St. Olaf College

Northfield, MN 55057


Builder: Hendrickson Organ Co, Opus 16, 1972
Manuals: 1
Ranks: 3
Action: Mechanical

Notes: This is a portativ organ designed to load onto a bus so the St. Olaf Choir could take it on tour.

To reduce size and weight, the bass end has a historic "short octave" where the lowest note appears to be E.

The blower is in a box over the treble end of the wind chest. Key action is by wires and pulleys. The keyboard folds down into the case, and there are beams under the case that pull out in order to lift it.

Charles Hendrickson and I (David Engen) waited at the Greyhound bus stop in St. Peter one evening in order to measure the opening of the door so we'd be sure the organ would fit.

At one point during its travels someone decided the action in the short octave was wrong and they attempted to correct it by moving the wires -- causing Kenneth Jennings and Jay Engquist consternation during a concert when it seemed Jay was playing the wrong notes. On another occasion it was unloaded in such as way that the pipes fell out.

Several copies of this organ were made, one going to the Rockford (IL) Boys Choir. Voicing by Robert Sperling. The picture shows the new walnut organ with organ professor Robert Thompson.

MANUAL
8' Gedeckt
4' Spillfloete
2' Praestant