click on images to enlarge Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (Episcopal) Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street New York, N.Y. 10026 http://www.stjohndivine.org The Great Organ Organ Specifications: ► IV/141 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Op. 150-A (1954) ► IV/81 Ernest M. Skinner Company, Op. 150 (1911) See also the Portable Nave Organ, St. Ansgar Chapel, St. James Chapel and the Synod House.               Construction of the cathedral began in 1892 as a Byzantine-Romanesque structure according to designs by Heins & LaFarge. When Heins died in 1907, the first design phase came to an end. The Choir, Crossing, and the Chapels of St. Saviour and St. Columba had been completed by 1911. The second phase of construction began in 1916 and was overseen by the new architect, Ralph Adams Cram of Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson, who changed the style from Romanesque to Gothic. Cram's new design extended the Cathedral by 81 feet, to 301 feet. By 1918, the seven Chapels of the Tongues, around the Choir and High Altar, were completed. Each chapel is dedicated to a different immigrant group. Between 1925 and 1933 the Nave, West Front, Baptistry and a portion of the North Transept were constructed. On Sunday, November 30, 1941, the opening of the full length (601 feet) of the Cathedral was celebrated. The very next week, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, halting construction on the Cathedral for the next 32 years. In the 1970s, the Very Rev. James Parks Morton, Dean at the time, urged that work on the cathedral might resume, but with a new emphasis: the Cathedral would hire and train the unemployed and underemployed from the neighborhood to do the work. He urged, "We will revive the art of stonecraft ... and provide our city with a massive symbol of hope and rebirth." A Stoneyard was built in 1979 for the stonemasons, and on September 29, 1982, aerialist Philippe Petit crossed Amsterdam Avenue on a 150-foot high wire to deliver a silver trowel to Bishop Paul Moore, marking the start of the next phase of construction. Within a few years, the 150-foot South Tower of the West Front began to inch upward, stone by stone, toward its intended height of 300 feet. By the early 1990s, however, the economy was in recession, the stoneworks went bankrupt, and worked again stopped on the Cathedral, with the exception of the Portal of Paradise, the central entrance on the West Front. The Portal's statuary, designed by master sculptor Simon Verity and carved by Jean Claude Marchionni, is comprised of 8-foot and 3-foot figures from the Old and New Testaments; it was completed in the summer of 1997 and dedicated that fall. The Cathedral is now two-thirds complete. The towers, the transepts, the Great Crossing and the choir roof remain to be completed. The Cathedral experienced a devastating fire in the unfinished portion of the North Transept on December 18, 2001. The Cathedral Gift Store was destroyed, and there was extensive smoke damage to the Choir and Chapels. The Great Organ and the other two Skinner organs in the side chapels also suffered from heavy smoke damage and are now silent and awaiting cleaning and restoration. See also the Portable Nave Organ, St. Ansgar Chapel, St. James Chapel, and the Synod House.               Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, Mass. – Opus 150-A (1954) Electro-pneumatic action 4 manuals, 115 stops, 141 ranks, 7,938 pipes The Great Organ, one of five organs in the cathedral complex, was originally built by the Ernest M. Skinner Company in 1911 as a four-manual and pedal organ of 81 ranks, the firm's Opus 150. On December 7, 1951, a contract totalling $48,378 was awarded to the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company of Boston for the rebuilding and enlargement of the organ. Aeolian-Skinner, under the direction of G. Donald Harrison, assigned Opus 150-A to this monumental task which occured during the years 1952-54. Then-organist and choirmaster of the Cathedral, Norman Coke-Jephcott, wrote that "the final specification includes a great deal which was not provided for in the original contract, particularly in regard to extensive additions to the Great and Choir organs and, of course, the State Trumpet. I would imagine that about one hundred of the one hundred and forty-one ranks of pipes are new which, with allowance for the existing mechanism and