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Console and Case
Console with Bozeman case
The Ruffatti console
The Ruffatti console, at last in its new home!
Console and Case
Console with Bozeman case
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Pics from the day of delivery of the console. More and better pics to come!
OPUS 16 - St. Paul's Epsicopal Church, Brookline, MA
Click HERE for Opus 16's Specifications
After a long interlude during the COVID shutdowns, we are proud to announce that the famous console originally built for the chancel of Trinity Church Wall Street has found a new home, and is in place and operational at last.
The console, an extraordinary piece of old-world wood craftsmanship, was built in 2003 by Fratelli Ruffatti Organ Builders of Padua, Italy. It was created to look at home amidst the carved wood of Trinity Church's elaborate chancel furnishings. Now, the spectacular and storied console graces the chancel of another Upjohn building - St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Brookline, MA.
The installation of what is now called M&O Opus 16 follows a long period of study and exploration on the part of St. Paul's organ committee. Following a major fire in 1981, the renovated and modernized space became home to a substantial 2-manual tracker pipe organ built by New England builder George Bozeman, his Opus 23. After 40+ years of service, the instrument was exhibiting regular mechanical and musical problems and the congregation faced the prospect of a complete rebuild or possibly a replacement of the instrument. It was ultimately determined that Marshall & Ogletree should build a new organ for the church, and a process of fundraising commenced. In 2019, the possibility of installing the world's most famous digital organ was presented to the committee, and things began to take shape and move forward rapidly.
In the Summer of 2022, the interior of the Bozeman case was emptied out with the exception of the windchests and bearers. These would provide a good and stable surface for the 32-channel audio system to sit on. The speakers broadcast the organ's sound from behind the façade pipes and pipe shades, and the sound can be clearly heard in every corner of the acoustically favorable room. The installation was completed in time for Thanksgiving, 2022, and marks an important milestone for both St. Paul's and M&O.
According to Cameron Carpenter, who recently visited the installation while in Boston, 'the old girl sounds better than it ever did at Trinity. Bravo!" This is not entirely a surprise, given the difficult nature of the extremely deep organ chambers of the instrument's former home. Lot's more to come from this magnificent new Opus, located only 8 miles from our headquarters! Stay tuned....
Watch for Videos of Opus 16 Coming Soon!
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