dedication concert on May 9, 2014

  The 2014 Specification

The New 2014 Great Division

GREAT (Manual II) 5” WP – new pitman chests and offsets 16 Bourdon 16 Dulciana (Ch.) *†8 Stentorphone (40 sc.) †8 First Diapason (42 sc.) °8 Second Diapason (45 sc.) °8 Flute Harmonique °8 Gedackt (ext of Bourdon) °8 Erzähler °4 Octave (57 sc.) *†4 Flute °2 2/3 Twelfth °2 Fifteenth  IV Mixture - (A-16) 244 new pipes *†8 Cornopean 8 Tuba (Ch.) 8 Chamade (Ech.) Chimes 16 Great Unison Off 4 Great Tremolo SWELL (Manual III) 7 1/2” WP 8 Diapason (45 sc.) 8 Gedeckt (Rohr Flute) †8 Salicional (64 sc.) 8 Voix Celeste (64 sc.) 4 Octave °4 Flute Triangulaire 2 Piccolo °IV Mixture [15-17-19-22] - 200 new pipes °16 Waldhorn - New Unit Action 8 Trumpet 8 Oboe d’Amour 8 Vox Humana 4 Clarion Tremolo 16 Swell Unison Off CHOIR (Manual I) 6” WP °8 Cello (60 sc.) †8 Concert Flute 8 Dulciana (ext.) (56 sc.) 8 Unda Maris (56 sc.)  †4 Flute d’Amore *2 2/3 Nazard - 61 new pipes 8 Tuba (10”) - replaced with original tongues *†8 French Horn (10”) °8 Corno di Bassetto Zimbelstern Tremolo 16 Choir Unison Off ECHO (Manual IV) 5” WP – new pitman chest in Antiphonal 16 Waldhorn (Sw.) 8 Tuba (Ch) 8 French Horn (Ch) 8 Stentorphone (Gt) *†8 Rohr Flute *†8 Vox Humana  *8 Chamade Chimes Tremolo 16 Echo Unison Off 4 Echo PEDAL 5” WP *32 Resultant I *32 Resultant II †16 Diapason *†16 Bourdon 16 Lieblich (Gt.) 16 Dulciana (Ch.) *10 2/3 Quintbass 8 Octave (ext.) 8 Gedeckt (ext.) 8 Dulciana (Ch.) 5 1/3 Quint (ext) 4 Super Octave (ext) 4 Flute (ext.) 4 Dulciana (Ch.) 16 Trombone (10”) *16 Waldhorn (Sw.) 8 Tuba (Ch.) °8 Tromba (ext) 8 Waldhorn (Sw.) 8 Chamade (Echo) 4 Clarion (Ch. Tuba) 4 Waldhorn (Sw.) Chimes 4 Pedal

*Additions for 2014

† New vintage Skinner ranks

° New basses or trebles

  From the Consultant

This project had been discussed by First Congregational Church for many years, but nothing happened until the Spring of 2011.  With the concurrent appointments of Rev. Dr. Todd Farley, Senior Pastor, in January 2011 and Nicholas Schmelter, Director of Music and Organist, in February 2011, and a very energetic and knowledgeable organ committee chair, Jon Best, things moved ahead rather quickly.

Usually, the conception, gestation, and “birth” of a new organ can take a seemingly endless amount of time—years and years—as many of us have experienced. This period at FCC took just about 1 year, an amazingly short period of time!

Initial meetings of the Organ Committee brought up the typical and expected points of concern:  do we REALLY need to do anything to our organ, can we REALLY raise the necessary funding, will the congregation be supportive?   The answer to each of these questions was a resounding, “Yes!”

With a strong tradition of music and the important role of the organ in the life of this church, it did not take much to educate or inform the congregation what was needed.  The approval of the organ renovation project took place in May 2012.

Over the next two years, Scott Smith—Scott Smith Pipe Organ Co., East Lansing, MI-- and his able assistant Joe Granger, worked to bring to fruition a most pleasing instrument that, it is safe to say, is a modern-day replica of which E.M. Skinner himself would be proud.  The organ was finished in May 2014, just in time for the dedication recital that was performed by the legendary Frederick Swann on May 9, 2014.

I am pleased to report that this instrument is truly a work of art that brings together both a very cohesive ensemble that is thrilling to behold and a palette of beautiful solo colors that many organs of this size cannot boast.

