History of The Cathedral's Pipe Organ
As a prerequisite to traveling to Hawaii, Bishop Staley made provision for an organ for the as yet un-built Cathedral. Since that day St. Andrew’s has been the home of significant examples of the King of Instruments. The current organ is primarily an Æolian-Skinner, built in 1961, the largest organ in the State of Hawai‘i and ranked in size amongst the top 50 in the world. Not only is it the ultimate accompaniment to liturgy in the Anglican tradition, it is also the foundation for music outreach into the community and the world, attracting internationally recognized organists for recital and recording opportunities, and accompanying non-liturgical performance.
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The organ is a major asset to the musical life of Honolulu. In addition to cathedral worship, the organ is essential for weddings, concerts by visiting artists and dozens of community groups, and for the worship and traditions of the St. Andrew’s Schools.
Installed in 1961, it is the Cathedral's fourth pipe organ. It is a four-manual Æolian Skinner organ. The main organ has 4,526 custom-made pipes. Other special features include a half-length 32' Contra Fagotto, a high-pressure Trompette Harmonique, a remote Antiphonal organ in the gallery near the west doors, 120 voices, 148 ranks. |
"The Great Organ” Renovation Campaign
Description and prices of pipes [table] +
Adopt-a-Pipe FAQ
What's Wrong with the current Organ?
After more than six decades of wear and tear, the organ has became unusable. The Cathedral faced the choice of building a new, smaller organ at a cost of $2.5 to $3 million or restoring the existing instrument. In a lucky coincidence, the Hawaii Theatre is restoring their organ. The two projects have been coordinated to reduce expenses.
A complex pneumatic system controls the wind that causes pipes to sound. This system relies on thousands of pieces of flexible leather in the valves and reservoirs that admit pressurized air into the pipe chests. After 30 to 40 years the leather needs to be replaced. Most of the leather in Opus 1358 is over 60 years old, and long overdue for a replacement. This will require shipping large portions of the organ to the mainland to be restored by specialists.
A complex pneumatic system controls the wind that causes pipes to sound. This system relies on thousands of pieces of flexible leather in the valves and reservoirs that admit pressurized air into the pipe chests. After 30 to 40 years the leather needs to be replaced. Most of the leather in Opus 1358 is over 60 years old, and long overdue for a replacement. This will require shipping large portions of the organ to the mainland to be restored by specialists.
Will the renovated organ be completely new?
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What's the difference between the old organ and the renovated one?
The Cathedral is fortunate to have Rosales Organ Company restore our organ to better-than-new condition and provide a new four manual console. Rosales is considered one of the top builders today. Their work includes Trinity Church on Wall Street, St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, and the iconic Disney Concert Hall organ in Los Angeles.
Large portions of the organ were removed in late January 2024 and shipped to California. Pipes were removed and stored while electrical, lighting, and safety modifications are implemented.
Large portions of the organ were removed in late January 2024 and shipped to California. Pipes were removed and stored while electrical, lighting, and safety modifications are implemented.
What is the renovation timeline?
The restoration project will take over a year, but the organ should be ready to serve another half-century before needing another renovation. Once the organ is playable again the Cathedral can evaluate the need to revoice, replace, or augment the pipe work.
What do I need to know before I visit during renovation?
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How can I help?
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Ready to lend a helping hand? |
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