This project included a new oak case of our design, built by parishioners Henry Wichert, Jim Hopkins, and Bob Hamilton. The oak console was refinished to match the new case and completed with all new controls, key and pedal contact systems, pistons and toe studs, and pedals on the pedalboard. The entire organ is blown on 3 1/2” with separate reservoirs for Swell and Great/Pedal.
We chose to include the digital ranks because of limited funds for an all pipe instrument to meet the requirements and hopes of the organists for a North German Baroque style of voicing and an instrument suitable for concert performances. There was also a concern that the organ project should not appear to be the rebuild of an outdated instrument, thus the addition of sophisticated digital equipment, the possibility of interfacing the organ with keyboards, computers, etc seemed attractive.
Workers in the project were: Henry Wichert, woodworking and general help; Gordon Woznica installation and general helper; Glenn Goodman, pneumatics and wiring; Randy Lorenz, reservoirs; Bill Thurmeier, design, voicing, tonal finishing and everything else. Initial voicing of the digital stops was done by Graham Blythe in England and finished by Bill Thurmeier on site.
