Builder: W. W. Kimball Company, 1934 Originally: Steere Organ Company, 1918 Manuals: 4 Ranks: 46 Action: Electropneumatic Notes: Many companies were considered to build the Memorial Chapel's second organ, but it came down to just two: Aeolian Skinner and Kimball. It was decided to go with the Kimball proposal in the belief that it would be a better accompaniment instrument for the Lawrence choral program. In addition, the Skinner proposal was about $5,000 higher than the Kimball; Skinner wanted to build an entirely new console because the Steere console was not compatible with their mechanisms. In the midst of the Depression, that was a significant sum. So, the contract went to Kimball, retaining the Steere console and much of the Steere pipework. The side chambers were abandoned, and the organ pipes were installed behind a wooden screen on a 40-foot-wide shelf along the back wall of the stage. The organ, the largest concert hall organ in Wisconsin, now spoke directly into the chapel auditorium. The console was on the stage at first but was later moved to the main floor to make more room for productions of the theatre department. Lavahn Maesch, who taught organ at Lawrence until his retirement in 1970, dedicated the Kimball on March 21, 1934. Given in memory of Samuel Plantz, Lawrence's longest-serving president, the Kimball organ was a more complete instrument by far than the Steere and featured some very beautiful solo and accompaniment stops (many of which found their way into what would be the third organ in the Chapel, the Schantz organ of 1965). It was heard in recitals by many of the world's great organists, including E. Power Biggs, who performed at Lawrence in 1949 and in 1955. GREAT ORGAN 16' Open Diapason 61 8' First Diapason 61 8' Second Diapason 61 8' Harmonic Flute 61 8' Gemshorn 61 4' Octave 61 4' Harmonic Flute 61 2.2/3' Twelfth 61 2' Fifteenth 61 III Mixture 183 8' Tromba 61 Chimes (pf) SWELL ORGAN 16' Bourdon 73 8' Diapason 73 8' Gedeckt 73 8' Salicional 73 8' Voix Celeste 73 4' Principal 73 4' Flauto Traverso 73 2' Flautino 61 III Mixture 207 16' Waldhorn 73 8' Cornopean 73 8' Oboe 73 8' Vox Humana 61 Tremolo CHOIR ORGAN 8' Geigen Principal 73 8' Concert Flute 73 8' Dulciana 73 8' Flauto Dolce 73 8' Flute Celeste 61 4' Flute d’Amour 73 2.2/3' Nazard 61 8' Clarinet 73 Harp (pf) Tremolo PEDAL ORGAN 32' Resultant 16' First Diapason 32 16' Second Diapason Gt 16' Bourdon 32 16' Dulciana 32 16' Lieblich Gedeckt Sw 8' Octave 12 8' Flute 12 8' Gedeckt Sw 16' Trombone 32 8' Tromba 12 Chimes (pf) |
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