University Presbyterian Church - Chapel Hill, NC

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice

at the sound of the organ.

- Job 21:12

In my eyes, and to my ears,

the organ is the King of Instruments.

- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1777

The Sanctuary Organ is the result of a remarkable collaboration between American organbuilder Robert L. Sipe and Aug. Laukhuff & Company of Weikersheim, Germany, one of Europe’s oldest organbuilders. Mr. Sipe created the design, specification, scaling and layout of the instrument which was then built in Germany by the Laukhuff Company. Following four months of installation and voicing by Mr. Sipe, the organ was first used in worship on Sunday, November 13, 1983.

Standing at the rear of the Chancel, the organ is ideally sited to speak freely along the main axis of the Sanctuary. Its 39 stops and 51 ranks are played from a detached, three-manual drawknob console located just behind the Chancel retable. The organ’s key action is direct mechanical (tracker) action, which provides a sensitive, responsive and musical control over the organ’s 2,621 pipes. The stop action is electric with a solid-state, multi-level combination action. The organ is tuned to equal temperament.

The symmetrical organ case is a modern adaptation of historical antecedents and serves to blend, focus and project the organ’s tone. Its vertical axis, also based on historical models, clearly reflects the organ’s tonal composition in its physical arrangement: the various divisions can be identified by the exposed pipework in the organ’s façade. The Great division speaks freely from the top center of the case and displays 29 polished tin pipes of its 8’ Principal stop. The Positiv division, identified by its façade of polished tin 4' Principal pipes, stands beneath the Great. The Swell division, the organ’s romantic voice, is enclosed directly behind the Positiv. The Pedal division contains the instrument’s largest pipes. It stands in two locations, framing the Great and Positiv, and features its flamed copper 16’ Principal in the façade. The organ is fashioned from a variety of superior materials, including mahogany, oak, walnut, clear pine, cedar, tin, copper, lead and zinc. The keyboards utilize rosewood covered with bone for the sharps, and feature Madagascar granadilla for the naturals, a rare wood usually reserved for the finest clarinets and oboes.

Robert Sipe designed the organ in the American Classic style, one which combines tonal and physical elements from the past four centuries of organbuilding into a synergetic, modern instrument. Through his careful and inspired voicing, the organ speaks with a decidedly international accent. It functions with strong conviction and nobility of tone as a musical leader for congregational worship, and is an instrument which powerfully and effectively embraces a broad range of the organ repertoire. The organ’s voice is wonderfully encouraged and enhanced by the Sanctuary’s lively and gracious acoustic.

The organ console.
Photo taken by Joe Deese.

View of the Great windchest, showing pipes made variously of lead, tin, copper and spotted metal. This is the organ's primary division and stands at the top of the case immediately behind its facade of polished tin 8' Principal pipes.

Pipes of the Positiv organ, which is located directly beneath the Great division.

A view of the Swell organ. The vertical black swell shades, edged in green felt, are seen at the top of the picture. They may be opened or closed by the organist to provide dynamic variation to this division. As the shades close, the sound is softened. This division is sited immediately behind the Positiv organ at the instrument's second level.

Two views of the mechanical room located under the Positiv and Swell divisions at the organ's first level. The cedar trackers seen in both pictures connect the organ's keyboards and pedals to the windchests and pipes. The instrument's main wind reservoir, which collects pressurized air from the organ's electric blower, may be seen in the background of the upper picture and the lower right corner of the lower photograph.

The Sanctuary and Organ at Christmastime