The St. Catharine’s Organ
The St. Catharine’s organ was originally built in 1880 by S. R. Warren & Son for the Olivet Church in Montréal. This instrument was enlarged by Casavant Frères in 1957, primarily through the addition of reed stops in the Swell division and an expansion of the Pedal division. A new electro-pneumatic console was also built for the organ at this time. The organ was bought by St. Catharine’s in early 2003 and was installed between May 29 and July 6, 2003 by Karl J. Raudsepp & Associates of Pointe Claire, Québec.
The only change to the 1957 Casavant involved the exclusion, because of space constraints, of the 16' Open Diapason in the Pedal, which had formed the façade of the instrument at the Olivet Church. A 32' resultant is wired in its stead. The equally handsome façade of the newly installed organ allows for the Swell division and the enclosed Great on top of it to be clearly visible. The organ possesses thirty-two speaking stops over two manuals and a pedal.
