Austin Organs, Inc., Hartford, CT

Opus 2734

Pipe Organ Specifications (77KB)

Our organ has six divisions among its 4772 pipes: Pedal, Great Swell, Choir, Enclosed Choir, and Nave. Couplers on the console provide the means to combine the various divisions of the organ together on a manual, at different levels of pitch.

The organ's nerve center is the console. With three 61-note manuals (keyboards) and a 32-note pedal board, our console controls 81 ranks of pipes. (A rank is one stop of 61 manual pipes or one stop of 32 pedal pipes which make the same sound from top to bottom.)

Four families of sound make up the modern pipe organ: flutes, strings, reeds - all three of which ‘imitate' their orchestral counterparts; and the diapasons or principals . The diapasons provide the organ's own unique sound, the backbone of the entire ensemble.

Left side of chancel: Great (exposed pipes), Enclosed Choir, Pedal (partial) divisions

Pedal - Played by the feet, these notes provide the rich bass which is often felt rather than heard. The largest pipes of the organ are found in the Pedal division. In addition, there are several stops which provide clear solo lines in the upper registers as required by some music. Each of the four families of sound is heard in the Pedal division.

Great - The stops on the far right of the console belong to the Great division. ‘Great' means most important or principal.., the backbone of the entire instrument. The sounds on the Great organ serve well for the accompaniment of hymns and other ‘big sounds' found in the repertoire. The Great and Pedal organs together provide the fundamental sound of the entire instrument. The Great division is played on the bottom manual. This division has flute stops of major importance and sparkling mixtures which give a tonal crown to the entire ensemble.

Swell - played on the upper manual. ‘Swell', meaning to enlarge or grow, does just that by means of shutters which enclose the division. (Although the organ as an instrument dates back to 265 B.C., the Swell division didn't come into existence until approximately 1712.) The organist opens and closes the shutters at will, achieving varied degrees of volume. The sound of the Swell organ is secondary to that of the Great organ. Its reeds and diapasons are rich and full, providing great drama when the organist opens and closes the shutters. Also, the broad sounds of the strings and flutes are found in the Swell.

Right side of chancel: Choir (exposed pipes), Swell, Pedal (partial) divisions

Choir and Enclosed Choir - Some pipes of the Choir division of our organ are enclosed in chambers (like the Swell), others are exposed creating a pleasing visual, as well as aural, effect. The term ‘Choir' is a corruption of the word ‘chair' which historically refers to a division of pipes installed immediately behind the organ console, at chair level, hence the term. in modem instruments the Choir organ provides light, clear sounds which are ideal for accompanying the choir. The softer reed solo stops are also found in this division, as well as the softest, gentlest sounds of the entire organ. The advantage of having half the pipes of this division under expression with the other half exposed provides more versatility for the organist. Home base for the Choir division on our organ is the middle manual.  

Nave - The last division of our organ is called the Nave organ, referring to the pipes which are visible at the back of the Nave, on either side of the balcony. The purpose of the Nave organ is to enhance congregational singing. Also found in the Nave division is the brilliant Solo Trumpet made of copper pipes, which is used for great festivals, weddings, and other auspicious occasions.

A Schulmerich digital carillon is included as part of our organ. Modern technology allows the organist to choose many types of percussion sounds: bells, chimes, celesta, carillon and others. The carillon is available to the organist on each division of the organ.

This wonderful instrument helps us to sing with greater joy, to pray with deeper awareness, to listen to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts as together we worship from week to week.