By now, I believe that it is safe to say that the organ has been received by the congregation and the congregation with the greatest of enthusiasm.  Over the years, people in the Great Lakes Bay Region will come to realize that there is indeed a treasure in Saginaw at First Congregational Church

I was honored to be a part of this project and to be able to see it develop from beginning to end.  It is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting instruments in the State of Michigan.

Dr. Steven Egler

Consultant to the Organ Project

Artist in Residence

First Congregational Church

Saginaw, MI

  Scott Smith and Joe Granger lifting the first of 6 facade pipes. The originals were discarded after the 1973 fire that also destroyed the Echo

From the Organist

The people of First Congregational Church grappled for many years with the question of how to maintain – and not just mothball – their deteriorating pipe organ. I was challenged by the congregation’s leadership to direct a campaign when I returned to the Great Lakes Bay Region in 2011 to serve as Director of Music Ministries. An entirely new instrument was not financially feasible, so the Organ Committee, reassembled under my leadership, consented to focus on a a creative “rejuvenation” embracing the instrument’s Skinner identity. This necessitated a full mechanical overhaul of the Skinner chassis, a replica drawknob console and control system maximizing technology and features, and, where applicable, new or replica pipes or chests to bring about tonal unity.

              Under the leadership of Scott Smith Pipe Organs, the organ crew collaborated to achieve a profound musical result, the Frances Goll Mills Memorial Pipe Organ, a sacred instrument capable of invigorating the music of the congregation and community. The builder’s attention to details, examples too numerous to list in this short piece, results in an organ that is a present-day symphonic reminder of what Skinner did masterfully well in his finer instruments. All this is of particular benefit to First Congregational Church’s choirs, which have been a vibrant part of the church’s ministries since the early 1900’s and sing a wide repertoire.

              Saginaw’s organ project came to fruition due to the tireless stewardship of Jon Best, Organ Committee Chair. Best devoted hundreds of hours to relevant research, travel, and fundraising. Kenneth Wuepper, who is also responsible for the preservation of the Temple Theater’s Butterfield Special Barton Pipe Organ, added practical advice to many aspects of the project. Dr. Steven Egler, Artist in Residence, and a master in the symphonic style, offered mature consultative wisdom and moral support to each stage of the project. Understandable, the members and friends of First Congregational Church deserve the highest praise for making this capital investment a priority, raising over $200,000 in donations in less than 18 months, realigning assets to accomplish the project’s financial goals and a reasonable time frame, and preparing to plan for a future to make certain the Mills Memorial Pipe Organ offers praise – S.D.G. – to a sustainable congregation in the years ahead.

  Nicholas Schmelter, MM Director of Music Ministries

First Congregational Church

    Opus 3 is born

  The Skinner sound once again fills the massive sanctuary of First Congregational Church. So many of the majestic Skinner, Kimball and Casavant organs of the 20’s and 30’s fell victim to the Organ Reform movement, but we have succeeded in bringing at least one back and are grateful for the opportunity we had to save Skinner #751.

  Special Thanks

So many people helped to make this project a reality. Special thanks go to Dr. Steven Egler, Professor of Organ at Central Michigan University, for his consultation work and for recommending us for the job, Jon Best, the head of the Organ Committee at First Congregational, and organist Nicholas Schmelter for his fundraising efforts. Our extra organ crew members including Stephen Warner and Trevor Dodd, without whos help the organ never would have played. Several churches throughout Michigan that gave us access to their Skinner organs include Jefferson Avenue Presbyterian of Detroit, Historic Trinity of Detroit, St. Matthew and St Joseph Episcopal of Detroit, St Phillip Catholic of Battle Creek and St Thomas Episcopal of Battle Creek.

                                                                                          Joe Granger                            

Organ Crew

Scott Smith Contractor, manager, tonal, structure, assembly

Joe Granger Reservoirs and tremulants, console design, stop list, structure, winding, assembly

Stephen Warner Releathering, engineering, tonal, structure, assembly

Ken Holden Releathering, tonal, assembly

Trevor Dodd Electrical, wiring, structure, assembly

David Wigton Echo Case, assembly

Michael O’Neill Echo, assembly

Jeff Slabaugh Electrical