The First Baptist Church of New Orleans, Louisiana

Four Manuals, Seventy-Two Ranks

DESCRIPTION

Our firm worked diligently with the church architect and other professionals to engineer a successful installation of this organ while balancing other needs within the sanctuary inclusive of acoustics, site lines, placement, etc.

The organ actions and mechanisms have been completely rebuilt. This includes but is not limited to the windchest, winding system, blower, wiring, tremolos, and expression motors.

The organ DC circuits were rewired to conform to the National Electric Code. The Solo division has been placed on its own wind supply to provide sufficient volumetric capacity of air at the correct wind pressure for this division.

                                    
The placement of Great division, En Chamade Trompette, Pedal division and select other stops and offset pipes were re-engineered to allow better tonal egress and tuning stability.

The organ has been completely revoiced to correct previous tonal anomalies and to provide balance between romantic and classical leanings that did not provide a common foil with each other. The tonal revision to the instrument has included major revoicing to the pipework. In conjunction with our work on the pipes, some rescaling has occurred that was necessary for proper speech, timbre, and stability of the pipes. The organ reeds have been revoiced for proper weight and balance with the organ choruses. Studious and labored tonal finishing has occurred to the organ to assure the proper balance and tonality in the new sanctuary.

To honor and commemorate our association with First Baptist, our firm donated and installed a new stop to the instrument. The Swell division has received the addition of an 8' Vox Humana.

UPDATE

Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans approximately one year after the work described above was completed.

While the church escaped flooding, it did sustain hurricane damage from Katrina, which effected the organ. The moisture from the water leaks and high humidity, combined with the extended loss of air conditioning due to power outages, created the perfect environment for extensive mold growth within the organ.

We have completed the mold abatement and remediation, which necessitated manual cleaning of every organ surface, stripping and replacing all mold-invaded materials, and rewiring the organ. This magnificent instrument has returned to its important role in worship.