Great

The Great organ is the primary manual division containing the instrument’s most important foundation stops.  The chorus of diapasons is based upon sixteen-foot or sub-unison pitch.  Unique to this organ, two diapasons stops at unison or eight-foot pitch are included to give greater support.  This division also includes a distinctive harmonic flute which emphasis the fifth overtone of the harmonic series.  All stops of the Great are located across the front of the organ directly behind the façade.

Swell

The swell is the largest division of the organ with its pipes enclosed behind louvers which can be opened and closed by the organist to control the volume of its stops.  The powerful voices of this division being under expression allow for dramatic crescendos and create a “caged-rage” effect.  Included with a full chorus of reeds and the unique “Vox Humana” (human voice), a full principal chorus based upon eight-foot pitch functions as a secondary chorus to the Great.  This expressive division is located on the left side of the organ.

Choir

The choir is an expressive division delicately voiced for roles in the accompaniment of instruments, solo voices and choirs.  This division contains a chorus of flutes and mutations to combine to form a cornet (5 different flute pipes sounding at different pitches simultaneously), a French cromorne, and the softest stop on the organ, the “Flute Celeste II”.  Also included are two percussion stops, the chimes and the zimbelstern, 12 small bells which sound in rotation.  The pipes of the choir are located on the right side of the organ.

Solo

The solo is an expressive division centered in the organ case between the choir and swell divisions.  The solo division includes strong and distinctive solo voices commonly found in orchestras.  Included are a wide-scaled, harmonic flute; a set of strings; a French horn, a basset horn; a full-mounted cornet (comprised of 5 ranks of flute stops sounding simultaneously in different intervals); and percussion stops.  The magnificent and powerful tuba and festival trumpet are located in this division on high-wind pressure.  The festival trumpet is mounted vertically under the Rose Window with a transparent and brassy sound and the equally powerful tuba is enclosed within the Solo box with a different timbre than the festival trumpet.

Pedal

Playable from the pedal keys, this division’s pipes are the largest and longest of all pipes in the organ.  It contains the lowest bass pitches, with one of the 32’ stops being digitally produced.  These low notes will be felt rather than heard as they rumble and provide a solid foundation for the organ.  This division also has stops at higher pitch levels for playing melodic lines with the feet in addition to a reed chorus based upon the Contra Trombone 32’.  The pipes for the pedal division are located in the façade, across the front part of the organ with the Great, and surround the back and sides of the organ case.

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