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Saint John’s Cathedral
Denver, Colorado
Saint John’s Cathedral in the Wilderness houses the last great organ built by W.W. Kimball of Chicago, a four-manual completed in 1938 with 80 stops, 96 ranks, two full-length 32-foot stops and four enclosed departments. Apart from solid-state combination action and relays, this instrument survives in pristine mechanical and tonal condition: a testament to the voicing skill of Kimball head voicer George Michel and the culmination of his evolving style. The organ has been closely guarded by three generations of curators, most recently Norman Lane for the past 35 years. Survey work here confirms the instrument’s importance and outlines financial and logistical planning suggestions for moving forward with restoration. Stephen Tappe is the Cathedral Organist and Choirmaster. The Cathedral has chosen Spencer Organ Company to restore the organ. |
