About the Historic Pilcher Pipe Organ at Christ the King Episcopal Church, Atascocita

 

The Pilcher pipe organ, Opus 1533, from the legendary Settegast-Kopf Funeral Home was donated to Christ the King Episcopal Church, Atascocita, in February 2008, pending the razing of the facility on Kirby Drive in Houston. This instrument was built by Henry Pilcher’s Sons of Louisville, Kentucky in 1927 and was originally installed in the Settegast home, then located at West Gray and Milam Streets in Houston. The organ was relocated to the Kirby Drive location around 1960 and was regularly played for services until the facility’s closing in 2007. Following a serious breach of water containment above the organ during the 1980’s, a portion of the organ was updated with one new wind chest. During the 1990’s, the organ was updated with a solid state switching system and three ranks of pipes were added. These additions and modifications assured a lasting instrument for future generations to enjoy.

 

The Pilcher pipe organ transferred to Christ the King Church in March 2008 by the Church Corporation is Opus 1049, built in 1920, and was formerly installed at Holy Cross Episcopal Mission (Mission Santa Cruz) in the Harrisburg area of east Houston. The organ was modified with technology current to the period and was protected from roof leaks by inspired organ technicians to prevent it from being destroyed by the elements. Much of the mechanism was in dire need of serious repair or replacement, but the pipes constructed by the Pilcher firm are timeless and would be virtually impossible to replace, as the art of creating orchestral strings and the zinc metal alloys used in organ pipe construction in that era no longer exist.

 

 

                                   
  Pipes in Settegast-Kopf pipe organ.                        The Settegast-Kopf Pilcher organ console.

 

The preservation of these two locally historic Pilcher pipe organs will assure awareness and growth of fine music, liturgy and worship at Christ the King, Atascocita, and the Diocese of Texas. It also preserves valued treasures in the sounds produced by these finely crafted pipes and the legacy of the Pilcher family. Bishop Clinton S. Quin recommended these Pilcher pipe organs, one of the finest instruments on the market in that era, not only for Episcopal churches, but many other institutions as well.

 

The Henry Pilcher family immigrated to the United States from Dover, England in 1832, as an organ building family, finally settling in Louisville, Kentucky to build many fine instruments before permanently ceasing operations in 1942. Hortense Pilcher (Quin) was the great-great granddaughter of the emigrant Henry Pilcher, Sr. and the only surviving child of her father, Robert Pilcher.

 

With this information in mind, Christ the King Episcopal Church, Atascocita, has relocated, renovated and preserved Pilcher pipe organs Opus 1049 and Opus 1533 for our church in Humble, Texas, to enhance our worship and praise to God, to share our gift of beautiful, natural music with the community and fulfill our mission: “To be a light, living as a witness to Christ’s love, serving and nurturing all.”

 

We view the Pilcher pipe organ as a beacon to the community, enriching our worship as it draws people to the Lord and His church.

 

 

View of the original nameplate from the Settegast-Kopf Pilcher pipe organ.

 

Thank you for your interest in our pipe organ project!

 

 

Specification of the Pilcher Pipe Organ for Christ the King Episcopal Church

 

Combining Opus 1049, built 1920 from Holy Cross Episcopal Mission, Houston, TX and Opus 1533, built 1927 from Settegast-Kopf Funeral Home, Houston, TX

 

PEDAL	SWELL	GREAT	SOLO
32 Untersatz**	16 Bourdon	8 Open Diapason*	8 Trumpet
16 Bourdon	8 Violin Diapason*	8 Diapason Phonon	8 Horn Oboe
16 Lieblich Gedeckt*	8 Stopped Diapason	8 Concert Flute	8 Clarinet
8 Dolce Flute	8 Viole d’ Orchestre	8 Gemshorn	Chimes
8 Great to Pedal	8 Viol Celeste	8 Dulciana*	Solo on Great
4 Great to Pedal	8 Aeoline	8 Gamba*	Solo on Swell
8 Swell to Pedal	8 Aeoline Celeste*	8 Voix Celeste*
4 Swell to Pedal	4 Octave Geigen	4 Octave
	4 Flute Harmonic*	4 Flute Traverso
	4 Flute d’ Amour	2 Super Octave	Zimbelstern (CTK)
	2 Piccolo	Great/Solo Tremolo
	8 Vox Humana	16 Great to Great
	Tremolo	Great Unison Off
	16 Swell to Swell	4 Great to Great
	Swell Unison Off	8 Swell to Great
	4 Swell to Swell	4 Swell to Great

 

 

All stops listed are from the historic Pilcher pipe organ donated by Settegast-Kopf Company and George H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, except as noted by the * sign. The Settegast-Kopf instrument was entirely enclosed in an organ chamber, thus not being of display quality.

