The Peabody Memorial Organ
Made by Ernest M. Skinner, 1925
The Peabody Memorial Organ is the third instrument to be installed since the church opened in 1847. The organ was designed by Louis Robert and built by Ernest M. Skinner as his Opus #524, the gift to the church from parishioner and financier George Foster Peabody in memory of his brother. The organ comprises 4,718 pipes, ranging from 2 inches to 32 feet in length, as well as 20 chimes and a 61-note celesta. In 1999, it was recognized by the Organ Historical Society as “An Historic Instrument of Special Merit”—the musical equivalent of Landmark status. It is the largest essentially unchanged E.M. Skinner organ in New York City. Over the years it developed many silent notes. The Chimes and Celesta do not play. Current restoration efforts are aimed at returning all of these elements to playable condition and to restore the instrument to its original splendor.
GREAT ORGAN (II) | ||
16’ | Double Open Diapason | 61 |
16’ | Bourdon | 61 |
8’ | First Open Diapason | 61 |
8’ | Second Open Diapason | 61 |
8’ | Claribel Flute | 61 |
8’ | Wald Flute | 61 |
8’ | Viola Dolce | 61 |
8’ | Erzahler | 61 |
4’ | Octave | 61 |
4’ | Flute | 61 |
2’ | Fifteenth | 61 |
Harmonics II | 122 | |
Mixture IV | 244 | |
8” | Trumpet | 61 |
CHOIR ORGAN (I) | ||
16’ | Gamba | 73 |
8’ | Diapason | 73 |
8’ | Concert Flute | 73 |
8’ | Dulciana | 73 |
8’ | Unda maris | 61 |
8’ | Viole d’Amour | 73 |
4’ | Flute | 73 |
2 2/3’ | Nasard | 61 |
2’ | Octavin | 61 |
1 3/5’ | Tierce | 61 |
8’ | English Horn | 73 |
8’ | Clarinet | 73 |
Tremolo | ||
Harp (61 bars) | ||
Celesta | ||
Chimes (20 tubes) |
PEDAL ORGAN | ||
32’ | Bourdon | 68 |
16’ | Diapason | 44 |
16’ | Violone | 44 |
16’ | Bourdon | |
16’ | Echo Bourdon | |
16’ | Gamba | |
10 2/3’ | Quint | |
8’ | Octave | |
8’ | Gedeckt | |
16’ | Still Gedeckt | |
8’ | Stopped Flute | |
32’ | Bombarde (wood) | 56 |
16’ | Trombone | |
16’ | Posaune | |
8’ | Tromba |
SWELL ORGAN (III) | ||
16’ | Bourdon | 73 |
8’ | Diapason | 73 |
8’ | Gedeckt | 73’ |
8’ | Hohl Flute | 73 |
8’ | Quintadena | 73 |
8’ | Salicional | 73 |
8’ | Voix Celeste | 73 |
8’ | Flauto Dolce | 73 |
8’ | Flute Celeste | 61 |
4’ | Octave | 73 |
4’ | Flute Triangulaire | 73 |
4’ | Gemshorn | 73 |
2’ | Flautino | 61 |
Cornet V | 305 | |
Mixture V | 305 | |
16’ | Posaune | 73 |
8’ | Cornopean | 73 |
8’ | Corno d’amore | 73 |
8’ | Vox Humana | 73 |
4’ | Clairon | 73 |
Tremolo |
SOLO ORGAN (IV) | ||
8’ | Gross Gedeckt | 73 |
8’ | Gross Gamba | 73 |
8’ | Gamba Celeste | 73 |
4’ | Orchestral Flute | 73 |
8’ | French Horn | 73 |
8’ | Tuba Mirabilis (20” w.p.) | 73 |
ECHO ORGAN (V) | ||
8’ | Chimney Flute | 73 |
8’ | Muted Viole | 73 |
4’ | Silverette | 73 |
8’ | Vox Humana | 61 |
Total
4,791 Pipes
20 Chime tubes
61 Harp/Celesta bars
Controls
The five-manual and pedal console was constructed by Keats in 1970 and rebuilt by Randolph Organ Co. in 2005, and contains the following:
• 20 General pistons, 1-16 duplicated by toe-studs
• Unlimited levels of piston memory
• Sequencer with Forward/Back controls below each manual, duplicated by toe studs
• 8 Divisional Pistons for each manual and pedal
• 4 Coupler pistons
• Full Organ piston/toe stud
• 2 on/off toggles for Pedal 32′ stops
• 4 foot-pedal controls, arranged as follows, left to right: Choir Expression -Swell Expression -Solo/Echo Expression -Crescendo