"Church Keys . . . "
Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009
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The Mayflower console dates from 1916. Unfortunately some stops were added to the organ in a very uncraftsmanship-like manner. The stops on the row above the top keyboard (manual) have been altered and will ultimately be replaced with stops in keeping with what was there in 1916. The original combination action (the white buttons under the manauls) dates from 1916 and works well, though limited. |
The pipe organ in Mayflower Presbyterian is the oldest pipe organ in Monterey County. The organ is the combination of a 1904 Murray M. Harris organ and California Organ Company (successors to Murray Harris.) The California Organ Company installed the instrument in this building in 1916 with a dedication on September 1, 1916 by the chief organist from Stanford University. The Murray Harris portion is a 17-rank organ from Saint James Episcopal Church in Fresno.
When completely playable, the front divisions contain 23 ranks and the Echo Organ of 5 ranks. The organ is typical of the period in which it was built--a romantic era instrument of rich foundational tone with not a hint of the neo-baroque fad so prevalent from 1950-1990.
Thomas L. DeLay is the present organist and also is maintaining and rehabilitating this historic instrument.
Below are some behind-the-scenes photos of the work being performed on this historic instrument of worship.
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Swell chamber of the Mayflower organ. There are 753 pipes in this division and play from the top keyboard (manual) of the organ console. In the large wooden box to the upper right are the 61 pipes of the Vox Humana, "human voice."
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The picture above is the "Great" chamber and plays from the bottom keyboard (manual) of the organ console. A characteristic of Murray M. Harris and California Organ Company organs is that they made their wooden flutes of California redwood. They also made their windchests and wind reservoirs from redwood. The use of redwood for their various flute pipes gives the tonality a mellow sound unlike pipes made from harder wood.
The Great Chamber has 549 pipes plus the 61 unenclosed pipes of the facade. All the pipes in this photo were built in 1916.
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These are some of the smallest pipes in the Swell division. These pipes had not played in 60+ years and were restored to playing condition in June 2009. The speaking length of the smallest pipes, near the cell phone, is just 1/4".
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Smallest pipes of the Harmonic Flute. |
The 17 longest pipes in the facade are real. After being disconnected in 1949, these pipes were restored to playing condition early in the summer of 2009. 45 pipes behind the flat of pipes at the top await to be connected. These pipes are presently stored in the church basement.
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This is the large air reservoir (aka "bellows") for the Swell division of the organ. The Swell division is behind the left side of the gold facade pipes.
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This strange looking device is the "tremolo" for the Swell division. Sometimes called vibrato, when in use, this devices moves up and down rapidly exhausting air to the Swell air reservoir to give the Swell pipes the tremolo effect.
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Some of the hundreds of Murray Harris pipes stored in the basement awaiting their migration into the Mayflower organ. 15 ranks of pipes (nearly 1000 pipes.) Note these are redwood flute pipesÊbuilt in 1904 that look and sound brand new.
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The 2 horsepower Kinetic pipe organ blower. This unit is located directly below the organ chambers.
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These 1904 Murray Harris pipes are "Unda Maris" (wave of the sea) pipes that will go with our Dulciana on the Great division. When installed, these pipes will provide a magnificent quiet background sound for communion as well as regular organ accompaniment.
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Like the Swell division, the Great division has its own air reservoir. Typical of Murray Harris and California Organ Company instruments, the parts are built of clear California Redwood.
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This is the blower for the Mayflower pipe organ. The Kinetic Blower Company built its blowers with wood cabinets rather than metal as with the Spencer Blower Co. The Echo organ will have a small Spencer blower when it is installed.
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