Our Organ
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Our organ is a tracker, or mechanical action organ of 17 ranks (sets)
of pipes, built in 1971 by the William Zimmer Co. of North Carolina.
An electric blower and weighted bellows provide constant air pressure.
When the organist presses a key, a set of levers, rods and cables opens
a valve, letting air into a chamber under the pipes that belong to that
key--one pipe for each stop (or voice) of the organ. The organist chooses
which of the pipes will sound by pulling or pushing a stopknob that slides
a thin piece of wood with holes in it under the pipes. When the holes line
up with a pipe, air enters that pipe and it sounds; otherwise it remains
silent. This type of mechanism has been common in organs since the 15th
century. |
Tracker organs, though considered by some to be more difficult to play
than the electro-magnetic action instruments which are more common today,
are highly regarded by many organists because of the fine degree of expressive
control they offer. Although the complex system of rods and cables is delicate,
precise in nature and easily damaged, with proper care and maintenance,
tracker instruments can also be exceptionally dependable and long-lived.
A good example is the Sion, Switzerland organ, considered to be the world’s
oldest remaining in playable condition. Although its mechanism differs
slightly from today’s modern trackers, the basic principles are the same.
It is thought to have been installed around the year 1390.
The disposition (or selection of pipe sounds) of the St. Paul organ
would be immediately familiar to the composers and organists of the Baroque
era or perhaps even before. Were J. S. Bach to walk into St. Paul today
and seat himself at the console, he would likely first marvel at the magic
of simply turning a switch to create the wind pressure needed to make the
organ sound! But then he would immediately recognize not only the names
but also the sounds of the individual ranks, because they are so similar
to the instruments of his day.
St Paul Lutheran Church |
Music |
updated: December, 2007
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