 

Items denoted by the * sign are stops from the historic Pilcher pipe organ at Holy Cross Episcopal Mission that are incorporated into the Christ the King Episcopal Church instrument to provide a more versatile instrument for congregational singing and support, choral and solo accompaniment and recitals.

 

The Chimes are Deagan “Class A” chimes. The set installed in the organ is a 25 note set, donated by the Lunson family. The 21 note set of chimes that came with the organ to Christ the King were donated to an Episcopal Church in north Arkansas.

 

The Octave 4’ and its extension Super Octave were manufactured by the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois in 1952 for its Opus 3258, originally installed at First Congregational Church, Dallas TX. In 1980, Wicks Opus 3258 was sold and moved to St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Houston, TX where it is currently installed. The large scaling of these pipes (44 scale at 8’ C) made it a candidate for removal shortly after the organ was installed, where it was replaced with a sound more suitable for its new acoustical home at St. Matthew’s. While the renovations were being discussed for the Settegast-Kopf instrument in the 1990’s, it was determined these pipes would enhance the sound at the funeral home chapel, as the organ was installed in a chamber space with minimal tone openings. While the installation at Christ the King was meant to return the Pilcher more closely to its original specification and include the additional Pilcher pipes from Holy Cross Mission, the inclusion of this stop would enable the organ to lead congregational singing without worry.

 

The Trumpet 8’ and Clarinet 8’ stops were both built by Organ Supply Industries of Erie, Pennsylvania. While the Clarinet and its wind chest was built specifically for installation at Settegast-Kopf in the early 1990’s, the Trumpet and its wind chest has a storied history.  Originally built for Travis Street Methodist Church in Sweetwater, Oklahoma, the Trumpet was removed during a renovation of the pipe organ there and stored by one the crew members because it was “too loud” and required high wind pressure. Following a major organ renovation project at First United Methodist Church in Alvin, TX, the Trumpet was traded for the old console at the Alvin church and was transported to Houston for installation at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, Houston, TX. It played there until, ironically, it was replaced by a Pilcher English Horn from one of the last Pilchers ever built, located in Dallas, TX. The pipes were once again stored. During the early 1990’s, the senior director of Settegast-Kopf and pipe organ enthusiast, Mr. Richard Chalk, wanted a trumpet to be installed at the funeral home chapel. So it came to pass that a wind chest became available to house the Trumpet. The wind chest (built by Organ Supply Industries) had been installed on the Pilcher organ in Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica (Roman Catholic) in Galveston, TX and removed during a renovation of that instrument.

 

The wind chests for the Stopped Diapason 8’, 4’, 2’ unit flute in the Swell and Open Diapason 8’, Dulciana 8’ and Voix Celeste 8’ were all built by Organ Supply Industries of Erie, Pennsylvania and salvaged from St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Wharton, TX during a major organ renovation. These chests were partial replacements for Pilcher Opus 1462. Only a few stops of Opus 1462 remain, including the bass end (up to about C 37) of the Doppel Flute 8’, which is in storage for future use at Christ the King.

 

The wind chest on which the Flute Harmonic 4’ in the Swell resides is from Estey Organ Company (Brattleboro, Vermont) Opus 1965, built in 1915 and installed at First United Methodist Church, Conroe, TX. The pipes are from the Holy Cross Mission Pilcher, Opus 1049, built 1920.

 

 

The expression shades for the Great division are from Pilcher Opus 1355, Bering Memorial United Methodist Church, Houston, TX, while the Swell division shades are from Holy Cross Mission. The original Settegast-Kopf shades were inadequate for this installation.

 

** The Untersatz 32 is an electronic extension providing a strong foundation in the bass register.

 

The Zimbelstern is a unit comprised of tiny bells that is often used for joyous occasions and final verses of hymns. Christ the King intends to incorporate the unit currently in use at the church into the historic Pilcher pipe organ.