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Casavant Frères Organ
Opus 3856, 2007
• Four manuals and pedals, 72 stops, 90 ranks
• Chancel Organ: 59 stops, 76 ranks
• Electric slider action
• Detached movable terraced drawknob console,
compass 61/32
• Nave Organ: 13 stops, 14 ranks
• Electro-pneumatic action
• Detached tablet console, compass 61/32
Exerpt from American Organist magazine
:: read the feature article in its entirety ::
The main organ at the front of the chancel
is housed in Gothic-style quarter-sawn oak
casework that was designed by Casavant’s
Benoît Gendron and built in the Casavant
workshop. The unenclosed divisions occupy
the forward position in the instrument, with
the Great organ above the impost immediately
behind the facade. The Pedal is divided
on each side of the Great. The polished tin facade
is taken from the Great and Pedal 16'
and 18' principals.
All of the principal stops
of the Great, Choir, and Pedal, as well as the
Solo Harmonic Flute 8', are made of 70% tin
alloy. The remainder of the metal pipes, including
the Swell principal chorus, flutes,
and reed resonators are made from spotted
metal with the exception of the 16' reed
in the Pedal division, which has wood
resonators.
The principal goals of the tonal design
were to provide variety in color and create a
singing tone in all registers. The organ’s character
is decidedly orchestral in the manner in
which its rich, full ensemble and presence is
achieved largely by the foundations. Keeping
clarity in every register was equally important,
to the point that the bass remains
clear even when playing full chords with all
foundations.
The Great is based upon a 16' principal
plenum, which is essential for an instrument
in a large space. The chorus is capped by two
mixtures and includes the Twelfth 22/3',
which led to the addition of the Seventeenth
13/5' in order to provide a bold principalscaled
Sesquialtera II. Flutes at 8' and 4' pitch
plus reeds at 16' and 8' pitch complete this
twelve-stop division. The Great reeds, which
are built with slightly tapered shallots, provide
a solid presence and a warm, dark tone
that contrasts with the Swell reeds.
A solid grounding of the instrument is provided
by the 32' and 16' Pedal stops, including
two full-length open flues—the wood
Contrabass 16' and metal Diapason 16'. The
stopped Sub Bass 16' and duplexing of the
manual 16' stops to the Pedal provide considerable
flexibility in registering the softest
célestes through moderate combinations to
full organ. The Pedal also has independent
flues at 8' and 4' pitch as well as the customary
reed chorus.
The three expressive divisions are located
immediately behind the Great and Pedal in
concrete walled enclosures. Extra thick shutters
with gasket seals provide very effective
expression from closed to fully open at 90
degrees. This latitude of control is especially
effective for the Tuba Mirabilis, which is on
22 inches of wind. For the best projection of
sound of the instrument, as well as the comfort
of individuals near the organ, all of the
windchests of the manual divisions and
pedal trebles are situated well above the
heads of the choristers in the chancel.
:: read the feature article in its entirety ::
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