ORGANS IN EDMONTON

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

Holy Trinity Anglican Church is located in Edmonton’s historic Strathcona neighborhood. Completed in 1913, the brick church houses a parish that dates back to 1893, before Edmonton incorporated the town of Strathcona, and before Alberta was a province. The church is an official Alberta Historic Site and a wonderful example of late Victorian architecture.

The Casavant organ is one of Edmonton’s oldest continuously operating organs. Originally built by Casavant Frères in 1923, Opus 978, the organ is concealed behind a façade of ornamental pipes at the front of the church nave, opposite the altar.

Starting in 2012, the Church embarked on a multi-year project to implement badly needed repairs, expand and enhance the organ stops, do a complete re-fit of the air system (leathers, blowers and wind chests), and replace the original 1923 console. As in most organ renovations, structural deficiencies to the building itself were uncovered and repaired. Cracks were discovered in the sacristy roof, immediately below the bulk of the organ mechanism, leading to major reconstruction of the floor of the organ chamber.

The original manufacturer, Casavant Frères, was contracted to perform the renovations. The work took place in four phases over five years. The organ is now completely playable and a formal induction ceremony is planned for the near future.

Specifications

Summary

31 stops
36 ranks
2189 pipes

Stop List – including actual notes from the renovation specification

GREAT ORGAN (2nd Manual)
.FEET# PIPES
1Open Diapason I8Revoiced on site; actions unified, including the 12 front pipes
65
2Open Diapason II8Revoiced with new languids from Tenor F, cutups lowered; leather removed on upper lips65
3Melodia81-12 stoppers releathered65
4Dulciana8Tone improved on site65
5Principal4Revoiced on site; 32 new pipes from Middle C65
6Harmonic flute4Revoiced65
7Fifteenth2Existing pipes reinstalled and revoiced on site, including new toeboard
61
8Mixture IV11/3New pipes and toeboard on Trumpet action244
9Trumpet
Great Unison Off
Great 4
Chimes
8From Choir
Tablet
Tablet
Existing bells with new electric action, in Swell Enclosure
.
SWELL ORGAN (3rd Manual)
10Bourdon16
11Open Diapason8Tone improved on site for clarity
12Stopped Diapason8
13Viola di Gamba8
14Voix Celeste8From Tenor C
15Traverse Flute4
16Piccolo2
17Plein-Jeu II-III2Existing Gt mixture revised, with new toeboard on Aeoline action; CC: 15-19; F2: 12-15-19; F4: 8-12-15
18Bassoon16New half-length capped pipes and chest, with Tear Drop shallots, extension of Oboe
19Trumpet8Regulated on site
20Oboe
Tremulant
Swell 16
Swell Unison Off
Swell 4
8Regulated on site; actions unified

Tablet
Tablet
Tablet

.
CHOIR ORGAN (1st Manual, new Expressive Division)
21Chimney Flute861
22Salicional861
23Unda Maris849
24Spindle Flute461
25Violina461
26Nazard2-2/361
27Flute261
28Tierce13/561
29Quintflute11/361
30Clarinet
Tremulant
Choir 16
Choir Unison Off
Choir 4
8

Tablet
Tablet
Tablet
61
31Trombone16From Pedal and Choir Trumpet
32Trumpet8From original Great Great, on new unit chest action65
33Clarion4From original Great Great, on new unit chest action
.
PEDAL ORGAN
34Resultant32From Bourdon 16: quints from Swell Bourdon
35Open Diapason16Relocated30
36Bourdon16Stoppers releathered30
37Gedeckt16From Swell
38Open Diapason8From Great Open
39Stopped Flute8Extension12
40Octave4From Great Open
41Trombone16New Full length pipes and chest, extension of Choir Trumpet12
42Bassoon16From Swell
43Trumpet8From Choir
44Oboe4From Swell
ANALYSIS
Great to Pedal Swell to Pedal Choir to PedalSTOPSRANKSPIPES
Great811695
Swell1012747
Choir1111663
Pedal2284
TOTAL31362189

See also:

Is there an organ in Edmonton you would like to know more about? Let us know by contacting us by email at: rcco@rcco.edmonton.ab.ca.

Figure 1 Exterior of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, with this year’s early snow

Figure 2 Holy Trinity Anglican Church (courtesy HTAC website)

Figure 3 The Clarinet rank in the Choir Division, showing the beautiful maple framework

Figure 4 Trinity Music Director John Brough, in front of the 16′ Wooden pipes of the Pedal Open Diapason rank

Figure 5 Another view of the wooden pipes of the Open Diapason

Figure 6 The Great division, with the Choir shutters visible at the rear

Figure 7 Detail view of the stopped wooden flue pipes

Figure 8 The beautifully restored 1913 organ console

Figure 9 the rear of the console exposed, showing the wiring bus, CPUs and Ethernet connection

Figure 10 the nameplate

© Copyright - RCCO Edmonton - (Royal Canadian College of Organists)