Seattle, Washington
St. James R.C. Cathedral
Casavant-Frères, Ltée., Opus 1163, 1926 - Original SPecifications
Courtesy of the Casavant Frères Archives
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada
The contract was for a three-division Sanctuary Organ and
a new four-manual console to control the Sanctuary Organ
and the 1907 4-manual Hutchings-Votey organ in the gallery.
Stoplist from the 1926 Casavant console:
SANCTUARY GREAT (Expressive) SANCTUARY SWELL (Expressive)
16' Bourdon 73 8' Diapason 73
8' Diapason 73 8' Bourdon 73
8' Melodia 73 8' Viola di Gamba 73
8' Spitz Flute 73 8' Voix Celeste 73
8' Flute Celeste 73 4' Harmonic Flute 73
8' Dulciana 73 2 2/3' Nazard 61
4' Principal 73 2' Flageolet 61
1 3/5' Tierce 61
Great 16 to Great 8' Closed Horn 61
Great 4 to Great 4' Closed Horn 12
Tremolo
GALLERY GREAT (Expressive *)
16' Diapason Swell 16 to Swell
16' Dulciana Swell 4 to Swell
8' Diapason I
8' Diapason II GALLERY SWELL (Expressive)
8' Gross Floete 16' Bourdon
8' Doppel Floete 8' Diapason
8' Gemshorn 8' Bourdon
8' Dulciana 8' Quintadena
4' Octave 8' Salicional
4' Harm. Flute 8' Unda Maris
2' Fifteenth 4' Octave
IV Mixture 4' Flauto Trav.
8' Trumpet 2-2/3' Nazard
2' Flautino
GALLERY SOLO (Expressive) V Dolce Cornet
8 Stentorphone 16' Fagotto
8' Philomela 8' Cornopean
4' Harm. Flute 8' Oboe
8' Tuba Mirabilis 8' Vox Humana
4' Clarion
Solo 16 to Solo Tremolo
Solo 4 to Solo
Swell 16 to Swell
SANCTUARY PEDAL Swell 4 to Swell
16' Bourdon I 30
16' Bourdon II [in Sw] 30 GALLERY CHOIR (Expressive)
8' Flute 12 16' Dulciana
16' Fagotto (Sw) –- 8' Diapason
8' Concert Flute
GALLERY PEDAL 8' Gamba
32' Bourdon 8' Viola
16' Diapason [wood] 8' Vox Celeste
16' Violone 4' Flute d'Amour
16' Bourdon 2' Piccolo
16' Gedeckt 8' Clarinet
10⅔' Quint Tremolo
8' Flute
8' Violoncello
16' Trombone
SANCTUARY COUPLERS FINGER PISTONS
Swell 8 to Pedal Sanctuary Entire 1 - 4
Great 8 to Pedal Gallery Entire 1 – 5
Gallery So. 1 & 2
Swell 16 to Great Solo to Ped. (rev)
Swell 8 to Great Gallery Sw. 1 – 5
Swell 4 to Great Swell to Ped. [Gallery] (rev)
Swell to Ped. [Sanc.] (rev)
Gallery On Sanctuary Off Gallery Gt. 1 – 5
Gallery On Great to Ped. [Gallery] (rev)
All Sw. to Sw. Ped. Great to Ped. [Sanc.] (rev)
Gallery Ch. 1 – 4
Choir to Ped. [Gallery] (rev)
GALLERY COUPLERS Gallery Ped. 1 – 4
Solo 8 to Ped. Gallery On (rev)
Swell 8 to Ped. Gallery On Sanctuary Off (rev)
Swell 4 to Ped. All Sw. to Swell (rev)
Great 8 to Ped. Adjuster
Choir 8 to Ped. General Release
Solo 16 to Great
Solo 8 to Great TOE STUDS
Solo 4 to Great General [Gal. & Sanc.] 1 – 5
Swell 16 to Great Sanct. Gt. to Ped. (rev)
Swell 8 to Great Gall. Gt. to Ped. (rev)
Swell 4 to Great Gallery On (rev)
Choir 16 to Great Gallery On Sanctuary Off (rev)
Full Organ (rev)
Swell 8 to Choir
Great 8 to Solo PEDAL MOVEMENTS
Gall. Sw. & Sanct. Sw. (bal.)
Gall. Ch. & Sanct. Gt. (bal.)
Gall. Crescendo (bal.)
Sanct. Crescendo (bal.)
ACTION: E-P VOICES: 18 STOPS: 21 RANKS: 18 PIPES: 1,204
NOTES
The Casavant Frères Sanctuary organ was installed in 1926. It was dedicated on Sunday,
February 6, 1927 by famed New York organist Pietro Yon. Mr. Yon was assisted by Cathedral
organist Dr. F.S. Palmer who designed both the gallery and sanctuary organs. Dr. Palmer
died at the console on Palm Sunday, 1936.
In its January 29, 1927 issue, the Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Northwest Progress,
reported:
<i>“The new Memorial Sanctuary organ of the St. James Cathedral, which is to be dedicated
Sunday, February 6, will give the Cathedral one of the finest organs in the west, as well
as a complete double organ; two four manual consoles, and seating capacity for choirs at
both east and west end of the edifice. There are few such organs in existence and Seattle
has the only one on the Pacific Coast.
. . .Pietro Yon, world famous-organist of New York City, will play the dedicatory concert.
Maestro Yon will be assisted by Dr. F.S. Palmer, Cathedral organist and director of Music,
the Cathedral choir of one hundred men and boys and the Amphion Society of Seattle. This
will be Mr. Yon's first appearance on the Coast as he comes direct to Seattle and opens
his western tour here.
The new instrument is a Casavant model, and is by no means a mere “echo” organ, designed
primarily to accompany the Sanctuary choir. Besides the usual foundation stops, diapasons,
flutes, strings, and harmonic corroborating ranks, it contains a very ethereal flute celeste
and a fine smooth-toned reed that will add much to the general ensemble. The organist can
play either or both organs from one console, as they are electrically connected.
The large four-manual console in the gallery, which was installed in 1907, is still in fine
condition and will be better that ever with the addition of the new antiphonal organ. Spec-
ifications for both instruments were drawn by Dr. F.S. Palmer.
The cost of the new organ including the necessary alterations in the sanctuary will exceed
$25,000.00.”</i>
The Casavant is actually a 2-manual and Pedal organ. The sanctuary organ is suspended on
I-beams behind the high altar. The casework, now hidden, was originally visible. In a 1950's
interior renovation, the mahogany case was painted the same color blue as the walls. The
console was also originally at one side in full view, but is now centered beneath the case
and behind the high altar. The player is kept in-touch with the activities by the use of a
closed circuit TV monitor.
A fire in the Cathedral on March 8, 1992 (which was set by an indigent man) necessitated the
removal of all the pipework from both the Casavant and Hutchings-Votey for cleaning to remove
soot. Pipe were removed to the shop of Seatt1e's Balcom and Vaughan Pipe Organs, Inc. for
cleaning. Many coke tin slide tuners were also re-fitted after washing to prevent further
crimping of the pipework.
A “Harp to Great” control once on the Sanctuary console is no longer there. The Sanctuary
console bypasses the Gallery console unless the Gallery organ has been turned on.
Sources: 1982 O.H.S. Convention handbook. pp. 100-102; JRS; extant organ.
St. James R.C. Cathedral
804 9th Avenue
Seattle, WA. 98104
(206) 622-3559 Documented: October 8, 1991
[Received on line from Jeff Scofield March 31, 2010; updated August 24, 2019 by James R. Stettner.]