Casavant Frères Ltée. Opus 1163 (1926)

Images

c1926 - View towards the east apse (Photograph from an archival source, submitted by Joseph Adam/Joseph Adam)

Unknown - Front of Cathedral with high altar and organ, 1950's (Photograph by William J. Bunch/Database Manager)

1991-10-08 - Console (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)

1991-10-08 - Left stopjamb (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)

1991-10-08 - Right stopjamb (Photograph by James R. Stettner/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

Notes

2006-10-25 - Identified through online information from James R. Stettner. -- The console was actually a 4-man. console which controlled both the front Casavant organ and the rear gallery 1907 Hutchings-Votey organ. The organ was later removed and parted-out in preparation for the new Rosales organ. -Database Manager

2010-03-31 - Updated through online information from Jeff Scofield. -Database Manager

2023-02-04 - Dr. F. S. Palmer suffered a major stroke at the console of the Casavant console on Palm Sunday, 1936; he died approximately six weeks later. -Joseph Adam

Stoplist

Stoplist from factory specs and visit August 1989 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

Seattle, Washington St. James R.C. Cathedral Casavant-Frères, Ltée., Opus 1163, 1926 - Original SPecifications Courtesy of the Casavant Frères Archives St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada The contract was for a three-division Sanctuary Organ and a new four-manual console to control the Sanctuary Organ and the 1907 4-manual Hutchings-Votey organ in the gallery. Stoplist from the 1926 Casavant console: SANCTUARY GREAT (Expressive) SANCTUARY SWELL (Expressive) 16' Bourdon 73 8' Diapason 73 8' Diapason 73 8' Bourdon 73 8' Melodia 73 8' Viola di Gamba 73 8' Spitz Flute 73 8' Voix Celeste 73 8' Flute Celeste 73 4' Harmonic Flute 73 8' Dulciana 73 2 2/3' Nazard 61 4' Principal 73 2' Flageolet 61 1 3/5' Tierce 61 Great 16 to Great 8' Closed Horn 61 Great 4 to Great 4' Closed Horn 12 Tremolo GALLERY GREAT (Expressive *) 16' Diapason Swell 16 to Swell 16' Dulciana Swell 4 to Swell 8' Diapason I 8' Diapason II GALLERY SWELL (Expressive) 8' Gross Floete 16' Bourdon 8' Doppel Floete 8' Diapason 8' Gemshorn 8' Bourdon 8' Dulciana 8' Quintadena 4' Octave 8' Salicional 4' Harm. Flute 8' Unda Maris 2' Fifteenth 4' Octave IV Mixture 4' Flauto Trav. 8' Trumpet 2-2/3' Nazard 2' Flautino GALLERY SOLO (Expressive) V Dolce Cornet 8 Stentorphone 16' Fagotto 8' Philomela 8' Cornopean 4' Harm. Flute 8' Oboe 8' Tuba Mirabilis 8' Vox Humana 4' Clarion Solo 16 to Solo Tremolo Solo 4 to Solo Swell 16 to Swell SANCTUARY PEDAL Swell 4 to Swell 16' Bourdon I 30 16' Bourdon II [in Sw] 30 GALLERY CHOIR (Expressive) 8' Flute 12 16' Dulciana 16' Fagotto (Sw) –- 8' Diapason 8' Concert Flute GALLERY PEDAL 8' Gamba 32' Bourdon 8' Viola 16' Diapason [wood] 8' Vox Celeste 16' Violone 4' Flute d'Amour 16' Bourdon 2' Piccolo 16' Gedeckt 8' Clarinet 10⅔' Quint Tremolo 8' Flute 8' Violoncello 16' Trombone SANCTUARY COUPLERS FINGER PISTONS Swell 8 to Pedal Sanctuary Entire 1 - 4 Great 8 to Pedal Gallery Entire 1 – 5 Gallery So. 1 & 2 Swell 16 to Great Solo to Ped. (rev) Swell 8 to Great Gallery Sw. 1 – 5 Swell 4 to Great Swell to Ped. [Gallery] (rev) Swell to Ped. [Sanc.] (rev) Gallery On Sanctuary Off Gallery Gt. 1 – 5 Gallery On Great to Ped. [Gallery] (rev) All Sw. to Sw. Ped. Great to Ped. [Sanc.] (rev) Gallery Ch. 1 – 4 Choir to Ped. [Gallery] (rev) GALLERY COUPLERS Gallery Ped. 1 – 4 Solo 8 to Ped. Gallery On (rev) Swell 8 to Ped. Gallery On Sanctuary Off (rev) Swell 4 to Ped. All Sw. to Swell (rev) Great 8 to Ped. Adjuster Choir 8 to Ped. General Release Solo 16 to Great Solo 8 to Great TOE STUDS Solo 4 to Great General [Gal. & Sanc.] 