Chicago-Midwest Chapter Organ Historical Society

St. Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church

5101 West Devon Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

Situated on the South side of the very busy Devon Avenue is the present church complex of Saint Richard of Chichester Episcopal Church with a cornerstone dating its construction as 1959. An adjacent portion of the complex was the precursor of the present church and now used as a general activity, meeting and common fellowship hall. The unique stained glass windows of Saint Richard of Chichester tell the story of the 13^th Century in which St. Richard lived. Designed and made by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France, the windows depict some of the important personages of that century including King Richard (the Lionhearted), Philip Augustus (King of France), King Louis IX, Pope Innocent III, King Henry III of England, Frederick II, Thomas a'Becket (Archbishop of Canterbury), St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Hugh of Lincoln, St. Francis, St. Dominic and St. Thomas Aquinas.

The new organ for St. Richard's was built and installed in the rear gallery of the church with the Great, Positiv and Swell suspended from the wood A-frame with the console located at the left side of the gallery and a few Pedal stops located on the floor level of the gallery. Several years later the console was moved to its present position in the center of the gallery with the addition of a piston-setting mechanism with 8 levels of memory replacing the original numerous switch mechanism located upon removal of the rear panel of the console. According to the organ dedication recital program of December 29, 1963, the following individuals were influential on this organ:

Builder: Robert Noehren
Voicing: Robert Noehren
Technical Assistants: Jerroll Adams & Norm Ryan
Tonal Design: Robert Noehren

Not only was Robert Noehren responsible for building this organ in his shop, but as the University Organist, a Professor of Organ at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a season recitalist, Noehren also played the Dedication Recital - TWICE!  (at 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM) Noehren's dedication recital program is as follows:

Variations on "Mein junges Lebenhat ein End" - Jan Pieterszon Sweelinck

Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne - Dietrich Buxtehude

Chorale Preludes for the New Year - J. S. Bach
"Das alte Jahr vergangen ist"
"In dir ist Freude"
"Der Tag, der ist so Freudenreich"

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor - J. S. Bach

Benedictus and Dialogue - Francois Couperin

Noel (Grand jeu et Duo) - Louis-Claude Daquin

Noel "pour l'amour de Marie" - Nicolas Le Begue

A la Venue de Noel - Claude Balbastre

Variations on "Lucis Creator" - Jehan Alain

Scherzo and Andantino - Louis Vierne

Carillon de Westminster - Louis Vierne

Robert Noehren also wrote, "that the organ was especially designed for St. Richard's Episcopal Church and represents great traditions of organ building, past and present. It contains 34 stops, represented by 42 ranks and a total of 1,885 pipes. The console contained in a walnut case has drawnobs to control the stops. The windchests, constructed of special materials, are controlled by electric action with a wind pressure of 2-1/2". Robert Noehren voiced all of the pipes during the installation of the organ, which took five weeks.

As one of a few winners of the Grand Prix du disque, Robert Noehren has designed and built in his shop several unusual instruments having designed many organs for other builders which have exerted a strong influence on contemporary organ building in the United States. He has studied and developed unusual techniques of voicing and is known for his ability to voice in several different traditions."

The original stoplist of 1963:

Great Organ:

16' Quintadena
8' Principal
8' Rohrfloete
4' Octave
4' Spitzfloete
2 2/3' Nasat
2' Octave
2' Waldfloete
1 3/5' Terz
III-V Mixture
16' Dulcian
8' Trumpet

Swell Organ:

8' Bourdon
8' Gamba
8' Voix Celeste
4' Flute Harmonique
2' Octavin
III-V Plein jeu
8' Trompette
4' Clairon
Tremulant

Positiv Organ:

8' Gedeckt
4' Rohrfloete
2' Principal
1 1/3' Larigot
III-V Scharf
8' Cromhorne

Pedal Organ:

16' Subbass
8' Principal
4' Octave
2' Octave
V Mixture
16' Fagotto
8' Trumpet
4' Trumpet

The current stoplist of today:

Great Organ:

16' Quintadena
8' Principal
8' Rohrfloete
4' Octave
4' Spitzfloete
2 2/3' Nazard
2' Octave
2' Spitzfloete
1 3/5' Tierce
V Mixture
16' Dulcian (T.C.)
8' Trumpet
Swell to Great
Swell to Great 16
Positiv to Great
Swell to Positiv

Swell Organ:

8' Bourdon
8' Gamba
8' Voix Celeste (T.C.)
4' Flute Octaviante
2' Octavin
V Plein jeu
8' Trompette
4' Clairon
Tremulant
Swell to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Positiv to Pedal

Positiv Organ:

8' Gedeckt
4' Rohrfloete
2' Principal
1 1/3' Larigot
V Scharf
8' Cromhorne
Zimbelstern (with Volume Control)
4/5' Chivas Regal (turns on the lisght in the Swell box)

Pedal Organ:

16' Subbass
8' Principal
4' Octave
2' Octave
32' Resultant
16' Posaune
8' Trumpet
4' Trumpet

Accessories:

4 General Pistons (thumb below Manual II)
4 Swell Pistons (thumb below Manual III)
4 Great Pistons (thumb below Manual II)
4 Positiv Pistons (thumb below Manual I)
4 Pedal Pistons (thumb below Manual I)

General Cancel Piston
Setter Piston

8 Memory Levels

8 General Pistons (toe studs)
4 Pedal Pistons (toe studs)

Toe Studs:
Swell to Pedal
Swell to Great
Swell to Positiv
Positiv to Great

Zimbelstern

Swell Expression shoe

(Information resourced from the organ recital dedication program - on-site visit and a pamphlet entitled: "The Windows of St. Richard's)

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1/22/2006 - © Chicago-Midwest Chapter, Organ Historical Society