Casavant Frères Ltée.
Opus 550, 1914

Clause 21 of the original contract for Casavant’s Op. 550 (December 22, 1910) promises that “the string section on the Orchestral is to produce the same effects as the string section in the Hope-Jones Organ in St. Paul’s Church, Buffalo.” Hope-Jones was the designer of the Wurlitzer theatre organ officially called the “Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra.” Clause 22 of the St. Paul’s contract reads, “The organ, when finished, to be inspected and passed upon, by Lt. Col. George Dixon, of England; the organist of the church, or any competent authority appointed by the Chairman of the Organ committee.” The origin of the various ranks of reeds was clarified when Edwin D. Northrup wrote in preparation for the International Congress of Organists in 1967:
Healey Willan has told all who will listen that Arthur Harrison made ALL the reeds and actually Harrison and Harrison “made the Trumpet Harmonique and Clarion 4ʹ in Tuba Organ.” They gave a price of something like 27 pounds, and later sent Dixon a bill for experiments. I recall the letter said “Harry (brother of Arthur) and I have finally got our costs together on the experimental trumpet for St. Paul’s. Dixon refused to pay and was furious and his handwriting showed it. But J.C. Casavant paid it and they incurred a loss of $1300 alone on the reeds. The Great Reeds were to be mitred and hooded and toned like St. Paul’s, Edinburgh. Northrup also explains “The Bombardon 32ʹ, Ophecleide [sic] 16ʹ and Posaune 8ʹ were from Jones and Blossom, and were made by the late William Gyples Jones, who only this year died at the age of 92. He was a choir boy under Robert Hope Jones at Birkenhead, and through Hope Jones (no relation) got into the organ business, and has taught most of the fine reed voicers in England, with the exception of Willis. This was the FIRST metal 32ʹ made in England and was to be “like Carlisle Cathedral carried down an octave.” Cost 88 pounds! Jones also did the Great Reeds 16ʹ–8ʹ–4ʹ, the Swell Trumpets 16ʹ–8ʹ–4ʹ, the Tuba Sonora and Quint Trombone 51/3ʹ. Mr. Frank Wesson was a Willis voicer who did a bit of moonlighting to put bread on his table, and so the old man sacked him. At the time, Dixon wrote that he did not think Wesson’s slight hearing defect would hinder him and he voiced the Tuba [Organ’s] Trombone 16ʹ, the Tuba Mirabilis and Clarion.

--2023 OHS Handbook

Original reeds made by Harrison & Harrison (Trompette Harmonique, Tuba Organ Clarion 4')and by Frank Wesson (Tuba Organ Trombone 16', Tuba Mirabilis and Clarion) and W. G. Jones & Blossom (Bombardon 32', Ophecleide 16' and Posaune 8'; Gt. reeds 16, 8, 4; Sw Trumpets 16, 8, 4; Tuba Sonora, Quint Trombone 5 1/3). French ventil system to bring on all reeds. strings, diapasons or flutes. Rebuilt 1956.