A. B. Felgemaker Co.
2024

This entry describes a restoration of the Warren organ to the state of its 1890s factory renovation by Hook & Hastings following substantial damage to the building and organ by a lightning strike to the steeple. Specifically, the Sw. St. Diap. replacement pipes and the vertical Swell shades and balanced Swell pedal dating from the 1890 renovation were retained. Otherwise, the 1872 portions of the instrument which remained unchanged in 1890 were returned to their 1872 state, The organ was subsequently altered in 1961 and 1967 according to the prevailing neo-baroque taste of the period, and in 2024 all the 20th-century alterations were reversed. The work was done in accordance with the OHS Revised Guidelines for Conservation.

An original installation, which may be the oldest extant Hook & Hastings catalog organ in its original home, is located in the rear gallery. The gallery is rather deep and the organ was fully contained in an alcove at the back under the steeple. Prior to the restoration, the organ was completely surrounded by gallery carpeting. This was removed to expose an original and rather unlevel and rough wood floor, which was painted, and a raised platform area under the organ was built in order to have a level surface for the organ. For the reinstallation, the organ was pulled forward two feet to get it closer to the gallery railing and to pull the unenclosed Great division out from under the low ceiling of the alcove where it can couple more easily with the room acoustics. The result of this change is position is the instrument is now considerably more present in the room which belies its minimalist disposition. The church elected to add a t.c. Oboe to the Swell, and this was done with Hook pipes of similar vintage from Cranston, Rhode Island (H&H No. 986, 1880). A vintage H&H Dulciana from the same instrument replaced the 1961 Mixture, restoring the original 1872 Great disposition. The repurposed Dulciana was a tenor-c stop, while the original Warren stop was full compass with a Quintadena bass 1-12. To complete the stop in Warren, the bottom octave of a 1950s Quintadena was recycled and revoice on the lower pressure.

The pitch and pressure of the Warren organ had been altered in the past, and were returned to A450 and 2 5/8" (67mm) respectively. A new rectangular reservoir and wooden windtrunk replaced the 1961 floating top reservoir and metal windlines. The electric-action pedal Bourdon (recycled Austin pipes) was replaced with a reconstruction of the original Hook stop, and replicated the unusual stock organ scaling which was designed to fit within the narrow 7' width of the catalog cases. A new mechanical action controls the pedal chest which is separated from the organ by several feet to permit the installation of a walkboard behind the organ, and the solid rear wall of the Swell box was converted to a frame with doors to permit easier tuning access to the Swell and new Oboe, itself added on a jump chest at the rear of the Swell. The Swell Viola had been softened to become an Aeoline, likely in the 1890s renovation, and was returned to its original power. The facade pipes (Diapason basses Bass G-t.f#), originally gilded and later covered over with gold radiator paint, were regilded.

The original ivory keys had been recovered with plastic, either in 1961 or 1967, were recovered again in bone, and were the last keyboards to leave the Nelson Woodworking shop in Tiverton, R.I., the nation's premiere keyboard restorer for nearly 40 years. Replica turned stopknobs with hand-engraved ivory labels replicated the missing originals. The walnut woodwork was oiled and waxed, the many holes in the case were plugged, and the badly damaged right side panel was replaced.

When the pressure was lowered in the 1960s, either to lighten the touch, lower the pitch, or both, the two Great Diapason stops received drastically enlarged toe holes, and poorly fitted coke-tin tuning slides were installed which deformed much of the pipework. The slides were replaced with more gently fitting stainless steel, and the two Diapason stops were reregulated to the original pressure and voicing. The Open Diapason 8' pipes, which had been shortened and repitched 1/2-step (G=G#) with a spurious tenor-g were extended and shifted back to their original position, G=G.

Otherwise, the organ received standard restorative repairs: stoppers, pallets, bungs, couplers and keytails recovered; the very heavy springs were lightened to 38 grams; missing or mouse-eaten pipes replicated; chests were repaired and poured out without being retabled; the spurious beater tremulant was replaced with an exhaust tremulant; pedalboard refinished; action components cleaned, lubricated, and renutted with leather nuts; zinc offset tubing restored; sliders regraphited and reshimmed; etc. etc. The noisy second-hand Spencer blower installed in the 1950s was replaced in 2018.