The Organ Might "Look" Done...

Wednesday, October 12, 3:12 PM

 When you come to church this weekend, you may notice that the organ looks completely finished. Don't be fooled. There is are a few pipes still to arrive and a lot of tuning work to be completed in the next few weeks. But, gosh, doesn't it look awesome?

After the workers from Holtkamp delivered the second 18-wheeler full of organ parts, the crew of six has been working at full throttle to get the majority of pipes and the console in place and functional.

Yesterday we said goodbye to four members of Holtkamp, who have finished their work and will return to their families in Ohio. Three of them had been with us for a whole month!

We are thankful for their hard work, skill and dedication to our organ. Here are a few pictures from over the past week illustrating just how fast they've worked.

Wednesday, October 5, 1:15 PM

Friday, October 7, 11:04 AM

Tuesday, October 11, 9:34 AM

Tuesday, October 11, 5:12 PM

The Pipes Are Here!

A Rare Look Inside the Organ

This coming Monday, October 3, (update 10/03/11: The pipes have been delayed until Wednesday) the second truckload of parts to our pipe organ will arrive, this time containing the metal pipes! As the members of Holtkamp Organ Company continue to work over the next couple weeks, the organ will begin to look more like...an actual pipe organ...with pipes!

Sensing a rare opportunity, I asked Terry O'Connor, who is leading the installation, for a tour inside the organ. Here is the first of several short videos from this tour. We are inside the choir area which will soon be filled with pipes. Enjoy!

Week Two of Organ Installation

If you haven't been inside the sanctuary since September 11, you've missed seeing all the work that has been done so far on the organ installation!

Below are some photos from various points over the last ten days. We've also recently announced some exciting events coinciding with the pipe organ's dedication in November.

• Oktoberfest Worship and Dinner, October 1 at 5:00 PM  Click here to learn more and register.
• Pizza and Pipes Halloween Party, October 29 at 6:00 PM (wear your costume!) Click here to learn more.
• Organ Dedication at Worship, Weekend of November 12-13, all worship services
• Organ Recital and Dinner, October 18 at 6:30 PM

Now on with the photos!

Some of the many plans and blueprints for the organ. It is quite complex!

September 14, 2011

September 15, 2011

September 16, 2011

September 21, 2011

Pastor Chris Smith demonstrates a possible use for an organ piece.

Wooden pipes

The Heart of the Beast! Or Blower, if you prefer.

Original pipes from the Macalester organ needed to be altered so that they would fit within the space in our sanctuary. These pipes were originally all straight, like the bottom-most one. The top three needed to be "bent" to fit the space. This bending does not alter the sound.

Here you can see an original Macalester pipe (top) next to one newly constructed by Holtkamp (bottom)

The Organ Arrives!

Early on Monday morning, pieces of the new pipe organ--a full truckload,
in fact--began arriving at Shepherd of the Valley.

Many of the pieces in this first shipment consist of the wood casework
and wooden pipes. Metal pipes will arrive later.

The staff of the Holtkamp Organ Company also arrived Monday. They will be with us for many weeks, installing, constructing, tuning and voicing the organ, working 10 hour days, 7 days a week.

 

(From left) Jennifer Maxwell, Interim Director of Operations,
Mark Ertl, Director of Music and Worship, and
Kristen Holien, Administrative Assistant, were among the staff,
members, andvolunteers present in the early morning of September 12
when the first parts of the newsanctuary pipe organ arrived from
Holtkamp Organ Company in Ohio.

The two wooden pipes pictured were the first to be unloaded.

Don't worry--the sanctuary will be cleaned up by Saturday for worship!

Design work completed!

Below is the June letter from the Holtkamp Organ Company, detailing their progress. One of the coolest things we learned recently is that the organ's original blower which was very noisy--about 90 db--was able to be refurbished so successfully, that it now runs at a quiet 20 db. Thanks to Holtkamp's work a 60 year old motor will run smoothly for another 100 years!

Dear Pastor Smith:


Our work progress at this point includes the following: all design work for the organ has been completed. Final drawings are now being printed for the purpose of supporting the installation of your pipe organ at your church. The construction of the extensive network of windlines is nearly complete. The larger wood pipes are being modified so that they will fit in the organ chamber. Large case frame components are being constructed and set up in our shop.


All electro-pneumatic chest components have been either refurbished or constructed. Wiring for windchests has been started. Wiring plugs have been attached to cables. Several hundred feet of wire will be used to connect the console to the windchests and to other supporting components.


The blower has been refurbished and installed in our erecting room. The operation of the blower is substantially better now - the blower operates quietly and efficiently. Voicing of pipes continues to progress - the large 16' Trombone pipes are now voiced to produce its desired sound. Voicing is complete on the Choir 1 3/5' Tierce, the Great 16' Violone, and the Swell 8' Hautbois.


