We have completed the retoration and installation of a vintage 8' Clarinet to the organ at Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Atlanta. During this work, the IV Scharff of the Positiv organ was professionaly stored and the 8' Krummhorn located in its place. The organ now has the luxury of an additional solo stop that speaks with a richness enough to warm the coldest of January hearts.
New Positiv Organ specification:
8' Gedeckt
8' Erzahler (Swell)
8' Erzahler Celeste (Swell)
4' Nachthorn
4' Erzahler Celeste II (Swell)
2' Principal
1 1/3' Quint
II Sesquialtera
8' Krummhorn (Aeolian-Skinner original)
8' Clarinet (in Swell)
In continues to be a pleasure to work with organist John Richardson and the entire Saint Mark staff.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Driving on Sundays
After a December service at Morningside Presbyterian that featured the choir and our Opus 1, the musical director of a local professional symphony orchestra commented, "The choir was wonderful and the organ sounds like a Rolls-Royce."
How would you like to drive a Rolls-Royce every Sunday morning? We can help make that happen for you and your church. Call us today to find out how!!
http://coulterorgans.com/projects/morningside-presbyterian.html
How would you like to drive a Rolls-Royce every Sunday morning? We can help make that happen for you and your church. Call us today to find out how!!
http://coulterorgans.com/projects/morningside-presbyterian.html
Monday, November 30, 2009
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Gainesville, FL Version 2.0
We were fortunate to again work with Organist/Choirmaster Dr. John Lowe and John Pritchard Organbuilder to clean the Visser-Rowland organ at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Florida.
After the restoration of the Christ window at the church, the organ was severely inundated with a fine layer of dirt. In our work all the pipes of the organ were thoroughly cleaned and checked for proper speech.
While the pipes were removed, service lights were installed in this twenty year old organ to allow for proper service and tuning. Prior to the installation of these lights, there were many pipes that were simply impossible to see, and therefore rarely tuned.
Through close consultation with Dr Lowe and Mr Pritchard, we set forth to redesign the various manual division mixtures. In this work, we silenced the highest pitched ranks in part or in total depending on the given mixture. We also completely revoiced the pedal 16' Prestant. After revoicing, what had been a very mild 16' open stop (equal in volume to the 16' Gedeckt), this stop now functions as a proper 16' Principal voice for the organ.
With this work, the organ now achieves a tonal balance it never had before. The manual mixtures still compliment each other, but no longer grate on the the ears of the musician or congregants. With the fuller and richer 16' Prestant, the previously ineffective 32' Subbass now actually tells under the full ensemble. The stronger, richer sounds of the 16' reinforce the harmonics of the 32'.
It is important to note, for those concerned with our alteration of an instrument by another builder, to date none of our work has been performed in a manner that could not be easily reversed if so desired.
The first Sunday the organ was used in this newest form, numerous parishioners mentioned the warmer, richer sound of the instrument. It was again a pleasure to work with these two fine musicians to continue to make this instrument more versatile and useful for their needs.
http://coulterorgans.com/projects/holytrinitygainesville.html
After the restoration of the Christ window at the church, the organ was severely inundated with a fine layer of dirt. In our work all the pipes of the organ were thoroughly cleaned and checked for proper speech.
While the pipes were removed, service lights were installed in this twenty year old organ to allow for proper service and tuning. Prior to the installation of these lights, there were many pipes that were simply impossible to see, and therefore rarely tuned.
Through close consultation with Dr Lowe and Mr Pritchard, we set forth to redesign the various manual division mixtures. In this work, we silenced the highest pitched ranks in part or in total depending on the given mixture. We also completely revoiced the pedal 16' Prestant. After revoicing, what had been a very mild 16' open stop (equal in volume to the 16' Gedeckt), this stop now functions as a proper 16' Principal voice for the organ.
With this work, the organ now achieves a tonal balance it never had before. The manual mixtures still compliment each other, but no longer grate on the the ears of the musician or congregants. With the fuller and richer 16' Prestant, the previously ineffective 32' Subbass now actually tells under the full ensemble. The stronger, richer sounds of the 16' reinforce the harmonics of the 32'.
It is important to note, for those concerned with our alteration of an instrument by another builder, to date none of our work has been performed in a manner that could not be easily reversed if so desired.
The first Sunday the organ was used in this newest form, numerous parishioners mentioned the warmer, richer sound of the instrument. It was again a pleasure to work with these two fine musicians to continue to make this instrument more versatile and useful for their needs.
http://coulterorgans.com/projects/holytrinitygainesville.html
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
First Presbyterian Atlanta
We were honored to be invited by Charles Whittaker, Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church to perform a thorough inspection of the 105 rank Moller/Zimmer pipe organ. We have been caring for the small Klop organ in the chapel since its installation in 2006. While we found the main sanctuary organ to be in good mechanical condition, recent construction on the premises introduced large amounts of dirt and dust into the pipe organ. Following a full tuning of the instrument in March of 2009, numerous reed pipes fell silent or went off speech due to excessive dirt within the pipes.
