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The Peabody Memorial Organ

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 Diapason61
16’Bourdon61
8’First Open Diapason61
8’Second Open Diapason61
8’Claribel Flute61
8’Wald Flute61
8’Viola Dolce61
8’Erzahler61
4’Octave61
4’Flute61
2’Fifteenth61
Harmonics II122
Mixture IV244
8”Trumpet61
CHOIR ORGAN (I)
16’Gamba73
8’Diapason73
8’Concert Flute73
8’Dulciana73
8’Unda maris61
8’Viole d’Amour73
4’Flute73
2 2/3’Nasard61
2’Octavin61
1 3/5’Tierce61
8’English Horn73
8’Clarinet73
Tremolo
Harp (61 bars)
Celesta
Chimes (20 tubes)
PEDAL ORGAN
32’Bourdon68
16’Diapason44
16’Violone44
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’Bourdon73
8’Diapason73
8’Gedeckt73’
8’Hohl Flute73
8’Quintadena73
8’Salicional73
8’Voix Celeste73
8’Flauto Dolce73
8’Flute Celeste61
4’Octave73
4’Flute Triangulaire73
4’Gemshorn73
2’Flautino61
Cornet V305
Mixture V305
16’Posaune73
8’Cornopean73
8’Corno d’amore73
8’Vox Humana73
4’Clairon73
Tremolo
SOLO ORGAN (IV)
8’Gross Gedeckt73
8’Gross Gamba73
8’Gamba Celeste73
4’Orchestral Flute73
8’French Horn73
8’Tuba Mirabilis (20” w.p.)73
ECHO ORGAN (V)
8’Chimney Flute73
8’Muted Viole73
4’Silverette73
8’Vox Humana61

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

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