Construction Photos
Westminster’s Chapel previously housed Skinner Organ Co. Op. 717 of 1928, originally built for the F.M. Crosby House in Minneapolis and given to the Church in the 1930s. After a fire in the Chapel in the 1950s, the organ was radically rebuilt by Möller, with later modifications by others. Few Skinner items remained. The static regulator in the basement blower room, however, was in good condition and has been restored for reuse in our new organ.
The windchests nearing completion. In the foreground is the Great, shown upside down with the pallet slots visible; behind it is the Swell windchest.
The windchests with the pallets fitted.
A close-up of the pallets.
Four carved faces that were a part of the old organ chamber wooden grillework will be retained in the new organ case. Who they represent is an enduring mystery.
The carvings fitted to the lower case, which is made of black walnut.
Mouldings waiting to be fitted to the casework.
Wooden squares for the mechanical key action have been mounted to floating beams.
The Great keyboard.
The console chassis brings together the keyboards, coupler mechanisms, and the squares that send the mechanical action out to the windchests. The rectangular hole in the middle of the rollerboard allows the swell action to pass through.
One of the manual rollerboards.
The case is being set up.
Façade pipes and pipe shades are installed.
The Pedal and Solo are located in a chamber opposite the main case, which houses the Great and Swell. This chamber had to remain, as there is a fire door on the main floor underneath the chamber that couldn’t be blocked. The chamber’s façade is identical to the case, except that it is a little less tall: low C# is the largest pipe, while the case has low C in the façade. Here, Meridith is racking some offset pipes that stand immediately behind the case pipes.
A view of both halves of the organ.
Randy stains some of the carved walnut cresting from the top of the case.
Everyone who built the organ signs it.
Op. 86 Home
Op. 86 Installation Photos
