Providing the highest quality pipe organ services to the Atlanta and the Southeast since 2003
Christ Church Episcopal - Valdosta, Georgia
Christ Church's 1972 Schantz Organ
In 2003, we were contracted by Widener & Company, Inc of Grayson, Georgia to assist in the engineering and reinstallation of a 1972 Schantz organ originally built for All Saint's Episcopal Church in Atlanta. After the purchase of a new instrument, All Saint's arranged the sale of the Schantz to Christ Church in Valdosta.
Originally, the organ was to have been installed in Valdosta in much the same manner as it had been in Atlanta. In it's original configuration, the Great and Positiv were exposed and hung on the Chancel wall with the Swell and Pedal in a chamber. Through a misunderstanding by the local contractor, this arrangement proved to be impossible in Valdosta. We were then given the task of configuring the chamber to fit the entire instrument, fully double what the space was designed to contain.
Ultimately, we designed and constructed a set of chest frames, to hold the entire Great and Positiv in the smallest footprint possible. These were built out of 7/4 Poplar, with mortice and tenon joints throughout. These were constructed in the Widener shop by our staff. A particular challenge was that the chests that would held in these frames were in Valdosta, over 250 miles away. Great credit should be given to the Schantz organ company for building chests to the exact dimensions given on their blueprints.
In June 2003, installation was completed and the entire organ was heard for the first time in a service. With the organ's perfect placement on the center axis of the church, the organ sounded far better than it ever had in its previous home.
