About Us
Pipes of Glory

About the Organ
"The CHOIR Organ"

Part 4 in the series about ELPC’s Aeolian-Skinner Pipe Organ.
by the Rev. Dr. J. Richard Szeremany,
Worship Music & The Arts Director

Historically the Choir division or Choir organ of the American organ has had a checkered history. Unlike its European “counterpart” the Positif organ, the 20th-century American Choir organ has been a collection of often non-descript soft, accompanimental flutes sounds, a quiet ethereal-sounding romantic celeste (usually a Dulciana and an Unda Maris) and one or two solo stops, the first choice being a Clarinet.

The Choir divisions of many organs built during the first five or six decades of the 20th century contributed very little to the ensemble or overall effect of the total organ. Unlike the European Positif organs these Choir organs had “very little to say “ as part of the whole. With the emerging American Classic Organ movement driven by the work of G. Donald Harrison of the Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company (builders of the ELPC sanctuary organ) and a certain few others of the 1930’s and 40’s, American instruments began to incorporate in their design Positif divisions not unlike their European counterparts. Like the Positifs across the sea, these divisions made a telling contribution to the total ensemble being something akin to a mini-Great organ (see Part 1 of this series “The Great Organ”). However, a Positif division does not historically contain those lovely, although secondary, voices of the traditional American Choir organ. So what did we see coming out of this? Organs which had both a substantial Positif division and also the non-descript Choir divisions.

But there have been organs which were designed with a different plan in mind. The ELPC instrument may have been one of these rather early instruments with a trial “beefed –up” Choir division. Although in no way matching the voicing concept of a Positif division, the inclusion in the ELPC Choir organ in its original 1935 design and with its later additions in the 70’s brought a true foil or counterpart in this one division to the sounds of the Great organ. Not only do we have the quiet undulating sounds of two pretty celestes, the profusion of quieter flute sounds for accompaniments, and a battery of soft and loud solo stops, but we also have the necessary backbone sounds of the Diapasons at a variety of pitches, making this in the words of one observer, an “avant garde” Choir organ that does the work of three or four divisions on a more modest instrument.

There are a total of 22 independent ranks of pipes in this Choir organ. For instruments of this period, this is unusual even if one were to discount the five ranks of pipes added on in the 70’s.

How fortunate to have all this as a beginning basis for the present restoration project in which all the beauty of these original sounds will be regulated, repaired where needed and replaced in kind where repairs are not cost-effective, and when returned, relocated in the organ chamber in a much more advantageous position for egress of these gentle, bright and telling sounds.

Next article in the series -- Part 5: "The PEDAL Organ"

For more information about the Pipes of Glory project, contact:

The Rev. Dr. J. Richard Szeremany
Director of Worship, Music & The Arts
email: jrichard
(please add the extension "@coh.net" to the email address)
412/441-3800

Norma Meyer
Administrative Assistant for Worship, Music & The Arts
email: normam
(please add the extension "@coh.net" to the email address)
412/441-3800

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updated 2006-08-10