Steamboats and Pipe Organs – Page 2 – Steamboats & History

Keith Norrington · 2006-12-19T19:38:39Z

Because many steamboaters are also pipe organ enthusiasts I thought this would be of interest. This past Sunday (December 17th) the pipe organ in the Methodist Church at Rising Sun, Indiana was rededicated 92 years to the day of its original dedication service on December 17, 1914. The organ, built by the Louisville organbuilding firm of Henry Pilcher's Sons, was, according to documentation kept by the church, transported from Louisville to Rising Sun by riverboat, unloaded at the foot of Second Street and transported to the church upon horsedrawn wagons. The organ was assembled, voiced and, according to "The Rising Sun Recorder", dedicated in a ceremony that was said to be "the high class musical event of its time." There was standing room only in the church sanctuary as nearly everyone in town paid the 25 cent admission price, with a coupon from the newspaper. The original cost of the organ was $2,000, of which half was paid by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. Our firm (Miller Pipe Organ Company) removed the organ from the church on July 5th and brought it back to Louisville for rebuilding, including the casework. The only change to the instrument is the addition of a Trumpet stop. The first hymn sung with the organ in 1914 was "The Old Hundreth Psalm Tune" (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow) and this was, again, the first congregational hymn to be sung with the organ upon its re-installation.

David Dewey

Joined: 20 years ago

Posts: 1165

21/12/2006 6:41 pm

Travis,
You're way ahead of me; all I have is plans from "Live Steam" for a calliope, and bunch of brass tubing I'm saving for the whistles. Been planning on this for 20 years or so, I'm not always the fastest guy around! Heck, I learned how to shift in a Model A, can't be too fast! (still have that A too)
S'
David D.

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Richard Weisenberger

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 289

21/12/2006 7:45 pm

Here is a photo of my original 20" Type 1 toroidal whistle prototype taken during the July, 1982 tests at the Greater Cincinnati International Airport. I'm wondering how many of you in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern KY area remember hearing these tests? This type of whistle could replace air horns currently used on ocean liners and aircraft carriers. Could you image a calliope using a tuned rank of these? You wouldn't be able to use it on a riverboat.

[QUOTE=Richard Weisenberger;2876]

A toroidal whistle is the acoustical equivalent of a large phased array of about 30 high power steam whistles and is capable of very high output at relatively low pressure. The prototype was successfully tested in July, 1982 at the Greater Cincinnati International Airport and was heard over a large portion of Northern KY and Greater Cincinnati by producing a 70 dB radius of 2.5 miles at a frequency of 430 Hz. This was far in excess of what the warning sirens could do.

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R. Dale Flick

Joined: 20 years ago

Posts: 1667

21/12/2006 7:49 pm

Dear Annie, Keith & gang:
I'm no musician but agree with you two on using the 'Great' or 'Swell' pedals on a fine pipe organ. A year or so ago I attended the commemmorative World War II ecumenical service in Notra Dame Cathedral, Paris. There was standing room only and all of the hierarchy in full vestments, representatives of the allies along with soldiers and veterans in uniform. When the young organist

worked the main organ up, then coupled in the other choir organ on the side of the nave, arches and vaults above in the cathedral vibrated and echoed. The audience held its breath. It was majestic bringing tears to all of our eyes. Steamboats and pipe organs can really 'hook' you. You either 'get it or you don't.'

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick

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Keith Norrington

Joined: 21 years ago

Posts: 2100

Topic starter 21/12/2006 8:29 pm

Dale: The organist name you seek is Olivier Latry. KN

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