TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE FOR THE APRIL 20 AND JULY 13 CONCERTS
Ticket price: $25
Click here to purchase tickets for John Scott’s concert on April 20.
Click here to purchase tickets for David Briggs’ concert on July 13.
Contact Kevin Kerstetter at: Kerstetter@HolyMichael.org for more information.
Nichols & Simpson, Inc., Organbuilders
47 Stops, 57 Ranks
Installation August-October 2011
GREAT ORGAN
16 Violone
8 Principal
8 Flute Harmonique
8 Bourdon
8 Violone
4 Octave
4 Nachthorn
2-2/3 Twelfth
2 Fifteenth
1-3/5 Seventeenth
IV-V Fourniture
8 Tuba Mirabilis (separate enclosure)
8 Festival Trumpet (located with Antiphonal)
8 Tromba (CHOIR)
8 Trumpet (SWELL)
Tremolo
Chimes (digital)
SWELL ORGAN
16 Lieblich
8 Open Diapason
8 Salicional
8 Voix Celeste
8 Chimney Flute
8 Flauto Dolce (ANTIPHONAL)
8 Flute Celeste (ANTIPHONAL)
4 Principal
4 Flute Octaviante
2-2/3 Nasard
2 Octavin
1-3/5 Tierce
II Plein Jeu
III Petit Plein Jeu
16 Double Trumpet
8 Trompette Harmonique
8 Trumpet
8 Hautbois
8 Vox Humana
4 Clarion
Tremolo
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Festival Trumpet
CHOIR ORGAN
16 Gemshorn
8 Geigen Diapason
8 Gedeckt
8 Gemshorn
8 Gemshorn Celeste GG
4 Principal
4 Koppelflote
2 Flautino
IV Mixture
8 Clarinet
8 Muted Trumpet (ANTIPHONAL)
Tremolo
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Festival Trumpet
16 Trombone
8 Tromba
4 Tromba Clarion
Cymbelstern
Harp
Celesta
PEDAL ORGAN
32 Violone
32 Contra Bourdon
16 Open Wood
16 Principal
16 Subbass
16 Violone (GREAT)
16 Lieblich (SWELL)
16 Gemshorn (CHOIR)
16 Antiphonal Gedeckt (ANTIPHONAL)
8 Octave
8 Grosse Bourdon
8 Violone (GREAT)
8 Chimney Flute (SWELL)
8 Gemshorn (CHOIR)
4 Choral Bass
4 Bourdon
32 Ophicleide (CHOIR)
16 Trombone (CHOIR)
16 Double Trumpet (SWELL)
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Festival Trumpet
8 Tromba (CHOIR)
8 Trumpet (SWELL)
4 Tromba (CHOIR)
4 Clarion (SWELL)
Chimes
ANTIPHONAL ORGAN
8 Principal
8 Gedeckt
8 Flauto Dolce
8 Flute Celeste
4 Octave
8 Muted Trumpet
Tremolo
COUPLERS
8 Great to Pedal
8 Swell to Pedal
4 Swell to Pedal
8 Choir to Pedal
4 Choir to Pedal
8 Antiphonal to Pedal
16 Swell to Great
8 Swell to Great
4 Swell to Great
16 Choir to Great
8 Choir to Great
4 Choir to Great
8 Antiphonal to Great
8 Choir to Swell
8 Antiphonal to Swell
16 Swell to Choir
8 Swell to Choir
4 Swell to Choir
8 Great to Choir
8 Antiphonal to Choir
CONSOLE
Three manual and pedal A.G.O. console. Case of oak. Interior of bees wing eucalyptus. Lighted music rack. Adjustable bench. Manual natural keys of polished bone and sharps of rosewood. Rosewood pedal sharps. Stop and intramanual coupler control by drawknobs of rosewood with bone discs inset for engraving. Intermanual coupler control by tilting tablets of bone. Thumb pistons of rosewood with bone caps for engraving (round style). Curved and double cut keycheeks, E.M. Skinner style. Solid-state combination action with 100 memories.
14 General pistons and toe pistons
7 Swell pistons
7 Great pistons
7 Choir pistons
5 Antiphonal pistons
5 Pedal pistons and toe pistons
General Cancel piston
Great to Pedal reversible piston and toe piston
Swell to Pedal reversible piston and toe piston
Choir to Pedal reversible piston and toe piston
Antiphonal to Pedal reversible piston and toe piston
Swell to Great reversible piston and toe piston
Choir to Great reversible piston and toe piston
Antiphonal to Great reversible piston
Swell to Choir reversible piston
Great to Choir reversible piston
Antiphonal to Choir reversible piston
32 Contra Bourdon reversible toe piston
32 Ophicleide reversible toe piston
Cymbelstern reversible piston and toe piston
All Swells to Swell reversible piston with light
Tutti I reversible piston and toe piston with light
Tutti II reversible piston and toe piston with light
Setter piston
Swell expression shoe
Choir expression shoe
Tuba expression shoe
Antiphonal expression shoe
Crescendo shoe with indicator
ICS Control Panel
MIDI Sequencer
Notes on the New Organ by the Organbuilder
The new pipe organ at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church replaces an instrument completed in 1977 by M. P. Möller, Inc., repaired and updated in 1996 by Schantz Organ Company.
The search for an organbuilder for a new instrument began in 2005 with inquiries to several organbuilders. In November, 2007, Kevin Kerstetter and eight members of the organ committee traveled to Little Rock to visit the Nichols & Simpson shop and to hear four instruments. In January, 2008, Joe Nichols, President of Nichols & Simpson, visited Raleigh to evaluate the Church’s worship space and existing organ, to meet with members of the building committee, the acoustical consultant and the architect, and to propose a new pipe organ for St. Michael’s.
