WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

The Great Organ of Washington National Cathedral was built by the Ernest M. Skinner & Son Organ Company of Methuen, Massachusetts and installed in 1938, at which time construction of the Cathedral itself was approximately one-third complete.  Robert George Barrow, the cathedral's second organist and choirmaster, oversaw the installation and played the dedicatory recital. 

As construction of the cathedral continued through the 1940s and 50s and the room grew in size, it became necessary to consider changes to the 1938 instrument that would help its sound fill the growing building.  To that end, a master plan was developed in 1957 by Joseph S. Whiteford (president of Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company), Paul Callaway (the Cathedral’s third organist and choirmaster), and Richard Wayne Dirksen (associate organist).  

The first part of the plan was a new console, built in 1958.  The new four-manual console, which remains today, incorporated ornate Gothic casing panels designed by cathedral architect Philip Frohman for the original console.  

The first additions to the organ were made in 1963 when the Brustwerk and Positiv divisions were installed in the musicians’ galleries in the first bay of the Great Choir.  The Trompette-en-Chamade was installed above the high altar reredos in 1964.  All of this work was done by Aeolian-Skinner.

In 1973, with the completion of the nave in sight, cathedral Dean Francis B. Sayre, Jr. ordered a review of the 1957 master plan and enlisted the help of six people to make final decisions on the reworking of the instrument: Joseph Whiteford (now retired from the recently defunct Aeolian-Skinner), Roy Perry, Harold Newcomer, Robert Wyant, Paul Callaway, and Richard Wayne Dirksen.  Major renovation and revision of the organ took place between 1973 and 1976.  More than half of the original Skinner pipework was removed, replaced by more than 7,000 new pipes.  The new pipework was built by Thomas Anderson and voiced by John Hendriksen.

The present organ consists of 121 stops, 189 ranks, and 10,647 pipes.

Washington National Cathedral 
The Great Organ 
Four manuals — 189 ranks 
Ernest M. Skinner & Son Organ Company, 1938 
Revisions and enlargements, 1963, 1970–1975 
 
GREAT First bay north triforium 
16’ Diapason 
16’ Violon (ext.) 
16’ Bourdon 
8’ Prinzipal 
8’ Spitz Prinzipal 
8’ Waldföte 
8’ Holz Bordun 
8’ Salicional 
8’ Violon 
8’ Erzähler 
4’ Oktav 
4’ Spitzoktav 
4’ Koppel Flöte 
2-2/3’ Quinte 
2’ Super Oktav 
2’ Blockflöte 
II Sesquialtera 
IV Klein Mixtur 
IV–V Mixtur 
IV Scharf 
VI–X Terzzymbel 
16’ Bombarde 
8’ Posthorn 
8’ Trompette 
4’ Clairon 
8’ Trompette en Chamade (So) 
8’ Tuba Mirabilis (So) 
 
CHOIR Third bay north triforium 
16’ Gemshorn 
8’ Chimney Flute 
8’ Viola Pomposa 
8’ Viola Pomposa Celeste 
8’–4’ Chœur des Violes V (Sw) 
8’ Viole Céleste II 
8’ Kleiner Erzähler II 
4’ Principal 
4’ Harmonic Flute 
4’ Fugara 
2-2/3’ Rohrnasat 
2’ Hellflöte 
1-3/5’ Terz 
III–IV Mixture 
II Glockenspiel 
16’ Orchestral Bassoon 
8’ Trumpet 
8’ Cromorne 
4’ Regal 
8’ Tuba Mirabilis (So) 
8’ Trompette en Chamade (So) 
8’ Posthorn (Gt) 
Harp 
Celesta 
Zimbelstern 
Tremolo 

SWELL First bay south triforium 
16’ Violoncelle (ext.) 
8’ Montre 
8’ Violoncelle Céleste II 
4’ Prestant 
V Plein Jeu 
IV Cymbale 
16’ Bombarde 
8’ Trompette 
4’ Clairon 
 
Second bay north triforium 
16’ Flûte Courte 
8’ Bourdon 
8’ Flûte à Fuseau 
8’ Viole de Gambe 
8’ Viole Céleste 
8’ Voix Céleste II 
8’ Flute Celeste II 
4’ Octave 
4’ Flûte Travesière 
2-2/3’ Nasard 
2’ Octavin 
1-3/5’ Tierce 
IV Petit Jeu 
16’ Posaune 
8’ 2ème Trompette 
8’ Hautbois 
8’ Cor d’Amour 
4’ 2ème Clairon 
Tremolo 
 
Fifth bay south triforium 
8’ Flûte d’Argent II 
8’–4’ Chœur des Violes V 
8’ Éoliènne Céleste II 
8’ Voix Humaine 
Tremolo 
 
SOLO Fourth bay north triforium 
8’ Diapason 
8’ Flauto Mirabilis II 
8’ Gamba 
8’ Gamba Celeste 
4’ Orchestral Flute 
VII Full Mixture 
16’ Corno di Bassetto (ext.) 
8’ Trompette Harmonique 
8’ French Horn 
8’ Corno di Bassetto 
8’ English Horn 
8’ Flügel Horn 
4’ Clairon Harmonique 
8’ Trompette en Chamade 
8’ Tuba Mirabilis 
16’ Posthorn (Gt) 
8’ Posthorn (Gt) 
Tremolo 

PEDAL First through fourth bays south triforium 
32’ Subbass (ext.) 
32’ Kontra Violon (ext.) 
16’ Contre Basse 
16’ Principal 
16’ Diapason (Gt) 
16’ Bourdon 
16’ Violon (Gt) 
16’ Violoncelle (Sw) 
16’ Gemshorn (Ch) 
16’ Flûte Courte (Sw) 
10-2/3’ Quinte (from Gr. Kornett) 
8’ Octave 
8’ Diapason (Gt) 
8’ Spitzflöte 
8’ Gedackt 
8’ Violoncelle Céleste II (Sw) 
8’ Flûte Courte (Sw) 
5-1/3’ Quinte 
4’ Choralbass 
4’ Cor de Nuit 
2’ Fife 
II Rauschquint 
IV Fourniture 
III Acuta 
IV Gross Kornett 
64’ Bombarde Basse (ext.) 
32’ Contra Bombarde 
32’ Contra Fagotto (ext.) 
16’ Ophicléide 
16’ Bombarde (Sw) 
16’ Fagotto 
8’ Trompette 
8’ Bombarde (Sw) 
8’ Posthorn (Gt) 
8’ Tuba Mirabilis (So) 
8’ Trompette en Chamade (So) 
4’ Clairon 
2’ Zink 
 
BRUSTWERK First bay north gallery 
8’ Spitz Prinzipal 
4’ Praestant 
2-2/3’ Koppel Nasat 
2’ Lieblich Prinzipal 
IV–VI Mixtur 
8’ Rankett 
 
POSITIV First bay south gallery 
8’ Nason Gedackt 
4’ Rohrflöte 
2’ Nachthorn 
1-3/5’ Terz 
1-1/3’ Larigot 
1’ Sifflöte 
IV Zymbel 
4’ Rankett (Brustwerk) 
Tremulant 
 
GALLERY PEDAL First bays north and south galleries 
16’ Gedacktbass (ext.) 
8’ Oktav 
8’ Nason Gedackt (Positiv) 
4’ Superoktav (ext.) 
4’ Rohrflöte (Positiv) 
16’ Rankett (Brustwerk) 
4’ Rankett (Brustwerk)