St. Augustine, Florida —Cathedral–Basilica of St. Augustine

St. Augustine, Florida — Cathedral–Basilica of St. Augustine
Three manuals and pedals, 42 stops, 55 ranks
Movable drawknob console, compass 61/32
Electro-pneumatic action
Opus 3821, 2003
Photographs: Stanley Scheer
The Cathedral-Basilica, designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U. S.
Department of the Interior, occupies a site in the center of historic St. Augustine,
Florida. The first Mass was said on September 8, 1565 giving the church the
distinction of being the oldest parish in the United States. The façade and nave
walls date to the original structure completed in 1797 and are made of local
coquina stone that are over two feet thick. A fire on April 12, 1887 that started in
the neighboring St. Augustine Hotel destroyed the interior of the building leaving
the façade and walls relatively unharmed. Architect James Renwick, who had
de
s
i
gne
dSt
.Pat
r
i
c
k’
sCat
he
dr
ali
nNe
w Yor
k,wass
t
ay
i
ngi
nSt
.Augus
t
i
neatt
he
time and offered his services for the restoration of the Cathedral. A transept and
twelve feet of length was added to the building at that time.
The interior decoration reflects the Spanish origins of the Cathedral and dates to
1965 when the nave was renovated for the celebration of the four-hundredth
anniversary of the first Mass. Although the parish had a pipe organ at one time, it
had been many years since the sound of a pipe organ had been heard in this
spacious historic church. The focal point of the sanctuary is a tall white reredos
highlighted with gold accents and statuary. Originally the choir sang from the
gallery on the upper level behind the reredos but in recent time had abandoned
this space and moved to the sanctuary level. This move left an ideal space for the
organ on the main axis at the front of the building in a raised position. There was
sufficient space on either side of the reredos to accommodate all of the manual
divisions plus the upper work of the pedal as well. The area behind the reredos
provided generous space for the large pedal pipes. New speaking façades
containing pipes from the sixteen and eight-foot principal stops of the Great and
Pedal divisions were designed for the space at the left and right side of the
reredos. New painted woodwork replaced the former gallery railing and the
mouths of the pipes were gold highlighted to blend with the reredos. The
specification provides a wide range of color in flues and reeds. An Antiphonal
division at the opposite end of the nave over the rear entry door is planned for
future installation. The Antiphonal will contain a horizontally mounted trumpet
stop that will contrast in timbre with the enclosed high pressure Trompette-defête in the Choir division, which is constructed and voiced as a tuba with conical
shallots.
Great Organ
Violonbasse (Ext.)
Montre
Violone
Flûte à cheminée
Flûte harmonique (common bass)
Octave
Flûte ouverte
Doublette
Fourniture IV
Basson (Récit)
Trompette
Tremblant
Great Unison Off
Chimes 1
Trompette-de-fête (Choir)
Clairon-de-fête (Choir)
Choir Organ
Principal étroit
Voce umana (TC)
Bourdon en bois
Flûte douce
Flûte céleste (TC)
Fugara
Flûte conique
Principal italien
Quinte
Sesquialtera II
Cymbale IV
16
8
8
8
8
4
4
2
1-1/3
16
8
8
4
8
8
8
8
8
4
4
2
1-1/3
2-2/3
2/3
Swell Organ
Bourdon doux (Ext.)
Diapason
Cor de nuit
Viole de Gambe
Viole Céleste (CC)
Principal
Flûte à fuseau
Nazard
Quarte de nazard
Tierce
Plein Jeu III-V
Basson (Ext.)
Trompette
Hautbois
Voix humaine
Clairon
Tremblant
Swe
l
l1
6'
,Uni
s
onOf
f
,Swe
l
l4’
Trompette-de-fête (Choir)
16
8
8
8
8
4
4
2-2/3
2
1-3/5
2
16
8
8
8
4
8
Pedal Organ
Diapason
Bourdon 1
Contrebasse
Violonbasse (Great)
Soubasse
Bourdon doux (Swell)
Octavebasse
Violone (Great)
1
1
Digital
32
32
16
16
16
16
8
8
Choir Organ (continued)
Cromorne
Hautbois (Swell)
Cor anglais
Tremblant
Choi
r1
6’
,Uni
s
onOf
f
,Choi
r4’
1
Harp
Celesta 1
Clochettes
Bombarde-de-fête (
TC,f
r
om 8’
)
Trompette-de-fête
Clairon-de-fête (
f
r
om 8’
)
16
8
4
Antiphonal (prepared)
Bourdon (Ext.)
Montre
Bourdon
Prestant
Flûte
Doublette
16
8
8
4
4
2
Antiphonal Pedal
Bourdon (Antiphonal)
Bourdon (Antiphonal)
16
8
1
Digital
© Casavant Frères
8
8
4
Pedal Organ (continued)
Flûte à cheminée (Great)
8
Cor de nuit (Swell)
8
Octave
4
Cor de nuit (Swell)
4
Théorbe III (Derived)
10-2/3
Mixture III
2-2/3
Contre Bombarde 1
32
Bombarde
16
Basson (Swell)
16
Trompette (Ext.)
8
Trompette-de-fête (Choir)
8
Hautbois (Swell)
8
Clairon (Ext.)
4
Clairon-de-fête (Choir)
4
Hautbois (Swell)
4
Cromorne (Choir)
4
Chimes (Great)
Chamade (floating, prepared)
Bi
s
hop’
sChamade(TC, from 8’
)
16
Bi
s
hop’
sChamade
8
Bi
s
hop’
sChamade(Ext.)
4