The Tracker Organ

The tracker organ is a musical wind instrument in which sound is produced by one or more rows or “ranks” of pipes. The wind supply is provided by an electric turbine “blower,” and a leathered “reservoir” is responsible for supplying sufficient pressure and reserve of air. Each of one to four keyboards or “manuals” operates a “division” of ranks. Each division is named according to its function in the instrument. The “Great” is the main division, containing several of the stronger-toned ranks. The “Swell” is an enclosed division, provided with adjustable shutters which allow a variation in the volume of sound. The “pedals” of the organ are an oversized keyboard played by the feet. The ranks of pipes controlled by the pedals provide the bass tones of the organ. The knobs to the right or left of the keyboard are called “stops.” They operate wooden sliders which are used to keep a row of pipes out of action, or in other words, “stopped.”

The assembly of keyboards, pedals, and stops is called the “console.” Long, thin pieces of wood, called “trackers,” connect the keys and pedals to valves under the pipes. When a key is pressed, it moves a tracker to open a valve under the pipe, allowing air to flow into the pipe and produce a tone.

The value of a tracker action organ (as opposed to various types of electric action organs) is the high degree of flexibility and responsiveness of the keyboard, and the clear articulation of the pipes’ speech. Tracker action exhibits simplicity of design, superior longevity, and ease of maintenance.

The organ is known to have existed in crude form in ancient times. Organs of the Middle Ages had several ranks of pipes which were all “diapasons,” that is, pipes whose timbre is characteristic of the organ alone. Ranks of pipes with timbres imitative of other instruments such as flutes and reed instruments were added in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. In the 19th century, stops imitating various orchestral tones became popular.

Due in part to the influence of Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) and the “Orgelbewegung” (an organ reform movement begun in the 1920s), there has been a revived interest in tracker organs and the historic principles used in their construction.

The Johnson & Son Tracker Organ (Opus 690)

The organ at Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church is a 2-manual, 26-rank, 1,391 pipe Johnson & Son tracker organ, Opus 690, which was built in the Johnson factory in Westfield, Massachusetts at a cost of $3,000. It was delivered to the present building in 1888 which was at that time the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church. The building had just been completed and was dedicated with its new organ on April 22, 1888.

The sanctuary at that time was somewhat smaller than at present and the organ was situated in a case in the northwest corner. In 1898, it was decided to enlarge the sanctuary to its present size. To do this, the west wall was moved westward 25 feet and the organ was moved to its current position. The organ chamber was also modified to include a flat of dummy pipes facing the pews in order to allow more sound to reach the sanctuary.

The Johnson firm is credited with being one of the first organ builders to use a water motor to provide the organ’s wind supply. This type of hydraulic motor depended on a reliable water supply of sufficient pressure to operate a water wheel which was connected to the bellows through a series of shafts, wheels and gears. The Lincoln Park organ was built with such a water motor. There was a recital in the church on June 15, 1888, and the church records note: “if all Lake View will insist on sprinkling their flowerbeds just as Mr. W. sits down to the organ, he cannot be expected to get much volume of sound. A water motor may be a very good idea, but it’s not as reliable as the old-fashioned pumping machine, i.e., a man.” The organ’s water motor no longer exists; the instrument is now powered by an electric turbine blower. Other records from June 1896 state: “paid boy for pumping organ on two Sundays, $1.00.” The bellows handle for this “old-fashioned pump-ing machine” was inside the door of the organ chamber below the flat of dummy pipes.

The organ was well cared for through the years. The church records of August 1902 note that a yearly organ maintenance contract was obtained for $75. Repairs were also made in 1906 and 1924. Despite other repairs throughout the years, the organ is virtually unchanged since its installation. In 1976, the Roderer Organ Company undertook a thorough cleaning and various repairs. It was at this time that the original wind system was removed.

In 1981, it was determined that a major renovation was necessary if the organ was to be preserved for the years ahead. The Bradford Organ Company was selected for this project. The first phase of this renovation was begun in that same year when the pedal trackers were replaced and the pedal couplers were restored. The second phase was accomplished mostly in the summer of 1986. Included in this work were: replacement of the Great and Swell trackers, rebushing of the keyboards, repitching the organ (the pitch had drifted sharp after years of tuning), renovating various tuning mechanisms, and restoration of several of the reed stops. In addition, a wind system reservoir copied from a Johnson original was built and installed. All of this work was done with the goal of maintaining the historical integrity of the instrument. A recital series in the fall of 1986 celebrated the 1980s renovations.

In 1988, a lecture/mini-recital/party was held to recognize the organ’s centennial and to celebrate 100 years of praising God with music. At this event, the Organ Historical Society presented the church with a citation recognizing Opus 690 as “an instrument of exceptional historical merit worthy of preservation.”

In 1995, new tuning scrolls were installed on certain pipes. Many mechanical and pipework improvements were completed in fall 1998 and winter 1999. In 2004, the facade pipes were stripped and repainted to match the original base color.

As part of the extensive building renovations of the 2004-7 Capital Campaign, the sanctuary was air conditioned, the carpeting in the chancel and the rear of the sanctuary was removed, and in June 2007, the organ was thoroughly cleaned, with most pipes removed and washed in a cattle trough.