"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing." (Psalm 100:1-2)

Serving the Streetsville and Meadowvale communities since 1836.

Phoenix Organ Installation Diary at Streetsville United

At a special congregational meeting held December 15, 2002 the congregation of Streetsville United Church approved the purchase and installation of a Phoenix PD-351 Digital Organ to replace its current Keates Pipe Organ with some components dating back to 1920. This diary will attempt to log the progress of the organ's construction and installation during the spring of 2003.

Friday, April 18, 2003

First Service

Today (Good Friday) marked our first worship service employing the new organ. After the first hymn, Rev. John mentioned in the course of the announcements that the atmosphere during the hymn was "electric". Robin then pointed out that she had not really opened up yet. Providing a prelude and postlude, accompanying hymns and other aspects of the worship, the organ was well received across the congregation; hymn singing was certainly more robust. For those of us in the south balcony, there was definitely a noticeable difference in the "presence" of the organ due to the new pipe chamber openings. Easter Sunday, with a full house, will provide the final answer as to what acoustic adjustments will need to be made, if any.

Comments after worship included: "Are we arranging to remortar the bricks? (last done ten years ago in a building restoration project)" and "Finally we can now compete with those teens stopped at red lights!". As mentioned previously there are still some minor adjustments to be completed; as well we have discovered a building fundamental resonance at the FFF keyboard pedal on the 32' Bourdon stop. (This just proves, however, that our 1876 structure is largely earthquake-proof as the resonance is above frequencies associated with earthquakes since the resonance did not occur on lower notes.) Being the church's problem, we will investigate the source and damp it out.
Posted 4/18/2003 01:10:00 p.m. by Jim Courtney