St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Organ

The magnificent organ in St. Paul's Church was built 75 years ago. The subscription of $65,000 was the climactic event of the parish's centennial celebration in 1927. The instrument was built by Ernest M. Skinner of Boston who was the leading organ builder of his time in the United States. Warren Gehrken, then organist of St. Paul's, assisted in planning the stop list. The organ has four manual keyboards, 67 stops, and more than 4500 pipes.

St. Paul's organ is a "period piece" epitomizing the ideas and tastes of the 1920's. While the builders of that decade placed great importance in recalling the sound of orchestral instruments as faithfully as possible, by the time this organ was built there was a gradual return to the emphasis of pure organ sound. The pipes of our organ are in a chamber directly above Norton Chapel and the Sacristy, and the sound passes through the screen in the left part of the chancel ceiling.

In 1971 six of the stops were replaced in the interest of a sound that was clearer and would carry better down the Nave. The work that has been done this past year is not to change the actual sound, but to replace parts that have badly worn down in 75 years of use. We want to keep the organ playing! And we are deeply grateful to the many whose contributions have made the undertaking possible.