Finney Chapel's new organ

Finney to get new organ

As a result of the generosity of several donors, including a large bequest from the late Kay Africa, Oberlin College has been able to enter into an agreement with C.B. Fisk, Inc. of Gloucester, MA to design and install a new symphonic-style organ in Finney Chapel.

President Nancy Dye and Oberlin's Board of Trustees authorized the agreement at a meeting on December 1, 1995. C.B. Fisk, Inc. intends to install the organ in five years. It will replace the organ now in Finney Chapel which was constructed by E. M. Skinner in 1914, and extensively rebuilt by Aeolian-Skinner in the early '50s. The existing facade--designed by the architect of the Chapel, Cass Gilbert--will be integrated in the case of the new Fisk organ, augmented and adjusted to be in a style more typical of a French romantic instrument.

Oberlin has been fortunate in having both the internal and external support for acquiring two new organs during the past 25 years: the Flentrop (1974) in Warner Concert Hall, designed and built in the northern European style of the 18th century, and the Brombaugh organ in Fairchild Chapel (1981), modeled on the late renaissance/early baroque style of northern Europe. Now, as a result of the Kay Africa bequest, the organ faculty have been able to work on the acquisition of an organ appropriate for the music of the 19th and 20th centuries. C. B. Fisk, Inc., a firm that has had much success in designing organs for concert halls, was chosen to build this instrument.

The stoplist of the new organ will be as follows:

Grand Orgue, 58 notes, Manual I

Montre                            16
Bourdon                           16
Montre                             8
Gamba                              8
Flute harmonique                   8
Bourdon                            8
Prestant                           4
Octave                             4
Quinte                         2 2/3
Doublette                          2
Fourniture                         V
Cymbale                           IV
Dessus de Cornet                   V
Bombarde                          16
Trompette                          8
Clairon                            4

Positif, 58 notes, Manual II, enclosed

Quintaton                         16
Principal                          8
Salicional                         8
Unda maris                         8
Cor de Nuit                        8
Prestant                           4
Flute douce                        4
Nasard                         2 2/3
Doublette                          2
Tierce                         1 3/5
Larigot                        1 1/3
Piccolo                            1
Plein jeu                         IV
Cor anglais                       16
Trompette                          8
Clarinette                         8

Recit, 58 notes, Manual III, enclosed

Bourdon                           16
Diapason                           8
Viole de gambe                     8
Voix celeste                       8
Flute traversiere                  8
Bourdon                            8
Dulciane                           4
Flute octaviante                   4
Quinte                         2 2/3
Octavin                            2
Tierce                         1 3/5
Basson                            16
Trompette                          8
Basson-Hautbois                    8
Voix humaine                       8
Clairon                            4

Pedale, 30 notes

Bourdon                           32
Contrebasse                       16
Violonbasse                       16
Sousbasse                         16
Flute                              8
Violoncelle                        8
Bourdon                            8
Flute                              4
Contrebombarde                    32
Bombarde                          16
Trompette                          8
Clairon                            4

Of Interest
There will be two operating modes selectable by thumb pistons with LED indicators. The first mode is Mode Francais, the second is American Mode. The two modes are interlocked so that only one can be used at a time.
Mode Francais uses the following hookdown pedals in the French Symphonic tradition:

Pedales de Combinaison:

Effet d'orage                           Grand Orgue sur la machine
Tirasse Grand Orgue                     Copula Grand Orgue/Grand Orgue
Tirasse Positif                         Copula Positif/Grand Orgue
Tirasse Recit                           Copula Recit/Grand Orgue
Anches Pedale                           Copula Recit/Positif
Anches Grand Orgue                      Octaves graves Grand Orgue
Anches Positif                          Tremolo Recit
Anches Recit                            Tremolo Positif

The combination action will not be able to control the functions on hookdown pedals, i.e., any of the Pedales de Combinaison when in Mode Francais.

The American Mode relies on a solid state combination action for changes in registration. When in American Mode the positions of the Pedales de Combinaison will be ignored. American Mode has the following drawknobs arranged above the top keyboard and are affected by the General Pistons:

Grand Orgue/Pedale                        Positif/Grand Orgue
Positif/Pedale                            Recit/Grand Orgue
Recit/Pedale                              Recit/Positif
Recit Tremolo                             Octave graves Grand Orgue
Positif Tremolo                           Orgue sur la machine

Balanced Swell Pedals: Expression Recit, Expression Positif

Key Action: Direct mechanical (tracker), except for certain large bass pipes.

Servopneumatic Lever: This provides a pneumatic assist (similar to a Barker Machine, but more refined) to the Grand Orgue key action. It also allows the addition of the "Octaves graves" coupler to the organ. This coupler couples the servopneumatic lever to itself one octave lower. Therefore it couples the Grand Orgue itself at sub-octaves, and any division coupled to the Grand Orgue also appears on the Grand Orgue at sub-octaves.

Stop Action: Electric solenoid.

Combination Action: A modern solid state system with multiple levels of memory. Numerous pistons, toe studs, and reversibles suitable to an organ of this size. There will be room for two rows of toe studs above the Pedales de Combinaison.

Keydesk: Built into the front of the lower case, three manuals and pedals; manuals 58 keys, CC-a3, naturals of bone, sharps of ebony; flat pedalboard, 30 keys, CC-f1, naturals of maple, sharps of ebony.

Front Pipes: All front pipes to be of hammered spotted metal.