The Cathedral Organs

The Cathedral’s two organs were built by D.F. Pilzecker & Company of Toledo, Ohio.   While based on historical principles of design, reflecting an understanding of the liturgical, musical, and acoustical demands placed upon cathedral instruments, they are in no sense copies of any particular type of organ.

Chancel Organ

The chancel organ is the twenty-third opus of the builders.  It has 77 speaking stops, 103 ranks, 5,204 pipes.  There are several stops from the 1923 Austin and 1951 Casavant organs, rescaled and revoiced.

The Positiv Cromorne 8′, Pedal Trompette 8′, Great mutations, and Swell Mounted Cornet are patterned after classic French examples.  The Great and Positiv reeds are of German character and are part of the plenum.  The Swell Trompette Harmonique and Clarion Harmonique have French shallots with double blocks and are harmonic double length.  The Hautbois and Voix Humaine have French shallots. Each division of the organ has its own tonal and acoustical identity, yet the divisions combine together into one artistic entity, providing the tonal resources for the performance of a large repertoire of organ music.

Great (Man II) (Chancel Case)

   Principal 16
   Principal I-II 8
   Flute Harmonique 8
   Rohrflote 8
   Octave 4
   Spillflote 4
   Nazard 2 2/3
   Super Octave 2
   Gemshorn 2
   Tierce 1 3/5
   Mixture IV-VI
   Scharf IV-V
   Trompete 16
   Trompete I-II 8
   Trompete I-III 4 

Swell (Man III) (North Chamber)

   Bourdon 16
   Diapason 8
   Bourdon 8
   Viola da Gamba 8
   Voix Celeste (tc) 8
   Octave 4
   Flute Octaviante 4
   Flageolet 2
   Sifflute 1
   Plein Jeu IV-VI
   Mounted Cornet V
   Contra Bassoon 32
   Bassoon 16
   Trompette Harmonique I-II 8
   Voix Humaine 8
   Clarion Harmonique I-III 4
   Tremulant
   Octaves Graves 

Positiv (Man I) (Chancel Case)

   Principal 8
   Gedecktflote 8
   Quintadena 8
   Octave 4
   Walkflote 4
   Nazard 2 2/3
   Octave 2
   Tierce 1 3/5
   Larigot 1 1/3
   Scharf V-VI
   Trompete I-II 8
   Cromorne I-II 8
   Schalmei I-II 4
   Tremulant
   Octaves Graves

Bombarde (Man IV) (North Chamber)

   Open Diapason 8
   Flute Harmonique 8
   Dulciana 8
   Unda Maria 8
   Octave 4
   Super Octave 2
   Grand Jeu V-VII
   Trumpet 8
   Clarinet (in Swell box) 8
   Hooded Tuba – Harmonic I-III 8
   Octaves Graves
   Octaves 

Pedal (Chancel Case)

   Principal Base 16
   Octavebass 8
   Hohlflote 8
   Octave 4
   Nachthorn 2
   Mixture VI
   Posaune 16
   Trompette 8
   Trompete 8
   Clarion 4

Pedal (North Chamber)

   Contra Bourdon 32
   Open Wood 16
   Subbass 16
   Bourdon (Swell) 16
   Open Flute 8
   Gedecktbass 8
   Contra Bombarde 32
   Contra Bassoon 32
   Bombarde 16
   Basson 16
   Hautbois 8

 

Normal couplers with Great/Positiv manual transfer

Compasses:
   Manuals, 61 notes
   Pedal, 32 notes

Equal temperament

Gallery Organ

The Gallery Organ awaits completion for when funding becomes available. The case houses the Great plenum stops and the instrument plays from both the gallery and chancel consoles.  It has four stops with seven ranks and 427 pipes. 

Manual I
   Open Diapason 8
   Principal 4
   Fifteenth 2
   Mixture IV

 

 

Organ Cases

The chancel organ case is of classic English design.  The gallery organ case is more of a South German design.  Both cases have carvings and woodwork designed and executed in a manner consistent with the architecture of the cathedral.

 

The organs are maintained by Renaissance Pipe Organ Company of Ann Arbor.