MAGNUM OPUS

These are photographs of Atlanta First United Methodist Church featuring a new 93 rank V manual pipe organ built in November of 2007. For this organ, all wood in the facade and in the console were to be crafted from quarter-sawn oak to match the Jacobean period interior of the church.

THE ATLANTA FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AT 360 PEACHTREE STREET
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30308. 
Magnum Opus:  The chief or most important work of an artist, writer or composer.Translates to:  The largest pipe organ currently in production by an organ builder.Webster's New International Concise Dictionary 
 
The new communion rail for the 2007 renovation of the Sanctuary.
The new altar for AFUMC made for the 2007 Sanctuary renovation.  This photograph and the previous one show how the master carpenter used quarter sawn oak in the construction of both the altar and the altar railing. 
The Sanctuary right rear door leading into the pastor's conference room.  It served as a model for the design of the previous four manual console that Rob Black built for AFUMC in 1990.
For the 2007 organ, Tony DeLuca and Rob Black both paired together to build the new V manual instrument that is currently in the church.
 
The door is another example of the Jacobean wood architecture present in the Sanctuary.  Under
all the layers of stain lies the quarter sawn oak, which is just barely visible.  
The new chancel steps that were built in 2007 during the Sanctuary renovaton.  These steps indeed incorporated some oak flooring that was possibly cut from a quarter sawn oak tree..
The Preachers seat as in the popular dive at the swimming pool...
The back of the preachers seat at AFUMC.  This chair was likely the original piece of furniture for the clergy at the then The First Methodist and Episcopal Church of Atlanta
from 1904.  The back of the chair shows the results of what quarter sawn oak can look like
on a finished piece of furniture.
 
The  new 5 manual console just back from the finishers and is now on it's way back out
the door for a ride to Pennsylvania and a destination of Walker Technical Co.  John Tanner, AIO,
the paparazzi, is to my left.
Electricity was in the air during a Christmas concert at AFUMC to be given by Dan Miller.
The 8' Trompette En' Chamade being installed by Marc Conley, AIO.
The left antiphonal organ that features the E. M.Skinner 8' Flugel Horn.
8' First Open Diapason - Great division 
John Tanner, AIO, A. E. Schlueter's organbuilder and vice president of production securing some flanges.
More of the Great organ set up for fitting and adjustments to the pipes and chests.
Laukhuff slider motors in a line to operate the slides on the wind chest.
The organ is laid out on the warehouse floor as it will be installed into the organ.
An 8' Rohrflute with 73 pipes or possibly as Audsley eludes a "Flute a Cheminee".
A bellows style regulator / reservoir produced entirely at the Schlueter production facility in Lithonia.  Dusty Carlisle is the man with the expertise on the leather work and the wood finish for the regulator.

One of Schlueter's factory made floating regulator's / reservoir's made in Lithonia, GA. 
All regulators were constructed of 6' x 5' Baltic Birch plywood that is very good for problems
Art Schlueter, founder and owner of A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company with Bob Walker
of Walker Technical Company.  Bob is voicing the digital stops of the organ.
This is one of several stained glass windows inside the Sanctuary at AFUMC.   This one
is, of course, the gospel depiction of Christ calming the storm that frightened the disciples
at the sea of Galilee.
Dr. Carol Williams, soloist on 3/9/08, at AFUMC.  She played a very memorable piece using 
nothing but the pedal keys.  The piece was by a French composer.
Maestro Hector Olivera was the guest soloist in October of 2009 and wowed the audience
with his usual show stopping program.  More recently, Mr. Olivera was in concert this August 2012
at Atlanta's Ebenezer Babtist Church, Horizon Sanctuary and was absolutely stellar playing
J. S. Bach's Pasacaglia and Fugue in C minor BWV 582.
Dr. Carol Williams acknowledging an adoring audience. 
Dan Miller, of Rodgers Instruments Inc., gave the second in the series of Inaugural 
Concerts at AFUMC in December of 2008.  His concert was especially memorable 
because of his dedication to demonstrating so many of the organ stops in all 5 divisions.
 
Dan gave special attention to highlighting the antiphonal organ that has some stops from
the former E. M. Skinner Organ at The Basilica of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Atl. GA,
which is across the street from AFUMC.  Don Land, donated the pipes that he owned from the 
E. M. Skinner organ.  He is now the former music director and organist from Atlanta 1st.
Our 2007 organbuilding theme for Atlanta First was "We Built this City..on Rock and Roll" or
"We Built this Organ on Rock and Roll" - a popular song by the Jefferson Starship Band.
 
This is the MultiCam 3000 computer numeric controlled router that I operated throughout the
building phase of the 5 manual magnum opus pipe organ.  We began about April 1st 2007 and
the organ was ready for dedication about November 11, 2007.  On the router table is one of
the eleven slider grids that were hand built by our team of organ builders.  The router is taking
down the grid to be completly level for the addition of the top skin. 
 
 
 
 
Marc Conley, AIO, production and installation foreman, giving his usual "talk" about how to properly build a slider chest.  Dustin Carlisle, Jorge Sandoval, Wilson Luna and Jeff Chilcutt
are assisting the pro. 
And this photo features the street entrance gallery window prior to the installation of
the pipe organ.  Eventually, the 8' Trompette en Chamade would be mounted directly
below the stain glass window.
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