Rideau Park United Church

A small electric Hammond organ that was donated to the church in 1952 proved to be inadequate for the size of the new church. To replace it, in 1962, a used concert-size Hammond was acquired at a very nominal cost. Lack of satisfaction with the organ obtained in 1963 led to action to have it replaced. A new organ was purchased and dedicated on Sunday March 15, 1970.

Throughout the years there has been less than complete satisfaction, among the musically sophisticated members of the congregation, with the quality of music that could be produced by the organs that have been in the church. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s this was voiced more and more strongly and, when the electronic organ then in the church was reaching the stage of having to be replaced for structural reasons, the pressure for getting a pipe organ became very strong. The Music Committee made a detailed study of the whole situation and recommended that the congregation should take action to obtain a pipe organ. On February 3, 1988, a contract was entered into with Guilbault-Thérien Inc. of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec to build and install the pipe organ. The current organist is Mr. Richard Glasser, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, who began his ministry at Rideau Park United on May 14, 2003.

Un petit orgue électronique Hammond donné à l’église en 1952 se révéla insuffisant pour la nouvelle église. Pour le remplacer en 1962, on obtint à un prix dérisoire un Hammond plus gros. Mais le mécontentement à l’égard de cet instrument amena son remplacement. On acheta un nouvel instrument, qui fut inauguré le dimanche, 15 mars, 1970.

Au cours des années, les paroissiens ayant une culture musicale se révélèrent insatisfaits de la qualité musicale des instruments successifs de l’église. À la fin des années 1970 et au début des années 1980, ce mécontentement se manifesta de plus en plus, et lorsque l’orgue électronique alors en usage atteint l’âge où il fallait songer à le remplacer, la pression augmenta en faveur d’un orgue à tuyaux. Le comité de la musique étudia la question à fond et recommenda l’achat d’un orgue à tuyaux. Le 3 février, 1988, on signa un contrat avec la maison Guilbault-Thérien de St-Hyacinthe, pour la construction et l’installation d’un tel orgue. L’organiste actuel est M. Richard Glasser, originaire de Kitchener (Ontario), dont le ministère à l’église unie Rideau Park commença le 14 mai, 2003.

Electropneumatic - Électro-pneumatique Guilbault-Thérien Inc. (St. Hyacinthe) Organist: Richard Glasser

Specifications

Grand Orgue/Great GREAT ORGAN Principal 8 Rohrflute 8 Octave 4 Koppelflute 4 Super octave 2 Cornet (mounted) V Mixture V GALLERY ORGAN Viole 8 Viole celeste 8 Gedackt flute 8 Spitzprincipal 4 Waldflute 2 Plein jeu V Fagotto 16 Trumpet 8 Clarion 4 Tremolo

SWELL ORGAN Erzahler 8 Gedeckt 8 Octave 4 Spillflute 4 Gemshorn 2 Quinte 1 1/3 Cymbal III Rohrschalmei 8 Tremolo PEDAL ORGAN Principal 16 Subbass 16 Gedeckt 16 Octave 8 Bourdon 8 Choral bass 4 Mixture IV Fagotto 16 Trumpet 8 Rohrschalmei 8 Clarion 4