Saint Francis Xavier
Read MoreThe Church of Saint Xavier Organ
From NYCAGO.org:
"As part of its restoration campaign, the church contracted with the Peragallo Pipe Organ Company of Paterson, N.J., to build a new organ. Completed in 2010, Peragallo's Opus 700 is a hybrid organ that combines a total of 52 ranks of pipes—including 23 ranks from the previous Kilgen gallery organ—with several digital stops. The organ was designed with a French tonal scheme by John Peragallo III, Tonal Director of the company, in consultation with John Uehlein, Director of Music.
The main instrument is installed in two chambers that were created in the triforium on each side of the chancel. Fronting the four tone openings into the chancel and transepts are oak cases with façades of functional pipes that have gothic gold arched mouths. Frank Peragallo designed the case work. The Grand-Orgue, Grand-Choeur and Pédale divisions are located in the east (liturgical north) chamber and the Récit and Positif divisions are in the west (liturgical south) chamber. The Antiphonale division at the rear of the church is comprised of eight digital stops that emanate from behind the original organ case plus the 49 gold-painted pipes of the Trompette en chamade that are mounted at the base of the case. Built in 1881 by E. & G.G. Hook & Hastings of Boston, the noble hand-carved organ case was restored and its façade pipes were painted silver with gold mouths. Controlling the organ is a movable three-manual French-style console with terraced drawknobs and a hand-carved music rack that incorporates the Xavier cross. A complete MIDI interface and sound module allows the organist to access many digital effects for contemporary worship music and record and playback the instrument.
The organ was dedicated on October 11, 2010, with a recital by organist Matthew Phelps, assisted by mezzo-soprano Robin Lynne Frye."
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