The Westminster Modular Organ Concept

It's not uncommon these days to find that churches wishing to support a tradition of fine church music by acquiring a new pipe organ find that they lack the financial means to do so. However produced, pipe organs are to a very great extent the product of manual labor and production on a "bespoke" basis. Anyone who is involved in the operation of a commercial enterprise can readily appreciate the cost implications of work of this nature.

While this production approach can't entirely be overcome, Westminster Organ Works seeks to maximize production efficiency to the extent possible without compromising the quality of workmanship and artistic integrity of the organ.

Westminster has developed an approach intended to make it more feasible to consider the purchase of a fine pipe organ. Essentially this involves working with the customer to establish a long-range plan with the ultimate goal of providing an instrument of all pipe or primarily pipe resources. As the Hauptwerk software can provide the software end of all of the switching facility that might be required by a pipe organ it is particularly suitable as the basis of the initial stage of the project. A console is provided that is designed to accommodate the eventual specification. Should available funds not allow for any pipework in the first phase, one of the many excellent sample sets available provides the tonal resources. This sample set will be selected as being the most suited for encompassing the ultimate goal of the project.

As time transpires and resources permit the digital resources can be upgraded in phases as needed. These upgrades can very well incorporate modular components otherwise available from Westminster. Standard casework and pipe modules might be utilized, or custom upgrades might be deemed more appropriate.

Our example page, based on the extended sample set by Lavender Audio of the Binns organ in the Old Independent Church, Haverhill, Suffolk, demonstrates one possible course of action. This example will represent a more elaborate plan than most will wish to pursue, but will serve to demonstrate the possibilities of Westminster's modular approach.