St. Paul Catholic Danville IL 1920’s Hinners Unit Organ


St. Paul’s Catholic Church
Danville, IL
2012

Reconfiguration and re-purposing of instrument
Re-engineered now becomes New Artistic Statement

St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Danville. IL

This organ started out as a small electropneumatic action 1920’s Hinners unit organ and became Eclectic Provinance Instrument . Buzard assumed care of the organ in 2007 and immediately began what became a five-year project of necessary corrections and improvements. There had been ill-advised interventions by various firms over the years.

The Great Trumpet, which had been newly installed, was used as a demonstration project as part of an American Institute of Organbuilders mid-year e-seminar in reed voicing and revoicing. It was determined that the resonator lengths were incorrect, and fill-in pipes were constructed to correct this problem, along with a complete revoicing of the stop. Similar work was later undertaken with the Oboe

Wind pressures were adjusted through the instrument, and pipes re-regulated to maximum musical effectiveness.

Finally, in 2011-12, the flues of the entire Swell division were revoiced. The original Salicional (Gamba) had been so poorly revoiced that it had to be replaced with a similar period rank from Buzard stock. A new 4’ Principal was voiced and installed as well.

Stop List


Great Organ
8′ Diapason
8′ Prestant
8′ Rohrflute
8′ Viola da Gamba (Sw)
8′ Celeste (Sw)
4′ Principal
4′ Spitz Flute
2′ Gemshorn
III Mixture
8′ Trumpet
Swell Organ
16′ Spitz Flute
8′ Geigen Diapason
8′ Holz Gedeckt
8′ Gamba
8′ Celeste
8′ Spitzflute
4′ Principal
4′ Geigen Octave
4′ Traverse Flute
2 2/3′ Nazard
2′ Principal
1 3/5′ Terz
16′ Contra Oboe
8′ Oboe
Pedal Organ
32′ Resultant
16′ Prestantbass
16′ Contrabourdon
16′ Spitzflute (Sw)
16′ Contra Oboe (Sw)
8′ Trumpet