Organ Evaluation Report.pdf

PROJECT # 621-20-101

Correct FCA Deficiencies with Historical Chapel

Building 13

James H. Quillen VA Medical Center Mountain Home, Tennessee

Organ Evaluation Report

June 03, 2021

PREPARED BY

Randall Dyer & Associates, Inc.

for

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Organ Evaluation Report

For

James H. Quillen VA Medical Center Mountain Home, Tennessee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND

SITE INVESTIGATION

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

HISTORY

OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED UPDATES

RESTORATION STEPS

PROTESTANT CHAPEL ORGAN

CATHOLIC CHAPEL ORGAN

BOTH ORGANS

PHOTOGRAPHS

ORGAN EVALUATION REPORT

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BACKGROUND

The historic Chapel (Building 13) at the James H. Quillen VAMC is planned for renovation to preserve this historic building. Part of that renovation will include restoration of the two pipe organs.

This report provides an assessment of the existing condition of the organs and the steps necessary to restore the organs to use.

SITE INVESTIGATION

This report follows an on-site inspection of two Moller pipe organs, one each in the Protestant and Catholic chapels, at the Mountain Home Veteran’s Administration Hospital, in Johnson City, Tennessee on Tuesday 18 May 2021.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The organ in the Catholic chapel is the smaller of the two organs, and has a total of six ranks, or rows of pipes, nearly all of which are “duplexed” to play on both manuals of the two-manual and Pedal console. Most of the pipes are enclosed in an expression box to enable the organist to control the volume of the organ by opening and closing “expression shades” on the front of the box. Speaking pipes outside that enclosure are said to be “non-expressive,” meaning that they sound the same volume level every time they are played, which is generally typical of all pipe organ construction.

The 16’ Bourdon stop in the Pedal is a separate rank that is outside the enclosure but behind the facade and case.

The organ in the Protestant chapel has a total of seven ranks, likewise, duplexed to play on both manuals, and includes the separate 16’ Bourdon in the Pedal. With the exception of the 8’ Diapason, several speaking pipes of which are contained and visible in the facade of this organ, the other manual stops are also enclosed in an expression box.

HISTORY

Both instruments originally date from the 1920s and were built by the M. P. Moller Organ Company, of Hagerstown, MD, now out of business for more than 20 years. Very similar in style and design, the Protestant organ is slightly larger by pipe count, and has a considerably larger display of facade pipes, several of which are speaking pipes, the latter in good condition though not necessarily painted a handsome color.

At some point in the 1950s, the organs were rebuilt by Mr. R. R. Perry, of Knoxville, Tennessee. Inasmuch as Mr.

Perry maintained the organ in our church, Randall Dyer recalls him speaking of the VA work while on a service call in Jefferson City. The rebuilding included the likely conversion of the organs from their original tubular-pneumatic action to electro-pneumatic action, wherein the valves are opened through the completion of a 15 volt DC electrical circuit. The work included new consoles built by Klann, Inc., of Waynesboro, VA. The Catholic console is visible in the balcony; the Protest console has been shoved back into that organ’s case and is hard to visualize due to the close quarters.

OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED UPDATES

In the interim since they were last used, the organs have suffered some significant damage, especially to the pipework, from visitors, both human and animal. Pipes up inside the organs have been pillaged, removed, stepped on, bent over, and otherwise damaged. Many will require significant repair; several will require outright replacement. Some are totally missing.

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In the Protestant Chapel organ there is also evidence of visitation by good-sized animals of some nature, such as a raccoon or opossum.

The blowers were not visualized, though are likely typical Moller (green) box blowers from the period, made in the Hagerstown factory. Generally speaking, these were somewhat noisy devices, and dangerous from the aspect of unprotected rotating parts when running. Modern blowers are considerably more compact and quiet, and can potentially be placed inside the organs themselves, in a sound-proof box, rather than remotely.

It should be stated that the tonal design, that configuration of pipes that give the organs their distinctive sound is not typical of present-day organs, and is somewhat limited in playing the extended literature of the instrument, as is currently in use today. Present-day organists would say the sound of the organs is “romantic.” That said, given that the primary use of the organs would likely be the accompaniment of religious services, including liturgy on the Catholic side, sung by those gathered there, redesign of the tonal resources does not seem especially necessary. Rebuilt, both organs would be capable of playing both meditative music as would be used to open and close a service, and accompanying liturgy, including the singing of hymns. Some would likely describe the sound of the organs as “sweet.”

If the organs were anticipated to be used an outreach to the community, in terms, for instance, of periodic concerts, both organs would prove disappointing and limiting to the player, without some additions.

Given the stated desire of exposing as much of the window as possible in the Protestant chapel, the builder suggests disposal of the existing mechanical parts of both organs, defined as consoles (both decrepit at this point), wind systems (blowers and existing wind reservoirs), and existing windchests, the horizontal boxes on which the pipes stand. The latter are bulky, and space-defining on their own, and of a type with about a 40-year lifespan. It is possible some existing elements of the present casework could be retained and refinished, though that could not be determined until detailed drawings were prepared.

Regarding the Protestant instrument, the missing internal pipes could then be replaced with new pipes in kind, damaged pipes that are repairable could be repaired, and all pipes planted on new, all-electric chests that would be devoid of future releathering needs, rendering considerably longer life expectancy. The organ would be split on each side of the window, the case split and added to in-style as necessary, and the console would be a separate unit which could be placed on the floor in any desired location, or made movable on a roll-around platform.

