On Sun, 5 Jan 1997, Michael Fox wrote:
 
> I recall that in +- 1957 Richard Purvis added a Trompette Provencale to =
> the Solo. And about a year later he added a Benedictine Trumpet.
 
The "Benedictine Trumpet" was actually labeled "Military Trumpet".
Neither it nor the "Provencale" were built as such: both sets were
re-worked junque pipes "allegendly" (to coin a word?) of Wurlitzer
provenance; both mounted on old W unit chests outside of the Solo box,
on nominally static wind derived from the Solo Division.
 
> I remember the Trompette Provencale, a fiery reed that added some =
> much-needed sting to the Tuba (which was/is not much bigger than the =
> Swell reeds), but I have no real aural memory of the Benedictine =
> Trumpet. Was this still the same grotesque quasi-Post Horn that is heard =
> on the mid-60's Word record, "Richard Purvis at the Grace Cathedral =
> Organ [WST-9033]"?
 
Correct, I believe.
 
> I don't know the chest layouts, but I'm pretty sure that there were no =
> spare drawknobs on the original 1934 console. How -- assuming I'm not =
> making this up, which I'm not -- did all of this happen?
 
Some other changes were made at the time. The Solo French Horn knob would
have been available, as it was a "prepared-for", and a real FH has been
installed since the removal of the TP & MT.
 
Most (if not all, by now) of the ill-advised alterations (done by one of
San Francisco's less worthy companies) have been reversed under John
Fenstermaker's direction and Ed Stout's stewardship of the Alexander
Memorial Organ at Grace Cathedral (San Francisco).
 
For which all should be grateful.
 
Jim Tyler <[log in to unmask]>