Throughout the 1960's and 1970's Ames area churches graciously
provided practice time on their pipe organs. The two-manual, 13-rank Holtkamp
installed in 1957 in Memorial Lutheran Church marked the first neo-baroque
instrument in Ames. The three-manual, 40-rank Reuter installed in 1961
in Collegiate Methodist Church was used for practice and teaching for many
years. The Nichols Chapel organ at Collegiate Methodist Church has the
honor of being the first mechanical-action instrument in an Ames church.
This 1966 installation by Fritz Noack consists of a single manual with
six stops. By 1972 the city could boast a two-manual mechanical-action
instrument in Gabriel Kney's 24-stop installation at United Church of Christ
Congregational. Many faculty recitals have been performed on both the Reuter
and Kney through the years.
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Memorial Lutheran Church
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Holtkamp, 1957
The new organ at Memorial Lutheran Church was built by the Holtkamp
Organ Company, Cleveland, Ohio.
It is unenclosed and placed in the rear balcony located at the West
end of the chapel. Looking up at the organ, one sees from the nave three
separate groups of pipes. These groups represent the 3 divisions of this
organ: Positiv (brilliance); Great (foundation tones); Pedal (bass). Placed
above the main case and in pyramidal arrangement against the west wall
are the pipes in the pedal division. Chests which contain the Positiv and
Great divisions, respectively, are brought out forward obliquely from the
main case and suspended from the beams.
The instrument is played from a console with two manual keyboards
and a foot keyboard. Variations in tonal color are regulated by 11 stops,
a series of tablet controls, placed above the upper keyboard. Each stop
controls an individual set of pipes. In all there are 706 pipes, grouped
into 13 ranks, in the organ. These pipes vary in length from less than
one inch to 16 feet. The pipes are made of pine and combinations of tin,
lead and zinc.
The Memorial Lutheran organ represents another instrument in a series
of contemporary baroque designs by Walter Holtkamp. Other instruments in
this series designed by Mr. Holtkamp and installed by his company are Battel
Chapel (Apse Organ), Yale University, the MIT Chapel, Kent School and Concordia
Teachers College, River Forest, Ill. Other Holtkamp organs in this area
are at University Christian Church, Des Moines, Trinity Lutheran Church,
Grand Island, Nebr., and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
In this instrument, Mr. Holtkamp, without attempting to reproduce
a baroque period organ, has aimed at restoring its best features which
make it an instrument of independent, non-imitative character. It is unenclosed
and without swell pedals. It has principal and flue stops, but no reed
stops. It has full ensemble chorus for signing, clarity for polyphonic
texture, brilliance, and incisive attack, although it is capable of softer
and lighter timbres. All these features make the instrument outstanding
for leading the congregational signing and most suitable for performing
the music that is traditional in the Lutheran Church.
Detailed specifications follow-- the figure to the left of each stop
indicates the length of the longest pipe in the rank; the figure to the
right indicates the number of pipes involved:
| Pedal | 2' | Principal | 61 | ||
| 16' | Subbass | 32 | 2R | Cymbale | 61 |
| 8' | Principal | 32 | |||
| 4' | Choralbass | 32 | Posotov | ||
| 8' | Copula | 61 | |||
| Great | 4' | Principal | 61 | ||
| 8' | Quintadena | 61 | 4' | Spitzflote | 61 |
| 4' | Rohrflote | 61 | 2R | Mixture | 61 |
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Collegiate United Methodist Church
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Reuter, 1961
In planning the organ for Collegiate Methodist Church, the organ committee
was guided by the conviction that the primary function of the instrument
is to embellished the services of worship, providing adequate support for
congregational singing and suitable accompaniment for the several choirs.
The committee also felt that the instrument should be suited as much as
possible to the performance of the full literature of the organ so that
it might be useful in this university community for recitals and concerts.
As designed and voiced it is an American organ incorporating features of
the Classical and Baroque concepts as well as elements of the Romantic
tradition.
The organ consists of three manual and pedal divisions, Great, Swell,
Choir and Pedal. The great organ is located in exposed positions on either
side of the chancel with the Principal, Bourdon, Quint and Fifteenth on
the right and Quintaton, Octave, Spillflote and fourniture on the left.
The other three organs are back of the chancel screen with the Swell division
at the left and the Choir at the right and the Pedal at the center, the
Choir and Swell being under expression. Located in these positions the
organs speak directly down the nave utilizing fully the acoustical qualities
of the building.
The organs has 40 ranks of pipes and includes 2363 pipes. There are
a total of 49 stops, 34 of which are speaking stops. The console is of
the drawknob type and has a full complement of pistons, couplers and accessories.
The organ was built especially for us by the Reuter Organ Company
of Lawrence, Kansas. The general tonal design was planned by Mr. Franklin
Mitchell, tonal director of the company. The finishing of the voicing was
done in the church by Mr. Mitchell. The installation of the organ was done
by Mr. R. W. Dirkson, Midwest representative for the Reuter Company.
STOP LIST OF THE ORGAN
- Great Organ
- Swell Organ
- Choir Organ
- Pedal Organ
| 16' | Quintaton | 61 pipes | ||
| 8' | Principal | 61 pipes | ||
| 8' | Bourdon | 61 pipes | ||
| 4' | Octave | 61 pipes | ||
| 4' | Spillflote | 61 pipes | ||
| 2 2/3 ' | Quint | 61 pipes | ||
| 2' | Fifteenth | 61 pipes | ||
| III rank | Fourniture | 183 pipes | ||
| Chimes |
| 16' | Rohrflote | 12 pipes | ||
| 8' | Geigen Principal | 68 pipes | ||
| 8' | Rohrflote | 68 pipes | ||
| 8' | Viola | 68 pipes | ||
| 8' | Viola Celeste | 56 pipes | ||
| 4' | Principal | 68 pipes | ||
| 4' | Flauto Traverso | 68 pipes | ||
| 2' | Octavin | 61 pipes | ||
| III rank | Plein Jeu | 183 pipes | ||
| 16' | Fagotto | 68 pipes | ||
| 8' | Trompette | 68 pipes | ||
| 4' | Hautbois | 68 pipes | ||
| Tremulant |
| 16' | Dolcan | 12 pipes | ||
| 8' | Gedeckt | 61 pipes | ||
| 8' | Dolcan | 61 pipes | ||
| 8' | Dolcan Celeste | 49 pipes | ||
| 4' | Hohlflote | 61 pipes | ||
| 4' | Dolcan | 12 pipes | ||
| 2 2/3' | Nasard | 61 pipes | ||
| 2' | Zauberflote | 61 pipes | ||
| 1 3/5' | Tierce | 61 pipes | ||
| 1' | Sifflote | 61 pipes | ||
| 8' | Schlmei | 61 pipes | ||
| Tremulant |
| 16' | Principal | 32 pipes | ||
| 16' | Bourdon | 32 pipes | ||
| 16' | Rohrflote | 32 pipes | ||
| 16' | Quintaton | 32 pipes | ||
| 16' | Dolcan | 32 pipes | ||
| 8' | Occtave | 32 pipes | ||
| 8' | Bourdon | 12 pipes | ||
| 8' | Rohrflote | 32 pipes | ||
| 8' | Quintaton | 32 pipes | ||
| 8' | Dolcan | 32 pipes | ||
| 4' | Choral Bass | 32 pipes | ||
| 4' | Bourdon | 12 pipes | ||
| 4' | Rohrflote | 32 pipes | ||
| III rank | Mixture | 96 pipes | ||
| 16' | Posaune | 32 pipes | ||
| 16' | Fagotto | 32 pipes | ||
| 8' | Posaune | 12 pipes | ||
| 4' | Posaune | 12 pipes |
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Collegiate United Methodist Church
(chapel)
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Noack, 1966
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ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS
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Noack Organ Builders, Inc.
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Andover, Massachusetts
6 Stops, 8 Ranks
Action mechanical
Coupler: Man. to Pedal
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United Church of Christ Congregational
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Kney, 1972
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ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS
- Spanische
- Trompete
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COUPLERS
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Hauptwerk-Pedal
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Brustwerk-Pedal
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Brustwerk-Hauptwer
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The key action and couplers are mechanical
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The stop action is electric. Provision is mafde for combination action
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Organ built by Gabriel Kney & Company, Ltd., London,
Ontario, Canada.
| HAUPTWERK | BRUSTWERK | PEDAL |
| 8' | Prinzipal | 8' | Holzgedeckt | 16' | Subbass |
| 8' | Gedecktflote | 8' | Salicional | 8' | Oktavbass |
| 4' | Oktav | 4' | Prinzipal | 8' | Gedecktbass |
| 4' | Spitzflote | 4' | Rohrflote | 4' | Choralbass |
| 2 2/3' | Nasat | 2' | Oktav | 4' | Koppelflote |
| 2' | Blockflote | 1 1/3' | Quintflote | 2 2/3' | Mixtur IV |
| 1 3/5' | Terz | 1/3' | Terz Zimbel II | 16' | Posaune |
| 1 1/3' | Mixtur V | 8' | Holzkrummhorn | ||
| 8' |
|
Tremulant |
THE MEMORIAL ORGAN
As you view this organ from all sides you can observe almost all
of its sound-producing parts, for the instrument is self-contained and
free-standing. Its pipes are grouped compactly yet in a manner to allow
them to speak out with freedom and clarity. And it is a cased organ, the
wooden ease serving to blend the tones together, to resonate them as a
sounding board and to project them forward into the Sanctuary.
You are actually looking at not one, but three distinct organs, although
each of them is called a "division" of the total instrument. Each of the
divisions is played by its own keyboard, two of them by the hands (the
manuals) and one by the feet (the pedalboard).
The division of pipes standing behind the three central towers of
front pipes, and including them, is the Hauptwerk (literally "head section")
and is played by the lower manual. The drawknobs controlling the selection
of pipes to be played on the Hauptwerk are to the right of the player.
Some of the bolder and brighter-speaking pipes are in the Hauptwerk.
