Organ builder Jonathan Ortloff demonstrates features of our new organ.St. Dunstan's Church.

Organ builder Jonathan Ortloff demonstrates features of our new organ.
St. Dunstan's Church, Shoreline, September 9th, 2020.

[@johnferguson4089]

It's so good to see a good supply of thumb pistons on a newer pipe organ these days. It offers greater flexibility for the creative organ player.

[@vinyalonde]

Great sound. I imagine one of the challenges of voicing any organ is considering the differences between how loud and bright the stops sound in an empty church versus when it is filled with furniture and the congregation.

[@SingerGeneLeonard]

The hymn he is playing with the strings is Deck thy soul with gladness

[@SingerGeneLeonard]

Beautiful sound I can only imagine what it will sound like in the church.

[@randyvanheusden732]

It is so good to hear and am looking forward to hearing some great music played on this organ. Concert please!

[@markcooke729]

Why do people who do these organ demonstrations rarely give the specification or at least a link to the specification? As organists, surely they'd be understanding of other organists/enthusiasts interest in the basics of the instrument's tonal capabilities! It's infuriating!

[@michaelstevens3854]

Totally agree!

[@marcelobrunorodrigues7630]

Is it possible to get the stop list, please?

[@HobbyOrganist]

Its usually easy enough to look up on the pipe organ database or even the builder's own web site... in many cases the church itself has it on their web site. Because people are lazy on both sides of it, here's the details which I found in a simple look on Ortloff's web site, it simply has all the typical stops just about every other organ it's size has; Opus 2 - St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, Shoreline, WA 2020 Our Opus 2, of 16 stops and 18 ranks, was commissioned in late 2018 by St. Dunstan's to replace a failing second-hand pipe organ installed by church members into what was originally intended to be the church hall. The Great and Pedal divisions are housed in a freestanding case of quartersawn red oak, placed front and center in the church. The Swell division is housed behind the upper case, in the former attic above the sacristy. Variable pipe scaling for the two choruses was employed to meet the acoustical demands of the relatively small room. Each pipe is voiced to produce beautiful, unforced tone, both in solo and ensemble registrations. All new principals and flutes are of 94% lead, save the Swell Principal of spotted metal. The Stopped Diapason is a generously-scaled wooden stop. The facade pipes, as well as interior 8' basses and strings are of 50% polished spotted metal. Pipework was supplied by Russell & Company, Shires Organ Pipes, and Organ Supply Industries. Jonathan Ortloff voiced all flue pipes; reeds were voiced by Christopher Broome. The Great and Pedal speak on 3" wind pressure; the Swell flues speak on 3.5" pressure, and the reeds 5". Shop construction began in early 2019, and the organ was delivered and installed in August, 2020. Tonal finishing was completed in October, with assistance from voicer Duane Prill. Great 16 Bourdon (Pedal/Swell) 8 Diapason 8 Harmonic Flute 8 Stopped Diapason (Swell) 4 Octave 2 2/3 Twelfth 2 Fifteenth 16 Fagotto (Swell) 8 Trumpet (Swell) Tremolo Great 16 Great Off Great 4 Swell to Great 16 Swell to Great Swell to Great 4 Swell 16 Bourdon (Extension, tenor C) 8 Stopped Diapason 8 Viola 8 Celeste (GG) 4 Principal 4 Spindle Flute 2 Flautino III Mixture 8 Trumpet 8 Oboe Tremolo Swell 16 Swell Off Swell 4 Pedal 16 Bourdon 8 Diapason 8 Bourdon (Extension) 8 Stopped Diapason (Swell) 4 Octave (Extension) 16 Fagotto (Swell) 8 Trumpet (Swell) Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Great to Pedal 4 Swell to Pedal 4

[@lucdeslauriers1021]

C’est magnifique! Salutations cordiales depuis le nord du Québec au Canada.

[@stthomasmore4811]

Very nice organ. Why are so many Prot churches such dead-as-doornail muffle boxes though? Sad.

[@OrganNLou]

Agreed! Its mostly an American/Canadian thing (too much damping material and carpeting).

[@stuartmclaren2402]

Because they don’t get professional advice on acoustics when the church is built. Acoustics is a complicated science and all too often it is too late once the building is completed. If yiu want to see an excellent example on you tube where the organ and auditorium were co- designed go to “Weiwuying pipe organ”in Taiwan. The German built pipe organ was part of the auditorium for the new Arts and Cultural Center in Weiwuying , Kaohsiung city. I have heard the organ live and what a magnificent sound from the very soft sounds to the mighty grand organ chorus. The auditorium acoustics had just as much to do with the sound quality as the organ itself.

[@trellahastings8658]

I would love to have heard this in person!

[@Knappa22]

Beautiful sounding organ :) Not sure on the very wide console though. The drawstops look awkward to reach. Really no need for them to be laid out like that either - it’s not a European tracker organ from the 17th century!

[@robertgift6762]

What is the purpose of the 2-2/3? Muddles clarity? Borrowing in this instrument? Thank you.

[@normancascioppo1456]

Unified

[@paiddj3397]

I dont understand why new pipe organs have these large consoles except for looks. There's really nothing inside with everything being digital now. All connected is a network cable and power going to the console. They could have a keyboard with a touchscreen holding all of the stops.

[@erkthedestroyer]

You would be surprised how much stuff is still in there. Also, a tablet can be fidgety when changing things on the go, which is why its mostly with haptic feedback.

[@connor_flanigan]

if it was more shallow, it would tip over if someone bumped into it

[@shawardara]

Interesting. Nice instrument. Gifted young man.

[@Sathrandur]

I could imagine accidentally selecting a wrong stop when reaching for another stop quickly compared with stop knobs. Also, I can see more things going wrong with a touchscreen than a stop knobs. Finally, stop knobs look nice.

[@HobbyOrganist]

Well, the consoles would typically be screwed down to the floor, if it's to be moveable it's attached to the platform, they wont just tip over if someone bumps into them. @@connor_flanigan

[@francois7]

What is the name of the first hymn being played ?

[@MrKentonB]

O thou who camest from above

[@francois7]

@@MrKentonB Thank you very much 😀

[@neilanyon4792]

As MrKentonB said the usual words set to this tune are "O thou who camest from above". The tune itself is by Samuel Sebastian Wesley and is called "Hereford", after the cathedral city in England.

[@francois7]

@@neilanyon4792 Thank you for these informations !