Olympic Organ Builders was an importer and custom fabricator of tracker actionpipe organs in Seattle, Washington from 1962 through the 1970s. The company built approximately 25 organs for churches and schools located the Puget Sound and Eugene Oregon in the period from 1967 through 1970.
Olympic Organ Builders
Olympic Organ in balcony of University Unitarian Church, Seattle, WA
The company was an informal partnership formed in 1962 of David P Dahl and Glenn D White Jr under the name ‘Olympic Organ Builders’ to import and install organs from Gebr. Späth Orgelbau, Detlef Kleuker, and Werner Bosch (all in Germany). They were joined by James R (Jim) Ludden in 1967 when the partnership was formalized. Ludden opened the construction shop located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, in a building owned by White's father (Glenn Sr.), that had been a heating and sheet metal shop.
Dahl[1] is an accomplished organist. He met Ludden while attending graduate school at University of Washington. Their first work together was revoicing the pipe organ at Trinity United Methodist Church, Seattle, in 1962, which was celebrated by a concert featuring E. Power Biggs.
White was the principal sales person and helped with visual design. White also voiced and tuned the organs. Dahl helped with sales and tonal design. Ludden did the engineering and supervised the three to five employees.
Ludden trained as an organ builder in Germany in the shop of Detlef Kleuker, Brackwede (near Bielefeld), Germany, for a period of one year. Glenn trained as an acoustic engineer and was sound director at Seattle Center after working as a vibration engineer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Dahl studied pipe organ at University of Washington and is now professor of organ at Pacific Lutheran University.
Prior to forming Olympic Organ Builders, White had been ordering custom pipe organs and installing these on his vacations. (White continued to import and install organs and modify old organs after the partnership dissolved in 1970.) He continued to work full time at Seattle Center.
The firm built mostly small organs. Their first work was a one-manual organ displayed at the Episcopal National Convention in St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle. Ludden's masterpiece (in its original meaning) is located in the suspended choir loft at University Unitarian Church. Many of the organs were two-manual (keyboard) plus pedal practice organs.
Employees included Beth Berry Barber, David O Ruberg, Barry Turley (now Fall River, MA), and Randall McCarty (deceased).
Construction effectively ended in 1970 when the partnership was formally dissolved after Boeing lost a large federal contract and the economy of Seattle fell into depression. Glenn continued to use the name when installing imported organs during the 1970s.
A search of the internet will provide more current results than could be recorded here, but will include work attributed to the firm that was either done by White after the shop was closed or installations prior to the shop opening.
Small one-manual organ built to be shown at the Episcopal National Convention in Seattle, September 1967. This organ has moved several times.
University Unitarian Church (1969), Seattle. See also Seattle Pipe Organs
St. Stephen's Episcopal, Longview, WA, (1969)
St. Madeleine-Sophie, Bellevue, WA
John Knox Presbyterian, Normandy Park, WA (1969)
David Dahl Residence, Parkland, WA, (1969)
Practice Organs (2 manual, 3 stops)
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, practice organ
Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, OR, practice organ
Harlow, J. & Tikker, T. residence, Charleston, SC
Pacific Lutheran University, Parkland, WA
Jude Frits carved pipe shades for several Olympic Organs[3]
Portable Pipe organ, one manual, 8’ + 2’
Ingraham High School, Seattle, WA
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Organs Installededit
These were installed and voiced by Glenn White. David Dahl designed the stop list on most of these.
St Paul's Episcopal, Seattle, WA, Gebrüder Spaeth
St Mark's Cathedral, Portland, OR, Werner Bosch
Richmond Beach Lutheran, Richmond Beach, WA, Detlef Kleuker. Built by Ludden while in training at Kleuker Orgalbau, Germany.
Pilgrim Lutheran, Puyallup, WA, Werner Bosch (1966)
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal, Beaverton, OR, Detlef Kleuker (1967)
Messiah Lutheran, Spokane, WA, Werner Bosch (1969)
Grace Lutheran, Wenatchee, WA, Werner Bosch (1967)
Organs Modified by Glenn Whiteedit
Magnolia Presbyterian, Seattle, WA (1976)
Resurrection Lutheran, Des Moines, WA (1978)
First Baptist Church, Tacoma, WA (new console)
Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Edmonds, WA
St. John's Episcopal, Kirkland, WA
Organs built by Jim Luddenedit
After the Seattle shop closed, Ludden moved to New England where he built these portable organs.
