Specifications

I play on a 2 manual, 25 rank instrument built by the Reuter Organ Company as their Opus 2204 that was installed in a resonant space in the year 2000. The company says this about it on their website:

This organ was designed as a completely new

instrument and was installed during December of 2000. The organ is

located in chambers on either side of the Chancel. Each has two

sound openings, one facing the choir and the other facing the nave, for

effective tonal projection. The Great division is opposite the Swell,

with the Pedal stops divided across both sides. Pedal principal pipes,

fashioned from flamed copper and framed with oak casework, create

an attractive façade that coordinates well with the surrounding

architecture and fixtures. The carefully conceived, 25-rank

specification accommodates a wealth of literature with ease.

The specification is thus:

Great

16' Rohrflöte (Swell)

8' Diapason

8' Bourdon

8' Rohrflöte (Swell)

8' Hohlflöte (Extension)

4' Octave

4' Hohlflöte

2' Fifteenth

IV Fourniture

8' Trumpet

8' Tuba (Preparation)

8' Fagotto (Swell)

8' Cromorne

4' Trumpet (Extension)

Tremolo

Chimes

MIDI 1 and 2

SWELL (enclosed)

16' Rohrflöte (Extension*)

8' Principal

8' Rohrflöte

8' Viole

8' Viole Celeste (TC)

4' Principal

4' Koppelflöte

2 2/3' Nazard

2' Blockflöte (Extension)

1 3/5' Tierce

1 1/3' Larigot (Extension)

III Scharf

16' Fagotto

16' Tuba (Great)

8' Trumpet (Great)

4' Fagotto (Extension)

Tremolo

Chimes

MIDI 3 and 4

PEDAL

32' Resultant

16' Principal

16' Subbass

16' Rohrflöte (Swell)

8' Principal (Extension)

8' Subbass (Extension)

8' Rohrflöte (Swell)

4' Principal (Extension)

4' Subbass (Extension)

16' Trumpet (Extension)

16' Fagotto (Swell)

8' Tuba (Great)

8' Trumpet (Great)

8' Fagotto (Swell)

4' Fagotto (Swell)

Chimes

MIDI 5 and 6

* Electronic (12 notes)

The lowest octave of the 16' Rohrflöte is produced electronically, rather than through pipes. The organ has 10 General pistons, 6 manual pistons on each manual, as well as 10 General toe studs and 6 pedal studs. Pedal couplers are also accessable by the feet, as well as the Full Organ toggle, the 32' Resultant, and a Cymbelstern. There are two rocker pedals, one the Swell shoe, the other the Crescendo. The full crescendo pedal engages the full organ except the reeds and the Swell Mixture. The Full Organ toggle engages the full organ including all reeds and mixtures.

The 32' resultant plays two notes of 16' pitch level a perfect fifth apart which produces the aural illusion of a single note an octave lower. Sitting at the console, the effect is seldom convincing, but sitting in the congregation at some distance, the resonant acoustics of the room allows the sound to mix in a much more convincing manner. The resultant uses the Subbass to produce these tones, so it is redundant to have the Subbass 16' pulled when using the Resultant.

The strings consist of the 8' Viole and 8' Viole Celeste on the Swell. The Celeste is tuned sharp to create the beating ensemble sound. The Celeste stops an octave above low C.

The mutations on the Swell (Nazard, Tierce, and Larigot) in combination with the 8', 4', and 2' flutes create a very nice Cornet.

I lament the fact that the Tuba is prepared but was not purchased when the organ was built. This would be a high pressure reed that would sing out over the entire organ, probably much like the existing Trumpet except louder and smoother. There are many occasions when the Tuba would come in handy. As it stands now, the Tuba stops on the Great and the Pedal do nothing. On the swell, they engage the Great Trumpets at 4' and 16' levels.

I wish that the Great had some mutations as well as a string stop, or perhaps a salicional.

Most of all, I wish that the organ had a third manual and division. At this point, I'm not sure if this is a blessing or a curse. The necessity of playing music that was written for three manuals has forced me to find creative solutions, often with quick piston changes. On sight reading a piece, I often program Swell 1 for the 'Swell', Swell 2 for the 'Choir', Great 1 for the 'Great', and Great 2 also for the 'Choir'. In this way with a few quick thumbs I can orient the sound wherever it needs to be. With further finessing depending on the individual needs of the piece, I can do a bit better. I performed Dupre's Le Chemin de la Croix on this organ in March of this year and I think it came off just fine.

Another slight problem is that the console is a few scant feet from the Swell division, and a few more feet away from the Great. This means that the sound at the console can be quite loud, and also misleading.

The organ also has a MIDI recording and playback system, where I may record pieces and then play them back at any time. This is useful in listening for good balance, since I can then listen to the organ from the congregation. It is also handy in playing organ duets or duets between organ and piano.

Overall, I like the instrument very much and I do consider it very versatile. It definitely has a french accent to it, but can carry off baroque pretty well as well.