St. Barnabas Episcopal Church takes delivery of new Bond
Washington State’s Bainbridge Island lies due west of Seattle across Puget Sound. Having retained its rural character, this twenty-eight square mile island is quite a contrast to its giant neighbor. The population is just over twenty thousand even though the island is a major gateway to Seattle through its ferry terminal and a bridge from the burgeoning Kitsap peninsula to the west.
The church building occupied by the parish of St. Barnabas is almost exactly what you would expect to find on Bainbridge Island. Built in the 1940’s just outside the town center of the port of Winslow, the small (180 seats) church is full of character: Norman architecture, brick walls and, except for the chancel, leaded windows of clear glass through which the woods in which the building is set are in constant evidence.
The congregation is well settled in its home, but has embraced a series of enhancements. Recent additions include a beautifully landscaped interium (which also serves as an outdoor worship space) just to the south of the church and a peal of three bells in the tower. The music program is also well established, under the leadership of Director of Music Paul Roy, but has long been in need of an adequate pipe organ. The 1947 unit-action organ consisted of four ranks in a single swell box tucked into a niche on the left side of the chancel. The instrument was almost doubled in size in the 1980’s but the additions were ill-chosen and the speaking location was still disadvantageous.
By the time negotiations with Bond Organ Builders began in earnest in early 2005, the church had established parameters that made the project an attractive one: a chancel remodeling, including removal of the high altar, would allow the organ to be placed front and center; the budget allowed for a reasonably comprehensive instrument; and the church was seeking an organ that not only produced the right sounds but also made an appropriate visual contribution to the sanctuary. There were also the sorts of challenges that every organ builder lives for: the case design had to respect the stained-glass windows and the floor space allotted was adequate, but barely so (this would become even more apparent as the stoplist grew).
The instrument that would become Bond Organ Builders Opus 33 was in early designs a mechanical-action organ with an attached keydesk. This would have posed too many difficulties for one person acting as organist and director so a detached, movable console was chosen. Remote key action allows for the duplexing of the Swell reeds to other divisions and unification of the two stops unique to the Pedal. The manual flue pipes stand on Bond’s customary slider windchests, fitted here with electric pulldowns, and are all at the same height for consistent tuning.
The church was presented with several design concepts and chose a gothic-inspired style of cherry. The finished product is detailed with raised panels, ornaments of Peruvian walnut and two embossed pipes. The pipes of the façade are drawn from the Pedal Principal and are of 70% tin. Both manual divisions are placed in cases for reinforced sound projection and improved insulation. The expressive Swell is behind the left case front, the Great on the right. The pipes of the Pedal are placed behind the center case panel.
Paul Roy is the church’s Organist/Choirmaster.
The specification is as follows:
Great (61 notes)
16' Bourdon (prepared)
8’ Principal
8’ Hohl Flute
4’ Octave
4’ Harmonic Flute
2 2/3’ Nazard
2’ Fifteenth (from mixture)
1 3/5’ Tierce
IV Mixture
8’ Trumpet (Swell)
Swell (61 notes, expressive)
8’ Stopped Flute
8’ Salicional
8’ Voix Celeste
4’ Principal
4’ Chimney Flute
2’ Flageolet
III Mixture
16’ Bassoon
8’ Trumpet
8’ Hautboy (ext. Bassoon)
Pedal (32 notes)
16’ Sub Bass
8’ Principal
8’ Bass Flute (ext. Sub Bass)
4’ Choral Bass (ext. Principal)
16’ Trombone
16’ Bassoon (Swell)
8’ Trumpet (Swell)
4’ Hautboy (Swell)
