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The music of St. Peter's Cathedral has historically been characterized with a sense of dignity and solemnity. Church leaders and documents assert that "the Cathedral serves as the center of liturgical life and the model for worship in the Diocese." No where has this musical expertise been more evident than in the use of the Cathedral's prestigious pipe organ. This monumental instrument is installed in the choir loft under an inspirational painting of Saint Cecilia, patroness of music, and overshadowed by the eighth ceiling panel, a depiction of Pope Gregory, an influential figure in Church music who gave us what is known as "Gregorian chant." Two stained glass windows leading to the choirloft depict these Saints of Sacred Music.
Throughout the years, from the very first small melodeon to the first pipe organ installed in 1871, to the electric-action pipe organ of 1912 (later renovated in 1934), the organ has helped render every sacred occasion into a glorious event honoring God. Providing a distinctive focal point in the Cathedral choir loft, the organ of today was built in 1979 as Opus 3414 by Casavant Fréres of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada under the tonal direction of Gerhard Brunzema. Music critics, acclaimed organists and master organ builders alike consider this instrument to be one of Gerhard's finest efforts.
Being a tracker organ by design, (meaning there is a direct "mechanical linkage" between each individual key and each individual pipe valve), this instrument was strongly influenced by the Dutch and North German building practices of the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition to trackers, slider chests are utilized throughout. In short, this means that pipes of the same note within each division (Hauptwerk, Oberwerk, Brustwerk and Pedal) stand on a common windway.
True to its classical design, this tracker organ has no presets, no capture action, no expression pedal, no crescendo pedal, no transposer, nor any electronic components whatsoever short of the modern electric blower which provides a constant supply of steady wind pressure at 71mm. Free standing and totally enclosed in two separate oak cases (which both focus and project the sound), there are a total of 2,770 individual pipes ranging in size from a small pencil to mammoth oak pipes over 16' in length. The organ is tuned to the well-tempered system known as Werckmeister III. There are a total of thirty-seven stops, fifty-five ranks, three manual keyboards and a pedal board. These historically proven methods of construction, along with the techniques of classical voicing, the overall specification content and thoughtful placement of each division has evolved and been perfected through many centuries of organ building. In total, this instrument truly affords the organist a degree of playing control, articulation and singing quality of tone that has most certainly been lost in modern electric-action organs.
The Cathedral organ has received international notoriety. Ever active in achieving the highest excellence in sacred music, retired Bishop J. Carroll McCormick was the guest of honor at the April 1990 standing room only rededication concert of the organ he purchased in 1979 by the renown French Canadian organist, Bernard Lagace. The organ at Saint Peter's Cathedral has been the sole instrument of choice here in Northeast Pennsylvania for concert performances of the annual Robert Dale Chorale "Bach Organ Festival". Author and musicologist, Thomas Donahue recently documented the Cathedral organ in his newly released book, "Gehard Brunzema: His Work and His Influence" available through: Organ Historical Society, P.O. Box 26811, Richmond, VA. 23261.
To fully appreciate the sounds of music in Saint Peter's Cathedral, one must experience them first hand to understand the glorious musical heritage absorbed within these walls. With eyes closed, go back to bygone days when candles dimly illuminated the interior, making sounds perhaps more important than sights. And, in this era of inflooding multi-hued light, eyes raised to the saints and patriarchs adorning the Cathedral's interior give one the sense of a "cloud of witnesses," the "whole company of angels" lifting up without end earthly sounds of glory and praise to heaven.
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