New Brunswick, New Jersey

Christ Church, Episcopal

Christ Church, Episcopal (New Brunswick, NJ)
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Builder:        Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc.
   Year:        1955
   Opus:        1315
   
No. manuals:    4
No. stops:      38
No. ranks:      34
No. pipes:      2,093

Specification

             GREAT ORGAN                             SWELL ORGAN
         16' Quintade            61              16' Gedeckt             68
          8' Spitzprinzipal      61               8' Gedeckt             68
          8' Gedeckt             61               8' Viole de Gambe      68
          4' Octave              61               8' Viole Celeste (TC)  56
          4' Quintade            24               4' Spitzflöte          68
          2' Octavin             61               2' Octavin             61
         IV  Fourniture         244              IV  Plein Jeu          244
                                                 16' Fagot               68  (old Cornopean rebuilt)
             CHOIR ORGAN                          8' Hautbois            68  (old revoiced)
          8' Cor de Nuit         61               4' Chalumeau           68  (old Clarinet cut in half)
          8' Unda Maris II      110                  Tremulant
          4' Rohrflöte           61
         II  Zimbel             122                  PEDAL ORGAN
                                                 16' Diapason            32
             SOLO ORGAN                          16' Bourdon             32
         16' Bombarde            61              16' Quintade            GT
          8' Trompette           12              16' Lieblich Gedeckt    SW
          4' Clairon             12               8' Principal           12
                                                  8' Bourdon             12
                                                  8' Quintade            GT
                                                  4' Super Octave        12
                                                  2' Phyfe               12  (Diapason)
                                                III  Fourniture          96
                                                III  Cymbel              36
                                                 16' Bombarde            SO
                                                  8' Trompette           SO
                                                  4' Clairon             SO

Source: Allen Kinzey, with clarification by Mark Trautman, Director of Music at Christ Church.

Notes: The job was essentially new pipework for the existing Casavant Op. 994, a rather sparse 3-manual 23-stop instrument installed in 1923. The Casavant console, chests, swell boxes and shades, reservoirs, etc., were re-used. A 4-manual Moller console was added to the Casavant in 1949.

The parish was founded in 1742 and still functions under the Royal Charter granted by King George III of England in 1761. The tower is original, but the nave was torn down and rebuilt in larger form in the mid-1800s. In 1815, the rector was elected the first bishop of New Jersey and Christ Church became New Jersey's first cathedral. For this reason, the choir of men and boys is entitled to wear the bishop's purple.

A Hall & Erben was purchased in 1826 and was replaced by Henry Erben in 1842. Both choir and organ were situated in the west gallery until May 1869, when an organ by Levi Stuart was placed in a newly built chamber in the chancel. A Steere & Turner replaced the Stuart in 1905. A major renovation to the nave in 1923 included the new Casavant in the west gallery, with the console in the chancel with the choir. The previous chancel organ chamber became a sacristy. In 1956, Aeolian-Skinner provided some new pipework. Richards, Fowkes & Co. installed their Opus 12 in 2001, a two-manual 32-rank instrument located in the west gallery along with the relocated choir.

Organ Historical Society Database: https://pipeorgandatabase.org/OrganDetails.php?OrganID=17977