The pipe additions for the Great Mixture ranks and the Swell Plein Jeu ranks have been constructed (144 pipes in all). Pipes that have been chosen to be re-used for your organ have been repaired as required. The large exposed pipes are now being constructed. These pipes will be displayed in the front area of the organ.


Pipe racking has progressed rapidly; racking of both the Swell and Choir divisions is now 50% complete. Racking for the Great 8' Tuba Harmonique has been started. The organ console work is in its final stages of construction. At this time the console base is being worked on. The remaining console electrical components have been ordered, namely the console lights, the toe pistons, and the drawknobs. These components are machined to exacting specifications for use in your organ console.


Sincerely,
F. Christian Holtkamp, President

April Update from Our Organ Builder

April 11, 2011

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Attn: Christopher Smith
12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road
Apple Valley, MN 55124

Dear Pastor Smith:

Our work progress at this point includes the following: our design engineer continues to communicate with the architects to resolve several issues that have come up related to the pipe organ installation. Drawings continue to be produced for the construction and assembly of your pipe organ. The swell box enclosure has been set up in our erecting room. The wind system has progressed rapidly—several windlines have been constructed and fit to specifications. Concussion bellow assemblies have been constructed—fourteen in all. Fan enclosure boxes have also been constructed. The unit windchest components have been constructed and fit together—including the large pedestal unit windchest components.

The new console for your organ has progressed well, most notably the keyboards are now being worked on. Each of the 183 keys mechanisms require special attention. The larger wood pipes are being fitted for use in your pipe organ. Pipe surfaces requiring refinishing have been stripped of their old finish.

Currently, two sets of organ pipes are being worked on—the 8’ Flauto Dolce and the 8’ Spitzviol. Both sets require modifications so that these pipes may fit in the organ chamber. Additionally, the voicing of organ pipes continues—our voicer has been working on several sets of pipes—namely the 8’ Crummhorn, the 16’ Subbass, and the 8’ Tuba. All of the reed pipe sets for your pipe organ are now on our site. Lastly, the releathering of all your existing windchests has been complete.

Sincerely,

F. Christian Holtkamp, President

Organ Update from F. Christian Holtkamp

March 9, 2011

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Attn: Pastor Christopher Smith
12650 Johnny Cake Road
Apple Valley, MN 55124

Dear Pastor Smith:
Please find enclosed invoice for our work to be done on your pipe organ. Our work progress at this point includes the following: our design engineer has continued to work closely with David Linner so that new construction issues are addressed. The blower has been started and tested. The many blower room components have been manufactured and assembled. Swell shades, frame, roof panels, and enclosure are in the final stages of completion.

Components for the new console for your organ continue to be constructed and assembled. The music rack light and pedal board light has been completed. The key cheeks for the keyboards have been constructed. The console bench has been constructed. Push button components have been constructed.

The zinc for the new bass pipes has arrived in the USA and is waiting for customs to clear it for de livery. All pipe metal casting for new pipes, languids, and mouth inserts has been completed. Construction of the Great 8' Dulciana and the extension for the Choir 8' Bourdon is underway.

Three of the new reed sets arrived at our shop last week: 16' Posaune, 16' Cromome, and 8' Tuba Harmonique. We have revoiced the Swell 16' Bassoon, Swell 8' Trompette, and the majority of the Great 8' Trumpet. The 8' Bourdon rank has been re-scaled and re-voiced.

Sincerely,

F. Christian Holtkamp
President
The Holtkamp Organ Company

A Letter from Our Pipe Organ Builder

February 10, 2011

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church
Attn: Pastor Christopher Smith
12650 Johnny Cake Road
Apple Valley, MN 55 124

Dear Pastor Chris,
Please find enclosed invoice for our work to be done on your pipe organ. Our work progress at this point includes the following:
Our design engineer has worked closely with David Linner so that all pertinent installation details have been addressed, and design layout of all major organ components has been finalized.
The lead and tin for the new pipes and rescaling of existing pipes has arrived. I have to admit that I have never seen such beautiful tin. It is Bolivian, and has the trade name Mamore. You expect it to be a bright silver color. These ingots are silver with a slight sheen of pale gold. They are producing outstanding sheets of pipe metal. The first round of pipe metal casting should be completed by 16 February. All existing pipework to be used for the organ has been analyzed for modifications. All pipes have been cleaned and placed in shop storage trays and bins.
The stoppers for existing wood pipes have been releathered. Bellows releathering will be complete by the end of next week. ReIeathering of the existing windchests, which will be repurposed in your new organ, has begun.
For your new organ console, the bench has been constructed. Many console components, such as key contacts, piston contacts, and piston springs, are complete.
The two 16 stage Whiffle·tree expression motors for your organ have been constructed, assembled, and are complete. The wood for the Swell and Choir shades and expression frames is being milled out at this time.
Wood for numerous unit chests frames, topboards and bottom boards is in the rough milling process.

Very truly yours,
F. Christian Holtkamp
President
The Holtkamp Organ Company