DESCRIPTION

A. E. Schlueter Pipe Organ Company has completed the building and installation of a two-manual instrument of 25 ranks for Stella Maris Catholic Church, Sullivan’s Island, S.C. The manual pedal compass is 61/32 and the tuning is equal temperament. The chest action is electro-pneumatic action.

The drawknob console features tracker touch, multiple memory levels, and is moveable. The organ case and console is built of Honduras mahogany. Mahogany was chosen for its resistance to dimensional changes under severe climate conditions, a strong consideration with the church’s location only 200 yards from the Atlantic at the mouth of the Charleston Harbor.

The organ case is located to one side of the gallery to allow site line between the congregation and the gallery bell change ringers. The organ design was developed with a goal of visual integrity to the older sanctuary architecture. Incorporated in the gallery organ case are moldings and arches that mirror those found in the chancel.

The façade pipes are gold with stencils. The stencil patterns pick up liturgical elements and colors from the church’s stained glass windows. To assure accurate stencil colors, numerous paint samples were made in the church in various lighting conditions.

The organ is voiced after an American/English tradition with strong emphasis toward choral accompaniment. Prior to construction, sample pipes were voiced in the room to aid in development of proper scales and voicing. The decision to use large scales with moderate cut-ups and moderate wind pressures has provided a richness and warmth in the organ registrations for both solo and accompaniment. The organ reeds feature English shallots and break harmonically to continue their tonal ascendancy. A large solo reed was built as the instrument’s tonal capstone. This stop, the Trombe Maestro, is available in all divisions and is non-coupling.