The new organ, completed in the spring of 1992 by the Lehigh Organ Co. of Macungie, PA., incorporates parts of previous generations of the original Nazareth organ. This instrument has a fascinating history which began on November 12, 1793. On that date the organ was delivered to Nazareth by its builder, David Tannenberg, 199 years ago.

David Tannenberg, a Moravian immigrant, was the predominant pipe organ builder in Pennsylvania from 1765 to 1804. He built over 40 organs, which epitomized the German style and Moravian craftsmanship, gaining him enduring acclaim.

The 1793 organ was placed in the saal or meeting room of the Nazareth Hall, which then served as the congregation's chapel. That organ consisted of 9 stops, 1 manual, 1 1/2 octaves of pedals, and a reversed console. It probably was nearly identical to the 1787 organ built by Tannenberg for the Lititz congregation. The cost of the 1793 Nazareth organ was 274 pounds.

When the 1840 church was built on West Center Street the Tannenberg organ was moved to the new building by George Haus. Minutes of the Trustees of that year reveal details of the work: George Haus was to move, repair, tune and gild front pipes of the organ. He was also to "...extend the front of the organ on both sides by adding two sets of well finished artificial gilt pipes, one on each side, twenty in number....." which gave to the organ front its present appearance. Other work in, 1840 included repainting the organ, repairing the bellows, and stifling the annoying "rattling of the pedals". The contract price was $120.00.

In 1861, when the present church was built on Center Square, the Tannenberg organ was moved by Charles Hanzelman (also spelled Heintzelman). Hanzelman's work included: moving the organ and setting it up in the gallery of the new church and adding a new 8 foot register to the organ. An interesting aspect of this new register, or stop, was that 10 of the larger pipes were gold gilded and replaced the ten artificial pipes in the outer "Haus" towers.

A major renovation of the organ occurred in 1898. Details of that project were gleaned from an article in THE MORAVIAN (May 11, 1898, pgs. 292-294) by The Rev. Paul De Schweinitz. All 421 pipes of the Tannenberg organ were reused, along with 216 new pipes. The contract was signed with E.A. White of Philadelphia for approximately $15OO.OO. The console and mechanism of the organ were all new and consisted of 18 stops (3 mechanical and 15 speaking), 2 manuals, a new console, and a new water motor to replace the bellows.

M.P. Moller Organ Co. of Hagerstown, MD, was called upon to rebuild and expand the organ in October 1912. That instrument, Moller Opus #1492, consisted of 3 manuals, 30 pedals, 26 stops and a new tubular pneumatic action for keying, couplers and combinations.

The Nazareth organ was rebuilt again in 1950 by the Moller Company. The Moller opus number was retained as the work only consisted of releathering and electrifying the existing windchests, expanding the pedal to 32 notes, adding a new console and some pipework. Through both of the Moller renovations, the Tannenberg/Haus case was retained (all visible pipes silent) and some Tannenberg pipes remained in use within the organ chamber behind the case.

The present renovation is an essentially new organ which reuses the Moller console, the electric blower and selected pipes. Stop names are those common in Tannenberg and other old German-built organs. The organ is expanded to 3 manuals, 32 pedals, 50 ranks and 48 stops. Lehigh Organ Co. has installed all new windchests, wind conductors, rectifiers, solid state couplers and computer memory circuits. A highlight of the project was the addition of new pipes to tonally match the Tannenberg and Hanzelman pipes of the facade. This allowed the historic pipes to be reactivated as part of a newly designed Positiv division.

History compiled by David R. Serfas