Pipe organs at First-Plymouth Church, UCC
The Schlicker Chapel Organ
The Chapel Organ is a memorial to Arthur A. Dobson
Photo from dedication program
Following are excerpts from the Dedication Program of the Schlicker Organs (Nave (Chancel and Antiphonal) and Chapel) at First-Plymouth Congregational Church Sunday, September 22, 1968 as they pertain to the Chapel Organ:
"The organs for First-Plymouth Congregational Church were built by the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York. The original contract was signed on February 8, 1965. The installation of both organs began on April 22, 1968, and the tonal finishing was completed on June 19, 1968. This is the fulfillment of a dream long held by the congregation and was made possible through generous memorial gifts. The Nave organ is a memorial to Thomas C. Woods. The Chapel organ is a memorial to Arthur A. Dobson.
The placement of an organ within the church determines in great measure its effectiveness. A major decision of the Capital Improvements program was to purchase a new organ, and place it across the front of the Apse that the sound might speak directly into the Nave. The decision to harden the ceiling also provided better acoustics. The combination of proper placement and good acoustics results in an ideal acoustical situation. The Chapel organ is also located within an acoustically "alive" room.
The organs represent in their design, the merging of the traditional concepts of organ building, with modern ideas and techniques in order to produce a new and worthy work of art, grounded in traditional principles, but fully up-to-date.
The tonal design or "specifications" of the instruments is inclusive of all the necessary elements required for the playing of the Liturgical Service, the requirements of choral work, and the appropriation of all types of worthy organ literature. Each stop in the instruments is designed to stand on its own merit as a musical entity; and to work well in combination with the other registers in the organs. In this fashion, almost every stop becomes both a "solo" stop and an "accompaniment" stop at the same time. It is this duality of purpose which gives the organs their great flexibility.
The voicing technique which best achieves beauty of tone is the traditional one; that is, the use of very low wind pressures, and the classical technique of voicing. No nicking is employed in the voicing process so that the pipes will be prompt of speech and will have their full harmonic development.
