First Presbyterian Church Kilgore, Texas

Aeolian-Skinner Organ, Opus 1173     1949

Revised in 1966 by Roy Perry, Aeolian-Skinner

The memorial gift of Mrs. Lou Della Crim, her daughter Pauline McIntosh, and her sons J. Malcolm Crim, John T. Crim, and Liggett Crim.

The left jamb. Copyright © 1980 O. Rufus Lovett.

16       Spitzflöte

8          Principal

8        Flûte Harmonïque

8          Bourdon*

8         Spitzflöte

4          Octave

4          Flûte Octaviante

4          Flûte Couverte

2 2/3  Quint

2          Super Octave

2          Blockflöte*

II         Jeu de Cornet*

The Williams family during the 1966 work: (left to right) Nora, Jim, Sally, T J (also known as Jack)

IV        Fourniture

III-IV Cymbel

III-V  Plein Jeu*

8           Trompette-en-Chamade*

4           Trompette-en-Chamade*

8           French Horn

8           English Horn

Chimes

Tremulant

*exposed

SWELL

8          Geigen

8          Rohrflöte

8           Viola

8           Viola Celeste

8           Flauto Dolce

8           Flute Celeste

View from the console, Copyright © 1980 O. Rufus Lovett.

4           Principal

4            Flûte Triangulaire

2 2/3   Nazard

2          Flûte à Bec

V           Plein Jeu

II           Carillon

16          Bombarde

8            Trompette

8            Hautbois

8            Voix Humaine

4           Clairon

Tremulant

View from the nave

CHOIR

16         Gamba

8           Gamba

8           Gamba Celeste

8          Concert Flute

8          Gedackt Pommer

8          Harmonic Spitzflöte II

4          Montre

4          Koppelflöte

2          Prinzipal

1 1/3  Nasat

1          Oktav

IV        Scharff

8           Trompette-en-Chamade (Gr.)

8           Posaune (Ped.)

French Horn and English Horn. Copyright © 1980 O. Rufus Lovett.

8           Cromorne

8          Bassoon

Celesta

Tremulant

PEDAL

32         Untersatz

16         Principal

16        Flûte Ouverte

16          Bourdon

16        Spitzflöte (Gr.)

16         Gamba (Ch.)

8            Octave

8          Flûte

8           Bourdon

8          Spitzflöte (Gr.)

4          Choral Bass

4          Spillflöte

II         Mixture

32        Bombarde

16         Posaune

16         Bombarde (Sw.)

8          Posaune

4          Klarine

In a church where a typical music list will include the names of Healey Willan, David McK. Williams, and Leo Sowerby, an extremely retrospective (i.e., Baroque) organ would be inadequate if not useless.  The aim here has been rather to produce what might be called the Classic-Romantic organ, and judging from the results, one might well add the words “de luxe.”  In the primary choruses, both reed and flue, all the elements of a fine and flexible ensemble are generously present.  In addition, the secondary flutes, strings, and small reeds are here in such quantity and beauty of color as to give this organ a unique and enviable appeal.

The manual and pedal flue choruses are musical and satisfying in almost any way they are built up.  The quality is brilliant but not aggressive, and not a single pipe ‘sticks out.’ The chorus reeds color the flue mass without dominating it, and although they are made with open schallots, their rather broad scale gives them more of an English effect than French.  The unenclosed manual reeds, including the brilliant trompette-en-chamade, are not intended as part of the chorus, but are to be used tuba-wise against the organ.  The trompette-en-chamade is the first modern example of this particular pipe construction, and has attracted international notice to this organ. It is a spectacular success.

Especially notable is the eloquent chorus of strings and celestes.  These are carefully graded to build from the merest whisper to a rich and impressive forte, and the transition to the normal buildup can be made imperceptibly.  Nothing could be of greater value in choral accompaniment.  The great flutes and small reeds have the advantage of a swell box and a tremulant, so that in quieter music this manual can function as a solo organ.

The acoustical environment in First Presbyterian is unusually kind to both organ and singers.  The factors involved – shape and size of the room, building materials, position and layout of the organ – impart to every sound a warm and sympathetic quality often wished for but seldom realized.  The organ has been carefully finished to take full advantage of this happy situation.

–Roy Perry, from a pamphlet he wrote describing the organ, together with those in First Baptist, Longview, and St. Luke’s Methodist, Kilgore, shortly after they were built.

Trompette-en-Chamade and exposed Great Upperwork. Copyright © 1980 O. Rufus Lovett.

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