The Phelps organ restoration moves towards its completion.

Phases 3 and 4 will be done together to save time, rental, ad travel expenses.

To review:
Phase one: Restoring the console was finished in late 2018. This involved adjusting the individual keys of both key boards so they are level and have the correct amount of travel. The stop knob units were rebuilt, replacing dried out and crumbled foam, bump stops with new felt ones, making them work properly and more quietly. The entire mechanical key action for both manuals and pedals were adjusted to work just like new.

PHASE two: Restoring the Grande Orgue division played from the lower keyboard was completed last summer. This the part of the organ in the center of the case and contains more pipes than any other part of the organ, nearly half of the 2146 pipes in the organ. This was a particularly difficult part of the organ to work on due to its height and the large number of people needed to pass the pipes up and down the very tall scaffolding.

This year:
Phase Three

·        The Positif division played from the upper keyboard. This is the part of the organ in the lower center of the case.

·        Just like last year's Grande Orgue, the pipes will be removed, cleaned and boxed.

·        The interior of the organ will be cleaned and nearly 500 slider seals will be removed cleaned and returned to their toeboards.

·        The windchests will be cleaned and the sliders provided with new solenoid bushings adjusted to have the proper travel.

·        New Interior LED lighting will be installed to make future work easier, then the pipes will be reinstalled and tuned.

·        The reed pipes will have their rackboards reworked to hold the reed boots more securely for greater tuning stability, replacing ones damaged by previous tuning.

·        Finally an organ voicer will join the team and will painstakingly adjust every pipe (2146) so that it speaks perfectly and matches its neighbor in tone and loudness.

Phase 4,

·        The Pedale division. played by the feet. This will be restored in the same manner as the Positif and Grande Orgue. The only exception is that 32 pipes will be replaced with new ones. These are the pipes immediately behind the large copper facade pipes on either side of the organ case.

·        The original pipes suffered from being made of a too soft alloy, and over the years gravity caused them to collapse. They were partially repaired in the early 1990's by Joe Phillips working in consultation with Mr. Phelps. That gave these pipes several years more of life, but it is time to replace them. Many have failed again. So rather than trying to fix these weak pipes it' time to replace them.

·        The new pipes will come from Shires Organ Pipes of Leeds England, the finest pipe makers in the world today. These pipes will be made of a stronger alloy so they will not collapse.

The restoration work will commence on Monday 17 February with the help of three organ restoration specialists from Boston. The same people who worked on the organ in 2019. The work will take to weeks. The work on the reed pipes will follow. After another period of tuning the organ should be finished before Mother's Day.

St Luke's Parishioners should be very proud of their commitment to excellent organ music and the contributions you have made to preserve this fine instrument for future generations.

Jim Steinborn