Cathedral Organs

• In the Latin Church the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, for it is the traditional musical instrument which adds a wonderful splendor to the Church’s ceremonies and powerfully lifts up man’s mind to God and higher things (Article 120)

The Flentrop Organ of Holy Name Cathedral

The organ for the Cathedral of the Holy Name in Chicago is one of the largest instruments ever built by Flentrop Orgelbouw. Large does not necessarily imply the number of stops, but much more the wide spectrum of sound realized in the designing and building of this organ. This basic concept was suggested by the musical practice at Holy Name Cathedral, where the repertoire is not restricted to any certain period or style.

For the organ to play a part in this musical diversity, the temptation for the builder could be merely to combine many disparate sounds into one collective ensemble, or, less happily, sounds from various national traditions which should never be combined (the so-called “universal organ”). In building the organ for Holy Name Cathedral, we have tried to avoid such lack of cohesion in sound-units in order to provide sonic unity and integrity. All pipe scalings have been designed out of one system; in this way, a great unity and blending together are created between the various stops.

Through various construction methods and the composition of pipe materials, characteristic sounds arise out of this proportional unity which make it possible to interpret the organ literature from several periods. Only use of the instrument over time by sensitive players in a variety of musical situations will determine if this approach has been successful.

Johannes A. Steketee

West Gallery Organ Flentrop Orgelbouw, 1989

Given to the Glory of God by Alice O’Malley Robinson in Loving Memory of Her Husband, William Dunwoody Robinson.

The entire instrument for the Cathedral was handmade at the workshops of Flentrop Orgelbouw in Zaandam, Holland, including the hand carved decorations, pipe shades and gilded façade pipes. The organ case is made entirely of solid French oak, quarter-sawn.

Both the playing action and the stop action are mechanical.

The wind system consists of three wedge-bellows, supplying a wind pressure of 78mm for the manuals, and 80mm for the pedal. The temperament is equal at A-440.

The instrument comprises 71 stops, 117 ranks, 5,558 pipes, distributed over four manuals and pedal. Manual compass 56 notes, pedal compass 30 notes, flat pedalboard.

The entire instrument for the Cathedral was handmade at the workshops of Flentrop Orgelbouw in Zaandam, Holland, including the handcarved decorations, pipe shades and guilded façade pipes. The organ case is made entirely of solid French oak, quarter-sawn. Both the playing action and the stop action are mechanical. In the stoplist which follows, those stops marked with an asterisk are operable by an adjustable system of combination pistons, which is also mechanical. The windchest consists of three wedge-bellows, supplying a wind pressure of 78mm for the manuals and 80mm for the pedal. The temperament is equal at A-440. The instrument comprises 71 stops, 117 ranks, 5,558 pipes, distributed over four manuals and pedal

South Chancel Organ Casavant Frères, 1981

Given in memory of Florence E. Bolles
Revoiced 1987 by Martin Ott, St. Louis

Mechanical key and stop action. Two manuals, 19 stops, 25 ranks, 1284 pipes. Manual compass 56 notes, pedal compass 30 notes, flat pedalboard. Manual natural keys made of ebony, manual sharps of rosewood capped with ivory; pedal naturals made of maple, pedal sharpes of rosewood; casework is solid oak with rosewood drawknobs. Facade pipes are 70% polished tin. Three reversible coupler pedals. Wind pressure = 80mm.