For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 8.36
The main organ of St. John’s Episcopal Church was completed in 2002 by Morel and Associates of Denver, Colorado. It consists of three manuals and pedal, with 49 ranks, 63 stops, and 2,613 pipes. The artisans included:
Rick Morel, Owner and Voicer
Todd Evers, Ray Whipple, Dan Jones
As a result of financial trouble during the Great Depression, the church’s original Austin pipe organ (1930, Op. 1775) had never been completed. Since 1950, parish organists have been attempting to have the instrument completed and updated.
In 1998 a final attempt was begun by Principal Organist Brian du Fresne, and a church-wide capital improvement campaign which included a commitment to the pipe organ was one of many things that helped the church complete the project. The members of the Organ Committee were:
Richard Collins, Chair
Brian du Fresne, Principal Organist
Tom Morgan, Director of Music
Bea Hoverstock, Kurt Matthies, Mike Rowe, Jan Squier
The original Austin pipework had been complemented by a few significant additions made throughout the organ’s 70-year history. All of the pipework was entirely rebuilt and revoiced. A new division of twelve stops was installed, and the remaining divisions received an additional ten stops throughout. A new console with a state-of-the-art combination action (99 levels), a digital recorder, and variable crescendos and tuttis brought the instrument together. The console and the surrounding casework were beautifully custom-built to match the existing church decor.
The instrument is an eclectic organ capable of reproducing works from almost any historical or stylistic period. It plays regularly for weekly services in the church, as well as many funerals and weddings, and it is used as a concert instrument by musicians around the metropolitan area and beyond.
1419 Pine Street, Boulder, Colorado
Ivan P. Morel / Austin 2002
16 Gedeckt
8 Bourdon
8 Viola
8 Viole Celeste
4 Principal
4 Traverse Flute
2 2/3 Nazard
2 Doublette
2 Flute
1 3/5 Tierce
1 Mixture IV
16 Fagotto
8 Tuba (Ch.)
8 Trumpet
8 Fagotto
4 Fagotto
Tremulant
MIDI on Sw.
16 Violone
16 Gedeckt (Sw.)
8 Principal
8 Violone
8 Spitz Flute
8 Flute Celeste
4 Octave
4 Rohrflute
2 2/3 Twelfth
2 Fifteenth
1 1/3 Mixture IV
8 Trumpet
8 Tuba (Ch.)
Chimes
MIDI on Gt.
8 Bourdon
8 Gemshorn
8 Gems. Celeste
4 Principal
4 Harmonic Flute
2 2/3 Nazard
2 Waldflöte
1 3/5 Tierce
1 1/3 Larigot
1 Waldflöte
8 Tuba
8 Cromorne
Zimbelstern
Tremulant
MIDI on Ch.
32 Subbass
32 Bourdon
16 Open Diapason
16 Violone (Gt.)
16 Bourdon
16 Gedeckt (Sw.)
8 Diapason
8 Violone (Gt.)
8 Bourdon
8 Gedeckt (Sw.)
4 Choral Bass
4 Gedeckt (Sw.)
3 1/5 Mixture III
32 Cont. Bombarde
16 Bombarde
16 Fagotto (Sw.)
8 Tuba (Ch.)
8 Bombarde
8 Fagotto (Sw.)
4 Bombarde
MIDI on Pd
Unison off, Sub-octave and Super-octave couplers in each manual
Prepared for Antiphonal division of 12 stops (7 manual, 5 pedal)
10 General Pistons
32 Divisional Pistons
Set / Cancel
99 Levels of Memory
Transposer
Previous / Next
Full Organ, 4 programmable levels
Crescendo, 4 programmable levels
Digital MIDI Recorder
Two-way indicator signal
Full-size desk drawer
The Chapel of the Holy Family houses a 1920 Estey reed organ acquired by St. John’s in 2000. The organ was rebuilt and restored in 1994 by James Bratten of Denver, Colorado. Its beautifully simple and unique casework complements the decor of the chapel as though built for it. The Estey organ consists of twelve stops over a single manual divided at tenor F. Some stops are duplicated in the treble and bass to have the full length of the keyboard with the same stop, while other stops are specific only to the treble or bass in order to have both solo and accompaniment stops play simultaneously. The organist must pump the bellows with the feet on while playing the manual. The organ is used regularly for weekly services, weddings, and funerals.
Bass Coupler
Harp Aeoline 2’
SubBass 16’
Diapason 8’
Voix Jubilante 8’
Trumpet 8’
Flute 4’
Violino 2’
Tremolo
Flute 2’
Flute Traverso 4’
Trumpet 8’
Voix Jubilante 8’
Diapason 8’
Corno __ 16’
Treble Coupler
The Music Program currently owns two small harps: the Alexander Zacharia Lewis memorial harp (a 31-string lever harp) and a Sharpsicle lap harp (26 strings). The Sharpsicle is a student training instrument, and is currently being played by a St. John's 5th grade student. The harps provide a wonderful musical ministry to St. John's parishoners in hospitals and nursing homes.
St. John’s Episcopal Church also houses several pianos that have been donated to the church throughout the years. The most frequently used pianos are in the Choir Room and in the Parish Hall. One way to leave a legacy of music at St. John’s is to consider donating an unused high-quality piano to the Music Program or to the Children’s Ministries.
