Kilgen made many Theatre and Classic organs. They were well built and relatively easy to service. The EP chects used round pouches and the whole mechanism comes out from thebottom of the chest. The magnets are larger than Wurly and less susceptable to cyphers. Irebuilt one many years ago and enjoyed it til I went overseas. Probably the top mfrs of TPO's were Wurlitzer, Robert Morton, Kilgen, Barton, Moller, Marr & Coulton, Link, and others. Pricedepends on the condition, ranks, completeness, history. Best are original unmodified condition. Well-meaning amateurs can ruin them.
came across this Kilgan in Southern Indiana....it REALLY reminded me very much of my own 5 rank unit organ in my home...there is a recording of the Kilgan here:
Very tight quarters so I could not check out the exact pipe make up..........
I'm not sure how many ranks...the stoplist seems to indicate at least 6 ranks by the stop NAMES of the 8' stops, I didn't get a chance to play that one so I don't know what is really a real 8' rank , maybe all, or what may be just a renamed stop on a different division....which I sorta am guessing may be the case, but that is just a guess....I know Reuter would have the same rank on different divisions be called different names, not sure about Kilgan.
What are the pros and cons of these organs? Nice sound? Easy to maintain/work on (especially releathering)? Simplicity?
Thanks!
Wayne J.
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My only experience with any Kilgen oeuvre was in St. Patricks Cathedral N.Y. Sound-wise and imho, it was a good instrument with resources to satisfactorily execute the canon of organ repertoire. I don't think I would put it in the same class as the instruments in St. John the Divine or Riverside, but neither do I think that it is an inferior instrument.
Having had opportunity to play two different Kilgen instruments (a 1920's fully enlcosed 9 rank instrument in Coffeyville, KS and a 13 rank, tracker from 1918 in St. Louisl, MO) I have only high praise for thier sound. Well balanced and inviting. These instruments have lots of guts. Not a thin whispy group of whistles, but a full bodied tone that supports singing.
I liked the one in Coffeyville so well, I spent an entire day recording samples so I could play the instrument from the MIDI console via J Organ.
They are supposed to be very well built and worth maintaining.
It's a little known fact that the Kilgen at St. Patrick's has had much tonal refinishing, particularly in the 1970s, which sets it apart from most other instruments built by the firm.
Kilgen's output was considerable, consistent and sometimes undistinguished. They were very popular with RC churches in their day. They used more than their share of hoytmetal, which, if you know about it, is not a great thing. Their installations and the design of the mechanism sometimes frustrates service and rebuilding, but worse examples from other builders exist.
Apart from the hoytmetal, the pipemaking and joinery was workmanlike, consistent and therefore not to be dismissed. The only real difficulty in rebuilding their mechanism is their chest magnets, for which no direct replacement exists. We keep a stockpile of old ones on hand for rebuild jobs.
Their style tended to favor higher (5" to 7") pressures, and relied often on unification rather than inclusion of a full plenum. Diapasons were often large scale, linen-metal or hoyt with high cutups, and heavy, close nicking. Strings often "pencil" scale; reeds were well made and voiced, as were wooden flutes. Later work, especially in the postwar era, made certain concessions to the trends of the day, though they never really broke free of their own idiom.
I believe Charles Courboin succeeded Pietro Yon at St Patrick circa 1941 or so. By 1950 significant tonal changes were made to both the gallery and sanctuary organs. GDH remarked that the new plein jeu on the gallery great was essentially a recasting of the 1929 Ripieno. The reeds for the revisions on the two organs were from Schopp in Alliance Ohio.Courboin was still there in 1969 when i visited but by 1973 he had passed on. When John Grady took over in 1975 extensive tonal work resulted in a marvelous improvement. The former heaviness of tone gave way to a dignified clarity with fullness in the mid-70's work.
The later work in the 90s involved 2 new beautiful twin consoles of 5m each by Turner and later tonal improvements by Peragallo including significant work in the crossing at the triforium level of the nave section formerly the echo--a plenum plus a powerful unit reed.The 32 wood open from 1929 is EM Skinner in the low 12 and is horizontal in the triforium. Likewise a 32 wood reed revoiced by Steinkampf is in the opposite triforium gallery. The crown of the entire organ is a revoiced Moller Hamonic Tuba by Steinkampf atop the gallery organ voiced on 33'' wind. Gone for a long time are the 1929 pedal diaphone 16 and tibias and some other goodies.
I've had the opportunity to play a fairly large Kilgen (3 manuals, about 30 ranks). I was very pleased with the sound of the organ. The Great is unenclosed and has a full principal chorus (I do think the 4' and 2' are unified). There is a two rank mixture and a brighter three rank mixture. The Swell and Choir are enclosed in chambers to the left and right of the Great, respectively. The flutes of the Swell contrast with the flutes of the Choir. You can form a cornet on either the Swell or the Choir. The Swell has the typical reeds (oboe unit at 16', 8', and 4', French-style Trompette at 8', and a Vox Humana). The Swell strings are a Salicional with Voix Celeste; the Choir strings include a Gemshorn and Dolce with Dolce Celeste. (I believe the resonators of the Dolce flare outward.) The Choir has a smooth Clarinet stop along with a louder Trumpet that is also playable from the Great and Pedal. The Pedal reeds are borrowed from either the Swell or the Choir. There is a good deal of unification in the organ, but I think it is used effectively. The organ has a very majestic and full sound, and works well with playing many different types of music.
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