Gallery

First Baptist Church

Abilene, Texas

Year Built: 2006
Manuals: 4
Stops: 56
Ranks: 71

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Construction Gallery

Installation Gallery

The Nichols & Simpson organ for First Baptist Church in Abilene replaces an Aeolian-Skinner organ that was built in 1951. The Skinner instrument comprised 41 stops and 50 ranks with console preparation for an additional 22 stops and 33 ranks, none of which were ever installed. The Nichols & Simpson organ has 56 stops and 71 ranks of pipes, of which 17 stops are incorporated into the new organ from the Skinner. The pipes of the main divisions of the organ are on pallet-and-slider windchests. Larger pedal pipes and duplexed stops are on individual valve windchests. The grill cloth was removed from all five of the arches behind which the organ is located, and a new facade with 109 pipes was installed in the open arches. The central arch features a flared brass horizontal Trumpet. The new four-manual console is constructed of rift-sawn oak and features manual keys with coverings of bone and rosewood. The 121 drawknobs are of rosewood with bone faces inset for engraving. The 27 tilting tablets are of bone. The five expression shoes are solid rosewood. The wind pressures for the organ are 5″ for the Great division, 6″ for the Swell & Choir divisions, 8″ for the Solo division, with the separately enclosed Tuba stop on 21″.

Those who contributed to the realization of the organ include: