Asylum Hill Congregational Church
BLISS MEMORIAL PIPE ORGAN
Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, CT
Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Boston, MA, 1961
Austin Organs, Inc., Hartford, CT, 2005 (new four-manual Skinner-style console)
Messrs. Czelusniak et Dugal, Inc., Northampton, MA, 2005 (New pipe additions and tonal revisions)
Walker Technical Company, Zionsville, PA, 2005 (Digital stops)
Four manuals – 71 ranks – 4, 211 pipes
http://www.cccathedral.org/choir.html
Asylum Hill Congregational Church was designed by architect Patrick C. Keely, built in 1865 and dedicated in 1866. Neo-gothic in design, it is made out of Portland brownstone. One of its most famous parishioners was Samuel Clemens, popularly known as “Mark Twain”. Today the congregation boasts nearly 2,000 members led by Senior Minister Gary Miller and a comprehensive music and arts program directed by Steven Mitchell and Charles Miller.There have been three pipe organs in Asylum Hill Congregational Church. The Hook and Hastings firm installed the first in 1871. Contrary to the architect’s original plans, the Hook and Hastings organ was placed in the apse of the church behind the pulpit. In 1910, the church was remodeled into its present gothic interior and a rear choir gallery was built according to Keely’s plans. Ernest M. Skinner built a four manual and pedal organ of some 50 ranks of pipes, which included a 32′ Bourdon, English horn, Tuba mirabilis and one of his new Erzahler stops. An organ builder in Kentucky currently owns the elegantly carved draw knob console from that organ. In the early 1950’s the console was showing signs of severe mechanical failure and the church found it necessary to replace it. The Austin Organ Company built a new console for the church in 1954, with the hopes that the company would soon thereafter rebuild the rest of the aging instrument. However, upon the arrival of Alfred Russell as director of music in 1956, a contract to replace the severely failing E. M. Skinner went not to the Austin firm but to the famous Aeolian-Skinner Company of Boston, MA and in January 1962 the present organ was dedicated with a performance of organ concerti and Maurice Durufle’s “Requiem”. Joseph Whiteford designed the 1962 Aeolian-Skinner in a then-fashionable neo-Baroque style which includes a Ruck-positiv division on the balcony rail. Its 71 ranks are spread over four manuals and pedal with the 32′ Bourdon being placed directly next to the choir singers in the balcony. From 2003-2005, as part of the church’s capital campaign and building addition, the organ will undergo major renovation, some judicious re-voicing and expansion. Along with a new state-of-the-art four manual console the organ will receive several new ranks of pipes including a Trompette en Chamade.
GREAT (Manual II; Unenclosed) | ||
16’ | Diapason | 61 Notes (Walker Digital) |
16’ | Quintaten | 12 Pipes |
8’ | Montre | 61 Pipes |
8’ | Bourdon | 61 Pipes |
8’ | Quintaten | 61 Pipes |
8’ | Erzähler | 61 Pipes |
4’ | Octave | 61 Pipes |
4’ | Flûte Harmonique | 61 Pipes |
2 2/3’ | Quinte | 61 Pipes |
2’ | Super Octave | 61 Pipes |
Mixture IV-V | 269 Pipes | |
Fourniture IV | 244 Pipes | |
8’ | Trompette Harmonique | 61 notes (solo) |
Herald Trumpet | 61 notes (solo) | |
Chimes | ||
Great 16′ | ||
Great Unison Off | ||
Great 4′ | ||
MIDI on Great | ||
(Five blank drawknobs) | ||
SWELL (Manual III; Enclosed & Expressive) | ||
16’ | Flûte Conique | 12 Pipes |
8’ | Diapason | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Gedackt | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Viole de Gambe | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Viole Veleste | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Flauto Dolce | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Flute Celeste | 61 Pipes |
4’ | Prestant | 68 Pipes |
4’ | Rohrflöte | 68 Pipes |
2’ | Octavin | 61 Pipes |
Plein Jeu III | 183 Pipes | |
Cymbale III | 183 Pipes | |
16’ | Bombarde | 12 Pipes |
8’ | Trompette | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Bombarde | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Voix Humaine | 68 Pipes |
4’ | Clarion | 68 Pipes |
Tremulant | ||
Swell 16’ | ||
Swell Unison Off | ||
Swell 4’ | ||
MIDI on Swell | ||
Cymbelstern | ||
(One Blank Draw Knob) | ||
CHOIR (Manual I; Enclosed & Expressive) | ||
8’ | Viola Pomposa | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Viola Celeste | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Gemshorn | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Gemshorn Celeste | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Cor de Nuit | 68 Pipes |
4’ | Principal | 68 Pipes |
4’ | Koppelflöte | 68 Pipes |
2 2/3’ | Nazard | 54 Pipes |
2’ | Blockflöte | 61 Pipes |
1 3/5’ | Tierce | 54 Pipes |
1’ | Sifflöte | 49 Pipes |
Mixture III | 183 Pipes | |
16’ | Fagotto | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Corno di Bassetto | 68 Pipes |
8’ | Trompette Harmonique | 61 Notes (Solo) |
8’ | Herald Trumpet | 61 Notes (Solo) |
Tremulant | ||
Chimes | ||
Harp | ||
Choir 16’ | ||
Choir Unison Off | ||
Choir 4′ | ||
MIDI on Choir | ||
(Two Blank Draw Knobs) | ||
SOLO (Manual I; Unenclosed) | ||
8’ | Trompette Harmonique | 73 Pipes |
8’ | Herald Trumpet | 73 Pipes |
Chimes | ||
Harp | ||
Solo 16′ | ||
Solo Unison Off | ||
Solo 4’ | ||
MIDI on Solo | ||
(Six Blank Draw Knobs) | ||
POSITIV (Manual I; Unenclosed) | ||
8’ | Holz Gedackt | 56 Pipes |
4’ | Spillflöte | 56 Pipes |
2’ | Lieblich Prinzipal | 56 Pipes |
1 1/3’ | Larigot | 44 Pipes |
1’ | Oktav | 44 Pipes |
Jeu de Clochette II | 112 Pipes | |
8’ | Krummhorn | 56 Pipes |
Tremulant | ||
Positiv 16’ | ||
Positiv Unison Off | ||
Positiv 4’ | ||
(One Blank Draw Knob) | ||
PORTATIVE (Prepared Division) | ||
12 Blank Knobs. This is a future project that will be a self-contained, fully independent unit on a moveable platform to be located in the front of the sanctuary. | ||
PEDAL | ||
32’ | Open Wood | 32 Notes (Walker Digital) |
32’ | Contra Bourdon | 12 Pipes |
32’ | Lieblich Gedackt | 32 Notes (Walker Digital) |
16’ | Principal | 32 Pipes |
16’ | Bourdon | 32 Pipes |
16’ | Quintaten | (Great) |
16’ | Flute Conique | (Swell) |
16’ | Lieblichflöte | 12 Pipes (ext. Choir) |
8’ | Principal | 32 Pipes |
8′ | Bourdon | 12 Pipes |
8’ | Erzähler | (Great) |
8’ | Gedackt | (Swell) |
8’ | Quintaten | (Great) |
4’ | Choral Bass | 32 Pipes |
4’ | Koppelflöte | (Choir) |
2’ | Blockflöte | (Choir) |
Mixture IV | 128 Pipes | |
Kontra Posuane | 32 Notes (Walker Digital) | |
Contra Bombarde | 12 Pipes | |
16’ | Posaune | 32 Pipes |
16’ | Bombarde | (Swell) |
8’ | Posuane | 12 Pipes |
8’ | Trompette Harmonique | (Solo) |
8’ | Herald Trumpet | (Solo) |
4’ | Klarine | 12 Pipes |
4’ | Corno di Bassetto | 12 Notes |
Chimes | ||
MIDI on Pedal | ||
COUPLERS | ||
Great to Pedal 8′ | Pedal Divide | |
Great to Pedal 4′ | Choir to Swell 16′ | |
Swell to Pedal 8′ | Choir to Swell 8′ | |
Swell to Pedal 4′ | Choir to Swell 4′ | |
Choir to Pedal 8′ | Positiv to Swell 16′ | |
Choir to Pedal 4′ | Positiv to Swell 8′ | |
Solo to Pedal 8′ | Positiv to Swell 4′ | |
Solo to Pedal 4′ | Swell to Choir 16′ | |
Positiv to Pedal 8′ | Swell to Choir 8′ | |
Positiv to Pedal 4′ | Swell to Choir 4′ | |
Swell to Great 16′ | Solo to Choir 16′ | |
Swell to Great 8′ | Solo to Choir 8′ | |
Swell to Great 4′ | Solo to Choir 4′ | |
Choir to Great 16′ | Great to Solo 16′ | |
Choir to Great 8′ | Great to Solo 8′ | |
Choir to Great 4′ | Great to Solo 4′ | |
Solo to Great 16′ | Swell to Solo 16′ | |
Solo to Great 8′ | Swell to Solo 8′ | |
Solo to Great 4′ | Swell to Solo 4′ | |
Positiv to Great 16′ | Choir to Solo 16′ | |
Positiv to Great 8′ | Choir to Solo 8′ | |
Positiv to Great 4′ | Choir to Solo 4′ | |
Pedal to Great 8′ | Positiv to Solo 16′ | |
Tremulants Off | Positiv to Solo 8′ | |
All Swells to Swell | Positiv to Solo 4′ | |
Great/Choir Transfer | Portative on Solo | |
COMBINATION ACTION (128 levels – Solid State Organ Systems, Inc.) | ||
General Pistons | 1-16 (Thumb & Toe | |
Great Pistons | 1-8 (Thumb) | |
Swell Pistons | 1-8 (Thumb) | |
Choir Pistons | 1-8 (Thumb) | |
Solo Pistons | 1-8 (Thumb) | |
Positiv Pistons | 1-4 (Thumb) | |
Portative Pistons | 1-4 (Thumb) | |
Pedal Pistons | 1-8 (Thumb & Toe) | |
REVERSIBLES | ||
Great to Pedal reversible (thumb & toe) | ||
Swell to Pedal reversible (thumb & toe) | ||
Choir to Pedal reversible (thumb & toe) | ||
Solo to Pedal reversible (thumb & toe) | ||
Positiv to Pedal reversible (thumb & toe) | ||
Swell to Great 8′ reversible (thumb) | ||
Choir to Great 8′ reversible (thumb) | ||
Solo to Great 8′ reversible (thumb) | ||
Swell to Choir 8′ (thumb) | ||
All Swells to Swell reversible (thumb, with indicator light) | ||
Tremulants Off reversible (toe) | ||
Cymbelstern (toe) | ||
32′ Open Wood reversible (toe) | ||
32′ Lieblich Gedackt reversible (toe) | ||
32′ Contra Bourdon reversible (toe) | ||
32′ Kontra Posaune reversible (toe) | ||
32′ Contre Bombarde reversible (toe) | ||
Tutti I reversible (thumb & toe, with indicator light) | ||
Tutti II reversible (thumb & toe, with indicator light) |