First United Methodist Church - Mishawaka, IN
First United Methodist Church is an architectural and spiritual pillar in the South Bend-Mishawaka area. Evangelist Billy Sunday preached his last sermon here, and the congregation remains spiritually committed to the message of the gospel. This splendid gothic building with its softly colored stained glass windows is also a musical center in the area. The Austin organ anchors a multi-faceted music program that includes adult and children's choirs, bell choirs, and instrumentalists. The church often provides rehearsal and performance space for the St. Joseph Valley Camerata, a professional choir that specializes in music from the Renaissance to the early Romantic periods. David Seitz is the founding director of this great vocal ensemble, and Christine Seitz accompanies. Based on our careful examination of the organ, along with conversations with Christine Seitz, we determined that a more comprehensive renovation of the organ was needed. This was particularly true of the console and control systems of the instrument. The electrical contacts in the console were burned and pitted from decades of music-making, and had become unreliable. We found that several stops had been planned for the original organ that, for financial reasons, had not been installed when the instrument was built. Finally, we noted Christine's wish that the organ could be upgraded to include a multiple-level combination action and a MIDI interface.
The tonal design of the organ was completed with the addition of the new stops that had been planned but never installed. In addition, the Choir division of the organ was revised tonally to include a 4' Spitzprincipal stop, making that division much more useful. The excellent Austin Universal Air Chest was in nearly perfect condition, with leather that still looked new after nearly four decades, and required no major repairs. To control this great instrument, Reynolds Associates provided a new drawknob console constructed of solid cherry. The console includes three new manual keyboards that were custom built for this organ by one of Europe's leading keyboard makers. A Peterson ICS4000 integrated control system provides the organ with a combination action that operates on 100 separate levels, and can be assignable to regular and guest organists. The control system uses dependable multiplex switching, operating through standard Ethernet equipment, allowing the console to be connected to the pipes through a single cable that is about the thickness of a pencil. This allows the organ console to be moved to any location of the church's newly redesigned platform. The instrument has a full MIDI interface that includes powerful tools for worship and for concert. Through the MIDI system, organists can prerecord music that can be played back by the console's onboard computer, providing, in effect, a player pipe organ. This is especially useful as a practice tool, allowing the organist to record a selection and then review the performance from the nave. We also included a General MIDI module, built into the organ. Controlled from the Peterson control panel in the console, this electronic instrument allows the organist to include special effects sounds such as harp, bells, and orchestral instrumentation at the touch of a button and without the need to string wires and set up speakers. On May 16, 2004, the organ was rededicated in a Sunday afternoon recital featuring organ virtuoso Ken Cowan. The program was fittingly titled, "Let the Pealing Organ Blow", a reference to a poem by 17th century poet John Milton: There let the pealing organ blow View Organ Specifications |
We were first contacted by First United Methodist Church in Mishawaka, IN because that congregation was interested in adding a horizontal Trompette en Chamade to their 1968 Austin organ. Following our first conversation with the church's Director of Music, David Seitz, and his wife Christine, the church's organist, we were asked to take over the routine care of the organ, and to provide a detailed proposal that would include both the new trumpet and any other repairs or improvements that might be needed.
The project that developed did indeed include a splendid new Trompette en Chamade, constructed of solid copper with brightly polished bells projecting over the heads of the singers. This stop offers a majestic presence that can sing out over the sound of the full organ. It is a trumpet sound that is warm, powerful, and embracing, rather than the harsh, aggressive sound that is sometimes found in such stops.