Lewtak Pipe Organ Builders, Mocksville, North Carolina, has completed the renovation of the organ at Haymount United Methodist Church, Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The organ was built as Möller’s Opus 11011, completed in late June of 1975. During its nearly fifty years of service to this church, the instrument underwent several planned additions and necessary updates. Among the most significant changes was the installation of an electronic organ control system, which replaced the outdated and cumbersome original electro-pneumatic equipment inside the console. However, this update did not stand the test of time. Rapid advancements in the electronic industry rendered the old system obsolete and incapable of meeting the requirements of modern performance. Additionally, the leather components were reaching the end of their lifespan and began to show signs of trouble, manifesting in dead notes, ciphers, and unresponsive ranks. It became evident that a comprehensive solution was needed—a total renovation and overhaul of the entire organ.
The project included the addition of a high-pressure en chamade trumpet. The only logical placement for this feature was at the back of the nave, between the stained-glass windows, necessitating an unusual configuration of the en chamade in two vertical rows.
The renovation was comprehensive. Every aspect of the organ received attention. Bellows were removed and underwent complete refurbishment; approximately 2,000 leather pouches in the windchests were replaced with new pneumatics. All pipes underwent cleaning, repair, voicing correction, and reinstallation.
The console underwent a thorough, being stripped down, refinished, and outfitted with new electronics, drawknobs, pistons, LED lights, and an updated electronic system interface. The existing keyboards, crafted with ivory and ebony, along with the pedalboard, were restored to mint condition. The entire switching system was upgraded from analog to digital, implementing optical sensors for all keyboards and the pedalboard, and transitioning communication between the console and organ chamber to a fiber-optic network.
Reed pipes underwent cleaning of the reeds and shallots, while wooden pipe stoppers were repacked with fresh leather. Existing swell shade motors were replaced with new electronic operators by Peterson. Two new high-pressure blowers were installed, one for the Trompette de Gabriel (en chamade) and another for the Festival Trumpet.
The existing organ control system was replaced with a new one from Matters Inc., which such features as record/playback, transpose, MIDI capability, unlimited memory levels, and programmable crescendos.
55 stops, 46 pipe ranks + 2 electronic, 2,579 pipes
The organ is featured on the cover of the June 2024 issue of The Diapason:
https://www.thediapason.com/content/cover-feature-lewtak-pipe-organ-builders-haymount-united-methodist
For information:
Photo credit: Kacper Lewtak
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