Community of Jesus, Cape Cod - E.M. Skinner Organ Chamber Tour with Nelson Barden

For organists, organ restoration buffs, or anyone who relishes a look into the inner workings of a pipe organ - Nelson Barden is at the Community of Jesus on Cape Cod, providing a "behind-the-scenes view" of the E.M. Skinner Organ, a museum quality restoration at the Church of the Transfiguration Organ. In an unusual design - the pipes are suspended in mahogany cases over the two side aisles and includes over 150 ranks and over 12,000 pipes. The organ’s unique location allows its sounds to be specifically directed so as to accompany the various liturgical actions taking place on the floor, as well as giving tremendous flexibility in concert. Consistent with the artwork in the Church, the rich variety of sounds and voices it can create give it the ability to “speak” a multitude of musical languages in prayer and praise to God

He begins in one of the chambers on the west end of the church with the wooden flute - made of California sugar pine in about 1925, and goes on to describe the many metal pipes which offer various tones - some of similar length, yet sound quite different.

Everything about the pipe's construction and materials that are used to make it change the tone.

Nelson goes on to describe another with a ittle chimney on the top, made out of
common metal, a combination of lead and tin which is just about what pewter is made out of.

Organ builders have experimented over centuries and come up with particular things that sounded particular ways. Sometimes pipes have a companion set that is meant to be played together.

It's taken centuries to develop all these different kinds of sounds and it's very hard for an organ builder to really invent anything new -- that was one of the astounding sayings about Skinner organs
He invented and number of new effects that really no one had heard before.

www.churchofthetransfiguration.org/organ.

The organ’s unique location allows its sounds to be specifically directed so as to accompany the various liturgical actions taking place on the floor, as well as giving tremendous flexibility in concert. Consistent with the artwork in the Church, the rich variety of sounds and voices it can create give it the ability to “speak” a multitude of musical languages in prayer and praise to God

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E.M. Skinner Organ at the Church of Transfiguration: http://bit.ly/2ggOP7b

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