including the re-voicing of the old pipes, would indicate approximately $80,000 worth of work on the part of the builder." Special features of the organ are the high-pressure State Trumpet on 50" of wind pressure at the west end, the high-pressure Solo Tubas, a battery of Bombarde reeds, and the remarkably effective 32' stops. The pipes are divided between two large spaces on the north and south sides of the Great Choir. The console is located in the gallery above the south choir stalls, where the organist is invisible to the congregation. Since its installation, very few major repairs were made on the instrument beyond regular maintenance and releathering. The exception is the rehabilitation of the State Trumpet by Austin Organs Inc. of Hartford, Conn. when it was found in the mid-1990s that the structure of the stop high on the West End of the nave was in a precarious state. On December 18, 2001, the Cathedral experienced a devastating fire in the unfinished portion of the North Transept. The Great Organ and the other two Skinner organs in the side chapels were heavily smoke-damaged and rendered unusable until they can be cleaned and restored. In 2005, the Great Organ (with the exception of the State Trumpet) was removed by Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc. of Warrensburg, MO, for cleaning and repair, under the direction of Douglass Hunt, Curator of Organs at the Cathedral. The anticipated date for reinstallation of the organ is December 2008.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Montre 61 4   Spitzflöte * 61 16   Quintaten 61 4   Flute Couverte 61 8   Principal 61 2 2/3   Twelfth 61 8   Diapason ° 61 2   Doublette ° 61 8   Viola * 61 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Hohl Flöte * 61 2 2/3   Sesquialtera II ranks 122 8   Holz Gedackt * 61 2   Plein Jeu III-VI ranks ? 8   Erzähler * 61 2   Grande Fourniture V-VIII rks ? 8   Quintaten [ext.] 12 1 1/3   Kleine Mixtur IV ranks 244 5 1/3   Quint 61 1/2   Cymbel III ranks 183 4   Principal ° 61 16   Fagot 61 4   Octave ° 61 ° double treble               Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Contra Gamba * 73 4   Flauto Traverso * 61 16   Bourdon * 73 2   Octavin 61 8   Geigen Principal 73 2   Plein Jeu IV ranks 244 8   Viole de Gambe 73 2/3   Scharff III-IV ranks 232 8   Viole Celeste * 73 16   Contra Fagotto * 61 8   Salicional * 73 8   Trompette 68 8   Voix Celeste * 73 8   Cornopean * 68 8   Gedeckt 73 8   Oboe * 61 8   Spitzflöte * 73 8   Voix Humaine * 61 8   Flute Celeste 68 4   Octave Trumpet * 61 8   Unda Maris II ranks * 146 4   Clairon 61 4   Prestant 61   Tremulant   4   Violina * 61                       Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Sanftbass * 73 1 3/5   Terz * 61 8   Viola Pomposa 73 1 1/3   Larigot * 61 8   Viola Celeste 73 1   Sifflöte * 61 8   Concert Flute * 73 1 1/3   Grave Mixtur III ranks 183 8   Nason Flute * 73 1/3   Zimbel III ranks 183 8   Dolcan * 68 16   English Horn 61 8   Dolcan Celeste [TC] * 56 8   Cromorne 61 8   Dulcet II ranks * 146 8   Clarinet * 61 4   Montre 68 4   Trompete 68 4   Koppelflöte 61   Tremulant   2 2/3   Rohr Nasat 61   Harp preparation 2   Blockflöte 61   Zymbelstern 5 bells                 Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Flauto Mirabilis * 61 8   Vox Baryton * 61 8   Harmonic Flute * 73 8   Tuba Major * + 61 8   Cello * 73 4   Tuba Clarion + ° 73 8   Cello Celeste * 73   Tremulant   4   Hohlpfeife * 61   Chimes preparation 2   Doppel Flöte * 61     8   Flugel Horn * 61   + unenclosed   8   French Horn * 73   ° double treble                   Bombarde Organ – 61 notes (floating)   West End – 61 notes (floating) 1   Tierce Mixture V-IX ranks ? 8   State Trumpet (50" wind) 61 16   Bombarde 61       8   Trompette Harmonique 61       4   Clairon Harmonique 61                   Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Open Bass * [ext.] 12 8   Gedeckt Pommer 32 32   Contra Violone * [ext.] 12 8   Quintaton GT 16   Open Bass * 32 4   Choral Bass 32 16   Contre Basse 32 4   Montre GT 16   Violone * 32 4   Nachthorn * [ext. Op. Bass] 12 16   Montre GT 2   Blockflöte * 32 16   Contra Gamba SW 5 1/3   Mixtur IV ranks 128 16   Bourdon SW 1 1/3   Scharff IV ranks 128 16   Sanftbass CH 32   Contre Bombarde [ext.] 12 16   Quintaten GT 16   Ophicleide * 32 10 2/3   Quintaten GT 16   Bombarde BO 8   Principal 32 16   Contra Fagotto SW 8   Montre GT 8   Trumpet * 32 8   Flute Harmonique * [ext. Op. Bass] 12 8   Bombarde BO 8   Spitzflöte (1963) 32 4   Clarion * 32        (previously Cello III ranks ) 2   Rohr Schalmei 32                             * retained or revoiced from Skinner, Op. 150               Ernest M. Skinner Company Boston, Mass. – Opus 150 (1911) Electro-pneumatic action 4 manuals, 104 stops, 81 ranks, 5,614 pipes The Great Organ was built by the Ernest M. Skinner Company in 1911 as a four-manual and pedal organ of 81 ranks, the firm's Opus 150. The contract for the new organ, donated by Governor Levi Parsons Morton, was signed on May 19, 1906 for a cost of $45,000. It was another four years before the structure was sufficiently complete to begin installation of the organ. In early 1911 the organ was completed, and a dedication ceremony took place in April of that year. Skinner's organ introduced several tonal developments, including the French Trumpet, Flugel Horn, Gamba Celeste, and 32' Violone. In 1939 Skinner temporarily removed the console, Great, Swell and the Diapason, Bourdon and Trombone ranks of the Pedal to the concrete partition wall between the Nave and Crossing during the installation of the vaulted ceiling in the Great Choir. Following construction, the organ was reinstalled in 1941.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Diapason 61 8   Erzahler 61 16   Bourdon 61 8   Harmonic Flute 61 8   First Diapason 61 4   Octave 61 8   Second Diapason 61 4   Gambette 61 8   Third Diapason 61 4   Flute 61 8   Philomela SO 2   Fifteenth 61 8   Gross Flute 61   Mixture V ranks 305 8   Hohl Flute 61 16   Ophicleide SO 8   Gedackt 61 8   Trombone SO 8   Gamba 61 4   Clarion SO             Swell Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Dulciana 73 4   First Flute 73 16   Bourdon 73 4   Second Flute 73 8   First Diapason 73 4   Violina 73 8   Second Diapason 73 2   Flautino 61 8   Third Diapason 73   Mixture V ranks 305 8   Spitzflote 73 16   Trumpet 73 8   Salicional 73 16   English Horn 73 8   Voix Celeste 73 8   Cornopean 73 8   Viola 73 8   French Trumpet 73 8   Aeoline 73 8   Oboe 73 8   Unda Maris 73 8   Vox Humana 73 8   Claribel Flute 73 4   Clarion 73 8   Gedackt 73   Tremolo   4   Octave 73                       Choir Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes, enclosed 16   Gedackt 73 2   Piccolo 61 8   Gamba 73 16   Fagotto 73 8   Diapason 73 8   Saxophone 73 8   Geigen Principal 73 8   Clarinet 73 8   Concert Flute 73 8   English Horn 73 8   Quintadena 73 8   Orchestral Oboe 73 8   Dulciana 68 8   Vox Humana 73 8   Dulcet II ranks 134   Tremolo   4   Flute 73       4   Fugara 73   Carillon                   Solo Organ (Manual IV) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Stentorphone 73 16   Ophicleide [ext. Tuba] 12 8   Philomela 73 8   Tuba 73 8   Claribel Flute 73 8   Tuba Mirabilis 73 8   Harmonic Flute 73 8   Flugel Horn 73 8   Gamba 73 8   Clarinet CH 8   Gamba Celeste 73 8   Orchestral Oboe CH 4   Octave 73 4   Clarion [ext.] 12 4   Hohlpfeife 73   Tremolo   4   Flute 73                   Pedal Organ – 32 notes 32   Diapason 32 8   Gedackt [ext.] 12 32   Contra Violone 32 4   Super Octave [ext.] 12 16   Diapason 32 32   Bombarde [ext. Tuba Mir.] 12 16   Second Diapason [ext.] 12 16   Euphonium [ext. Tuba Mir.] 12 16   Violone [ext.] 12 16   Ophicleide SO 16   First Bourdon 32 16   English Horn SW 16   Second Bourdon SW 8   Tuba Mirabilis SO 16   Gamba CH 8   Tuba SO 16   Dulciana SW 4   First Clarion SO 8   First Octave [ext.] 12 4   Second Clarion SO 8   Second Octave [ext.] 12                     Sources:      Aeolian-Skinner Archives: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/      Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine website: http://www.stjohndivine.org/      Dolkart, Andrew S. and Matthew A. Postal. Guide to New York City Landmarks (Third Edition). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2004.      Dunlap, David. From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.      Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1987.      Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.      "Stop, Open and Reed – a Periodical Presentation of Pipe Organ Progress". Boston: Skinner Organ Company, 1922-1927. Photos:      Holden, Dorothy. The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner: 1911 Skinner console.      Lawson, Steven E.: 2008 photo of exterior showing South Tower.               | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |