Complete description of the selected organ
Holyoke, USA (Massachusetts) - United Congregational Church, Skinner Memorial Chapel
Municipal: Holyoke
Region:Hampden County
Address: 300 Appleton Street, 01040, Holyoke, MA
Website: https://www.uccholyoke.org/
Description nr.: 2063893.
Built by: Ernest M. Skinner (1912) - opus 179
Technical data
Specification
Great Organ (C-c''''): Bourdon 16', Diapason 8', Wald Flute 8', Octave 4', Flute 4' - extension, Super Octave 2', Fourniture 3-4 ranks, Trumpet 8' - from Swell.
Choir Organ (C-c''''): Bourdon 8', Salicional 8', Voix Celeste 8', Spitz Flute 4', Flageolet 2', English Horn 8', Clarinet 8', Tremulant.
Swell Organ (C-c''''): Geigen Principal 8', Gedeckt 8', Gamba 8', Gamba Celeste 8', Flauto Dolce 8', Flute Celeste 8' (from c°), Geigen Octave 4', Flute Harmonique 4', Fifteenth 2', Plein Jeu 3-5 ranks, Trumpet 8', Flügel Horn 8', Tremulant.
Pedal Organ (C-f'): Subbass 16', Bourdon 16' - from Great, Diapason 8', Gedeckt 8' - extension, Octave 4' - extension, Trombone 16' - extension from Swell.
Other stops: Chimes (Deagan Class A, G-g').
Couplers: Choir to Great (16', 8' & 4') 4', Swell to Great (16', 8' & 4') 4', Swell to Choir (16', 8' & 4') 4', Great to Pedal (8' & 4') 16', Choir to Pedal (8' & 4') 4', Swell to Pedal (8' & 4'), Great to Great (16' & 4'), Choir to Choir (16' & 4') 16', Swell to Swell (16' & 4') 8', Great Unison Off 4', Choir Unison Off 16', Swell Unison Off 8', Sostenuto 4'.
Accessories: Solid State Combinaton Action (8 Memory Levels), 8 General Combinations, 6 Combinations to Great, 6 Combinations to Choir, 8 Combinations to Swell, 4 Combinations to Pedal, Crescendo.
Holyoke, USA (Massachusetts) - United Congregational Church, Skinner Memorial Chapel
Municipal: Holyoke
Region:Hampden County
Address: 300 Appleton Street, 01040, Holyoke, MA
Website: https://www.uccholyoke.org/
Description nr.: 2063893.
Built by: Ernest M. Skinner (1912) - opus 179
| Year | Builder | Opus | Activity | 1912 | Ernest M. Skinner | 179 | new organ | 1974 | Berkshire Organ Company | rebuild | 1993 | Inc. Czelusniak & Dugal | reconstruction |
- The Skinner Memorial Chapel in Holyoke was built in the years 1909-1911 in remembrance of William and Sarah Skinner. The chapel was built as a seperate building, connected to the Second Congregational Church by an alley. When the church burned down in 1919, the chapel wasn't hit by the fire, and remained in its original state. For the chapel an organ was built in 1910-1912 by Ernest M. Skinner. The instrument was dedicated on February 13, 1912.
- In 1972-1974 the organ was renovated by the Berkshire Organ Company. The works included a completely overhaul of the technical system, but also revoiced and modified the pipe work to make the instrument more baroque in its sound and character.
- In the years 1990-1993 a new restoration was carried out by Czelusniak et Dugal. Consultants were Charles D. Beeler (organist and musical director of the church) and Thomas Murray and Grant Moss. The organ was not reconstructed in its original form, but restored in the spirit of the work of Skinner. All tonal schemes were corrected, the pipework revoiced and some ranks from 1972 were replaced by original Skinner pipework, coming from opus 324 of 1921, built for the Victory Theatre in Holyoke. New chest were made, but the original console could be re-used, although modernized. In May 1993 the organ was inaugurated again with a concert having James David Christie playing the organ in collaboratin with orchestra and choir conducted by Charles D. Beeler.
Technical data
| Number of stops per division | |
| - Great Organ | 8 (6) |
| - Choir Organ | 7 |
| - Swell Organ | 12 |
| - Pedal Organ | 6 (2) |
| Total number of stops | 33 (27) |
| Key action | Electropneumatic |
| Stop action | Electropneumatic |
| Windchest(s) | Slider chests |
Specification
Great Organ (C-c''''): Bourdon 16', Diapason 8', Wald Flute 8', Octave 4', Flute 4' - extension, Super Octave 2', Fourniture 3-4 ranks, Trumpet 8' - from Swell.
Choir Organ (C-c''''): Bourdon 8', Salicional 8', Voix Celeste 8', Spitz Flute 4', Flageolet 2', English Horn 8', Clarinet 8', Tremulant.
Swell Organ (C-c''''): Geigen Principal 8', Gedeckt 8', Gamba 8', Gamba Celeste 8', Flauto Dolce 8', Flute Celeste 8' (from c°), Geigen Octave 4', Flute Harmonique 4', Fifteenth 2', Plein Jeu 3-5 ranks, Trumpet 8', Flügel Horn 8', Tremulant.
Pedal Organ (C-f'): Subbass 16', Bourdon 16' - from Great, Diapason 8', Gedeckt 8' - extension, Octave 4' - extension, Trombone 16' - extension from Swell.
Other stops: Chimes (Deagan Class A, G-g').
Couplers: Choir to Great (16', 8' & 4') 4', Swell to Great (16', 8' & 4') 4', Swell to Choir (16', 8' & 4') 4', Great to Pedal (8' & 4') 16', Choir to Pedal (8' & 4') 4', Swell to Pedal (8' & 4'), Great to Great (16' & 4'), Choir to Choir (16' & 4') 16', Swell to Swell (16' & 4') 8', Great Unison Off 4', Choir Unison Off 16', Swell Unison Off 8', Sostenuto 4'.
Accessories: Solid State Combinaton Action (8 Memory Levels), 8 General Combinations, 6 Combinations to Great, 6 Combinations to Choir, 8 Combinations to Swell, 4 Combinations to Pedal, Crescendo.
| Literature |
Organ Historical Society : 60th Annual Convention : Pioneer Valley Organ Extravaganza : June 28 - July 3 2015. - Richmond, VA : Organ Historical Society, 2015. |