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Messages - DonVerKuilenOrganist

#1
Hello,

My name is Don VerKuilen. I am the organist at First Presbyterian Church in Green Bay. I am very upset about all the comments going on these sites about the project of our pipe organ. In the process of doing this organ, the historical value of the organ was taken in to a lot of thought. I would just like to clear up some things about the project. Some of the article I dont think was worded quite the way I wanted it to be. They are making it sound like its going to be all knew and we are just going to throw the old one away. Thats really not the case. The old organ had some BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL sounds to it. It was soooooooo romantic sounding. It was very important to me that all those sounds would be kept and enhanced by some additions to the organ to make it a bigger sound, and able to play just about anything.

Before I was at the church, a previous organist had taken the 8′ Viola D' Amor and cut it in half, calling it a 2′ Principal. They didn't even care to change the stop tab, the just put a piece of masking tape on the stop and wrote in blue pen the new name. They had also taken out the 8′ Vox Humana and put in a rather nasty sounding 8′ Trumpet. Now I know the poor sound of the Trumpet may very well of been from the the old resivoir. The organ was getting less than 2″ of wind when It was to be on 4". Everything else on the organ is wonderful. There was also a later addition of a 4' Octave that was done really well!

Every Sunday something was going wrong on the organ. After the fire in the building the organ was caked in black. There were a lot of dead notes and when I got there, whole ranks of pipes didn't play. Something needed to be done!
In the new organ WE ARE KEEPING ALLL THE PIPE WORK OTHER THAN THE RUINED VIOLA D' AMOR AND THE ADDED TRUMPET! We are also adding a new trumpet and an Oboe to the swell. Instead of using the Unit Bourdon to play at 8,4,2, and 2 2/3 we are adding a 2' Block flute and a 2 2/3 Nazard. On the great we will add a 4' Octave, 2' principal, and a 4rnk Mixture. We are keeping the 8' Diapason from the old organ in the great and putting the added swell 4' Octave in the swell. In the pedal, we are adding a Haskell Base 16' Principal instead of the old Wangerin's Resultant 16' Principal. We are keeping the 16' Bourdon. Also adding a 16' Trumpet! Wahoo! All this will be played from a new console.

It will be easy to play the old wangerin it will just have some new parts so that It can last for years and years and years. I don't intend on having an organ that screeches, or has a poor sound. It will be a solid organ that will help support singing and also be able to play a wide range or lit for the organ. I am very happy, and excited for the organ to finish. We are getting close, should be done in late Jan. I will post about the dedication concert!

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