St. Matthew's Episcopal
Portland, Oregon

< p>Bond Pipe Organs, Inc.
Portland, Oregon
1981

"Refurbishing"


Great
8     Principal                                       61
8     Hohl Fl`te                                     61
4     Octave                                          61 *
4     Flute Harmonique                          61 *
22/3 Quinte                                          61
2     Octavin                                         61 *
III     Mixture       [19-22-26]                 183
       Zimbelstern
       blank

Great Super  [4']


Swell  (Enclosed)
8     Geigen Principal                            61 *
8     Bordun                                         61 *
8     Viole de Gambe                            61
8     Viol Celeste                         (tc)    49 *
4     Geigen Octave                              61 *
2     Piccolo                                         61 *
11/3 Quinte          [Cc - c 49]                 49 *
8     Trompette                                     61
8     Hautbois                                       61
       blank
       Tremolo
 
Swell Sub  [16']
Swell Unison Off
Swell Super  [4']


Pedal
16    Contre Bass                                 32 *
16    Sub Bass                                     32 *
16    Lieblich Bordun                             - -
8      Principal                                      - -
8      Gedackt Pommer                         12
4      Gedackt Pommer                         12
16     Posaune                            (Sw)   12


Couplers
Swell to Pedal                                     [8]
Swell to Pedal Super                            [4]
Great to Pedal                                     [8]
Great to Pedal Super                           [4]

Swell to Great Sub                             [16]
Swell to Great                                     [8]
Swell to Great Super                            [4]


Finger Pistons
General                                          1 - 6
Swell                                              1 - 4 
     Sw. to Ped.                                (rev)
Great                                              1 - 4
     Gt. to Ped.                                 (rev)
Pedal                                              1 - 4
Sforz.                                              (rev)
G.C.


Toe Studs
General                                           1 - 6
Pedal                                              1 - 4
Sw. to Ped.                                      (rev)
Gt. to Ped.                                       (rev)
Sforz.                                               (rev)


Pedal Movements
Swell Expression                             (bal.)
Crescendo                                       (bal.)


Action: Electro-Pneumatic

Voices: 18

Stops:   24

Ranks:  20

Pipes:   1,174


Notes
This organ has a history dating back to the mid 19th century, though the exact origins of this organ are not firmly documented.

Grace Episcopal Cathedral of San Francisco purchased a II-manual and pedal tracker organ around 1865. It is thought to have possibly been a Bergstrom, though it does not appear on the Bergstrom opus list. This organ was replaced in 1894 by the III-manual Methuen Organ Co. instrument. One story says it might have been moved to First Christian Church of Oakland, Cal.

However, the published history of St. Mark's Parish in Portland states, "In September, 1894, a pipe organ was purchased from Grace Church, San Fancisco, and used for the first time." A photograph from the parish archive shows the organ with a 3-sectional case containing stencilled pipes installed at the the front of the parish on the left - facing across the chancel and not directly into the room. A quote from San Francisco organbuilder Louis Schoenstein says that he remembered it as having an attached keydesk and a "high walnut Gothic case."  This fits what can be seen of the organ as pictured in the parish history.

The organ may have been electrified at St. Mark's in 1925 by William Wood, organbuilder in Hillsboro, OR. and son of Michigan organbuilder Granville Wood.  It remained at St. Mark's until about 1959 when it was installed here at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in East Portland by Bill Blunk, at which time it was rebuilt on new pitman chests.

This organ is essentially a rebuild of a rebuild.  Stops marked with an asterisk (*) in the specification above are clearly 19th century pipework and from the original ca. 1864 organ.  Most of the pipework is common metal and very thin.  The Swell 11/3' Quinte plays for 49 notes and the top octave repeats.  The Zimbelstern has 4 bells.

 Sources: St. Mark's Parish history; St. Matthew's Parish history; extant organ [July 18, 1990]; JRS.