Though the visual considerations in the Catholic chapel will likely not define that instrument, it may be considered to design something more visually attractive than the current pipe fence which is jammed up against the ceiling.

New mechanicals, as described for the Protestant organ, would be provided to play the existing and replacement pipes, in the current space.

It should be noted that modern solid-state relays allow recording and playback of service music, so that the attendance of a live organist during services would not necessarily be required.

Along similar lines to rebuilding the VA organs, our firm recently completed the rebuilding of an 1881 Hook and Hastings tracker organ for St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Bristol.

RESTORATION STEPS

The Restoration Contractor shall have a minimum of 10 years of experience restoring historic organs.

The following is the requested step-by-step procedure for removal, reconstitution, and reinstallation of both organs at the VA Mountain Home Chapel, work to be done on both instruments at the same time:

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PROTESTANT CHAPEL ORGAN

Prior to removal, a reasonable dollar-estimate value will be made of the parts to be salvaged for reuse, and our insurance carrier will be notified for coverage.

1. Remove the existing organ and case, including carefully packing the pipework so as not to damage any more pipes than are already smashed or missing, taking inventory of the latter as we go, but backed up by a complete laying out of all pipes once they arrive at our shop, to determine necessary repairs/replacement.

2. Careful measuring of space so as to be able to make a complete layout drawing of the organ, as if it were a new instrument.

3. Careful packing of the various parts of the instrument into our truck for transport to our shop in Jefferson City. We have a complete shop, capable of building all-new organs from rough lumber to completion and testing, prior to shipment. We have 400 packing blankets and special trays for carrying more than 60 ranks of pipes at a time.

Upon arrival at the Restoration Contractor’s shop:

4. Salvageable pipework will be transferred to the voicing department, where each pipe will be carefully inspected, catalogued, and washed. Missing or damaged pipes will be noted and an order placed with a pipemaker for replacements and repairs, whereupon the pipes will be delivered via company truck, to his shop near Canton, OH. Existing and usable pipes will be straightened and reused; missing pipes will be replaced in kind with new pipes.

5. Those existing physical components to be reused will be catalogued and dimensioned in order to prepare a complete blueprint and shop orders for cut stock.

6. Construction of a new console shell, in material and style to match the Chapel, will be started in the mill room; likewise new all-electric chests to replace the existing 100-year-old electro-pneumatic chests (with the possible exception of the Pedal 16’ Bourdon chest, which could be rebuilt in kind after inspection of the original part).

7. Console case and associated parts would be completed first, and the console shell moved to the console room for fitting of new or carefully reconstructed manual and pedal keys, stop controls and other working parts, including a modern all-electric relay system for the operation of the pipe valves and coupler systems.

Provide electric relay systems that provide the opportunity to record music of the organist’s choosing for playback at a later desired time.

8. Parts of existing casework deemed reusable will be tank-stripped by an outside paint contractor in Knoxville, TN, and re-dimensioned and altered to fit the new plan in the Restoration Contractor’s shop. New casework of wood in kind will be constructed to finish off the exposed-to-view cabinetwork.

9. Once constructed, the pipes will be fitted to the new windchests, with appropriate additional racks and bracing for taller pipes. Windchests will be constructed of heavy poplar lumber and multi-ply void less plywood. All non-visible woodwork will be finished with two heavy coats of lacquer sanding-sealer, sanded between coats, and once the pipes have been fitted to the chests, electro-magnets will be installed under the pipe holes.

10. Following the spraying of two heavy coats of lacquer-sanding sealer, sanded between coats, the windchests would be taken to the clean-assembly are where a wiring harness would be constructed, with the magnets wired in a loom, using high-quality color-coded telephone cable.

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11. A floor frame, outlining the space the instrument is to occupy in the chapel, will be constructed, finished, and laid out in the erecting room, whereupon legs, support bearers for the chests, expression enclosure, etc. will be constructed and set up for testing of fit. While in the erecting area, each chest will be tested electrically to make sure the various parts are working correctly.

12. In the meantime, all pipes, having been cleaned, repaired or replaced as necessary, will be placed on the “voicing machine,” a small organ in a special room where each individual existing and new pipe will be put on speech, tuned, played, then wrapped to prevent damage in transit and loaded in special trays built for hauling and storing of organ pipes.

CATHOLIC CHAPEL ORGAN

Being elevated off the main floor, the necessary scaffolding and hoisting equipment will be provided to lift the various pipes and parts of the Catholic Chapel organ down to the main floor, where loading of pipe trays as above, will be staged.

As with the Protestant Chapel organ, the various parts will be loaded into a truck for transport to the shop. As with the Protestant Chapel organ, and likely in the same time frame, various similar operations as described above, will be carried out for both organs at the same time, including transportation of the pipes to the pipe maker’s shop.

BOTH ORGANS

Both organs will be built in kind, following complete and separate working drawings, with windchests, air reservoirs, consoles and other pertinent equipment, provided as new except as specified above.

Both organs to have a new-organ warranty, with the exclusion that any and all service work will be performed by Restoration Contractor.

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PHOTOGRAPHS

Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Figure 3

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Figure 4

PHOTOGRAPHS