Upon our proposal, we were contracted by the church to perform a thorough cleaning of the entire 105 rank, eight division instrument. In this work we will remove all pipes, with the reed pipes being sent to the Coulter Organbuilders shop for dismantling and cleaning of all resonators, eschallots and tongues. All flue pipes would be thoroughly cleaned on premises to remove dirt that can interfere with proper pipe speech.
With all the pipes removed, the wind chests will be vacuumed to remove loose dirt and then wiped clean to more extensively remove the dirt. The pipes would then be replaced and would then receive a thorough tuning and regulation of the reed pipes. During this work, substantial portions of the organ will be available for service use, with either the entire front or entire gallery organ being playable in addition to other divisions. We will coordinate closely with the music staff to ensure divisions they would need for any given service will be playable.
It is indeed an honor to work closely with Charles and Diane Whittaker, as well as the entire First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta to ensure this fine pipe organ continues to serve this historic congregation for many years to come.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saint Luke's Presbyterian Church
Schantz Organ Company; 1967
II - 3 1/2 ranks
In April of 2009, we were honored to be invited by Clair Maxwell, Director of Music at Saint Luke's Presbyterian to inspect the Schantz organ in storage at the church for installation in their new chapel.
This instrument originally constructed as a home practice instrument in 1967. The instrument served that purpose to two different owners until 2004. At that time the owner decided to move into a smaller residence and not take the instrument. The organ was then donated to Saint Luke's Presbyterian as a nucleolus for a larger chapel organ.
As so often happens, plans and funding changed and the instrument sat in storage for many years. Finally the desire emerged in the church to install the organ it is current state in hopes of through its use it would elicit greater interest into expanding the instrument into a more suitable chapel instrument.
It is an honor to assist Saint Luke's Presbyterian in the care and enhancement of this fine pipe organ.
Saint Luke's Presbyterian Church - Dunwoody, Georgia
Schantz Organ Company - 1967
| Manual I Manual II | Pedal |
Monday, May 11, 2009
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church; Gainesville, Florida
Visser - Rowland & Associates; 1994
In May of 2009, we were honored to enter into a collaboration with John Pritchard Organbuilder to begin a phased tonal redesign and revoicing of the Visser - Rowland organ at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Florida.
This instrument was installed in 1994 after a devastating fire destroyed the sanctuary. This organ is very much in the Dutch tradition of most Visser - Rowland instruments.
It is an honor to assist Holy Trinity in the care and enhancement of this fine pipe organ.
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church - Gainesville, Florida
Visser - Rowland & Associates organ, 1994
| Hoofdwek (Great) Organ Rugwerk (Positiv) Organ | Zwelwerk (Swell) Organ Pedaal Organ |
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Saint Mark's Episcopal Church - LaGrange, Georgia
In 2009, we were contracted by the vestry of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church to revoice and generate a new tonal design for the pipe organ.
Originally, the organ was built in 1976 by the Schantz organ company. The instrument was of electro-pneumatic action with two manuals and 14 ranks of pipes. As was the style at the time, the scales and wind pressures in this organ were light, granting the lean sound that was in fashion at the time. Additionally, there were peculiarities in the stop list that are a definite reflection of the times.
With the hiring of Bill Elliot, as organist, a new desire came from the bench to address the inadequacies of the instrument. Through close collaboration with Mr. Elliot, we were able to devise certain changes to the organ that would allow him to better serve the congregation in a manner he felt best suited the services.
In this work, certain ranks will be relocated, with others removed altogether in favor of more colorful stops. Additionally, and perhaps of greatest importance, the Great 8' Principal will be completely rescaled and revoiced to fit our tonal philosophies.
We believe the Great 8' Principal should be strong enough of tone to gracefully fill the empty church with sound. But of equal importance is the color and breadth of tone. Simply put, a loud stop is not musicial, a full voiced stop with a rich, even tone is the very definition of a musical sound. We are not beholden to any preconceived notions about scaling or the mechanics of pipe voicing, but rather allow the pipe, the room and the church musician to give our actions. For it is only when pipe, room, musician and builder come together that musical sounds are created.
Saint Mark's Episcopal Church - LaGrange, Georgia
Schantz Organ, 1976
Tonal Revisions by Robert I. Coulter - Organbuilder, 2009
Great Organ
8' Principal (revoiced)
8' Bordun (wood)
4' Octave
2' Super Octave (from Swell)
III Mixture
8' Basson (Swell)
Chimes
Swell Organ
8' Quintadena (new)
8' Gemshorn (tenor C)
4' Nachthorn
2 2/3' Nazard (1 1/3' rescaled & repitched)
2' Blockflute (from Great)
8' Trompette (new)
8' Basson
Tremolo
Pedal Organ
16' Gedeckt
8' Octave (Great)
8' Gedeckt (ext)
8' Gedeckt - Swell
4' Choralbass (ext)
16' Contre Trompette (Swell)
8' Basson (Swell)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)