HISTORY
The original plans were for a new pipe organ in the main church when the organ committee discovered a marvelous opportunity in a sizable used instrument. In 1996, the Vestry approved the committee’s recommendation to purchase a pipe organ built in 1968 by the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, N.Y. for First Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. Except for the swell division reeds (added in 1990 by Daniel Angerstein) most of the 65 ranks of pipes exist on slider windchests built by Heissler Organ Company of Germany.The Nebraska church used the organ until April 1997 when Larry Trupiano moved and rebuilt the organ with the assistance of Gilbert F. Adams and Darwin Klug who also helped move the Hook and Hastings Organ. This formidable move, involving days of dismantling, an 18 wheeler and a very large U-Haul truck, resulted in a large deposit of organ pipes and parts in the Parish Hall. This unusual display encouraged parish members to raise the additional funds to complete the $200,000 project! Meanwhile the organ console was being rebuilt in Brooklyn. The project was accomplished thanks to total parish support.
On January 16, 1998, Helen VanAbbema gave the inaugural concert to a capacity audience. Later that spring, renowned organist David Higgs gave a concert. He was preceded by an international performance legacy in Lincoln that included Virgil Fox, Hector Olivera, Madame Duruflé, Gillian Weir, Sir David Willcocks, and John Scott.
In Lincoln, the organ pipes were hidden by a cloth screen. Their arrangement at St. James left them exposed in an attractive manner but some case work was necessary to hide the mechanics. This project was completed July of 2003 by craftsman Andy Scott of Bierster Builders in Fairhope, following the inspiration of architect Mac Walcott who is a member of the parish.
1968 Schlicker Heissler Stop List
Great Organ
Prestant 16’
Principal 8’
Prestant 8’
Harmonic Flute 8’
Stop’d Diapason 8’
Octave 4’
Flute 4’
Super Octave 2’
Mixture IV-VI
Acuta IV
Bassoon 16’ (Swell)
Trumpet 8’
Trompette 8’ (Swell)
Great to Great 16’
Goetter Trumpet 8’ (Swell)
Swell Organ enclosed
Lieblich Gedackt 16’
Salicional 8’
Celeste 8’
Dolce 8’
Chimney Flute 8’
Principal 4’
Spire Flute 4’
Nazard 2-2/3’
Flautino 2’
Tierce 1-3/5’
Mixture V
Bassoon 16’
Trompette 8’
Oboe 8’
Clarion 4’
Vox Humana 8’
Goetter Trumpet 8’
Tremolo
Positif Organ
Prestant 8’ (great)
Gedackt 8’
Principal Flute 8’
Harmonic Flute 8’ (great)
Dolcan 8’
Principal 4’
Rohr Flute 4’
Nazard 2 2/3’
Fifteenth 2’
Tierce 1 3/5’
Scharf IV
Cromorne 8’
Holzdulzian 8’
Oboe 8’ (swell)
Goetter Trumpet 8’ (Swell)
Tremolo
Pedal Organ
Sub Bourdon 32’
Open Wood 16’
Bourdon 16’
Prestant 16’ (great)
Lieblich Gedackt 16’(swell)
Quint Flute 10 2/3’
Octave 8’
Gedackt 8’
Flute 8’ (great)
Super Octave 4’
Flute 4’
Nacht Horn 2’
Mixture II
Mixture IV
Contra Posaune 32’
Bombarde 16’
Bassoon 16’ (swell)
Trumpet 8’
Trompette 8’ (swell)
Clarion 4’
Oboe 4’ (swell)
Goetter Trumpet 8’ (swell)