In October, 2008, the Church executed a Letter of Intent with Nichols & Simpson for construction of the new instrument. The final contract was signed on April 13, 2010, and work began immediately in Nichols & Simpson’s shop. The tonal finishing was completed in early December of 2011.
The new Nichols & Simpson pipe organ at St. Michael’s consists of 47 stops and 57 ranks of pipes spread over four manual divisions and a pedal division, played from a three-manual moveable console, the outer case of which is constructed of oak to match the other furnishings, and the interior of which is made of burl eucalyptus. The manual keys are of polished bone and rosewood, the pedal keys are of maple and rosewood, and the drawknobs which control the stops are made of rosewood with bone faces engraved with the stop names. The combination action features 100 levels of memory, a record/playback sequencer and USB port. There are approximately 3,385 pipes ranging in size from the lowest 32-foot pipe to many approximately the size of a pencil.
The Swell division, operated by the top manual keyboard, is located on the right side of the chancel, and features warm flute stops, luscious strings, and an extensive reed chorus. All of the pipes of the swell division are enclosed with swell shades to allow expressive changes in the volume of this division. The Swell division is voiced on a wind pressure of 4-3/4”.
The Great and Choir divisions are located on the left side of the Chancel. The Great, operated by the middle manual of the console, includes, among other sounds, the primary foundation stops of the organ. The pipes of the Great division play on 4” of wind pressure and are unenclosed. This division is located immediately behind the pipes of the visible facade.
The Choir division, controlled by the bottom manual of the console and located behind the Great division pipes, and is often used for accompaniment. This division is enclosed to allow expressive changes in the volume of these pipes. In addition, the Choir features a lovely solo Clarinet stop. The Choir division operates on 4-1/2” of wind pressure.
The Pedal division is divided between both chambers, with its largest pipes reaching from floor to ceiling in the area behind the Great and Choir pipes in a new space that was created when the new chapel was constructed. The deepest sounds of the organ are produced by the 32’ Ophicleide and the 16’ Open Wood, its vintage pipes made of now-unobtainable California sugar pine, rebuilt by Nichols & Simpson.
The Antiphonal division, which may be played from any of the console’s three keyboards, is located in the rear of the Church, and features a polished brass Festival Trumpet (horizontal trumpet stop) and a sumptuous Flauto Dolce and Flute Céleste, the softest sounds of the organ. The lowest twelve notes of the Antiphonal Bourdon stop are the only pipes retained from the previous instrument. The purpose of the Antiphonal division is to ensure that the sound of the organ carries throughout the entire length of the nave for the enhancement of congregational singing. This division is voiced on 3-3/4” of wind pressure, while the Festival Trumpet is voiced on 5”.
The pipes of the commanding Tuba Mirabilis stop are located above the Choir chamber and enclosed in their own chamber for enhanced expressivity. This stop can easily speak over all the sounds of the rest of the organ combined, in part because it plays on 15” of wind pressure.
The extensive case work fronting the three locations of the organ was designed to fit the space visually and to lend aesthetic enhancement to the worship space. The inspiration for the pipe shade motif behind the tops of the facade pipes came from the angels’ wings in the stained glass window surrounding the Antiphonal organ.
Following the installation of the organ, each pipe was meticulously voiced to give it optimal effectiveness, to ensure that every pipe matches the other pipes in its rank, that each rank blends with the other ranks in its division, and that each division combines with the others to form an instrument of seamless integrity and beauty.
From the beginnings of our dealings with the people of St. Michael’s, we knew we were blessed. We never take lightly the commission to provide a new instrument to lead worship but the dedication of the people of St. Michael’s that we dealt with made us keenly aware of our responsibility. The trust placed in us to deliver the instrument they desired was humbling. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of many during our long stay in Raleigh to install and voice the organ. The sense of ownership that these people feel, having helped in so many ways with this project, will make the new organ even more special. Our relationship of client/builder has progressed into one of deep trust, profound respect and, ultimately, abiding friendship with many people of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. We are very grateful for the opportunity to provide this new instrument to lead and uplift the worship of the church for generations to come, and to play an important role in the musical community of the area. Soli Deo Gloria!
About the Organbuilder
Nichols & Simpson, Inc., Organbuilders, was incorporated in the State of Arkansas on August 17, 1983, to provide professional organbuilding, rebuilding and maintenance expertise to clients in Arkansas and its surrounding states. In the intervening years, the geographical scope of the company’s business has grown to a national scale, with instruments in Iowa, Michigan, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, Wisconsin, and now, North Carolina. The founding partners of this company, Joe Nichols and Wayne Simpson, are still involved in every aspect of every instrument that is built.
Nichols & Simpson operates in its own building in Little Rock, an 8,000-square-foot structure which houses the company’s workshop and offices. In addition to Mr. Nichols and Mr. Simpson, the firm employs seven other workers: three woodworkers, two pipe organ maintenance and repair technicians, an assistant voicer and an office manager. The company’s relatively small size is considered an asset that allows sharply focused attention to each instrument. With the installation of a state-of-the-art computer-aided drawing and design (CADD) system and a core of carefully cultivated subcontractors and employees, no job has proven to be too large or too small for Nichols & Simpson.
It is Nichols & Simpson’s conviction that no organ, within its own particular setting, is ever exactly like any other organ. Nichols & Simpson considers no instrument it builds to be complete until each and every pipe has been carefully "finished" tonally in the room in which it will play.
The company has garnered a wide-spread reputation for pipe organs of meticulously careful design, seamless tonal integrity and painstaking attention to the finished sound of each pipe within the instrument. This reputation is due in large part to the many musicians and music-lovers who have been so generous with praise for the company’s work.
Contact Kevin Kerstetter, Director of Music: Kerstetter@HolyMichael.org
Visit St. Michael’s Parish Website: www.HolyMichael.org
