Sarah's Sermons OnLine

Proposed Site Plan for the Church Property

A Joyful Noise - Organ

In 1998 Emmanuel commissioned a new organ from Richard Howell of Lynchburg, VA.  The instrument was installed and dedicated in 2005.  Emmanuel is indebted to the estate of Pat Stewart whose bequest helped make this possible.

Tracker Organ by Richard Howell, 2005

The casework is made of French walnut with the rough sawn boards from each log kept together as a set.  Both the main case and the chaire case employ extensive mortise and tenon joinery.  The carved pipe shades and the two Celtic panels are of Pacific natural color yellow cedar.  The front pipes are of seventy-five percent tin, with sheen and color produced by chalk.

The organ has sixteen speaking stops, comprising 1,088 pipes, disposed over two manuals and pedal.  Among the pipework are several different forms and materials:  cylindrical and tapered pipes; stopped pipes (having their upper ends closed); half-stopped pipes, in which the closed upper ends are pierced and fitted with additional resonators referred to as chimneys; flue pipes (the majority, with no moving parts), and reed pipes (in which a metal flapper or “tongue” vibrates).  The end result is an instrument of considerable potential.  It can support congregational singing and be played with other instruments.  Its relatively small size notwithstanding, it can do justice to a large proportion of music written specifically for the organ:  a repertoire which, accumulated in many different periods and regional styles, forms one of the most enormous for any single instrument.

Updated 11/12/2008

© 2008 Emmanuel Episcopal Church - Greenwood, VA