Crystal Cathedral organ

The main casework and console of the Crystal Cathedral organ

The Crystal Cathedral organ is one of the world's largest pipe organs, located at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.^[1] As of 2008, it has 270 ranks and 16,061 pipes, fully playable from two five manual consoles.^[1]

Funded by a $2 million gift from Hazel Wright, a viewer of the church's Hour of Power telecast, the organ was constructed by Fratelli Ruffatti, based on specifications by Virgil Fox and expanded by Frederick Swann.^[2] It incorporates the large Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ originally built in 1962 for New York's Avery Fisher Hall, and the Ruffatti organ which had been installed in the church's previous sanctuary.

Beginning in 1982, the year of the present organ's dedication, Frederick Swann was organist and music director at the Crystal Cathedral. During his 16-year tenure (1982–1998), he was widely regarded as the most visible organist in the world as people in more than 165 countries worldwide saw and heard him playing this organ on the weekly Hour of Power televised services.^[3]

Stoplist

The organ has the following pipe ranks:^[4]

I Choir (Second Level, East Tower) Gemshorn 16′ Viola Pomposa 8′ Viola Céleste 8′ Cor de Nuit 8′ Flauto Dolce 8′ Flauto Céleste 8′ Prinzipal 4′ Koppelflöte 4′ Rohrnasat 22/3′ Prinzipal 2′ Zauberflöte 2′ Tierce 13/5′ Larigot 11/3′ Scharff IV Fagotto 16′ Petite Trompette 8′ Clarinet 8′ Fagotto (Fagotto 16′) 4′ Tremulant Millennial Trumpet (Gallery Great) 8′ Harp 8′ Harp (Harp 8′) 4′ II Great (Third Level, West Tower) Montre 16′ Kontra Geigen 16′ Bourdon 16′ Diapason 8′ Principal Major 8′ Principal 8′ Flûte harmonique 8′ Spitzflöte 8′ Spitz Céleste 8′ Gross Quinte 51/3′ Oktave 4′ Oktav 4′ Flûte Ouverte 4′ Flûte a Cheminée 4′ Gross Tierce 31/5′ Quinte 22/3′ Sesquialtera II Jeu de Tierce II Super Octave 2′ Fifteenth 2′ Blockflöte 2′ Grand Fourniture II-VII Ripieno IV Mixture IV-VI Cimbalo IV Zimbel III-V Contre Trompette 16′ Posaune 16′ Fagotto (Choir) 16′ Trompette 8′ Trompete 8′ Clairon 4′ Chimes Cembalo II Gallery Great (Gallery Organ, West Side) Grande Montre (Gallery Pedal) 16′ Holz Principal 8′ Holzgedeckt 8′ Octave 4′ Koppelflöte 4′ Fifteenth 2′ Nineteenth 11/3′ Twenty-Second 1′ Fourniture V Zimbel IV Contra Trompette 16′ Trompette 8′ Clairon 4′ Millennial Trumpet (en chamade) 8′ Herald Trumpet (Solo) 8′ II Hoofdwerk (First Level, East Tower) Praestant 8′ Holpijp 8′ Quintadeen 8′ Octaaf 4′ Fluit 4′ Super Octaaf 2′ Mixtuur V Scherp IV Bazuin 16′ Trompet 8′

