The Cathedral Organ

The restored and expanded
Whitelegg-Möller organ, Op. 6425

Enjoy a YouTube playlist filled with selections played on our new organ.

The design and execution of this organ project for the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral was undertaken by Emery Brothers, Adam Dieffenbach, President, for the restoration and augmentation of M. P. Mo¨ller opus 6425. Built in 1936, with 3 manuals, 33 ranks, this fine organ is at the heart of this project. It was built for and previously installed in Schwab Auditorium, Penn State University, State College, PA.

The organ restoration project began in the spring of 2018 with the award of a major grant from the Wyncote Foundation to the Cathedral as recommended by Frederick Haas and Rafael Gomez. Inspired by this gift, further support came from members of the Cathedral community, and now this organ has been restored and enlarged. The Cathedral now has an organ that will support a vibrant and growing music program, including choral work, organ recitals, liturgical and congregational accompaniment.

The tonal design of the original Mo¨ller Op. 6425 was by Richard Whitelegg, Tonal Director for the Mo¨ller company in the mid 1930’s. Whitelegg’s approach showcases English influences and brighter choruses of reeds and Diapasons than those more typical of the early 20th century. Augmentations made to this fine instrument as part of the current project are from select pipework from the Möller factory while Whitelegg was tonal director, thus maintaining the pedigree. Seven ranks of pipes are retained from our own Cathedral’s previous 1903 Austin organ complement Whitelegg’s tonal palette, preserving sounds linking us to our musical past.

The newly augmented organ now comprises 3,277 pipes in 7 divisions with 4 manuals and 55 ranks of pipes, including 3 Nave divisions at the west end of the Cathedral, providing luxurious support from the 4 corners of the Cathedral Nave. With the exception of the bottom octaves of the 32’ Bourdon (south Chancel chamber) and both the 16’ Open Diapason and 16’ Gedeckt pipes in the balcony surrounding the Rose Window, the entire organ is enclosed in four chambers, giving impressive control of the organ’s wide dynamic range.

The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral and Emery Brothers wish to acknowledge assistance from: The Reuter Organ Company, Lawrence Kansas; Opus-Two Instrument Control Systems; Paul Reese of PR3 Contracting, Lancaster, PA for extensive carpentry; and Nelson Brown, electrician, Philadelphia. We also acknowledge with gratitude Cathedral staff members: Wesley Parrott, Organist; Thomas Lloyd, Canon for Music and the Arts; Lamont Murray, Manager of Cathedral Properties; Lynn Buggage, Canon for Administration; The Very Rev. Judith A. Sullivan, Dean; and The Right Rev. Daniel G. P. Gutiérrez, the 16th Bishop of Pennsylvania for their unfailing help and cooperation through this project.

by Wesley Parrott, Cathedral Organist, October 2021

 

Cathedral Pipe Organ Specifications

Whitelegg-Möller Opus 6425 (1936)
with additions by Emery Brothers, Allentown, PA (October, 2021)

GREAT:

 

16’  Double Open Diapason 

12 pipes

8’    First Open Diapason  

73 pipes

8’    Second open diapason   

73 pipes

8’    Claribel Flute 

73 pipes

8’    Gemshorn 

73 pipes

4’    Octave 

73 pipes

4’    Harmonic Flute

73 pipes

2’    Fifteenth 

61 pipes

III    Mixture 

183 pipes

16’  Trombone (Möller Op. 6512)

12 pipes

8’    Tromba (ext. of Trombone)

73 pipes

8’    Tuba (Ch) (by F. J. Rogers, 15” pressure)

73 pipes

Tremolo

Nave Swell on Great

Chimes

Nave Great on Great

Great 4'

Nave on Great Pistons

Great 16'

Pedal Combinations on Great

Great Unison Off

 
  

SWELL:

 

16' Lieblich Gedeckt

73 pipes

8' Geigen Principal

73 pipes

8' Rohr Flute

73 pipes

8' Salicional

73 pipes

8' Voix Celeste (t.c.)

61 pipes

4' Principal

73 pipes

4' Triangular Flute

73 pipes

IV Mixture

244 pipes

16' Double Trumpet (from 1903 Austin)

73 pipes

8' Trumpet

73 pipes

8' Oboe

73 pipes

8' Vox Humana

73 pipes

Tremolo

 

Swell 4' Swell 16'

 

Swell Unison Off

 

Nave Swell on Swell

 

Nave Great on Swell

 

Nave on Swell Pistons

 

Pedal Combinations on Swell

 
  

CHOIR:

 

8' Concert Flute

73 pipes

8' Viola

73 pipes

8' Viola Celeste (t.c.)

73 pipes

8' Dulciana

97 pipes

8' Unda Maris (t.c.)

