"SCHLICKER ORGAN"

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Bill's instrument was one of two unique organs built by Herman Schlicker, one for Robert Shaw for his touring choir, and one to tour with Bill MacGowan.  Bill's organ has been played under the baton of famous conductors including Leopold Stokowski, Nadia Boulanger, Michael Tilson Thomas, and James Judd.

Disposition:  Built by the Schlicker Organ Co., Inc., Buffalo, New York.

First heard in Boston in 1960 in concert conducted by Julius Rudel.

One manual, 7 ranks, 56 keys, cone tuned, slider chest, mechanical action,

Laukhuff blower in case.

All pipes are metal except the Gedeckt 8' which are wooden.

Gedeckt 8'

Rohrflöte 4'

Principal 2'

Quinte 1 1/3 '

Mixtur II-III

"The Schlicker Organ Company was founded in 1930 by Herman L. Schlicker, a third generation builder, who apprenticed with firms in Germany, France and Denmark before emigrating to America in the late 1920's. It was at this time that organbuilding in America was in the infancy of a reform movement which would shift tonal philosophy away from orchestral stoplists... There was growing consensus among musicologists that the listening experience could be enhanced by performing music of a given period on instruments authentic to that period. Riding the wave of this organ reform movement, Herman was at the forefront of the neo-Baroque revival building organs after the "Werk-Prinzip" in German tradition. His organs are characterized by attention to detail in the upperwork and possess a brightness and clarity of tone along with a slightly thin edginess in the plenum. This was in keeping with the narrow scaling and no-nicking style of voicing in vogue at the time."  For more information please go to: http://www.schlickerorgancompany.com/about.htm

We would also like to thank the following people for generously sharing their time and talents to install this famous pipe organ in St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Gainesville, Florida on May 16, 2008 so its voice may continue to be heard for many years.

Dave Klug, organ curator, P.O. Box 90216, Lakeland, Florida - dklug@aol.com

John, Jane, Brad & Liz MacGowan

Gary Miller

Mikesch Muecke

Clare Stokes

Dale Warner

Miriam Zach

 - notes by Dr. Miriam Zach