First Presbyterian Church of Gallatin

Gallatin, Tennessee (2008)

This new organ for First Presbyterian of Gallatin, Tennessee replaces a 1947 Wicks which was destroyed by fire on Christmas Day, 2004. The case dates to about 1856, and is all that remains of an E & G.G. Hook which was moved to this church about 1916 from Downtown Presbyterian Church, Nashville, an Egyptian Revival building designed by architect William Strickland, and which still stands today. Restoration of the case included fabricating all new upper case, since approximately the top four feet of case was destroyed when the fire burst through from the attic onto the organ. We also refinished the entire case, fake-graining it to resemble mahogany, just as the original case was finished. The facade pipes are new.

Organ chests and console were all fabricated in the B. Rule shop. Chests are made of Eastern White Pine, and they were glued up and then seasoned in our solar dry kiln for about six months before planing them flat and fitting the sliders; this is our usual approach to new chest construction, with the goal being to ensure perfectly stable chests which will function trouble-free for many years. The detached console is of oak to match the chancel and choir furniture; it utilizes Harris drawknob units and SSOS 8 level memory system. Keys are bone/ebony.

The key action passes under the choir risers and is a fan, or “splayed” action. This keeps the tracker system very simple, and minimizes rollerboards, resulting in a sensitive and musical action in spite of the long distance it must travel.

Most of the pipework is new. 1-12 of the Pedal Double Open 16 are from the old Hook instrument; the Pedal Trumpet 8 and Swell Celeste are from the 1947 Wicks, and have been extensively revoiced. The Pedal Trombone was made by Eastern Organ Pipes and voiced in the B.Rule shop; Swell and Great reeds were made by Trivo.

The tonal style of the organ is very much influenced by mid to late nineteenth century instruments, with strong choruses supported by substantial fundamental tone. All new metal flue pipes were made by Janusz Lasota, after the manner of 19th century pipemakers. An unsuspecting organ historian, upon hearing the organ for the first time, might possibly be fooled into believing that the organ behind the facade is indeed a Hook or Johnson from about 1870, though there are a few tonal appointments which would give it away as an instrument a bit broader in its stylistic vocabulary.