Better Pipe Organ Database

Casavant Frères Ltée. Opus 2805 (1965)

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
3055 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON, CA

OHS convention: 2023

Images


2009-07-02 - Nave, Balcony, and Organ Cases (Photograph by Sam Santos; image courtesy of Shawn Scanlan/Database Manager)

2009-07-02 - Organ Case and Console (Photograph by Sam Santos; image courtesy of Shawn Scanlan/Database Manager)

2009-07-02 - Console (Photograph by Sam Santos; image courtesy of Shawn Scanlan/Database Manager)

2009-07-02 - Church Interior and Altar (Photograph by Sam Santos; image courtesy of Shawn Scanlan/Database Manager)

2009-07-02 - Church Exterior (Photograph by Sam Santos; image courtesy of Shawn Scanlan/Database Manager)

Unknown - Nave, Balcony, and Organ Cases (Sketch by J. C. Gauthier; image courtesy of the Casavant Frères Archives/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

Notes

2004-10-30 - Status Note: There 1997 -Database Manager

2004-10-30 - Earliest Baroque voice organ in city. -Database Manager

2013-12-21 - Updated through online information from Shawn Scanlan. -- Our magnificent pipe organ comprises 25 stops and 35 ranks over the Hauptwerk (Great), Positiv, and Pedal and features a detached drawknob console with compass 56/32 mechanical key and stop action. Each division is separately encased, with low pressure, un-nicked, open toe, polished tin pipes. Opus 2805 was built under the tonal direction of famed organ designer/builder-and late husband of world-renowned organist Dame Gillian Weir - Lawrence Phelps (1923-1999), and was the fourteenth mechanical action instrument from the second generation of Casavant tracker organs. It was the first built with a rückpositiv, defined as a small organ at the organist's back, to the front of the gallery, providing colouristic and contrasting functions. The solid mahogany case was designed by Hellmuth Wolff who supervised the workshop construction of the instrument. Expert guidance was provided by Victor Togni and Karl Wilhelm. In addition to serving the parish the organ continues to be much used in recordings, including pre-nineteenth century music by Peter Hurford for the Argo and Decca labels. -Database Manager

2023-07-18 - The cost of the organ, at Can$37,500, was only one tenth the expense of the then-recently completed decorative tiles in the upper walls and ceiling of the church. Father Mott wanted mechanical action, but placement proved problematic. Six winged angels pictured flying toward the rose window in the rear gallery were going to be left with their feet and trains extending from behind the organ cases. But once the Bishop saw Casavant’s case design illustrated by its head designer J.C. Gauthier, all was well. The memorial window would remain visible by splitting the main casework, Great on the left, Pedal on the right. The angels would be placed behind a layer of gold tile. -- *2023 OHS Handbook* -Paul R. Marchesano

Stoplist

Source: Stoplist taken from the console December 20, 2013

Toronto, Ontario
Our Lady of Sorrows Church

Casavant Frères, Opus 2805, 1965 - Original Specifications


      GREAT
8     Principal
8     Rohrflöte
4     Octave
4     Waldflöte
2 2/3 Nasat
2     Superoctave
V     Mixture  1-1/3'
8     Trompete
 
      POSITIV
8     Holzgedackt
8     Salicional
4     Principal
4     Rohrquintade
2     Gemshorn
1     Sifflöte
II    Sesquialtera  2-2/3'
IV    Scharf  1'
8     Musette
      Tremulant
 
      PEDAL
16    Untersatz
8     Oktavbass
8     Pommer
4     Choralbass
2     Nachthorn
III   Rauschpfeife  2'
16    Fagott
4     Klarine
 

      COUPLERS
Great to Pedal
Positiv to Pedal

Positiv to Great


[Received from Shawn Scanlan 2013-12-21.]

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