61 pipes

4' Flute d'Amour

73 pipes

4' Dulcet (from Dulciana)

 

2 2/3' Dolce Twelfth (from Dulciana)

 

2' Dolce Fifteenth (from Dulciana)

 

8' Clarinet

73 pipes

16' Trombone (Gr)

 

8' Tromba (Gr)

 

8' Tuba

Choir 2 2/3'

Tremolo

Choir Unison Off

8' Harp (t.c.) (49 bars)

Nave Swell on Choir

Chimes (G-g) (25) 

Nave Great on Choir

Choir 16'

Pedal Combinations on Choir

Choir 4'

 
  

PEDAL:

 

32' Bourdon

12 pipes

32' Resultant

12 pipes

16' Diapason

32 pipes

16' Double Diapason (Gr)

 

16' Bourdon

32 pipes

16' Lieblich Gedeckt (Sw)

 

16' Gemshorn (Gr)

12 pipes

8' Octave (ext. of Diapason)

12 pipes

8' Major Flute (ext. of Bourdon)

12 pipes

8' Claribel Flute (Gr)

 

8' Gemshorn (Gr)

 

4' Triangular Flut (Sw)

 

32' Trombone (notes 1-12 are III Harmonics)

36 pipes

16' Trombone (Gr)

 

16' Double Trumpet (Sw)

 

8' Tromba (Gr)

 

8' Double Trumpet (Sw)

 

8' Tuba (Ch)

 

4' Double Trumpet (Sw)

 

Chimes (Gr) (25)

 
  

NAVE PEDAL:

 

32' Resultant

 

16' Open Diapason (Nv Gr)

12 pipes

16' Gedeckt (Nv Sw)

 

8' Open Diapason (Nv Gr)

 

8' Gedeckt (Nv Sw)

 

4' Open Diapason (Nv Gr)

 

4' Gedeckt (Nv Sw)

 

16' Fagotto (Nv Sw)

 

8' Fagotto (Nv Sw)

 

4' Cromorne (Nv Gr)

 
  

NAVE GREAT:

 

8' Open Diapason (from Möller Op. 6512)

61 pipes

8' Doppleflute (Roosevelt, notes 1-12 from Melodia)

 

8' Melodia (from 1903 Austin)

62 pipes

8' Bois Celeste (t.c.) (from 1903 Austin)

49 pipes

4' Octave (from Möller Op. 6512)

73 pipes

2' Super Octave (from Möller Op. 6512)

 

II Grave Mixture (from Möller Op. 6512)

 

8' Flugelhorn (from Reuter, revoiced)

61 pipes

8' Cromorne (from 1985 Austin)

61 pipes

Tremolo

 

8' Tuba (Ch)

 

Tower Bells (13)

 

Chimes (Gr) (25)

 

Great on Nave

 

Nave Great 16'

 

Nave Great 4'

 

Nave Great Unison Off

 
  

NAVE SWELL:

 

16' Gedeckt (from Möller Op. 6512)

12 pipes

8' Viole (from 1903 Austin)

73 pipes

8' Voix Celeste (from 1903 Austin)

61 pipes

8' Gedeckt (from Möller Op. 6512)

73 pipes

4' Open Flute (from 1985 Austin)

73 pipes

2 2/3' Nazard

 

2' Piccolo (from Möller Op. 6512)

12 pipes

1 3/5' Tierce

 

16' Fagotto (from Möller Op. 9453)

12 pipes

8' Fagotto (from Möller Op. 9453)

73 pipes

Tremolo

 

Zimbelstern

 

Nave Swell 16'

 

Nave Swell 4'

 

Nave Swell Unison Off

 

COUPLERS:

Great to Pedal 8’ & 4’

Swell to Pedal 8’ & 4’

Choir to Pedal 8’, 5 1/3’, 4’

Nave Great to Pedal 8’ & 4’

Nave Swell to Pedal 8’

Swell to Great 16’, 8’, 4’

Choir to Great 16’, 8’, 5 1/3’, 4’, 2 2/3’

Nave Great to Great 8’ & 4’

Nave Swell to Great 8’ & 4’

Swell to Choir 16’, 8’, 4’

Nave Great to Choir 8’ & 4’

Nave Swell to Choir  8’ & 4’

Choir to Swell 8’, 4’, 2 2/3’

Nave Great to Swell 8’

Nave Swell to Swell 8’

Great/Choir Transfer

Sforzando

Crescendos: Full and Orchestral (programmable)

Sostenuto pistons for all manuals

Sostenuto release/Tremolos On pedal spoon

Pedal Divide (self adjusting down to 3 half steps)

8 Manual pistons per manual

8 Pedal pistons

18 General pistons

300 piston levels X 3

Memory Up and Memory Down pistons

Sequencer

Next and Previous pistons under Swell, Great, Choir and Pedal pistons

All Next piston

General Cancel Piston

Set Piston

5 Swell Pedal and Swell shade locators

Swell shade matrix for Chancel and Nave shade controls

Manual and Pedal coupler reversibles

Swell to Great reversible piston

Choir to Great reversible piston

Swell to Choir reversible piston

Transposer (+ or – 16 half steps)

Record/Play back

Second 3 manual console in Balcony(from the previous Austin Organ)

New Main 4 manual Console by Reuter Organ Co.

New chests for Nave Divisions by Reuter Organ Co.

Opus-Two operating system