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The Brustwerk, or central division, is played by the upper manual, and
its drawknobs are to the player's left. Its pipes are behind louvres, or
shutters, which may be closed by a foot pedal to reduce the volume of sound.
For this reason the Brustwerk is said to be enclosed or ''under expression."
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The third division, the Pedal, contains the longest pipes, and the lowest
in pitch. The tall copper pipes forming the two side towers are the Principal,
or Diapason pipes of the Pedal Division, and the central ones also are
Principals (of the Hauptwerk). This traditional arrange-ment is based on
the importance of the Principals as the organ's most characteristic voice.
They can truly be said to be the heart of the organ.
By means of foot-controlled couplers, the Brustwerk may also be played
on the Hauptwerk manual, and both of these divisions may- be played on
the pedalboard. Thus, the three different organs, played either by themselves,
together or in alternation, form a whole instrument of great resourcefulness
and versatility.
There are two main types of sound sources in the organ: flue pipes
(flutes and principals are two kinds) and reeds (such as the trumpet and
krummhorn). The flue pipes are either metal, and round in shape, or wood
and square. The pipes of the reeds are properly called resonators. The
pipes and resonators are arranged by graduated sizes in rows called ranks,
each rank having a distinctive timbre of sound. The pipes in a rank, each
played by a key of its manual, form a continuous scale of notes – usually
56 in the manual divisions (corresponding to the manual’s 56 keys) and
32 in the Pedal.
The operation by which the playing of a key opens a small valve,
or pallet, to admit air under pressure to the pipe is called the "key action."
This organ employs a purely mechanical linkage between the key and the
pallet, instead of the electro-pneumatic system which came into use in
the 1860’s and has predominated since.
Standing beside the organ near the back, one can see some of the
rods, wires, roller bars, and levers of this mechanical key action. often
called "tracker action" Because of this direct linkage the speaking of
the pipe is; almost simultaneous with the playing of the key, and is; even
responsive to the manner in which the key is depressed and released. A
well-built tracker action is the most responsive and sensitive of all ac-tions,
and Gabriel Kney is a master of this ancient craft.
Traditionally the common black and white relationship of keys is
reversed in tracker action organs. The black natural keys of this organ
are of granadilla wood and the white chromatic keys are of palisander (Brazilian
rosewood) covered with ivory. The rosewood drawknobs were hand-turned by
Apprentice Susan Tattershall.
The drawknobs are generally referred to, as "stops." This word also
is applied to the set of pipes that a drawknob brings into play, that set
usually being one rank of pipes. In some cases a drawknob will make more
than one rank of pipes available -- up to five, in fact. These added ranks
consist of small pipes that add color and brilliance to the tone. This
explains why the organ has 24 stops, but 32 ranks. In all, the organ possesses
some 1540 pipes and resonators.
The stop called ''Spanish Trumpet'' traditionally extends horizontally
from the organ, and this has a functional basis. The sound of a reed issues
from the end of its resonator, rather than from a slot, as in the case
of a flue pipe. The horizontal disposition of this strong reed allows it
to speak more directly to the listener.
Beside building an organ to match the style and proportions of a
church, the builder must also match its speaking characteristics with the
acoustical environment. for an organ and its church are literally one acoustical
entity. The delicate and exacting work of tonal finishing, or voicing the
pipes after the installation of the instrument in the church, was done
by Mr. Kney personally.
The German terms used in all aspects of this organ are appropriate,
since the character of its tones and the blending and balancing of these
tones partake to a marked degree of the traditions laid down by the great
organ builders of pre-nineteenth century Europe. Outstanding examples of
their instruments, like the famous violins of their time, are thought by
many to be unsurpassed to this day. Yet creative innovations of later master
builders, as well as modern engineering and materials, have allowed organs
such as this one to emerge, instruments firmly grounded in the best traditions
yet modern in every sense.
Although fairly small by some standards, this organ is distinguished
by versatility, a lively tone, careful balance, and ensemble effects to
which each of its voices contributes. It is an instrument responsive to
the demands of a wide range of the organ literature.
It is hoped that the worship of God and service to Him by all who
come into this Sanctuary will he strengthened and made more joyful by the
voice of the Memorial Organ.
THE ORGAN BUILDER
The organ was designed for the church by Gabriel Kney of London,
Ontario. The instrument was constructed in London under his supervi-sion.
When the organ was installed in the church, it was voiced to meet the acoustical
properties of the church.
Mr. Kney began his career at the age of 15 (just after World War
II), as an apprentice with the Paul Sattel firm in his hometown of Speyer-am-Rhein,
West Germany. At the same time he studied organ and composition at The
Institute of Church Music in Speyer with Erhard Quack and with Ludwig Doerr,
who is now head of the organ de-partment at Freiburg University. In 1951,
Kney accepted a position as voicer for the Canadian firm of Keates. When,
in 1955, he established his own company for the purpose of building tracker
organs, he was considered rather eccentric because the idea of mechanical
action or-gans had not caught on in either Canada or the United States.
However, when he now builds an organ for a church, concert hall, or home,
it is al-ways with tracker action.