Heinz Memorial Chapel organ

The Organ

[edit] Original Instrument

The Chapel organ was originally a four manual Aeolian Skinner pipe organ with 3,770 pipes.

The organ pipes range in size from the size of a pencil up to wooden boxes two feet square. The console itself was in a sunken recess at the right of the Chancel and the pipes were concealed behind the Chancel triforium gallery and the gold and blue ecclesiastical cloth above the gallery.

[edit] Updated Instrument

In the 1960s, the cloth was gradually removed, it was deteriorating, had a detrimental effect on the organ sound and presented a fire hazard. By this time, the organ was in serious need of attention and in 1969 work was begun on the installation of a new instrument by the M. P. Möller Company. This included the addition of a small Gallery Console which could be used to play only those pipes in the rear Gallery, useful for duets or if the main instrument required emergency service.

The new Moller instrument was dedicated on 21-Mar-1971 by University Organist, Dr. Robert S. Lord and Dr. Russell G. Wichmann, organist at Chatham College. This instrument had approximately 3,954 pipes and 82 stops and 70 ranks (unique sounds). The Heinz Endowments funded this purchase.

The organ was greatly enhanced by the addition of three electronic 32’ ranks by the Allen Organ Company in January 1989 under the supervision of Dr. Lord made possible by a grant from the Heinz endowments. This permitted the organ to produce deep, resonant bass tones. It was one of the first uses of electronic sounds to enhance an existing pipe organ.

[edit] Current Instrument

In the early 1990s, the Moller became increasingly unreliable and it was deemed necessary to perform major work on the instrument. This coincided with the work done in 1994 to make the Chapel accessible for those with physical disabilities. The Reuter Organ Company was engaged to do this work.

The renovated Reuter instrument was dedicated in concert on 24-Sep-1995. Re-created in 1994-95 by the Reuter Organ Company, it represents a trend in American organ building to re-use existing materials in an environmentally friendly and musically sound manner. The Chancel console has three manuals (keyboards) and pedalboard that control all 4,272 pipes (73 ranks) and three electronic 32’ pedal stops. For concerts, this console may be moved to the front of the chancel in full view of the audience. A second console (two manuals and pedal) located in the rear gallery controls pipes located in the alcoves adjacent to the gallery. The main console also has access to the rear gallery pipes. While most of the main organ pipes are located around the front chancel a commanding “tuba” (trumpet) stop is located 90 feet above in a ceiling chamber.

A complete history of the organ is available in the Docent Guide for the Organ at Heinz Chapel the first edition of which was prepared in 2003 by Jon J. Danzak. A copy of the book as well as two CDs were placed on deposit at the Music Library of the University of Pittsburgh by Dr. Robert S. Lord (Professor Emeritus) who served as University organist for over 40 years.

These are the specifications for Reuter Opus 2176.