St. John's Episcopal ChurchLafayette, Indiana
Opus 75 : 3 manuals, 29 ranks
year complete, 2019
Quimby Pipe Organs was engaged for the rebuilding and enlargement of the two-manual-and pedal, 29-rank 1966 Wicks pipe organ, Opus 4670 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lafayette, Indiana. The organ, which is situated on elevated platforms at the rear of the Nave, was previously revoiced with some tonal modifications by Goulding & Wood, in 1986, and speaks into a flattering acoustic.
The scope of work included revoicing and rescaling of all existing flue ranks, with some replacements and revisions to the specification. The reeds were replaced with new reeds, constructed and voiced by Quimby Pipe Organs, except for the existing Trumpet, which has been completely revoiced.
A new three-manual-and-pedal drawknob console was constructed to replace the existing Wicks console, and a third manual division was added, which plays the stops from the existing floating Positiv division, as well as select other ranks from the Great and Swell, for increased flexibility and versatility. The existing relay and console control system were replaced with a new Peterson ICS-4000.
A new façade and casework were designed to replace the 1966 Wicks functionally arranged pipe façade. The new façade was designed to be in harmony with the mid-nineteenth century American gothic revival styling of the Church, which was completed in 1858.
The existing Wicks windchests have been retained, with mechanical rework as required. New offset and unit windchests were constructed, using electro-mechanical actions, for extended or new ranks of pipes.
The newly completed organ reflects the traditional Anglo-American heritage of the Episcopal Church, with inspiration for the tonal work drawn from inspiring English romantic and twentieth-century American examples of organbuilding, and presents a more versatile and musical vehicle for the performance of all kinds of music.
Read or download the cover feature article from The American Organist’s July, 2019 issue (includes tonal spec)
StJohnsEpiscopal_Lafayette_TAO_0719_Feature