One of the great treasures of Edwards Church is our Tracker organ, which was built in 1852 and installed in our sanctuary in 1905. Unlike most other instruments, which remain essentially unchanged after manufacture with only slight modifications, if any, over the course of its life, each organ may undergo dramatic changes depending on the setting in which it’s installed and the needs of the community it serves. In the case of our organ, something called the Bourdon windchest and pipes were added by James Cole when the organ was installed at Edwards. These additions go unseen by the congregation, as they’re located on the floor at the back of the organ, but when operating correctly, are definitely heard on Sunday mornings! In fact, what we see as we sit in the pews and choir loft are actually a fraction of the instrument that our organist, Cheryl Elkins, brings to life to enliven our hymn singing, and quite unlike most other instruments, one can literally walk into the workings of this ancient, yet living instrument, which is a work of art unto itself.
But here’s the rub: keeping a venerable, well-used and complex instrument like this in good working condition requires frequent and costly maintenance and repair. Right now, there are two dead notes on one of the pedals of the aforementioned Bourdon, and because the worn leather pouches which are to blame cannot be reached without removing the windchest, it makes sense not only to replace the culprits, but all of the other pouches as well. For the same reason, it makes sense to repair all of the associated pipes and stoppers. The good news is that this work should provide for another 100 years of reliable service from the windchest.
The total cost of restoring 27 notes on the windchest and releathering 27 corresponding pipes is $8400. It’s a lot of money, but if we think about the repair giving us 100 years of service, a very reasonable yearly amount to spend on maintenance. So here’s where you come in: We would like to invite you to “buy” a key―or if you like, several keys, or even an octave(!) to help fund this necessary work so that we may continue to benefit from the instrument’s enhancement of our worship. The organ, with its three courses and foot pedals, has a total of 195 keys and pedals, and you can choose your favorite notes! Fancy C# an octave above middle C? If you claim it before someone else with a similar affection for that tone, it’s yours! Love those low pedals that make your chest rumble? Sold!
The cost of each note is $40. To claim yours, please write a check to Edwards Church with a note in the memo line saying, “Organ Fund.” We’ll be keeping track of which notes have been claimed and which are available through a chart in Dickerman Hall. We’ll kick off this fundraiser on April 29, and the work on the organ will be done this summer. So act fast, and may the fourths be with you!