Blue Point Congregational Church, U.C.C., Church Austin Organ

The Austin Organ Company lists the organ at Blue Point Church as Opus Number 2240, which is what is on the plate on the organ, as a 2 Manual, 28 Rank organ built in 1956. In most cases a rank is a complete set of pipe for a given stop.

September 2003 Nancy Landsman did an audio taped interview with Harold Snow on the history of the organ. Here is a little of what was learned from the interview.

The Organ was donated by Snow Canning Company. Unlike most churches, the Blue Point Congregational Church was built to accommodate the organ. Most churches are built and then a place is found for the organ. Not so with this organ and church. From it's high ceiling to its angled front wall, everything was built to enhance the sound of the organ.

Harold designed and supervised the building of the church and worked with Austin Organ on the design and instillation of the organ. For many years he was the curator and caretaker of the organ. Seeing to its well being and keeping it in tune.

The Great side of the organ is what is known as a Split Great because it is split into two sections. The front half has open exposed pipes and house the Diapason Chorus, 8', 4', 2' and Mixture III pipes. Behind the open exposed Great is the enclosed Great with it's swell shade to give it expression.

The Swell side of the organ is enclosed with a swell shade to give it expression.

Harold finished the interview with a story about John Weaver having played a concert at the church a number of year ago for the American Guild of Organists, Northeastern Regional Conference. John played a wonderful concert from memory to end the conference. At the end of the concert the Dean of the Guild decided to end the night with everybody singing the Doxology and John Weave did not know how to play the Doxology. Harold, sitting on a chair behind the organ consol, jumped up ran into the choir room, grabbed a copy of the Doxology and came running back out and put it up for John to play and all was not lost.

PEDAL STOPS

Close Up Photo of Pedal Stops on the Consol Manual

SUPER OCTAVE 4
TRUMPET 16
GREAT 8
GREAT 4
SWELL 8
SWELL 4

DIAPASON 16
CONTRA SPITZ FLOTE 16
LIEBLICH GEDECKT 16
OCTAVE 8
SPITZ FLOTE 8
GEDECKT 8

SWELL STOPS

Close Up Photo of Swell Stops on the Consol Manual

HOHL FLOTE 8
VIOLA 8
VIOLA CELESTE 8
FUGARA 4
ROHR FLOTE 4
NAZARD 2 2/3
FLAGOLET 2
PLEN JEU III
TRUMPET 8

ENGLISH HORN 8
VOX HUMANA
VOX HUMANA TREMOLO
TREMOLO
SWELL 16
SWELL UNISON OFF
SWELL 4
GREAT 8

GREAT STOPS

Close Up Photo of Great Stops on the Consol Manual

DIAPASON 8
BOURDON 8
DOLCE 8
DOLCE CELESTE 8
OCTAVE 4
SPITZ FLOTE 4
FIFTEENTH 2
MIXTURE III

TREMOLO
GREAT 16
GREAT UNISON OFF
GREAT 4
SWELL 16
SWELL 8
SWELL 4
CHIMES

Half of the Diapason Chorus Pedal Pipes

Split Great

Open Great with Enclosed Great behind


Inside the Great Wind Chest	*Great Wind Chest Overhead Valve Pipe Action*

*Electromagnetic Pneumatic Relay Bank*	*Close Up of Electromagnetic Pneumatic Relay*

Enclosed Swell Chamber

If you look close you can see the Swell Shade

Half of the Diapason Chorus Pedal Pipes

View of some of the ranks of pipes in the Swell Chamber. The Tremolo in both chambers is a motor driven paddle wheel which can be seen here in the Swell Chamber in the fore ground of this photo.

View from the other side of Swell Chamber. The English Horn Rank is in the foreground.

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*Some of the ranks of pips in the Great*	*View from other Side Of Great Chamber*


ORGAN CONSOL	PEDAL KEYBOARD