First Presbyterian

Kent, Washington 1993

This is the first pipe organ for the Church, replacing an ailing electronic instrument.  The location for the organ is ideal with a striking visual presence in the small, intimate space that draws the eye from the case to the cross.  The use of both polished copper and tin pipes creates an elegant blend with a fairly simple angular casework, inspired by the ceiling lines surround the organ.

The casework is a simple design, incorporating solid red oak with access from the rear.  The façade pipes consist of the 16’ Principal in polished copper and the 8’ Octave in polished tin.  The angular design is inspired by the ceiling joists that surround the organ. All of the windchests are of unit action design, designed and built in the Marceau shop.  The Great and Swell windchests are hand crafted in a parallelogram design to fit into the casework, also of angular design.  The one Solo stop, a 5 rank Cornet, is located in the central tower of the case with a commanding aural presence in the room.

The console was originally built by the Reuter Organ Company for the Main Post Chapel at Ft. Lewis, south of Tacoma.  New Keyboards, stop controls were added with a combination action from Klann Organ Supply.  The diode matrix relay was provided by Solid State Logic and controls all electric communications between the console and the organ. Most of the new metal pipes were hand crafted by Stinkens of Holland, including the façade,  principal ranks, flutes and Pedal 16’ Posaune and Great 8’ Trumpet.  The Swell 8’ Oboe was custom built by AR Schopp’s Sons of Alliance, OH.  Vintage pipework from the Marceau inventory supplied the Swell flutes, strings, & mutation along with the Pedal 16’ Subbass.  All pipework was regulated to produce a unified musical ensemble.