The New Organ
There was a lengthy prelude to the installation of a new mechanical action organ in St. Mark’s Chapel. The project began as a proposal to recondition the existing organ, which had been installed 100 years ago, rebuilt in 1940, and once again required extensive repair. In 1993, in conjunction with the University’s 150th anniversary, the Executive Committee of Bishop’s Corporation authorized the organ as part of the sesquicentennial campaign, and the Friends of St. Mark’s struck a committee to oversee the project. After soliciting proposals from several organ builders and contracting a report from Professor John Derksen, a Toronto consultant, the committee decided to pull out all the stops and commission a new, custom-built organ by Karl Wilhelm. This instrument would have a case specially designed to complement the interior of the chapel, a configuration that would deal with the position of the organ in a chamber to the side of the chapel, and a set of stops appropriate for the Anglican liturgy whilst also suitable for the classic German and French organ literature. As we watched and listened to the new instrument being installed, it became increasingly evident that our decision was the right one. The new organ in St. Mark’s Chapel is – we are convinced – the finest instrument in the Eastern Townships and will be a valuable cultural asset for generations to come.
The Builders
Karl Wilhelm, the builder of the organ, was trained in Germany and Switzerland before he settled in Mont St-Hilaire. Out of his shop, established in 1966, have come 134 instruments for Canada and the United States. Among these are the organs of Christ Church Cathedral and St. Mathias Church in Montreal and at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Burlington, Vt. as well as organs at Trinity College (Toronto), McGill University, Queen’s University, York University, Université Laval, the University of Ottawa, the University of Western Ontario and the University of British Columbia. Together with his team of accomplished organ builders, Karl Wilhelm Inc. has specialized in conceiving and building mechanical action organs in accordance with the principles of the classical tradition. The tonal finishing of the St. Mark’s organ was done by Denis Juget and Jacques L’Italien. Jacques also designed the pipe shades and the ornamentation; the carvings were done by Jean Dutin.
Organ Specifications
The organ in St. Mark's Chapel is a two-manual instrument consisting of: | ||
|---|---|---|
Great-Organ: C-g’’’ | ||
Principal | 8’ | 56 pipes |
Rohrflöte | 8’ | 56 pipes |
Oktave | 4’ | 56 pipes |
Blockflöte | 4’ | 56 pipes |
Nazard | 2 2/3’ | 56 pipes |
Superoktave | 2’ | 56 pipes |
Tierce | 1 3/5’ | 56 pipes |
Mixtur IV | 1 1/3’ | 224 pipes |
Trompete | 8’ | 56 pipes |
Swell-Organ: C-g’’’ | ||
Salicional | 8’ | 50 pipes |
Hohlflöte | 8’ | 56 pipes |
Celeste TC | 8’ | 44 pipes |
Principal | 4’ | 56 pipes |
Rohrflöte | 4’ | 56 pipes |
Doublette | 2’ | 56 pipes |
Larigot | 1 1/3 | 56 pipes |
Scharf III | 1’ | prepared (56 pipes) |
Hautbois | 8’ | 56 pipes |
Tremblant |
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Pedal: C-f’ | ||
Subbass | 16’ | 30 pipes |
Oktavbass | 8’ | 30 pipes |
Choralbass | 4’ | 30 pipes |
Posaune | 16’ | 30 pipes |
Posaune | 8 | 12 pipes |
- Suspended key action and mechanical stop action.
- One manual coupler and two pedal couplers.
- All principal pipes are made of 70% polished tin; flute pipes have 28% tin and 72% lead.
- Open pipes are cone tuned; stopped pipes have a fixed cap.
- The natural keys are covered with bone, and the sharps are solid ebony.
- The pedal board is AGO standard concave with 30 notes.
- The organ case is made of solid white oak treated with a penetrating oil stain; it will darken gradually with age.
