Surprises come in many forms – sometimes they are good, sometimes they aren’t! Life is always full of surprises here at Boardwalk Hall. Both pipe organs here are mammoth in scale, but the amount of technical documentation we have pertaining to each instrument, especially the Midmer-Losh, is relatively small in comparison. Where others would turn to drawings, schematics, and spreadsheets in preparation for a project, we must dive in head-first, taking copious notes and measurements along the way in an effort to leave documentation for future generations.
As we move into the Gallery chambers and more remote parts of the organ we know to expect challenges, and some surprises. Our efforts over the last few months have been focused on Gallery II, in the Right Center chamber. Gallery II is a division made up entirely of flute voices. A complete harmonic flute chorus, based on voice #244, the Harmonic Flute 8’ continuing up through voice #248, Harmonic Mixture III, stands on a large pitman chest. This chorus is augmented by two flutes on unit chests, voice #242, Flute Maggiore 16’ and voice #243 Jubal Flute 8’. Both of the unit flutes are enormous in scale and stentorian in voicing; their tone intended to soar out across the width of the arena.
Restoration of the unit chests is now complete, and the restoration of the pipework is well underway. As luck would have it, the high-pressure Choir chest is the same wind pressure as Gallery II. We were able to take sample pipes from the Jubal Flute and the Flute Maggiore and place them on the Choir windchests and hear how the pipes would sing in the room. The effect was certainly a pleasant surprise – the Flute Maggiore was more articulate than expected with a promptness of speech that borders on chiff. The effect within the cavernous space of the arena, however, is one of clarity and conciseness. By contrast, the Jubal Flute was frustratingly breathy on the voicing machine and seemed to lack the clarity that the Maggiore had in such abundance. In the room, however, that breathy quality gave way to a musical beauty that excites the space without being overwhelming.
Unfortunately, not all the surprises in Gallery II have been good surprises. We knew the pitman chest, located on the upper level of the chamber, had experienced water damage in the past – the evidence of past water intrusion was clearly visible on the rackboards. We were prepared to find damage inside the windchest when we opened it up, but the damage was more significant and far-reaching than we had anticipated. Thankfully the damage is not so great that it cannot be repaired. Even in the worst areas, enough original material still exists that accurate measurements can be taken to replicate new parts.
As we delve deeper into the distant chambers of the organ, we know life will be full of surprises. With any luck, the good surprises will outweigh the bad.
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