The following article was contributed by the author, and is published in the May issue of "PipeNotes" newsletter, the voice of the Twin Cities American Guild of Organists. 

Introducing Fisk Opus 122 to the Twin Cities

By David Engen

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Shoreview is the proud owner of a new Fisk organ, scheduled to be used for the first time on Easter, April 11, 2004.  This large and growing congregation embarked on a building plan several years ago and constructed a    large new sanctuary.  The new building is constructed of concrete, plaster and wood (maple), with acoustical design by Dana Kierkegaard. 

In the early 1990’s the organ committee hired me as their consultant to travel with them to hear a number of instruments around the area.  They narrowed their search to three builders, and in 1996 set their sights on obtaining a Fisk, having been enthralled by the sound and quality of the organ at House of Hope.  In 1998 the congregation voted to enter into a contract with Fisk for Opus 122, a 26 stop organ designed by Fisk president Steve Dieck.  Unfortunately for Shepherd of the Hills, the Cathedral of Lausanne, Switzerland, signed a contract with Fisk shortly before theirs.  The size and scope of the Lausanne organ immediately delayed delivery of Opus 122 to Shoreview for several years.  Until Lausanne, House of Hope has remained the largest organ ever built by the Fisk shop.  The church has been patiently waiting for a long time – long enough to complete the fund-raising campaign. 

Construction was completed in Gloucester in late 2003, but delivery was delayed until January 2004, again because of Lausanne.  Steve Malionek, project manager, did much of the mechanical design just before heading to Switzerland last summer to assist with reed voicing.  The opening concert in Switzerland was scheduled for December 5, and the voicing crews were busy completing work there and at Furman University concurrently.  Had the Shoreview organ been delivered in November of 2003 when construction was completed, it would have had to sit, unvoiced, until the voicing crews were available in February.

On a very cold day in January the congregation of Shepherd of the Hills gathered to unload a huge semi truck.  (Pictures of this process, and the following assembly, can be seen at the Fisk website, www.cbfisk.com.)  Within one week the case of solid maple and cherry was assembled, with wind, action and electrical work following for several weeks.  Voicing has continued unabated since then.  As of March 21, 2004, the flue voicing is essentially complete, with reed voicing yet to be done.  Anticipated first use will be Easter Sunday, April 11. 

Unlike the traditional appearance of the House of Hope Fisk, the Shoreview Fisk is in a contemporary, asymmetrical case with the keydesk at the left end.  Situated in a corner of the building with angled walls and ceiling like a megaphone, the organ has no back or roof.  Pipes of the Eastern White Pine 16’ Contrebasse and the 8’ Principal are in the façade.  The Contrebasse mouths speak into the case, removing any temptation to set choir music or hymnals inside the mouths!  The blower is in a side room and a single large wedge bellows supplies air to the three main wind chests.  When the organ is running, the air system is virtually silent.  The swell is closest to the keydesk on the left end, with shutters on two sides.  In the middle is the great/pedal chest, with the basses of the 16’ Bourdon and 8’ Spire Flute, and the trebles of the 16’ Contrebasse occupying the right end of the case.  (Actually, notes 11-30 of the 16’ Contrebasse are on the same chest as the Posaune in the back of the organ. Only the Bourdon and Spire Flute are on the right end of the case.) The full-length 16’ Trombone is on the floor in the back corner, speaking directly up at the angled ceiling above.  The 8’ Harmonic Flute shares its bottom two octaves with the 8’ Spire Flute, and several stops of the great are shared with the pedal via transmission.  This design saves space and gives a relatively small organ greater versatility for service playing.  Key and stop action are all mechanical.