A Brief History of the Organs in Saint John’s Church

Organs, like many things, fall victim top advances in technology and changes in fashion and taste.  The instruments of this parish are a good example of these trends.

When George Bliss provided the funds to build and equip the “new” Episcopal Church on Elm Street he also provided the funding for two organs.  Both were built by the George Hutchings Company of Boston and installed in 1893.  Both were controlled by tracker (or mechanical) action meaning that the keys were connected directly to the values which controlled the flow of air into the pipes.  The larger instrument (in the church) was comprised of two keyboards and pedal controlling 27 stops.  The smaller organ was located in the Sunday School Chapel on the second floor of the parish house.  The smaller instrument was dismantled and later carried to the town dump in the late 1940’s.

In 1914 a former employee of the Hutchings firm, Ernest M. Skinner, rebuilt and enlarged the church organ from two to three keyboards and replaced the tracker action with an ‘electric’ playing action.  This change in the ‘mechanism’ allowed the console to be remotely located across the sanctuary from the pipes and wind-chests.   Additional tonal work was done by the Skinner firm (also from Boston) in the 1920’s.  Both the Hutchings and Skinner firms were known for craftsmanship of the highest quality.

As a result of moisture problems in the masonry a large portion of a chancel arch fell in 1937 and filled the organ with plaster dust.  Depression caused budget restraints prohibited going back to the Skinner firm for work so the Carter Brothers of Springfield were hired to ‘clean’ the organ.  They washed the pipe-work but did not remove the fine plaster dust from the playing mechanism which rendered the organ unplayable by the early 1950s.  In 1953 the parish again engaged the Carter Brothers to replace the wind-chests and console but retain the useable pipe-work.  The post-war materials used proved, in some ways, of sub-standard quality and by 1972 the console had suffered several minor fires.  A parishioner and University of Massachusetts Professor, George Orsten, agreed to re-design and up-date the electronic components of the organ and William Baker from New York City was engaged to do a partial re-specification and re-arrangement of the wind-chests and other components of the instrument.

The ‘new’ electrical work once again proved un-reliable and in 1988 a new console, built by David Harris of Whittier, California, and a new ‘solid-state’ electrical system were installed by the Baker firm, now from Hatfield, Massachusetts.

At that time the parish was informed that the wind-chests were showing signs of failure and would not be repairable.  Increasing 'dead' notes and other problems led to the formation of the Organ Renovation Committee in 1999.  Noted organ historian and UMass Lowell Music Professor, John Ogasapion, was hired by the Vestry to assist in the planning of such a large project and to help guide the selection of an appropriate builder to undertake the work.  In 2001 a contract was negotiated and signed with Austin Organs Incorporated of Hartford, Connecticut and the old organ played for the last time on Easter Day, 2001 with removal commencing the next day.

Both the 1988 electrical system (relay) and the new console were of the same high quality as the original Hutchings and Skinner workmanship.  They had worked beautifully since their installation so much so that the console was retained, with some minor modifications as a major part of the current instrument.  The entire playing mechanism was replaced and divisions repositioned for better tonal egress from the chamber to the nave.  Some pipework needed to be replaced and an 8' Principal and 4' Choral Bass were added to the Pedal division.  The 8' Great reed (in the original Hutchings specification) was also restored to that division.  Finally - new casework in quarter-sawn oak and a new facade layout were designed and constructed in the Austin woodworking shop.

The instrument was completed in 2004 and dedicated with three opening events: the American Guild or Organists sponsored Peter Krasinski improvising an accompaniment to Lon Channey's classic silent film, "Hunchback"; the formal Dedication Recital was present by Thomas Murray on November 14th; and the following weekend an Organ and Orchestra program with the UMass Amherst Orchestra featuring an Organ Concerto by Richard Bartmuss (played by Smith College Organist, Grant Moss), and the Symphony No. 3 in C minor by Camille Saint Saens (organ played by parish organist, Christopher Thornley).

Sadly, it should be noted that soon after this fine instrument was completed the Austin company announced that it was closing its doors.  Happily, the company has undergone a restructuring under new ownership and management and they have resumed the design and construction of pipe organs.