Click here to listen to a 2 min. 42 sec. recording of the organ("Now Thank We All Our God," MP3 format, 1.91MB) |
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Casavant Frères Opus 3796, is a
4-manual, dual-console, mechanical-action organ of 50 stops and 70 ranks installed in Edman Chapel.
It arrived in thousands of pieces on December 11, 2000, in the middle of a Chicago-style blizzard.
Over the course of the next several months, it was assembled by a team headed by Germain Cormier,
then tonally balanced and voiced by Pierre Guilbault and Richard Marchand. The special features of the new organ include a high-pressure symphonic Résonance division, separate mechanical and movable electric action consoles, and full MIDI capabilities for record and playback. |
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About five years of work went into the organ, including the design conceived by professor of organ,
Dr. Edward Zimmerman, in close association with the representatives Casavant, Tonal Director Jean-Louis
Coignet and Associate Tonal Director Jacquelin Rochette. Michael Perrault also assisted as the area
Casavant representative. Sincere appreciation is also extended to Organ Professor Emerita Gladys
Christensen who followed the process with much excitement and wise counsel. The Conservatory Organ Committee members were Dean George Arasimowicz, Director Tony Payne, Dr. William Phemister, Chairman of the Keyboard Division, and Dr. Zimmerman. A number of bids were solicited, as well as organ visited on trips in the field.
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There have been many who have contributed graciously and generously of their time, talent, and resources
since the beginning of this project. The Lord sees all that is done, and rewards "each according to his
ways and the fruit of his doing." (Jer. 32:19) We express deep gratitude to everyone, and pray that the
completed project will be a measure of the reward for their extraordinary efforts and participation.
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Op. 3796 is an instrument with mechanical (tracker) key action and electric stop action. Also provided is a second, movable console with electric key action. The movable console plays the organ through electric pull-downs in the slider chests. In addition, it is fitted with digital technology providing MIDI capabilities. No digital voices are included in the main specification, however, since the design takes a straightforward, traditional approach in setting out the tonal concepts. Such voices may be added optionally by way of two dedicated MIDI channels on each of the five divisions. |
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The College required mechanical action for a great number of reasons, but of paramount importance was the
pedagogical use of the organ in daily student practice and lessons. The College also wanted to stand
firmly and unmistakably in the classic tradition of organ pedagogy and performance, but at the same time
to offer the benefits of technology where useful and appropriate. Tonally, the organ follows the classic mainstream, with an eclectic approach to sound, namely, the organ is first and foremost an ensemble of integrated sound, and only second a collection of stops. While considerations of the literature to be played upon the organ were relevant, the prime concern was always with the overall ensemble as expressed in the language of sound, not the literature. This guiding principle produced a rather classic, time-proven stoplist formula which coincidentally works for the vast majority of the literature. |
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The five divisions -- Grand Orgue, Positif, Récit, Résonance, Pédale -- are distinct and balanced, each providing fully-developed principal choruses, flutes, reeds, and cornets, with strings located in the Swell. Of particular note is a Résonance division under high pressure where certain pedal stops are carried up through the manual range, along with the addition of a number of manual stops. Conceived as a symphonic division, it is equipped with spectacular hooded trumpets at full-length 16-8-4 after Cavaillé-Coll, as well as a marvelous Flûte Harmonique in the style of the same stop in Caen, France. |
| Though the stop nomenclature is French, the organ ensemble is unique, and rather "pan-national" in the North American way of synthesizing major traditions. In every respect, however, the organ rests on voicing excellence, bringing refinement and balance to every stop in order to fill the room with sound, yet at the same time never neglecting an overall vocal quality throughout. Here the Casavant firm has surpassed every expectation of its commission. The result is truly remarkable. |  |
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Only 3 stops (2 pedal flues and the Vox Humana) were retained from the old Schantz organ after being
rebuilt and revoiced for the new organ. The 1960 Schantz was sold last year (2000) to a church in
Cincinnati.
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It is our hope that the organ will serve as an inspiration to all who hear it and play it for many generations to come, and that, above all else, it will glorify God, and worthily fulfill our college motto, "For Christ and His Kingdom."
According to the most recent edition of the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, the first Canadian-born organbuilder of note was Joseph Casavant (d. 1875). While a student in college, he was asked to restore an old organ to working condition. The copy of the 1766 treatise by Dom Bédos de Celles 'L'Art du Facteur d'Orgues' which he used as the guide for his first organbuilding venture remains today in the Casavant archives.
When Joseph Casavant retired in 1866, he had produced seventeen organs for churches and seminaries.
His two sons, Claver and Samuel, travelled widely in Europe, visiting builders and significant organs in France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and England, before opening their shop in St. Hyacinthe in 1879. They established themselves as Casavant Frères on the site where the present workshops stand. In their first announcement to prospective clients, they stated, "We are capable of building instruments boasting the most recent innovations such as: concave pedalboards, balanced expression pedals, keyboard improvements, etc."
Six years later, they built Opus 8, their first three-manual instrument, a thirty-eight stop organ for the local cathedral. This instrument, in continuous service since 1885, featured the first adjustable capture combination action mechanism installed in an organ.
The instrument which firmly established Casavant Frères as organbuilders of international repute was completed in 1891 for the Church of Notre-Dame in Montréal, a four-manual of eighty-two stops. This instrument, which celebrated its centennial in 1991, included adjustable combinations and speaking pipes of thirty-two foot length in the façade.
In addition to the numerous fine organs on the North American continent, others have been installed in France, the West Indies, South and Central America, South Africa, Australia and Japan. Voluminous archives, preserved by the company, abound in letters and testimonials from famous organists, including Guilmant, Vierne, Widor, Bonnet, and many others who played or inaugurated Casavant organs.
The company continues to build fine pipe organs for churches, concert halls, and teaching institutions around the world. The general trend towards a more classic tonal design and voicing which began in Europe early in the 20th century, and which later developed in North America after World War II, was adopted by the company in the late 1950's and, since 1960, over 200 modern mechanical action instruments have been built.
During their lifetime, the brothers Casavant established the finest traditions of craftsmanship among their employees and a strong organization to carry on those traditions after them. This organization continues today to stand for the artistic integrity and painstaking care the Casavants cherished.
Grand Orgue (II)
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Postif (I) (not enclosed)
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Récit (III) (enclosed)
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Résonance (In Mechanical console: Floating; in Electric console: IV) (Located in separate chamber, enclosed.) (Electro-pneumatic action, high-pressure; symphonic.)
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Pédale
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Couplers
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Capture system; 128 levels
Mechanical Console: General (10) Thumb & Toe
Intramanuals (6) Thumb; Pedale (6) Toe
Combination adjuster lock
MIDI in-out-through: Solid State Logic MFM-D, portable interface; two MIDI channels per division
Balanced Pedals
Crescendo (4 modes, programmable)
Récit Expression
Résonance and MIDI Expression
Second Console
Casavant all-electric, 4 manuals, duplicating functions of Main Console; with normal couplers and Great Transfer.
Electric Console: General (6) Thumb and toe; Intramanuals (6)
Keys
Manuals: Bone naturals + Rosewood sharps
Pedals: Maple naturals + Rosewood sharps
(Electric console: ivory naturals; ebony sharps)
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