Gallery
Skinner Organ Addition
All Hallows Church, Wyncote, Pa. 2021
In early 2021, Kehoe & Company, LLC completed sensitive additions to the original Skinner pipe organ, Opus 769 (1929) at All Hallows Church, Wyncote, Pa. The instrument was originally prepared for an 8’ Dulciana in the Choir division, but had a 2’ Piccolo installed in that space around 2007. While the Piccolo was useful when that pitch was required, its quality was strident and the division lacked the much-needed accompaniment stop intended by the builder.
The Dulciana and Unda Maris from Skinner’s Opus 762 (1929), originally installed in Orange, NJ were acquired, cleaned, and regulated to blend with the rest of the organ. Unfortunately, the lowest 12 basses of the 762 Dulciana were lost at some point, but we were able to substitute those same pipes from the 1896 Farrand & Votey Dulciana originally installed in Cyrus H.K. Curtis’ (1850-1933) Wyncote residence organ. Curtis being a founder of All Hallows made the connection all the more unique. He also paid for the church’s first pipe organ—an 1896 Farrand & Votey! Updates were made to the organ’s console, winding, and relay system, reproduction Skinner-style drawknob stems were custom made, and new-old-stock ivory drawknob heads were engraved with a painstakingly matched font. We wish to heartily thank those that helped make this project possible: Peter Rudewicz, Dr. James Jordan, Sean O’Donnell, Nelson Barden, Scott Kip, Jonathan Ambrosino, Randy Newman, Harris Precision Products, A.R. Schopp’s Sons, Inc., Opus-Two ICS, and Syndyne Corporation.
Swell Maintenance Project
Trinity Lutheran Church,
Hughesville, Pa. 2021
Trinity Lutheran’s 1971 M.P. Moller, Opus 10753 is a modest instrument, but needed some minor maintenance items taken care of and the Swell division had not been cleaned since the organ’s installation. Several pipes from the Trompette were collapsing, the chime action was failing, and the pneumatic shade engine as well as a concussion bellows needed complete re-leathering. Over the summer of 2021 all of the Swell pipes were removed and cleaned, the Trompette stop was straightened, repaired, and cleaned to be like-new by TRIVO Company, Inc. of Hagerstown, Maryland, the 7-stage Moller pneumatic shade engine and concussion bellow were re-leathered to original condition in the shop, and the entire Swell chamber was cleaned and prepared for another 50 years of service. Later, a new chime action was mounted opposite the organ chamber in the sanctuary and brings together both the aural and visual beauty organ chimes in the ornately decorated church. The polished brass chimes were previously installed in the Swell division where they could not be seen.
