First Methodist Church, Oak Park, IL

Skinner Organ Company Opus 528, 1925

The restoration of Skinner Organ Company Opus 528 was carried out as a collaboration between Spencer Organ Company, and Jeff Weiler. A complete mechanical restoration, including retention of all original pneumatic machinery in two consoles (four, and two-manual) was carried out by Spencer. Tonal restoration and finishing was completed by Jeff Weiler.

Funded by the Joseph Bradley Foundation, the project included the restoration of the organ’s Spencer Turbine Co. blower, and the retention of a single added stop, the “LaMarche Melodic Celeste”. Divided on both sides of the choir loft, the organ speaks commandingly into the room; a secondary set of shutters into the adjacent chapel allows egress from a selected group of stops from the Choir, Great, and Pedal, playable from a separate console in the chapel.

The organ received an Historic Organ Citation (#269) from the Organ Historical Society in 2001.

Great – 73 notes
16´ Bourdon (Pedal)
8´ First Diapason
8´ Second Diapason
8´ Claribel Flute
8´ Erzähler
4´ Octave
4´ Flute
8´ Tuba
4´ Clarion

Swell – 73 notes
16´Bourdon
8´ Open Diapason
8´ Gedeckt
8´ Salicional
8´ Voix Celeste
8´ Aeoline
4´ Octave
4´ Flute 
2´ Fifteenth
IV Mixture
16´ Waldhorn
8´ Cornopean
8´ Flügelhorn
8´ Vox Humana
4´ Clarion
Tremolo

Choir – 73 Notes
8´ Diapason
8´ Concert Flute
8´ Klein Erzähler II
4´ Flute
2´ Piccolo
8´ Clarinet
Tremolo
Harp
Celesta

Solo – 73 notes
8´ Orchestral Flute
8´ Gamba
8´ Gamba Celeste
8´ French Horn
Tremolo
8´ Tuba Mirabilis
8´ Melodic Celeste

Echo – 73 notes
8´ Chimney Flute
8´ Vox Humana
Tremolo
Chimes

Pedal – 32 notes
32´ Resultant Diapason
16´ Diapason
16´ Bourdon
16´ Echo Bourdon (Swell)
8´ Octave
8´ Gedeckt
8´ Still Gedeckt (Swell)
8´ Cello (Solo)
4´ Flute
16´ Trombone
16´ Waldhorn (Swell)
8´ Tromba
Chimes (Echo)

The four-manual console, restored with no changes. Photograph by William T. Van Pelt

The two-manual chapel console, showing shutters from Choir, Great, and Pedal departments of main organ. Photograph by William T. Van Pelt