Aeolian-Skinner, 1957 [Hauptwerk]

Aeolian-Skinner, opus 1301

The Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ, opus 1301 was manufactured in 1956-1957, when the company tonal director was Joseph S. Whiteford who was the successor of the deceased G. Donald Harrison. The organ is still rooted in the Harrison's "American Classic" style, although Opus 1301 bears witness to the tonal philosophy of Harrison's later interests, when he experimented with modern versions of old German solo reeds (Krummhorn, Fagott, Rohr-Schalmei) and moved somewhat towards the (neo-)baroque design (principal choruses crowned with mixtures on all manuals, unenclosed pipework). Joseph S. Whiteford's tonal principles were similar to the late Harrison visions, perhaps putting even more emphasis on the baroque organbuilding principles (unnicked flues with expressive articulation, lower wind pressures, intense reeds).

The Opus 1301 is a rather universal instrument, upon which many schools of organ compositions will sound clear and plausible. Aeolian-Skinner organs are famous for the delicate and even voicing, decisive speech, and good blending of choruses, allowing clarity in polyphonic textures as well as graceful (even sublime) solo melodic lines.

It was built for St. John's Presbyterian Church in Berkeley, later sold and moved to the First Covenant Church, Oakland, California. After the transfer, the organ was reassembled and overhault by Schoenstein & Co. organbuilders in 1983. On that occasion, adjustments were made to the tonal layout, some stops were revoiced, several stops were cleverly added, emphasizing the traditional "Werkprinzip" and individuality of each division in the design.

The organ is split into two chambers at the front of the room, there are no visible pipes. The stop and key action is electric. It has 3 manuals (Choir, Great, Swell) and a pedal. Alltogether 45 speaking stops. The pedal has 13 souding stops of which 6 are borrowings from manuals. Swell has 12 sounding stops, enclosed. Great offers 8 sounding stops. Choir has 12 sounding stops, enclosed. Numerous straight, octave and sub-octave couplers available. Many stops of the Choir and Swell divisions have inner extensions (the upper 6th octave) for the use of the super-octave couplers.

Swell and Choir divisions have tremulants, all stops were recorded twice, with the tremulant enganged and disengaged. Thus, authentic tremmed ranks are available in the Hauptwerk model of the instrument. Crescendo pedal available.

Special thanks to the staff of the First Covenant Church, who were maximally helpful and enthusiastically welcoming the Sonus Paradisi team for recording their instrument.

Further reading:
OHS Organ Database (online),
The Organ. An Encyclopedia. Second Edition, (D. E. Bush - R. Kassel, eds.), 2015.