Organs of Trinity Episcopal Church, Boston, Mass

Chancel Organ

The original organ was built by Hilborne L. Roosevelt in 1876, his Opus 29. It had mechanical action, assisted by Barker levers on all divisions, but its chancel location proved unsatisfactory, and the organ was moved to the gallery.

Hutchings-Votey built a new instrument for the chancel in 1903 and made both organs playable from a single console. In 1924 Ernest M. Skinner undertook a rebuilding project — his Opus 479 — involving changes to both the Roosevelt and Hutchings-Votey instruments, but by 1926 it had expanded to Opus 573 as a virtually new organ in the gallery, as well as a new chancel console.

This console was on the North side of the chancel and had four manuals. (The famous Parisian organist/composer, Louis Vierne, performed on this instrument on April 9, 1928. Afterward, he wrote expansively to Mr. Skinner in great admiration for the organ and its well-appointed console.)

Nave Organ

Aeolian-Skinner provided a new console in 1956 which was placed on the South side of the chancel. The four manuals of the previous console were consolidated as part of a design to keep the console as low as possible.

Aeolian-Skinner installed a new chancel organ in 1960.

In 1962 the gallery organ was extensively rebuilt, and major tonal modifications were made by Jason McKown, who maintained the organs for many years.

In 1987 Jack Steinkampf installed a rank of horizontal trumpet pipes under the west gallery window. The trumpet is in storage while the gallery window — “Christ in Majesty” — is being restored.

During the late 1990’s, in conjunction with the parish’s building campaign, a plan was set out with Foley-Baker, Inc., for the cleaning and refurbishment of both organs and their joint console. This work is ongoing. To date, most of the gallery organ has been cleaned and refurbished, and the console updated with digital systems. Cleaning and renewal of the chancel organ was completed in February of 2007.

The chancel organ has 49 ranks of pipes played over three manuals and pedals. The nave organ has 75 ranks of pipes. The combined organs contain nearly 7,000 pipes.

Download organ specifications here.