III Swell(First Level, West and East Tower) Flûte Courte 16′ Quintadena 16′ Gambe (digital) 16′ Gambe (digital) 8′ Montre 8′ Principal 8′ Viole de Gambe 8′ Viole Céleste 8′ Erzahler 8′ Erzahler Céleste 8′ Flûte Couverte 8′ Bourdon 8′ Flauto Dolce 8′ Prestant 4′ Octave 4′ Flûte à Pavillon 4′ Cor de Nuit 4′ Nazard 22/3′ Doublette 2′ Flûte à Bec 2′ Tierce 13/5′ Larigot 11/3′ Piccolo 1′ None 8/9′ Plein jeu III Ripieno V Cymbale III Bombarde 16′ Contre Trompette 16′ Basson 16′ Première Trompette 8′ Deuxième Trompette 8′ Hautbois d’Orchestre 8′ Hautbois 8′ Voix Humaine 8′ Première Clairon 4′ Deuxième Clairon 4′ Cornet V Tremulant III Borstwerk (First Level, West Tower) Pörfluit 8′ Speelfluit 4′ Gemshoorn 2′ Tertiaan II Terzcymbel III Buntcymbel III Baarpijp 16′ Tremulant IV Solo (Second Level, West Tower) Enclosed: Gambe 8′ Gambe Celeste 8′ Flauto Heroique (Celestial) 8′ Doppelflöte 8′ Major Octave 4′ Orchestral Flute 4′ Quinte Flûte 22/3′ Octave 2′ Harmonics VI Gross Fourniture III Cymbel IV English Post Horn 16′ (from English Post Horn 8′) Trompette Harmonique 8′ English Post Horn 8′ English Horn 8′ French Horn 8′ Clairon Harmonique 4′ Not enclosed: Flûte d’Arvella (Pedal) 8′ Tuba Magna 16′ Herald Trumpet 8′ Millennial Trumpet (Gallery Great) 8′ Tuba Mirabilis 8′ Tuba Clairon 4′ Tremulant

V Celestial (Swell) (Gallery, East Side) Bourdon Doux 16′ Flauto Dolce 16′ Principal 8′ Viola Pomposa 8′ Viola Céleste 8′ Flauto Dolce 8′ Flauto Céleste 8′ Flûte à Cheminée 8′ Principal 4′ Italian Principal 4′ Flûte Traversière 4′ Sesquialtera II Doublette 2′ Octavin 2′ Plein jeu V Cymbale IV Jeu de Clochette II Contre Trompette 16′ Ranquette 16′ Trompette 8′ Cor Anglais 8′ Cromorne 8′ Voix Humaine 8′ Cor de Schuller 4′ Chalumeau 4′ Tremulant V Positiv (Fourth Level, East Tower) Bourdon (Great) 16′ Principal 16′ Rohrflöte 8′ Prinzipal 8′ Spillflöte 4′ Oktav 4′ Larigot 2′ Sifflöte 11/3′ Scharff IV Terz Zimbel III Fagotto (Choir) 16′ Krummhorn 8′ Rohr Schalmei 4′ Tremulant Tuba Mirabilis (Solo) 8′ String (Swell) (Floating, Gallery, West Side) Viola 16′ Viola Céleste 16′ Dulciana 8′ Unda Maris 8′ Salicional 8′ Voix Céleste 8′ Dulcett 8′ Dulcett Céleste 8′ Dulciana Céleste 8′ Muted Viole 1 8′ Viole 1 Céleste 8′ Muted Viole 2 8′ Viole 2 Céleste 8′ Violoncello 8′ Violoncello Céleste 8′ Rohrpfeife 8′ Nachthorn 4′ Tremulant Gospel (Floating, East Gallery) Principal 8′ Octave 4′ Super Octave 2′ Mixture IV Trompette en Chamade 16′ Trompette en Chamade 8′ Trompette en Chamade 4′ Epistle (Floating, West Gallery) Principal 8′ Octave 4′ Mounted Cornet V Mixture V Trompette en Chamade 16′ Trompette en Chamade 8′ Trompette en Chamade 4′ Trompette en Chamade 2′ Echo (Swell) (catwalk 40 m) Fern Flute 8′ Vox Amorosa 8′ Voix Séraphique 8′ Chœur des Violes 8′ Divinare 4′ Rohr Nasat 22/3′ Oboe d’Amore 8′ Anthropoglossa 8′ Tremulant Percussion C– Tower Carillon Harp (Choir) 8′ Celesta (Choir) 4′ Glockenstern (Positiv) Etoile de Grand Martin (Gallery) Chancel Chimes (Choir, Great) Gallery Chimes (Celestial) Rosignol on Pedal I (Gallery)

