The Asbury Casavant
By Robert E. Young
Director of Music Ministries
The Asbury Casavant Pipe Organ Undergoes Restoration
How does the organ fit into the Master Plan?
One question that is often asked is the connection between the organ project and the Master Plan Task Force. The organ project is not part of the Master Plan, nor of that Task Force. The organ renovation is a matter that has been on the table for many years with the Trustees, and is being completed at this time simply because of the frail condition of the internal workings of the instrument.
The organ sounds fine, why do we need to fix
something that appears not to be broken?
Another question that is frequently asked is how the organ can be in such bad shape when it sounds so good? Most of the parts of the organ that are failing have nothing to do with the sound. Most of the actual pipes are in fine shape. A few of the pipes are starting to fall towards the University side of the church, yes fall over—but are still speaking (and standing), most of the pipes that use “tongues” in their makeup (like trumpets, oboes) have to be redone just because of age (and although don’t speak freely, are still speaking), a few pipes are being replaced simply to update the instrument, and all of the pipes are simply being cleaned just because it is the logical time to do that. So in general, yes most of the actual pipes are still functioning well and the organ sounds fine. However, in general, it is not the pipes that need the majority of the work, it is integral parts of the organ, those parts that help the organist control the instrument from the keyboards, the electrical work, to the leather work, etc. that are failing. This is why the organ “sounds” fine, but internally is suffering. It is no different than seeing a person who looks healthy, but internally is struggling with a life threatening illness. At some point in the near future, the body will fail because of the internal parts. It is no different with an organ.
Couldn’t we repair the organ after the
Master Plan Tasks have been completed?
Another question that is asked is about the timing of having to do the organ at approximately the same time as that of the Master Plan. This question, of course, assumes that we, the church, planned the organ to need this work at the same time as everything else the church wants to do. Yes, it is just as poor timing for the organ as it is for that person with the life threatening illness. It is our hope that the organ fund raising will not take that long, and we can proceed with a healthy Master Task Plan. One thing we know for sure, the organ will not make it successfully through the Master Plan tasks.
Why don’t we just buy a new one?
Another question raised is, if we need to spend almost five hundred thousand dollars to refurbish this organ, why not just by a new one? Of course we could do that, and we could purchase a fine organ for that price. The present cost of a new organ is approximately $12,000.00 per rank or to state that simply for a lay person, basically, per stop. If we were to purchase a new instrument at five hundred thousand dollars, we would be looking at about 42 ranks/stops of organ. The reason the Trustees did not decide to do that is that 42 stops would be a most modest size for this sanctuary and music program, and it is about half the size of the present instrument. The current organ is 80 ranks with a replacement value of about $960,000. So in purchasing a new instrument, we would be downgrading to about half the organ that we are currently used to listening to, and then we have the problem of getting rid of the present instrument if we were to purchase a new one; because, the very small market out there for used pipe organs, is for small organs that are more easily transported and installed.
Exactly what is malfunctioning on the organ?
Almost everything mechanical is malfunctioning or is worn out. Part 2: Exactly What Will be Done? will take you to the list of things that will be replaced, repaired, refurbished. It is separated by what each organ company is responsible for doing. It is very technical, so for those that don’t know organ terminology, I will just fill you in on the part I know about the best, the organ console (that part of the organ the organist plays—the keyboards). Now--just to give you an idea, here are some things that are problematic with just the console: The keyboards and pedal keyboard are beyond regulation—they need to be scrapped and new ones installed—some notes play easy, some play hard, some don’t play, sometimes they won’t stop playing or will play for several seconds after you release them or won't play until you have held them down for a while. Stops are going out because leathers are defecting letting the air escape through the leather making it impossible to engage the stop. Combination action is not reliable—sometimes the settings that an organist sets can be recalled accurately when engaged, and sometimes stops just come out randomly making absolutely no sense at all. Sometimes the combination action will just change entirely without any notice not recalling anything that looks familiar at all, couplers sometimes work and sometimes don’t. Sometimes an organist can pull on a stop that is supposed to play on one keyboard and it will play on another without advance warning. Sometimes the big/loud trumpet will not turn off, or not turn on, or keep going on and off randomly and the organist cannot control it. Sometimes stops will not turn off when the organist pushes them in--the organist can push them in, and they will jump right back out and keep playing. This is just some of the problem, as I said, the list is under Part 2.
How long will the organ be gone?
The organ is scheduled to be dismantled, packaged, and shipped back to either Baltimore or St. Hyacinthe, Québec in April 2009, and returned sometime in October 2009 with assembly and voicing to be completed by the end of November. We are assured that the organ will be playing by the end of November 2009.
Will the new Carillon be playable from the refurbished organ?
Yes, the parts necessary to enable the tower carillon to be played from the console both in the tower and in the sanctuary can and will be installed on the refurbished organ console.
How long will this renovation keep the organ in good shape?
With proper maintenance, a quality organ or piano will go for about 50 years before needing major rebuilding work. We are shy a few years on the Casavant and Steinway, we think because of the lack of temperature control in the sanctuary until just a few years ago. With the new digital AC/Heat and humidity controls that are now regulating the sanctuary and many other areas of the church via computer, the church and music program should be very well suited for the next 50 plus years. The work that is being done on the organ should situate the music program and this congregation through the year 2060.
If you have a question that you would like to ask, you may send it to Robert at robert@asburyweb.org, and an answer will be found one way or another. God bless.
