Pipe Organ Database

a project of the organ historical society

Fratelli Ruffatti (1971)

Location:

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral
1111 Gough Street
San Francisco, CA 94109 US
Organ ID: 24053

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Status and Condition:

  • This instrument's location type is: Roman Catholic Churches
  • The organ has been altered from its original state.
  • The organ's condition is good, in regular use.
We received the most recent update for this instrument's status from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.

Technical Details:

  • Chests: EP pitman
  • 89 ranks. 4,842 pipes. 5 divisions. 4 manuals. 64 stops. 72 registers.
All:
  • Chest Type(s): EP pitman chests
  • Position: Exposed pipes or case front visible in a gallery at the rear of the room.
We received the most recent update for this division from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Main:
  • Manuals: 4
  • Divisions: 5
  • Stops: 64
  • Registers: 72
  • Position: Movable console.
  • Manual Compass: 61
  • Pedal Compass: 32
  • Key Action: Electrical connection from key to chest.
  • Stop Action: Electric connection between stop control and chest.
  • Console Style: Traditional style with roll top.
  • Stop Controls: Tilting/rocking tablets on angled jambs.
  • Combination Action: Adjustable combination pistons.
  • Swell Control Type: Balanced swell shoes/pedals, AGO standard placement.
  • Pedalboard Type: Concave radiating pedalboard meeting AGO Standards.
  • Has Tutti Reversible Thumb Pistons
  • Has Tutti Reversible Toe Pistons
  • Has Combination Action Thumb Pistons
  • Has Combination Action Toe Pistons
  • Has Coupler Reversible Thumb Pistons
  • Has Coupler Reversible Toe Pistons
We received the most recent update for this console from Database Manager on May 13, 2018.
Database Manager on April 29, 2012:

Updated through online information from Timothy Tikker. -- The brass horizontal reed is named "Trompeta real" (not "Trumpeta" as per the cathedral website). Metal pipes are 55% tin, except mixtures and single-rank stops above 2' pitch which are 70% tin, and the Swell 16 Contrafagotto, Pedal 16' Dulciana, 32' Contrabombarde and 16' Bombarde, which are tin-plated zinc. The Swell 16' Bourdon is unified with the 8'; this rank has mahogany pipes, as does the Pedal 16' Subbass. The Swell Flauto dolce, Choir Erzaehler and Positiv Sesquialtera II all begin at tenor C. The Swell 16' Contrafagotto is half-length, as are the lowest eight notes of the Pedal 32' Contrabombarde. The Positiv 16' Dulzian and 4' Musette are quarter-length. Changes were made in the Pedal a few years after installation: the 32' Resultant was replaced with an electronic Contra Bourdon; a 16' electronic Principal was added, and the original 16' Principal was relabeled "Dulciana."

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Database Manager on September 22, 2006:

The organ is on the right side on a concrete pedestal. The console is on the floor.

We received the most recent update for this note from Database Manager on April 09, 2020.
Taken from the console 2017: Open In New Tab
We received the most recent update for this stoplist from Jeff Scofield on June 16, 2022.

Instrument Images:

Organ: Photograph courtesy James R. Stettner. Taken on 1975-02-22

Organ atop pedestal and console, ca. 1971.: Photograph by Mike Roberts.

Console and Pipe Display: Photograph by Dave Christensen (1970s).

Cathedral interior: Photograph by Stephen Schnurr. Taken on 2012-08-14

Organ and exposed pipes: Photograph by Stephen Schnurr. Taken on 2012-08-14

Organ and exposed pipes: Photograph by Stephen Schnurr. Taken on 2012-08-14

Cathedral exterior: Photograph by Stephen Schnurr. Taken on 2012-08-14

Console: Photograph by Monty Bennett. Taken on 2022-05-25

Specification credit: Photograph by Monty Bennett. Taken on 2022-05-25

Builder's nameplate: Photograph by Monty Bennett. Taken on 2022-05-25

Swell and Pedal stop tabs: Photograph by Monty Bennett. Taken on 2022-05-25

Positiv and Great stop tabs: Photograph by Monty Bennett. Taken on 2022-05-25

Great and Choir stop tabs: Photograph by Monty Bennett . Taken on 2022-05-25

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