Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2005-06-16 - Identified through information in <i>Descriptive Catalogue of Superior Church Organs Manufactured by Geo. H. Ryder & Co.</i>, published in Boston, January, 1896. Dates are not included in the publication; the one given here is conjectural. -Database Manager
2022-08-06 - from "Pipe Organs of Greater Lowell by Robert J Reich Bob Reich was organist of this church for many years St. Michael's R.C., est. 1883, temporarily used building on 5th St.; 6th St. brick bldg., lower church 1884, upper church 1900. *S 1st organ, lower church: Geo. H. Ryder #117, 1884, 1m, 5r, still there in 1897; L.D.C., 12/26/1885, presents a stoplist of the organ and the comment “this is one of the smallest church organs in the city, but by no means the least effective” along with a list of other Ryder organs in the city. (The Ryder organ still in use in Byfield Methodist Church is the same size and stoplist and its astonishing loudness demonstrates the meaning of this comment.) This organ believed to have gone to St. Louis Church, 6th St., in 1913. * 2nd organ, lower church: James Cole, 1913, 2m, 6r, tracker; probably taken in trade by Laws. *P 3rd organ, lower church: W.W.Laws, c1938, a 10 rank electrified 2m tracker organ with pipework from various sources, perhaps mostly from the previous Cole. {Prior to Vatican II, many large R.C. churches held Sunday Masses simultaneously on the hour in the upper church and on the half hour in the lower church in order to have sufficient capacity for all the attendants. After Vatican II, it was permissible for Masses to be held on Saturday afternoon and evening and qualify for the weekend obligation. Then many churches discontinued Sunday Masses in the lower church and the lower church organs were then unnecessary although some remained for decades seldom or never used. At St. Michael’s, the organ remained in the lower church still playable until 1986 when the upper church organ was being repaired, enlarged, and tonally revised. Then the manual windchests, reservoir, and many of the pipes became part of the upper church organ and sale of the console, blower, and many pipes helped provide funding for the upper church organ upgrading.} *P 1st organ, upper church: Hook (?), 3m (?); 2nd-hand, installed 1900, probably by Wm. B. Goodwin; the photograph consists of a copy of the picture included in the newspaper article on the dedication and is actually a sketch made by the reporter who said the organ was "nearly new" (although the style of the case suggests a date in the 1860s) and contained 2000 pipes. Removed probably to make room for a choir; no effort to sell or salvage this organ is known. *PS 2nd organ, upper church: James Cole, 1913, 3m, 16 ranks, electropneumatic with detached reversed console. Although this organ blocked only the center window whereas the previous organ had blocked all three, it is probable that this organ was removed to make the central rear window visible for installation of stained glass which eventually included the entire church and was complete before 1970. Disposition unknown. A newspaper ad in 1913 indicated that James Cole was about to install a new organ in this church and needed to get rid of the organ at that time present, a two manual instrument not apparently the organ installed in 1900. This leaves it unclear what organs were installed in 1900 and 1913. Research will continue. *S 3rd organ, upper church: W.W.Laws, rebuild and installation of Hook & Hastings #1167, 1883, 2-25, formerly in Christ Church, Cambridge. Many pejorative tonal changes were made; 3m console although organ remained two manuals. *S 4th organ, upper church: Andover Organ Co. and R. J. Reich, organist of the church, addition of chests from lower church organ to provide a third division with revoicing of all stops and provision of 11 additional stops with pipes from both organs and several others; e.g., the new Great Mixture was made from old Stevens pipes and the Choir Clarinet from Hall pipes. This is one of only two organs in Lowell Catholic churches remaining in regular use at this time. -Andrew Scanlon
2022-08-07 - from the St. Michael's Parish Website: THE ORGAN 1900 - 1923 The organ gallery is over the vestibule projecting about six feet into the nave. From its railing rises five tall candelabra with ornamental brackets and shades. The style of the organ was the same as that of the church building. Although not entirely new, it was so nearly so that for a long time it was difficult to detect the parts which had been used. It was a three-manual organ with over fifty stops and was divided into three departments, the "great", the "swell", and the "choir". The key board was arranged in the German style with the "choir" played from the upper manual. The "great" organ had thirteen stops and the "swell" eleven pedal wall had six stops. The full organ was peculiarly grand and magnificent in tone and character being specially designed and regulated for the ornate services of the Church. The organ had 2,000 pipes and when completed was the third largest in the city. It was arranged and constructed by W.B. Goodwin, the well-known local organ expert. In 1923, Rev. John J. Shaw, Pastor, procured a new and still more magnificent instrument. The inaugural recital on the new organ was given on Sunday evening, October 26, 1923, when Mr. John O'Shea of Boston headed a program that delighted the large audience that filled the church to its utmost capacity. In the wide range of numbers played by Mr. O'Shea, the capabilities of the instrument were well brought out. The account of the evening's musicale follows as well as a detailed description of the magnificent instrument by whose addition to the church the musical interests of the city gained in wealth. This organ was constructed by James Cole and Company of Boston. [N.B. the website doesn't go into organ details beyond 1923) -Andrew Scanlon
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