(Click on Images to Enlarge)

Photo 1. The console for the organ came from the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Seattle.

Photo 2. Ben built the frame for the chest that supports the Viola Pomposa rank which was tall enough to go up into the next floor in the shop!

Photo 3. Chuck lays out the complicated electronic switchstack which is at the heart of the organ’s driving mechanism and which utilizes a powerful Syndyne system.

Photo 4. Bev and Halie wash pipes from several different builders, some of which are more than 100 years old.

 Photo 5. Bart wires the entire main Swell chest.

 

Photo 6. Sara wires a brand new chest made out of an organ pipe.  This will become part of the Great division. 

 

Photo 7. The volunteers stop and take a break.  Even though in a walker due to a hip problem, Halie was among them.

 

Photo 8. Carl of Seattle works on one of the used windchests that the Foundation had acquired. 

 

Photo 9. Roger wires the SAMS in the console.  In fact, he wired the entire console and did an immaculate job throughout. 

 

Photo 10. Roger did the major planning for the layout of the visible pipes which will be at the center front of the sanctuary.

 

Photo 11. How the pipe room at the shop now looks.  All 12 ranks of pipes in the Swell and Choir divisions are here and are playing.

 

Photo 12. At the church, Jim modifies the opening from the pipe chamber to the sanctuary in order to receive the swell shades made by Organ Supply Industries.

 

Photo 13. With the modifications made, Jim and Carl of Seattle put the frame for the shades in place.

 

Photo 14. The swell shades are in place and are attached to the motor which will drive them.

Photo 15. The blower is moved into the church by four men, all of whom attend Faith Lutheran.

 

Faith Lutheran Pipe Organ Project Moves Ahead

08/04/21

The Pipe Organ Foundation has had a relationship with Faith Lutheran Church in Seattle dating back to 2005 when the Foundation rented to the church a small pipe organ to replace their failing electronic instrument.  That instrument was to be replaced with a larger and more adequate organ, and when organist David Buice joined the church staff, the project got a boost and it moved ahead.  After about three years of detailed planning, and despite COVID, the church signed a Letter of Agreement with the Pipe Organ Foundation in September, 2020. 

Only nine days after the agreement was signed, work on the organ began, routinely with masks due to COVID.  The first thing moved to the shop was the three manual organ console which had been in First Church of Christ, Scientist in Seattle, beginning in 1959.  Other major parts were also brought from storage to the shop including a four-rank windchest obtained from Bond Organ builders in Portland, Oregon and an important pair of large string pipes (Viola Pomposa and Celeste) which had been in the home organ of Bayard Fritts, father of the well-known organ builder Paul Fritts of Parkland, Washington.  Multiple additional pieces were brought to the shop a piece at a time when needed to meet the objective of ultimately constructing a three manual, four division (Pedal, Great, Swell, Choir), 21 rank pipe organ.

By the end of 2020, 12 volunteers had worked on this project and had contributed more than 500 hours.  In 2021, 8 more volunteers contributed significant time, and at the time of this writing, more than 1,600 hours of volunteer time have been contributed to assembling this instrument.  This does not include the extensive planning that was done about the design of the instrument especially with the organist David Buice, and with important advice freely offered by Aaron Reichert who has a long connection with the church and who is an employee of the Taylor and Boody organ building firm in Virginia.

The photos show many of our volunteers at work.  Not shown is Carl of Mercer Island who headed up the project and who took most of the pictures.  Rick and Kathy did much wiring and assisted with tuning and pipe work.  Roger wired the entire console and then went on to do major planning on the layout of the Great division as well as helping out in a variety of situations.  Chuck took the lead on the installation of the Syndyne electronic driving system, and he brought his electronic knowledge to bear in many ways.  Jim of Sammamish prepared the box for the switchstack.  As a member of Faith Lutheran, Carl of Seattle took a strong lead in connecting the organ with the church.  He also dealt with contractors, had a major role along with Jim of Seattle in the installation of the swell shades, and assisted with multiple other projects in the shop.  Bart, Sara, Kyly, and several others spent much time in wiring and in other windchest work.  Ben did the heavier shop work with the construction of legs for windchests, rackboards, and other supports.  Halie and Bev washed pipes among other things.  Six additional persons contributed labor in moving heavy items and assisting in various ways.  Altogether, these 20 people did excellent jobs and it can truly be said that they were happy in their work so that the atmosphere in the shop was upbeat; the volunteers obviously enjoyed coming.

At the present time, 12 of the 21 ranks of pipes are essentially complete and are playing in the Foundation’s organ shop on Mercer Island.  These ranks constitute the Swell and Choir divisions of the organ, and it is expected that they will be moved to the church by early October if not before.  Work has already begun on the Great and Pedal divisions of the organ, and they will be moved to the church when completed to finish the organ.