Restoration of Calvary's 1941 Möller Organ
In 1941, Calvary Presbyterian Church of Wyncote, having outgrown its original, 1899 C.S. Haskell organ installed at the Church’s construction, undertook an ambitious project: the design and installation of a new organ, to be tailored to Calvary’s design (described by architects Dull & Peterson as “the best… of the small English parish churches” in the style of the Perpendicular Period in English ecclesiastical architecture). Calvary turned to Henry Baecker, a developer and later curator of the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ (then as now the world’s largest musical instrument) – and whose wife Alma Baecker had served as Calvary’s organist. Baecker’s challenge was straightforward but significant: produce as vibrant and colorful a sound as possible, but within Calvary’s decidedly smaller confines than Wanamaker’s Grand Court!
Baecker looked to preeminent organ manufacturer A.P. Möller of Hagerstown, MD, and Möller’s Tonal Director the renowned Richard Whitelegg, who together designed and produced an uncommonly orchestral instrument, varied abundantly in flute, reeds & strings, all carefully selected to produce color from a limited selection of stops. Calvary’s present Music Director and Organist Calvin O’Malley describes the resulting Möller Opus 7040 as “truly a little gem, and its modest 14 ranks of pipes carefully selected so as to afford the organist a surprising amount of versatility.”
In 2025, Calvary has, through the services of organ restorer Christopher Kehoe, concluded a complete refurbishing of the Möller organ, including the cleaning and repair of all pipework, installation of a new Opus II digital control system, and refinishing of the console furniture by Cunningham Piano Company. As renowned Houston organist Alex Jones has observed as to our “little gem”, it has
everything you need to play a service – a complete Diapason chorus, a versatile reed that can perform both as a solo and chorus stop, a luxurious complement of soft 8s including 2 sets of strings, and a variety of flutes. ... I bet this organ is fantastically comfortable to play and much more flexible than it appears. I adore small organs by reputable builders – they give you an invaluable insight into what they (and their consultants) considered to be essential voices and how those voices could be used to the maximum degree. A great representation of the Multum in Parvo concept!
Much in Little indeed! In a special Re-Dedication Concert on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025, Calvary proudly presented Rudy Lucente, the 47-year Principal Assistant Organist of the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, for a special performance and reintroduction of our beloved Möller instrument, to celebrate this wonderful (if comparatively diminutive) instrument’s unusually diverse sound. We are pleased to make available Rudy’s concert by following the link here.
Baecker looked to preeminent organ manufacturer A.P. Möller of Hagerstown, MD, and Möller’s Tonal Director the renowned Richard Whitelegg, who together designed and produced an uncommonly orchestral instrument, varied abundantly in flute, reeds & strings, all carefully selected to produce color from a limited selection of stops. Calvary’s present Music Director and Organist Calvin O’Malley describes the resulting Möller Opus 7040 as “truly a little gem, and its modest 14 ranks of pipes carefully selected so as to afford the organist a surprising amount of versatility.”
In 2025, Calvary has, through the services of organ restorer Christopher Kehoe, concluded a complete refurbishing of the Möller organ, including the cleaning and repair of all pipework, installation of a new Opus II digital control system, and refinishing of the console furniture by Cunningham Piano Company. As renowned Houston organist Alex Jones has observed as to our “little gem”, it has
everything you need to play a service – a complete Diapason chorus, a versatile reed that can perform both as a solo and chorus stop, a luxurious complement of soft 8s including 2 sets of strings, and a variety of flutes. ... I bet this organ is fantastically comfortable to play and much more flexible than it appears. I adore small organs by reputable builders – they give you an invaluable insight into what they (and their consultants) considered to be essential voices and how those voices could be used to the maximum degree. A great representation of the Multum in Parvo concept!
Much in Little indeed! In a special Re-Dedication Concert on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025, Calvary proudly presented Rudy Lucente, the 47-year Principal Assistant Organist of the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ, for a special performance and reintroduction of our beloved Möller instrument, to celebrate this wonderful (if comparatively diminutive) instrument’s unusually diverse sound. We are pleased to make available Rudy’s concert by following the link here.