1 – 5 Swell 16 to Great Sanct. Gt. to Ped. (rev) Swell 8 to Great Gall. Gt. to Ped. (rev) Swell 4 to Great Gallery On (rev) Choir 16 to Great Gallery On Sanctuary Off (rev) Full Organ (rev) Swell 8 to Choir Great 8 to Solo PEDAL MOVEMENTS Gall. Sw. & Sanct. Sw. (bal.) Gall. Ch. & Sanct. Gt. (bal.) Gall. Crescendo (bal.) Sanct. Crescendo (bal.) ACTION: E-P VOICES: 18 STOPS: 21 RANKS: 18 PIPES: 1,204 NOTES The Casavant Frères Sanctuary organ was installed in 1926. It was dedicated on Sunday, February 6, 1927 by famed New York organist Pietro Yon. Mr. Yon was assisted by Cathedral organist Dr. F.S. Palmer who designed both the gallery and sanctuary organs. Dr. Palmer died at the console on Palm Sunday, 1936. In its January 29, 1927 issue, the Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Northwest Progress, reported: <i>“The new Memorial Sanctuary organ of the St. James Cathedral, which is to be dedicated Sunday, February 6, will give the Cathedral one of the finest organs in the west, as well as a complete double organ; two four manual consoles, and seating capacity for choirs at both east and west end of the edifice. There are few such organs in existence and Seattle has the only one on the Pacific Coast. . . .Pietro Yon, world famous-organist of New York City, will play the dedicatory concert. Maestro Yon will be assisted by Dr. F.S. Palmer, Cathedral organist and director of Music, the Cathedral choir of one hundred men and boys and the Amphion Society of Seattle. This will be Mr. Yon's first appearance on the Coast as he comes direct to Seattle and opens his western tour here. The new instrument is a Casavant model, and is by no means a mere “echo” organ, designed primarily to accompany the Sanctuary choir. Besides the usual foundation stops, diapasons, flutes, strings, and harmonic corroborating ranks, it contains a very ethereal flute celeste and a fine smooth-toned reed that will add much to the general ensemble. The organist can play either or both organs from one console, as they are electrically connected. The large four-manual console in the gallery, which was installed in 1907, is still in fine condition and will be better that ever with the addition of the new antiphonal organ. Spec- ifications for both instruments were drawn by Dr. F.S. Palmer. The cost of the new organ including the necessary alterations in the sanctuary will exceed $25,000.00.”</i> The Casavant is actually a 2-manual and Pedal organ. The sanctuary organ is suspended on I-beams behind the high altar. The casework, now hidden, was originally visible. In a 1950's interior renovation, the mahogany case was painted the same color blue as the walls. The console was also originally at one side in full view, but is now centered beneath the case and behind the high altar. The player is kept in-touch with the activities by the use of a closed circuit TV monitor. A fire in the Cathedral on March 8, 1992 (which was set by an indigent man) necessitated the removal of all the pipework from both the Casavant and Hutchings-Votey for cleaning to remove soot. Pipe were removed to the shop of Seatt1e's Balcom and Vaughan Pipe Organs, Inc. for cleaning. Many coke tin slide tuners were also re-fitted after washing to prevent further crimping of the pipework. A “Harp to Great” control once on the Sanctuary console is no longer there. The Sanctuary console bypasses the Gallery console unless the Gallery organ has been turned on. Sources: 1982 O.H.S. Convention handbook. pp. 100-102; JRS; extant organ. St. James R.C. Cathedral 804 9th Avenue Seattle, WA. 98104 (206) 622-3559 Documented: October 8, 1991 [Received on line from Jeff Scofield March 31, 2010; updated August 24, 2019 by James R. Stettner.]

Documents

Related Pipe Organ Database Entries

Better Pipe Organ Database