The organ is central to our music program at Trinity. Our first organ was a 1784 David Tannenberg, destroyed by fire in 1797. The 1992 instrument, built by the Andover Organ Company of Lawrence, Massachusetts, replaces a 1906 Kimball. The new organ will eventually have three manuals and Pedal, but the first stage includes two manuals plus Pedal. The prepared third manual is meanwhile used as a coupling manual for Great and Swell. Key action is mechanical and stop action is solid state.

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It was decided to retain the wonderful lower portion of the existing case, solid black walnut with the impost cantilevered forward in a convex configuration, and to build a new upper case. Lower case panels were modified with woven cane screening to let out the sound of the Positive. Caning was also used decoratively in the upper case. The solid walnut console has rosewood and boxwood drawknobs. This is the first time Andover has used stenciled pipes in a new organ. The colors and gold leaf reflect those in the church’s 1906 Tiffany altar and chancel mosaic.

 

Because the chancel design makes it difficult for the choir to hear the organ during anthems without the organ’s being too loud for the congregation, Andover installed two sets of shutters on the Swell division. The front shades can be shut during anthems and the side set used for choir accompaniment.

 

Donald H. Olson designed the case with the mechanical design by Jay Zoller. The tonal design and finishing by done by Robert J. Reich. The stoplist was drawn up in consultation with Dr. Gene Paul Strayer, then organist of the church. The dedication concert was played by Dr. Strayer.