"In Faith & Service To God's People for 175 years"
646 Monroe | Detroit,MI 48226
313-961-8711
"The pipe organ is to be held in high esteem, the sound of which can add a wonderful splendor to the Church's ceremonies and powerfully lift up men's minds to God and higher things."
- Musicam Sacram (Instruction On Music In The Litury)
THE GRAND ORGAN
The Great Organ (manual II)
Tremulant
Swell to Great
Positif to Great
The Positif Organ (manual I)
Tremulant
Swell to Positif
8' Montre
8' Bourdon
4' Prestant
4' Flute a fuseau
2' Cor de chamois
1 1/3' Petite quinte
Cymbale IV
Sesquialtera II (from C)
16' Doucaine
8' Cromorne
8' Trompette en chamade
St. Mary's Parish was founded in 1834. The first church building was consecrated in 1843 and furnished with a fine new organ built in Detroit by parishioner Peter Dederichs. This instrument found its new home in the present structure when it was built in 1885. Enlarged by the addition of 3 new stops and some mechanical and visual enhancements, this new organ of "two manuals of fifty-eight keys, twenty-five stops... and a pedal board of twenty seven keys" served the parish for another 43 years.
In 1928, a new four manual organ of the American eclectic style, and sister to the instrument in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, was installed by the Kilgen Organ Company
The cabinetry work on this instrument is almost as spectacular as its sonic design. With the exception of the hand carved walnut pipe shades located along the tops of the facade pipes, all exterior woodwork is of white oak felled and milled here in Michigan by the builder. Originally finished with a clear coating, the heat and smoke of the Good Friday fire of 1994 have created a rich patina that would normally have taken decades to develop.
The tonal disposition of this instrument is based on the late Baroque design of southern Germany reflected in the superb work of the Silbermann brothers. The 72 ranks of pipes speak on extremely low wind pressure thus producing a beautifully clear and unforced singing tone which lends itself so well to both service playing and the corpus of organ literature.
Choir loft and Organ
Combinations: 32 Divisionals and 24 Generals on 2 electronic memories.
No of Stops: 52 No of Ranks: 72 No of Pipes: 3,693 Key Action: Mechanical Stop Action: Electric on Positif & Electro Pneumatic on the Great, Swell & Pedal
The Great Organ (manual II)
