Cranbrook archival documents indicate that, in September 1925, the Skinner Organ Company of Boston, Massachusetts was being considered as the builder for the church’s pipe organ. By October of the same year, the stoplist for a three-manual and pedal organ had been drawn up. During this period, Ernest M. Skinner had engaged the renowned British organ builder, Henry Willis, as consultant in an artistic alliance with his company in England. The original organ, therefore, reflected the influence of this great English organ builder. By December 1925, the stoplist had been agreed upon, and a contract was signed for a three-manual E. M. Skinner organ.
In July 1927, a letter from the Skinner Organ Company responds to a desire from the church to enlarge the organ from a three-manual to a four-manual instrument, adding another department of stops. The addition and enlarged console were contracted for in November 1927. As the back portion of the overly large tower organ chamber had been walled in, another location for this additional new section had to be found. This new Solo section, located in a chamber on the north side of the choir above the working sacristy, “would certainly add tremendously to the effectiveness of the result” stated W. E. Zeuch, Skinner’s second Vice President. The organ of 46 stops over four-manuals and pedal was installed by the end of the year 1927.
Between 1945 and 1955, various proposals from a number of builders in the US and Canada were developed to enlarge the Cranbrook organ. Charles McManis, a small American builder, was chosen for the project. He came to the Cranbrook organ in 1956 when the revival of the neo-classical style of organ-building was in its curious first phase.
Accepting that there were shortcomings with the original Skinner installation – poor placement of the pipework and a deficit of clear, bright upperwork – the resulting McManis revision showed that he was following the trend of the day. In short, ranks of pipes were shuffled from one department to another with only slight improvement of placement, some bright “Baroque” high pitched stops were added, while some of the rich, full-bodied stops were thrown out completely. With an overall reduction in wind pressure, the result was a loss of character and majesty, even though the instrument was increased in size to 69 stops.
By the 1970’s, the original Skinner console had deteriorated to the point where it was deemed essential to replace it. Early in 1992, an Organ and Carillon Renovation Committee was formed to address the many needs for the failing organ. During the summer of 1993, a subcommittee of three committee members, the organ consultant and the two staff musicians, travelled to the east and west coasts to audition representative instruments by the two leading prospective organ builders for the Cranbrook organ project.
Impressed by two superb organs and vast experience restoring, rebuilding, and reconstructing existing and historic instruments, the committee selected British organ builder, N. P. Mander, Limited for the Cranbrook organ project. From the outset, Mander organ builders proposed the preservation and re-instatement of the 1920’s pipework as a basic and important element in reconstruction. They adopted as the general principle for the project a recapturing of the style of the Skinner organ with any additions or alterations being compatible with that style.
The resulting instrument includes more of the original Skinner pipework than the McManis revision of 1955/1956. The 1997 E. M. Skinner/N. P. Mander organ contains 98 stops over six manual divisions and two pedal divisions. All mechanical and electrical components are new. The new four-manual Mander console is constructed in a traditional English style and blends harmoniously with the woodwork and decorative carving of the church.
Behind the decorated organ case, the tower organ, containing the great, swell, choir, solo and pedal divisions, accompanies the congregation in its music for worship and plays the full range of organ repertoire with uncompromised majesty and subtlety. The Chancel organ with two manual divisions and pedal was designed with the accompaniment of choirs and small ensembles of singers and instrumentalists in mind.
Organ Specifications (PDF)
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