Burton Tidwell Pipe Organ, Op. 3
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Our Lady of Victory Catholic ChurchBurton Tidwell Pipe Organ, Op. 3
In conjunction with the renovation of Our Lady of Victory Church in the late 1980s, an organ committee was formed for the purpose of studying the feasibility of upgrading the existing organ to meet the needs of the newly enlarged worship space. The original pipe organ was installed in 1970. It was a modest two manual Wicks (Highland, IL) pipe organ of 7 ranks.
Our church’s current pipe organ was designed by Burton K. Tidwell and was built, installed, and voiced under his supervision. Major components were constructed by Organ Supply Industries of Erie, Pennsylvania with pipework crafted at Organ Supply by Ferenc Gyuartz, by A.R. Schopps of Alliance, Ohio and by J. Stinkens of Zeist, Netherlands.
After much study, research, and interviewing organ builders, Burton K. Tidwell was chosen to create an instrument for OLV. His task included incorporating as much of the existing organ as possible, providing for the support of congregational singing, enabling the organist to perform a variety of repertoire, and positioning the organ for proper projection into the church.
As a result, an instrument of 24 ranks of pipes with the preparation for additions was created. As of 1987 when the organ was installed, the instrument was mechanically mostly new. A solid-state control system was added to the console and the console was refinished to match new interior church furnishings. Sixty percent of the pipework from the original organ was retained in the new organ and the remaining pipework was designed and built to match.
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