Each church that undertakes an organ project seems able to find a unique method of tackling the monumental task, and as organ builders we are always amazed at the panoply of approaches.
Second Presbyterian Church of Roanoke followed a path that took more time than most, but in the end the entire congregation became fully invested in the instrument. Notable in the process were the Organ Selection Committee Chair Joe Duckwall, Fund-raising Committee Chair Linda Star, Parish Administrator Phil Boggs, Property Committee Member Whitney Markley, and of course the staff musicians Jeff and Marianne Sandborg.

Second Presbyterian Church has a long and developed tradition of great choral singing, and the design of the organ grew from the concerns specific to choral accompaniment. As with all Goulding & Wood organs, the human voice provided a paradigm for the tonal style: individual stops have an immediate, singing quality, and ensembles support voices by giving a firm foundation of pitch. To accomplish this, voicing is incisive, and the sustained tone develops generous fundamental. Harsh attacks or treble-heavy ensembles both obscure the pitch and wear thin on the ear. The power of the organ resides in the 16′ and 8′ pitch stops, with the upper work adding clarity and sparkle to the foundation. Another hallmark of a good accompanimental instrument is a wide variety of colors. To this end, we take great care that no two stopped flutes or trumpets sound identical. Throughout the organ we have maximized the spectrum of color and volume in order to give the organist the greatest number of musical resources for the creative shading of hymns, solo repertoire and accompaniments.

Each division uses Goulding & Wood’s unique design of slider-and-pallet windchest. This action assists in achieving our goal of warm, gentle speech through the use of pneumatic action to pull the pallets that furnish air to the common key channels. The electric key action allows for remote key action and a moveable console. This flexibility in arranging the console position is particularly useful when accommodating a variety of musical forces, from an organist conducting from the console to large choir with instruments and separate conductor.

The organ is arranged in twin chambers on either side of the chancel with cases containing pipes from the Great 8′ Principal and Pedal 8′ Octave in the display. New tone openings were cut into the walls facing the nave, allowing the organ to also speak directly to the congregation through the nave façades. Casework is of stained white oak with quatrefoil fences topping the pipe towers and sassafras roses lining the pipe feet. The console, also with casework of white oak, includes a decorative wood music rack, bone and ebony keys, and walnut draw stop jambs.

Since installation, the organ has been featured in several events, including a dedicatory recital to a capacity crowd by Carole Terry of Seattle, Washington. We have greatly appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the rich cultural and musical life of Roanoke, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the good people of Second Presbyterian Church.

—From the Builder, excerpted from the Diapason cover article