The Austin Organ
The organ at St. Paul’s is a 1986 Austin Organ, it is an electro-pneumatic action with three manuals, a full pedal board, 35 ranks and 2,399 pipes. The pipes are placed in the chancel of the church above the choir seats, including a vibrant 8-foot Trompete on the Great division and a full sounding 32-foot resultant stop on the Pedal division. The console is constructed in the gothic style to match the architecture and carved woodwork of the church.
This fine instrument was dedicated on October19, 1986 with a dedicatory recital given by Donald Dame. Since that time, many talented organists have performed recitals on the instrument, not to mention countless preludes, offertories, and postludes along with accompanying hymns, choir anthems, ensembles and solos.
It is somewhat a custom that parish organists name the instrument on which they play. While Ted Platt, our current organist, considered naming the instrument, he said, “While sitting at the organ and looking at the vast number of pipes lofting above, it appears as if each pipe was an angel waiting to sing praise to God.” The name Ted decided on was “Sera” – short for “seraphim” – the name for the traditional rank of angels whose role is to give constant praise to God in heaven, singing eternally, “Holy, Holy, Holy!”