Pedal (Second Level, West Tower; Fourth Level East Tower) La Force 64′ (Ext. Double Diapason 32′) Diapason 32′ Kontra Geigen 32′ (Ext. Great: Kontra Geigen 16′) Contre Gambe (Swell) 32′ Diapente Grave 211/3′ Diapason 16′ Contre Basse 16′ Contra Basso 16′ Principal (Great) 16′ Geigen (Great) 16′ Montre (Great) 16′ Principal 16′ Bourdon 16′ Subbasso 16′ Gemshorn (Choir) 16′ Flûte Courte (Swell) 16′ Quintadena (Swell) 16′ Quint 102/3′ Octave 8′ Principal 8′ Violone 8′ Geigen 8′ (Ext. Geigen 16′) Spitzflöte 8′ Principal (Positiv) 8′ Bourdon 8′ (Bourdon 16′) Bordone 8′ (Ext. Subbasso 16′) Gemshorn 8′ (Ext. Choir: Gemshorn 16′) Flûte Courte 8′ (Ext. Swell: Flûte Courte 16′) Octave Quinte 51/3′ Choralbass 4′ Octave 4′ Principal (Positiv) 4′ Spillflöte 4′ Spireflöte 4′ Octave 2′ Spindleflöte 2′ (Ext. Spindleflöte 4′) Fourniture IV Ripieno VI Acuta II Grand Cornet IV Kontra Posaune 32′ Contra Fagotto 32′ Posaune 16′ Contre Trompette (Great) 16′ Bombarde (Swell) 16′ Basson (Swell) 16′ English Post Horn (Solo) 16′ Fagotto (Choir) 16′ Trompette 8′ Trompette 8′ Fagotto 8′ (Ext. Choir: Fagotto 16′) Krummhorn (Positiv) 8′ Klarine 4′ (Ext. Trompette 8′) Trompete 4′ (Ext. Trompette 8′) Rohr Schalmei (Positiv) 4′ Zink (Positiv) 2′ Contra Bourdon (Electronic) 32′ Gallery Pedal (Gallery, East side and Center) Untersatz 32′ Montre le Tour 16′ Open Wood 16′ Bourdon 16′ Bourdon Doux (Celestial) 16′ Viola (String) 16′ Viola Céleste (String) 16′ Prestant 8′ Bourdon 8′ Viola Céleste II 8′ (Ext. String: Violo Céleste 16′) Bas de Choral 4′ Mixture 2′ Grand Harmoniques 32′ Contra Bombarde 32′ Bombarde 16′ Contra Trompette (Celestial) 16′ Trumpet 8′ Millennial Trumpet (Great) 8′ Clarion 4′

Recordings

Frederick Swann has recorded 2 compact discs playing the Crystal Cathedral organ :

• Four Organ Masterworks see here
• Hymns on the Crystal Cathedral Organ see here

Peter Baicchi has recorded 1 compact disc :

• "Organ Under Glass : The Crystal Cathedral Organ" see here

In addition, the Crystal Cathedral Choir and organ are heard on the CD We Sing the Power.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "The World's Largest Pipe Organs". Atlas Communications. http://www.atlascom.us/bigpipes.htm. Retrieved December 11, 2008. 
2. ^ "Hazel Wright Organ". Crystal Cathedral. 2008. http://www.crystalcathedral.org/visitors/organ.php. Retrieved December 11, 2008. 
3. ^ Vivien Schweitzer (August 4, 2006). "Frederick Swann at Riverside Church: A Master of the Organ, With the Curtain Pulled Back". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/04/arts/music/04swan.html?_r=1&scp. Retrieved April 15, 2008. 
4. ^ E.M.Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List, Compiled by Allen Kinzey and Sand Lawn, published: Organ Historical Society, Richmond, VA. 1st Edition, 1992, page 124.

External links

• Crystal Cathedral official website – About the organ