by Fred Moleck
Pittsburgh Beckerath Organ Reconstruction Update
Maybe three months ago, I did a “feature” on the reconstruction of the Beckerath 4-manual pipe organ in St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.This installment will deal primarily with what has gone on in the past three months, including the erection and removal of the scaffolding that provided access to the organ’s guts—its pipes and machinery and their repair.
Rather than compose a column that by necessity would use organ business language, I resort to sending you to the website of the company who is doing the reconstruction, Taylor and Boody Organ Company in Staunton, Virginia: http://taylorandboody.com/home.htm.
The site has a link for the Pittsburgh Beckerath organ, containing well over a hundred pictures illustrating the many phases of the project.
For me, the most compelling pictures are of the organ builders moving through the scaffolding and handling the pipes. Some of them are wearing harnesses, which are attached to the scaffolding should, God forbid, someone fall.
Other fascinating shots are of the enormous 32′ principals being hoisted and situated into the case.
In two other pictures for fun, one of the builders is laying in one of the pipes with his head and shoulders sticking out.
There is a repeat with another worker in a similar pose.
I’m confident you will enjoy the company’s website. Another equally classy website has been put together by Ken Danchik, associate organist at the cathedral: www.kodakgallery.com/pghbeckerath.
I’m aware that many of you are not organists; I’m also aware that most of you have a healthy curiosity about organs. Hit both of these websites and you will be blown away by the engineering, the high craft of the pipes and casework, and the bravery of the crew.
It all represents a technology that began its evolution somewhere in the third century with air being forced through some tubes in a box. We’ve come a long way.
You can reach Fred Moleck via email at fmoleck@comcast.net