Pipe Organs
Sanctuary
History
In 1881, the people of First United Church, then known as First Congregational Church of Oak Park, installed their first pipe organ, built by the Johnson Organ Company, a highly respected midwest firm. W. W. Kimball of Chicago rebuilt and enlarged this instrument in 1903. Ten years later, the congregation sought to modernize with a five-manual instrument from Casavant Frères of Quebec. Sadly this organ was destroyed by fire in 1916. Ernest M. Skinner (1966-1960) of Boston was selected to replace it with what became the largest church organ in Chicago at its installation in 1918. The organs of E. M. Skinner revolutionized organ building across America and are still highly regarded as the best by a North American in the first half of the 20th century. (Read more here.)
First Congregational’s Skinner organ was Opus 274 of the firm, with 4 manuals, 86 stops, 69 ranks and 4700 pipes. Following the trend, Oak Park Baptist acquired Skinner Opus 358 in 1922 (replaced in 1967) and First United Methodist acquired Skinner Opus 528 in 1925 (renovated in 2006). After a long and productive life, First United’s Skinner instrument also began to wear. The pipework was eventually relocated to Second Congregational Church in Rockford, Illinois and incorporated into a new instrument by Pipe Organ Specialties. This information is documented by the Organ Historical Society in the Organ Historical Society Pipe Organ Database, Details of a Single Instrument. (Accessed 07/28/2009), http://organsociety.bsc.edu/ In 1979 with the guidance of Minister of Music G. Nicholas Bullat, the congregation sought a builder for a new organ, eventually selecting Casavant Frères (Casavant Brothers) of St.-Hyacinthe, Quebec. Casavant is the oldest organ builder continuously operating under the same name in North America. Inaugurated in January 1983, Casavant Opus 3544 draws from the French Classic and Romantic traditions and has been maintained in fine condition even beyond its twenty-fifth birthday.
Design
The organ has 88 ranks. The keys operate by electro-pneumatic action. The organ contains three manual divisions with a large pedal division. A fourth manual controls the copper Trompette-en-chamade in the façade and holds preparations should a future antiphonal organ be installed at the south end of the church.
The pipework visible in the central portion of the instrument, immediately behind and above the horizontal Trompette-en-chamade, is that of the Positif organ. Behind these pipes may be seen the principals of the Grand Orgue and the large wooden pipes of the 32’ Contrebasse. To the left, in the west chamber, are the flutes and reeds of the Grand Orgue (lower chest) and the pipework of the Pedale (upper and rear chests). On the east side is the enclosed Rècit (Swell) division, which speaks both directly into the sanctuary through the decorative grillwork and also toward the central portion of the room.
Manual naturals are of ebony; sharps are of rosewood capped with ivory; pedal naturals are of maple; pedal sharps are of rosewood. All drawknobs, couplers, and thumb pistons are of rosewood, while all other parts of the console case and interior are of oak.
Specifications
Pedale
Flûte 32’
Contrebasse 16’
Soubasse 16’
Violon (G.O.) 16’
Bourdon (R.) 16’
Quintaton (P.) 16’
Octavebasse 8’
Flûte bouchée 8’
Cor de nuit (R.) 8’
Octave 4’
Flûte 4’
Flûte 2’
Grand cornet III
Mixture VI
Contrebombarde 32’
Bombarde 16’
Bombarde (G.O.) 16’
Basson (R.) 16’
Douçaine (P.) 16’
Trompette 8’
Douçaine (P.) 8’
Clairon 4’
Douçaine (P.) 4’
Grand Orgue
Violon 16’
Flûte à cheminée 16’
Montre 8’
Flûte harmonique 8’
Flûte à cheminée 8’
Prestant 4’
Flûte 4’
Grosse tierce 3 1/5’
Doublette 2’
Cornet III
Grande fourniture II-IV
Fourniture VI
Bombarde 16’
Trompette 8’
Clairon 4’
Tremblant
Tremblant
Rècit
Bourdon (bois) 16’
Principal etroit 8’
Cor de nuit 8’
Viole de gambe 8’
Voix céleste (GG) 8’
Octave 4’
Flûte octaviante 4’
Octavin 2’
Sesquialtera II
Plein jeu VI
Cymbale II
Basson 16’
Trompette 8’
Hautbois 8’
Voix humaine 8’
Clairon 4’
Tremblant
Positif
Quintaton 16’
Montre 8’
Bourdon (bois) 8’
Flûte douce 8’
Flûte céleste (TC) 8’
Prestant 4’
Flûte à fuseau 4’
Nasard 2 2/3’
Doublette 2’
Quarte de nasard 2’
Tierce 1 3/5’
Larigot 1 1/3’
Fourniture II
Cymbale IV
Douçaine 16’
Trompette 8’
Cromorne 8’
Chalumeau 4’
Tremblant
Solo
Trompette en Chamade 8’
Antiphonal
(Eight preparations)
Antiphonal Pedale
(Two preparations)
Couplers
Recit/Grand Orgue
Recit/Grand Orgue 16’
Positif/Grand Orgue
Solo-Antiphonal/Grand Orgue
Recit/Positif
Solo-Antiphonal/Positif
Grand Orgue/Pedale
Recit/Pedale
Positif/Pedale
Solo-Antiphonal/Pedale
Grand Orgue and Positif
Reverse
Full Organ
Crescendo Pedal
Chapel
The chapel houses a two-manual organ of 5 ranks, by the Reuter Organ Company of Lawrence, Kansas. The chapel organ, installed in 1956, was their opus 1167. The organ has electro-pneumatic action and a full pedal board.
Reuter Organ Company was founded in Trenton, Illinois in 1917. For the past thirty years, it has been operated by two generations of the Neutel family. In 2001, Reuter expanded its production facility and continues to produce significant instruments, notably Opus 2207 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Wilmette and Opus 2222 at Grace United Methodist in Naperville.
Organ Concerts
Check back for updates about organ concerts.
Please contact cathryn@firstunitedoakpark.com
• if you would like to be notified by E-mail about concerts
• if you are interested in practicing or performing at First United
Please contact financial@firstunitedoakpark.com
• if you would like to make a monetary gift to maintain the organ or present concerts in the future