SANCTUARY ORGAN AT SAINT PETER'S

In 1977, when Saint Peter's new sanctuary was being built, the committee responsible for choosing an organ developed these criteria for the new instrument:

It must be able to support, inspire and embellish the performance of the liturgy of the Lutheran Church.

It must be of a size adequate to serve either as a solo instrument or in concert with other instruments and choral groups.

It must reflect principally the heritage of the German-Scandinavian traditions in tonal design and yet not be lacking in tonal colors necessary for the performance of 19th century and contemporary music.

It must be a work of art designed visually and tonally to fit the room it is in.

The committee to select the instrument:

Gordon Jones, organist 1957-1990, Saint Peter's Church

Vernon DeTar, former organist, Church of the Ascension, Faculty Juilliard School of Music

John Weaver, Director of Music, Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church

Richard Westenberg, Director of Music, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church

Their choice:
The Johannes Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany. They said, "A Klais instrument is characterized by well-regulated and easy-to-play action. It is mechanically excellent and reliable. Its tonal concept avoids extremes. There are enough French and German qualities in the tonal scheme to make the organ suitable for both schools of organ music. The builder is progressive in providing convenient console features. His designer, Joseph Schafer, is amazing in his ability to make an organ case fit into a sanctuary."

The builder:
Hans Gerd Klais is the director of the firm founded by his grandfather in 1882. Klais builds organs exclusively with mechanical action, places each part in relation to the layout of the whole instrument, builds cases for the fusion of sound within each section, and arranges neighboring pipes in a progression of major thirds. In recent years, Klais Orgelbau has built important organs in the cathedrals of Wurzburg, Trier, Graz, Limburg, Berlin, Mainz, Ghent, Cologne and Frankfurt.

The organ:
Saint Peter's organ is the first Klais in an institution open to the public in the United States. The sanctuary's architectural plan presented an interesting challenge to the Klais firm. The free-standing organ case is 18 feet square and 4 feet deep, and is set in the northwest corner of the sanctuary at a 45-degree angle to the walls, and elevated 10 feet above the floor. Its red oak matches the wood furnishings of the church. The Swell division is in the lower center three panels of the case with the Great division above it. The Pedal pipes are on the far left and right.

At the rear of the organ case, visible from the street through the corner window of the church, is a decorative arrangement of some of the lower-pitched wooden pipes of the Great and Pedal divisions.

Specifications of the organ

Great Division			Swell Division			Pedal Division
Pommer	16		Bourdon	8		Principal	16
Principal	8		Gamba	8		Subbass	16
Rohrgedackt	8		Schwebung-from G	8		Octave	8
Gemshorn	8		Principal	4		Spielflöte	8
Octave	4		Rohrflöte	4		Superoctave	4
Traversflöte	4		Sesquialtera	2	2/3	Hintersatz IV	2	2/3
Quinte	2	2/3	Waldflöte	2		Posaune	16
Superoctave	2		Larigot	1	1/3	Holztrompete	8
Terz	1	3/5	Scharff IV	1		Schalmey	4
Sifflet	1		Dulcian	16
Mixtur V	1	1/3	Cormorne	8
Trompete	8		Tremulant			Cymbelstern
Tremulant						Vogelgesang

After 20 years of continuous use, our organ was cleaned and revoiced by its builders, Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany in 2000. At that time, the Principal 16' stop on the pedal was strengthened, a 599-level computerized combination action was installed, and a Cymbelstern of eight tuned brass bells was added. The new Cymbelstern is the gift of Robert H. Busch in memory of his parents, Katherine and Harry.

Allen Hughes of The New York Times, in praising the tonal excellence of Saint Peter's new Klais instrument said: "New York has acquired a significant new organ."

Good music is essential to Lutheran worship and Saint Peter's gives priority to liturgical expressions of it. On Sunday mornings you will often hear our choir perform major choral works and settings of the Mass. The parish is also committed to extending an appreciation for music in New York City by scheduling weekly organ recitals on Fridays and classical concerts on Sunday afternoon.

CHAPEL PORTATIVE AT SAINT PETER'S

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd houses a “Portative” organ built by Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany.  This organ, of red oak to match the furnishing in the chapel, consists of 6 ranks and 5 stops.  The organ in movable and can be used as a continuo organ in the sanctuary. 

Specifications of the organ in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd are:

Wooden Gedeckt	8
Rohrflute	4
Principal	2
Quint	1 1/3
Mixture II

The organ is the gift of Margie and Ace Clark, in memory of their son, Matthew.