2023-07-15 - This entry decribes the first substantial alteration to the original instrument, completed in 1962. The updating of the instrument, primarily with new mixtures and principal choruses, was developed and overseen by Cathedral Organist Charles Courboin. An article in "The American Organist", November, 1962, attributed the work to a local technician named Eric Sexton, and his "generosity", suggesting the work was done on an insufficient budget. The article does not specify whether the material was actually new, or recycled. Another article circulated two decades later as a fund-raising appeal, described the failing condition of the organ, noting specifically, the amateurish manner in which the additions were placed anywhere there was room with sub-standard wiring and causing challenging access for servicing and tuning. In 1978, under the tenure of Cathedral Organist John Grady, chorus reed ranks were either replaced or rebuilt in the french style by NYC reed voicer Jack Steinkampf, and many flue ranks were loudened by an unidentified NYC technician. The intensely loud Trompette-en-chamade on 33" pressure was also added at this time. The organ was substantially enlarged and altered again in 1993 into an essentially new organ with old parts, at which time the original console was ordered destroyed by the resident priest and replaced with two large five-manual drawknob consoles by Robert Turner. -Scot Huntington
Source: The American Organist magazine November, 1962
New York City, New York
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Geo. Kilgen & Son (1930)
Eric Sexton (1962) - Rebuild
Compasses: 61/32
GREAT 6" w.p. SWELL [enclosed] 6" w.p.
16' Violone [new] 16' Salicional
8' Diapason [new] 16' Bourdon
8' Principal [new] 8' Diapason
8' Clarabella 8' Geigen Principal
8' Violoncello 8' Viole de Gamba
8' Gemshorn [new] 8' Viole Celeste
8' Viola Sorda 8' Harmonic Flute
8' Gedeckt 8' Clarinet Flute [ext.]
5 1/3' Gross Quint [new] 8' Salicional [ext.]
4' Gross Octave [new] 8' Voix Celeste
4' Principal 4' Prestant
4' Claribel Flute [ext.] 4' Octave [new]
4' Erzahler [new] 4' Violina
2 2/3' Twelfth [new] 4' Waldflute
2' Fifteenth [new] 4' Salicet [ext.]
2' Super Octave 4' Dolce Flute [ext.]
IX Plein-jeu [new] 2' Flautino
V Harmonics [new] V Cymbale [new] 16' Posaune [8" w.p.] III Cornet
8' Tromba 16' Contra Fagotto
8' Trumpet [new] 8' Trompette [new]
4' Clarion 8' Cornopean
Chimes [25 tubes] 8' Corno di Bassetto
Great 16', 4' 8' Oboe
Swell to Great 16', 8', 4' 4' Clarion [new]
Choir to Great 16', 8', 4' 4' Oboe Clarion [ext.*]
Solo to Great 16', 8', 4' 16' Vox Humana [new]
8' Vox Humana
Tremulant
Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
Solo to Swell
CHOIR [enclosed] 5" w.p. SOLO [enclosed] 10", reeds 20" w.p.
16' Contra Viola 16' Contra Gamba
16' Quintadena 8' Stentorphone [new, small]
8' Geigen Principal 8' Solo Flute
8' Doppel Flute [new, Roosevelt scale] 8' Gross Gamba [ext.]
8' Gamba [new] 8' Gross Gamba Celeste
8' Concert Flute 4' Octave
8' Quintadena [ext.] 4' Flute Ouverte [ext.]
8' Flute Celeste II 1 3/5' Tierce [new]
8' Viola [ext.] III Mixture [new]
8' Nachthorn 16' Tuba Profunda
8' Nachthorn Celeste 8' Harmonic Tuba
4' Fugara [new] 8' Trompette [new*]
4' Flauto Traverso 8' French Horn
4' Violetta [ext.] 8' English Horn
2' Piccolo 4' Tuba Clarion [ext.]
2' Super Viola [ext.] 4' Harmonic Clarion [new]
III Mixtur [new] Chimes
II Mixtur [new] Tremulant
8' Trumpet [new] Solo 16', 4'
8' Orchestral Oboe
8' Clarinet
4' Clarion [new]
Harp
Tremulant
Choir 16', 4'
Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
Solo to Choir
ECHO [enclosed] 5" w.p. STRING [enclosed, floating] 6" w.p.
16' Bourdon 16' Contra Salicional
8' Diapason 8' Viole d'Orchestre
8' Tibia Minor 8' Viole Celeste
8' Echo Gamba 8' Salicional [ext.]
8' Melodia 8' Voix Celeste
8' Rohr Flute [ext.*] 4' Violina
8' Viola d'Amour 4' Salicet [ext.]
8' Vox Angelica 2' Salicet [ext.]
8' Vox Aetheria Tremulant
4' Principal
4' Violina [ext.]
4' Flute d'Amour [ext.]
4' Violetta [ext.]
2' Flautino [ext.]
8' Trumpet
8' Oboe Horn
8' Vox Humana
Chimes
PEDAL 6"; 32' Diapason & Bombarde 25" ECHO PEDAL
64' Gravissima [fr. 32' Diap] 16' Subbass
32' Diapason 16' Bourdon
16' Prestant [ext. 32'*] 16' Echo Gedeckt
16' Diapason 8' Flute [ext.]
16' Principal 8' Gamba [Echo]
16' Violone 8' Still Gedeckt [ext.]
16' Bourdon 16' Trumpet* [Echo]
16' Contra Gamba [SO]
16' Viola [CH] * details omitted in this TAO
16' Salicional [SW] version of the specification
16' Dolce Bass
16' Gedeckt [SW]
10 2/3' Quint
8' Octave [ext.]
8' Cello [ext.]
8' Gamba [SO]
8' Flute [ext.]
8' Gedeckt [SW]
4' Super Octave [ext.]
4' Flute [ext.]
V Mixture [new]
32' Contra Bombarde [new]
16' Bombarde [new, ext.]
16' Tuba [SO]
16' Posaune [GR]
16' Contra Fagotto [SW]
8' Trompette [new, ext.]
4' Clarion [new, ext.]
Great to Pedal 8', 4'
Swell to Pedal 8', 4'
Choir to Pedal
Solo to Pedal 8', 4'
String to Pedal
Echo to Pedal
Combinations:
General-8, Great-8 plus toe pistons, Sw-8,Ch-8, So-4, Ec-6
All manual to pedal couplers have reversible pistons duplicated by toe studs
Crescendo pedal and Sforzando pistons
String Organ expresses automatically through the Swell pedal of the manual
upon which it is being played.
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