Holtkamp
Opus 1581, 1935

Paul R. Marchesano on October 27th, 2022:
In a letter, dated April 20, 1965, Walter Holtkamp, Jr. writes : "we can tell you that the organ at St. John's, Covington, was built by my father in 1934-35. It was one of the most significant arid marked a turning point in his thinking. It was his first completely exposed instrument. The Ludwigtone was Henry Holtkamp's creation and was used till the mid 40s." (Henry Holtkamp was the father of Walter Holtkamp, Sr.) St. John Church building was dedicated Nov. 1924. Its tower is 163 feet tall, the same as the building's length. -- *1965 OHS Handbook*

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Paul R. Marchesano on December 15th, 2020:
Organ refurbished - no tonal changes made - by Schaedle Organ Services c. 2013.

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Database Manager on March 24th, 2013:
Updated through online information from Don Hurd. -- The organ is currently being refurbished. (January 2013) I don't know who is doing the work. Keep your fingers crossed--this is an important organ for our area!

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Database Manager on March 29th, 2010:
Updated through on-line information from James R. Stettner. -- The Great and Swell employed two windchests-per-division. Both had notes 1-27 on the first chest. The Great 1-27 was on 2-3/4" w.p. The Swell 1-27 was 3-1/2" w.p. The remainder of the Great (28-68) was on 4" w.p. as was the remainder of the Swell (28-61). The Pedal 16' Contra Bass was on 3-1/2' w.p., while the 8' Cello and 8' Posaune were on 4" w.p. The organ was exposed and encased with a symmetrical Great in the center and the Pedal cello and Posaune flanking the Great on either side. The Swell was behind the Great with the Pedal 16' Contra Bass (open wood) flanking it.

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Database Manager on December 20th, 2008:
Identified through information published in John Ferguson's <i>Walter Holtkamp: American Organ Builder</i> (DMA treatise, Eastman School of Music, 1976). Although neither Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling nor their successor Holtkamp Organ Co. assigned Opus numbers to their instruments, this organ was identified in factory documents as Job number 1581. That number appears here as the Opus number of this instrument.