Pape, Uwe. The Tracker Organ Revival in America, 1977 ISBN3921140161
Glenn Dresie White, Jr
Organ Historical Society Database
Directory of Contemporary American Musical Instrument Makers
OHS Seattle 2008 organ atlas
The American organist, Volume 42, Issues 7-12
The Tracker organ revival in America
A guide to North American organbuilders
Organ handbook
The Organ yearbook, Volumes 1-5
Saturday review, Volume 53, Issues 14-26
L'Orgue, Issues 261-264
April 18, 2024
olympic, organ, builders, importer, custom, fabricator, tracker, action, pipe, organs, seattle, washington, from, 1962, through, 1970s, company, built, approximately, organs, churches, schools, located, puget, sound, eugene, oregon, period, from, 1967, through. Olympic Organ Builders was an importer and custom fabricator of tracker action pipe organs in Seattle Washington from 1962 through the 1970s The company built approximately 25 organs for churches and schools located the Puget Sound and Eugene Oregon in the period from 1967 through 1970 Olympic Organ BuildersOlympic Organ in balcony of University Unitarian Church Seattle WA Contents 1 History 2 Organs Built 2 in Seattle 3 Organs Installed 4 Organs Modified by Glenn White 5 Organs built by Jim Ludden 6 References 7 BibliographyHistory editThe company was an informal partnership formed in 1962 of David P Dahl and Glenn D White Jr under the name Olympic Organ Builders to import and install organs from Gebr Spath Orgelbau Detlef Kleuker and Werner Bosch all in Germany They were joined by James R Jim Ludden in 1967 when the partnership was formalized Ludden opened the construction shop located in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle in a building owned by White s father Glenn Sr that had been a heating and sheet metal shop Dahl 1 is an accomplished organist He met Ludden while attending graduate school at University of Washington Their first work together was revoicing the pipe organ at Trinity United Methodist Church Seattle in 1962 which was celebrated by a concert featuring E Power Biggs White was the principal sales person and helped with visual design White also voiced and tuned the organs Dahl helped with sales and tonal design Ludden did the engineering and supervised the three to five employees Ludden trained as an organ builder in Germany in the shop of Detlef Kleuker Brackwede near Bielefeld Germany for a period of one year Glenn trained as an acoustic engineer and was sound director at Seattle Center after working as a vibration engineer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Dahl studied pipe organ at University of Washington and is now professor of organ at Pacific Lutheran University Prior to forming Olympic Organ Builders White had been ordering custom pipe organs and installing these on his vacations White continued to import and install organs and modify old organs after the partnership dissolved in 1970 He continued to work full time at Seattle Center The firm built mostly small organs Their first work was a one manual organ displayed at the Episcopal National Convention in St Mark s Cathedral Seattle Ludden s masterpiece in its original meaning is located in the suspended choir loft at University Unitarian Church Many of the organs were two manual keyboard plus pedal practice organs Employees included Beth Berry Barber David O Ruberg Barry Turley now Fall River MA and Randall McCarty deceased Construction effectively ended in 1970 when the partnership was formally dissolved after Boeing lost a large federal contract and the economy of Seattle fell into depression Glenn continued to use the name when installing imported organs during the 1970s Organs Built 2 in Seattle editA search of the internet will provide more current results than could be recorded here but will include work attributed to the firm that was either done by White after the shop was closed or installations prior to the shop opening Small one manual organ built to be shown at the Episcopal National Convention in Seattle September 1967 This organ has moved several times University Unitarian Church 1969 Seattle See also Seattle Pipe Organs St Stephen s Episcopal Longview WA 1969 St Madeleine Sophie Bellevue WA John Knox Presbyterian Normandy Park WA 1969 David Dahl Residence Parkland WA 1969 Practice Organs 2 manual 3 stops University of Oregon Eugene OR practice organ Seattle Pacific University Seattle OR practice organ Harlow J amp Tikker T residence Charleston SC Pacific Lutheran University Parkland WA Jude Frits carved pipe shades for several Olympic Organs 3 Portable Pipe organ one manual 8 2 Ingraham High School Seattle WA University of California Santa Cruz CA University of Oregon Eugene OROrgans Installed editThese were installed and voiced by Glenn White David Dahl designed the stop list on most of these St Paul s Episcopal Seattle WA Gebruder Spaeth St Mark s Cathedral Portland OR Werner Bosch Richmond Beach Lutheran Richmond Beach WA Detlef Kleuker Built by Ludden while in training at Kleuker Orgalbau Germany Pilgrim Lutheran Puyallup WA Werner Bosch 1966 St Bartholomew s Episcopal Beaverton OR Detlef Kleuker 1967 Messiah Lutheran Spokane WA Werner Bosch 1969 Grace Lutheran Wenatchee WA Werner Bosch 1967 Organs Modified by Glenn White editMagnolia Presbyterian Seattle WA 1976 Resurrection Lutheran Des Moines WA 1978 First Baptist Church Tacoma WA new console Holy Rosary Catholic Church Edmonds WA St John s Episcopal Kirkland WAOrgans built by Jim Ludden editAfter the Seattle shop closed Ludden moved to New England where he built these portable organs Boston Pro Musica Emmanuel Church Boston 1973 State University of New York since removed References editThe Seattle Times June 1 1969 David Dahl Pacific Northwest Tracker Organs in the USA A brief history Frits Jude Pipe Organ shades Bibliography editPape Uwe The Tracker Organ Revival in America 1977 ISBN 3921140161 Glenn Dresie White Jr Organ Historical Society Database Directory of Contemporary American Musical Instrument Makers OHS Seattle 2008 organ atlas The American organist Volume 42 Issues 7 12 The Tracker organ revival in America A guide to North American organbuilders Organ handbook The Organ yearbook Volumes 1 5 Saturday review Volume 53 Issues 14 26 L Orgue Issues 261 264 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Olympic Organ Builders amp oldid 1144856802, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
