(Click on Images to Enlarge)
Photo 1. Frans voices one of the flute pipes in the Foundation organ shop.
Photo 2. The completed organ set up in the shop.
Photo 3. Another view of the organ in the shop.
Photo 4. Richard and Anna McPherson with the organ in their new home.
Photo 5. David Lepse plays while Fred Beck, Jim Roecker, and Richard McPherson look on.
Photo 6. Bev Roecker tries some interesting music she brought while others look on.
Photo 7. Some of the attendees at the celebration: Left to right: Halie Dodrill, JoAn Andenes, Bev Roecker, David Lepse, Anna McPherson, Roger Meers (all AGO members).
Photo 8. A delicious meal was enjoyed by all.
Celebration of Home Organ Installation
07/05/17
On May 20, 2017, the Pipe Organ Foundation and guests joined Anna and Richard McPherson in the one year celebration of the installation of the pipe organ in their home. The organ had been the home instrument of Norman Miller, a long-time friend of the Foundation and a member of the Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society and the Seattle chapter of the American Guild of Organists. He passed away on July 3, 2015, but before his death, he requested of Carl Dodrill and the Pipe Organ Foundation that his II/8 pipe organ be sold and the money go to AGO and to the Puget Sound Theatre Organ Society for student scholarships. Therefore, the Foundation took possession of the organ, set it up in the Foundation shop, reworked the instrument, sold it to Richard and Anna McPherson, and installed it in the McPherson home in Port Orchard in May and June, 2016. The proceeds were distributed to AGO and to PSTOS for student scholarships, and both organizations responded with sincere thanks for the gifts.
A history of the Miller organ shows that it began its life as a one manual, one rank (Flute) Wicks instrument (Opus 4936) in 1968. Originally installed in All Saints Lutheran Church in Federal Way, Washington, it was removed and taken in trade when Cox Music in Seattle sold the church an electronic organ. It was in turn sold to Norman Miller who had it installed in his home in 1980 by William J. Bunch of Balcom and Vaughn, organ builders in Seattle. In 1984, Balcom and Vaughn enlarged the instrument with the addition of a 4’ Principal, 4’ Block Flute, 2 2/3’ Quinte, 8’ Cromorne, a 12 note electronic 16’ Bourdon extension for pedal, and a second manual. In 2003, Frans Bosman added a 8’ Salicional, 8’ Voix Celeste, and an 8’ Trumpet. The result was an 8 rank instrument with all pipes exposed. [Historical information was obtained from the Organ Historical Society website with credit to James Stettner who had placed it there].
The Foundation determined that due to the additions over time, the organ was really two instruments with two blowers, two different wind pressures, and no way to create a unified Tremulant. These problems were corrected, it was completely rewinded, and pipes for a true 16’ Bourdon were installed in place of the electronic bass. The Bourdon pipes were originally in another Wicks organ (Opus 1921) placed in Melrose Baptist Church, Oakland, California, in 1939. When the organ was completely assembled, Frans Bosman was hired to come and re-voice the unified instrument. Altogether, 12 volunteers spent about 650 hours on the organ.