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4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks
Church Pipe Organ


Click here to download a 2592 x 1944 JPG image showing the keydesk of the majestic 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ installed at the First United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida.
Keydesk of the 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ
installed at the First United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida.

Known for its powder white beaches and sunny climate, Clearwater is home to one of the best kept secrets of the pipe organ world, the mighty 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ installed in the sactuary of the First United Methodist Church on the corner of Fort Harrison and Turner Street.

Installed in the 1960's, this majestic instrument has grown to its current enormous size of 33 actual pipe ranks and 60 digital ranks. It is completely computerized and has full MIDI implementation. The organ speaks from chambers above the Holiest of Holies and loudspeakers located on the facade of the rear balcony. The digital samples and the lovely red mahogany four manual console are by Rodgers. The pipe ranks are by Ruffatti and Wicks.

Click here to download a 2592 x 1944 JPG image showing the console of the majestic 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ installed at the First United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida.
Console of the 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ
installed at the First United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida.


The Church Santcuary


First United Methodist is a fairly large church that can seat over 600 people in the sancuary. The acoustics are excellent within the white walls of the well-lit red carpeted room. There is just enough natural reverb to cause the huge organ to bloom with a heavenly tone no matter where the listener is sitting.

Click here to download a 2592 x 1944 JPG image showing the 8-foot Diapason Principal pipes standing tall above the stage in the sancuary of the church.
The 8-foot Principals stand unenclosed
over the sanctuary dias at the First United Methodist Church.

Above the dias of the sancuary are mounted the pipes of the unenclosed division. These consist of an 8-foot Principal and a 4-foot Woldflott (Wooden Flute.) These ranks blend well with the pipes behind them unseen in the chambers, and with the digital Trumpette En Chamade that comes out of the speakers in the back below the balcony. The sound is truly breathtaking.

Click here to download a 2592 x 1944 JPG image showing one of the chambers to either side and above the stage.
The 4-rank Plein Jeu mixture in the swell chamber above the sanctuary dias.


Tom Hoehn's Music Downloads


Phantom of the Opera

On October 30th, 2005 during a Sunday evening at the First United Methodist Church in Clearwater, Florida, Tom Hoehn gave us a special treat. He took the bench of the magnificent 4/93 Rodgers/Rufatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ at the church and played for a silent movie presentation of the 1925 box office hit, Phantom of the Opera.

Click here to download a 2048 x 1536 JPG image showing Tom Hoehn warming up before the evening performace of Phantom of the Opera.
Tom Hoehn warming up before the evening performace of Phantom of the Opera.

This was no minor event. Long in planning, ATOS Vice President Bob Davidson was there to introduce the movie and Tom, who came out on stage dressed in a black cape as he sidled up to the massive organ.

Click here to download a 2048 x 1536 JPG image showing the beautiful console of the massive 4/93 Rodgers/Rufatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ.
The beautiful console of the massive 4/93 Rodgers/Rufatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ.

The Walnut Hill Productions mobile recording crew was there to capture the event on Tom's Dell laptop computer, using two Sure PE48 microphones on boom stands feeding a 20x2 Electrovoice/Dynacord mixing desk. Also, a digital video camera was situated on a tripod in the balcony to film the entire event, from the time folks began to arrive until they started exiting the building. The Bone Doctor engineered the event, doing all post-mastering work at the Walnut Hill Recording Studio.

Click here to download a 2048 x 1536 JPG image showing Tom Hoehn accompanying the 1925 silent film classic, Phantom of the Opera.
Tom Hoehn accompanying the 1925 silent film classic, Phantom of the Opera.

Below are all four tracks that, when listened to end to end one right after the other, are the complete program as performed that night. These are large files, especially parts 1 and 2 of the Phantom. Be patient as you download them, and enjoy the show!

  1. Introduction and Warm Up
    Playing time = 14:05, file size = 13.9MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.
  2. Phantom of the Opera, Part 1
    Playing time = 41:21, file size = 38.0MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.
  3. Phantom of the Opera, Part 2
    Playing time = 51:04, file size = 47.0MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.
  4. That's Entertainment!
    Playing time = 4:31, file size = 4.19MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.

Click here to download a 2048 x 1536 JPG image showing Tom Hoehn playing That's Entertainment! after the movie.
Tom Hoehn playing That's Entertainment! after the movie.


Recent Recordings During Church Services

Below are some tracks sent in from church services Tom has played. These recordings were made using a new system consisting of two electret condenser microphones and a Berhinger USB mixer hooked up to Tom's Dell laptop computer running Sony SoundForge 7. We removed some noises and normalized the volume. There are a few glitches we could not remove.

Click here to download a 2048 x 1536 JPG image showing Tom Hoehn during a recording session at the comsole of the 4/93 Rodgers/Ruffatti/Wicks Church Pipe Organ.
Tom Hoehn at the console during a recording session.

  1. Little Gig Fugue - J. S. Bach
    Playing time = 3:13, file size = 2.97MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.
  2. Americana Medly
    Playing time = 5:32, file size = 5.11MB, bit rate = 128KB/sec.


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