Temple Beth Israel
Austin Organ Company Opus No. 1853 – 1934, 1975
3 Manuals, 44 Ranks
Restoration by Austin Organ Service Company ( 2002-2005)
Congregation Beth Israel
Established 1843
701 Farmington Ave.
West Hartford, CT 06119
Designated an Historic Instrument by the Organ Historical Society
This important Austin organ was recently designated an historic organ by the Organ Historical Society. The instrument was designed by the company’s noted tonal designer James B. Jamison. Orpha Ochse devoted a sizeable section of her new book, Austin Organs (2001), to the Beth Israel Austin. Dr. Ochse relates the historic importance of the organ as an early
example of a transitional tonal design, bridging the older orchestral emphasis and moving toward a more classical ensemble. The unenclosed Diapason chorus of independent 16′, 8′, 4′, 2-2/3′, 2′ and III Mixture stops was unique for its day.
Since 2002, the temple congregation has
demonstrated their commitment to the historic integrity of the instrument by gradually restoring the organs actions and bellows and by replacing the Echo pipe work (which had gone missing) with vintage Austin .
| GREAT ORGAN | |||
| Open Diapason 34sc. | 16′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| First Open Diapason 42 sc. | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| * | Second Open Diapason 44 sc. | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| * | Violoncello 55 sc. | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| * | Claribel Flute usual with #3 stpd bass | 8′ | 73 pipes, wood |
| * | Gemshorn 49 tapered | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| Octave 56 | 4′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| * | Harmonic Flute #3 | 4′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| Twelfth 67 | 2b’ | 61 pipes, metal | |
| Super Octave 70 | 2′ | 61 pipes, metal | |
| Grave Mixture scales later | III | 183 pipes, metal | |
| * | Trumpet 5″ | 8′ | 73 pipes, reed |
| Chimes (From Echo) | 25 notes | ||
| Great Sub | Choir to Great Sub | ||
| Great Unison | Choir to Great Unison | ||
| Great Octave Swell to Great Sub |
Choir to Great Octave Choir to Great 2b’ |
||
| Swell to Great Unison | Choir to Great 2′ | ||
| Swell to Great Octave | Echo to Great Sub | ||
| Echo to Great Unison | |||
| * = Enclosed in Choir swellbox | Echo to Great Octave | ||
| SWELL ORGAN | |||
| Bourdon #4 | 16′ | 73 pipes, wood | |
| Open Diapason 46 low cut, bright | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Stopped Diapason #3 | 8′ | 73 pipes, wood | |
| Salicional 58 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Voix Celeste 58 | 8′ | 61 pipes, metal | |
| Aeoline 61 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Octave 58 | 4′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Orchestral Flute fl. traverso scale | 4′ | 73 pipes, wood | |
| Flautino usual | 2′ | 61 pipes, metal | |
| Posaune 6″ | 16′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Horn 4½” corno. | 8′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Oboe usual | 8′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Clarion 3½” | 4′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Tremolo | |||
| Swell Sub | Great to Swell Sub | ||
| Swell Unison | Great to Swell Unison | ||
| Swell Octave | Great to Swell Octave | ||
| Echo to Swell Unison | |||
| CHOIR ORGAN | |||
| Violin Diapason 49 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Viola d’Gamba 58 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Concert Flute usual large with #3 stopt bass | 8′ | 73 pipes, wood | |
| Flute Celeste usual scale | 8′ | 61 pipes, wood | |
| Dulciana 55 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal | |
| Unda Maris 55 | 8′ | 61 pipes, matal | |
| Flute d’Amour usual | 8′ | 73 pipes, wood | |
| Harmonic Piccolo usual | 2′ | 61 pipes, metal | |
| Clarinet small type | 8′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Corno d’Amour 4½ capt. | 8′ | 73 pipes, reed | |
| Harp A.O. Co. | 8′ | 61 bars | |
| Harp Celeste | 4′ | 61 notes | |
| Tremolo (Austin electric Motor Fan Type) | |||
| Choir Sub | Swell to Choir Sub | ||
| Choir Unison | Swell to Choir Unison | ||
| Choir Octave | Swell to Choir Octave | ||
| Echo to Choir Unison | |||
| ECHO ORGAN | |||
| * | Gedeckt #4 scale | 8′ | 73 pipes, wood |
| * | Muted Viole 70 | 8′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| * | Vox Angelica 70 | 8′ | 61 pipes, metal |
| * | Chimney Flute usual | 4′ | 73 pipes, metal |
| * | Vox Humana (separate chest & valve tremolo) 4″ | 8′ | 61 pipes, reed |
| Ramshorn (Limited Compass) special scale | 8′ | 2 octaves from G to G 25 pipes | |
| Chimes P | 25 Tubes | ||
| Chimes F | |||
| * = Pipes remove due to severe damage by air conditioning installers. Division will be restored soon with vintage matching pipes. | |||
| Echo Sub | |||
| Echo Unison | |||
| Echo Octave | |||
| Great to Echo | |||
| PEDAL ORGAN | |||
| Resultant | 32′ | 32 notes | |
| Open Diapason #3 scale | 16′ | 32 pipes, wood | |
| Second Open (GT) | 16′ | 32 notes | |
| Violone (GT Ext.) | 16′ | 12 pipes, 20 notes | |
| Bourdon #3 | 16′ | 32 pipes, wood | |
| Lieblich Gedeckt (SW) | 16′ | 32 notes | |
| Octave (Open Ext.) | 8′ | 12 pipes, 20 notes | |
| Major Flute (Bourdon Ext.) | 8′ | 32 notes | |
| Violoncello (GT) | 8′ | 32 notes | |
| Minor Flute (SW) | 8′ | 32 notes | |
| Trombone 7½” (SW Ext.) | 16′ | 12 pipes, 20 notes, reed | |
| Posaune (SW) | 16′ | 32 notes, reed | |
| Trumpet (GT) | 8′ | 32 notes, reed | |
| Swell to Pedal | |||
| Swell to Pedal Octave | |||
| Great to Pedal | |||
| Great to Pedal Octave | |||
| Choir to Pedal | |||
| Choir to Pedal Octave | |||
| Echo to Pedal | |||
NOTES
Contract signed February 13, 1934; First used, September 28, 1935
Contract signed between Austin Organs, Inc., and Congregation Beth Israel May 29, 1975
-Removed Echo pipes, disconnected Echo and Vox Humana windchests.
-Factory rebuilt 8′ Ramshorn and its windchest. Shofar revoiced on 9″ wind pressure.
-Removed Echo expression shades.
-Cleaned Great pipes and windchest.
-Factory revoiced Swell 8′ Horn and 8′ Oboe (with as few changes as possible)
-Cleaned & regulated Great 8′ Trumpet, Swell 16′ Posaune and Swell 4′ Clarion.
-Rewired the Crescendo Pedal.
-Installed a pneumatic check action for the console combination action.
Project authorized 2002 by Congregation Beth Israel (Echo Chamber):
-Replaced old Chimes action with new action from Organ Supply Industries.
-Releathered Ramshorn windchest. Spot regulated and tuned 25 pipes.
Contract signed May 7, 2003 between Austin Organ Service Company and Congregation Beth Israel:
-Reactioned all windchests in Main Organ (692 actions).
-Rebuilt large wind pressure regulator bellows
-Rebuilt two expression engines.
-Miscellaneous minor repairs.
Yet to be done:
-Echo organ restoration. Vintage Austin pipes to restore missing ranks.
-Clean, regulate 8′ Ramshorn. New wind pressure regulator (9″ w.p.)
This Austin Organ has been designated an historic instrument by the Organ Historical Society