Coral Ridge Organ FL

The magnificent sanctuary organ of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is among the most televised of musical instruments.

The organ at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church was constructed by the Italian organ-builder Pierro Ruffatti. With its dynamic sounds and visual beauty it has led countless millions in the singing of God’s praise and has been heard around the world through the broadcasts of the Coral Ridge Hour.

After being delivered to America in two massive shipments, the organ was installed and completed in 1974. The specifications and overall design of the organ were conceived by the church’s organist, Diane Bish, in collaboration with Mr. Ruffatti. With nearly 7,000 pipes arranged in 117 ranks, the Ruffatti was the largest European-built organ in the United States at the time of its installation.

The pipes are separated into seven different divisions playable from a new five-manual console built in 1989 by the Rodgers Instrument Corporation. The new console has complete Midi capability as well as 32 memory levels. Four sets of “en chamade” (horizontal) trumpets highlight the installation, including an 8-foot Italian-Spanish trumpet as well as 16-foot and 4-foot trumpets on the main organ.

From the Antiphonal division, a large 8-foot Trompette de Fete is used for festive fanfares and in solo against the full organ. The pipes are housed in a beautiful white organ case with gold-leaf trim. Accenting the Positive division is a cymbelstern in the shape of a gold star.




2004 expansion

In 2004 a project was undertaken to greatly expand the organ, adding many new orchestral and percussion stops. The Walker Technical Company of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, renovated the console, installing new computers to control the organ. Digitally sampled ranks were used for the new Solo, Etherial, and Celestial divisions. Additional stops were also added to the Great, Choir, Swell, Positive and Pedal. To the original 117 pipe ranks, 61 new digital ranks have been added, giving the organ a total of 178 ranks.

DISPOSITION

of the Coral Ridge Organ

The Ruffatti Organ - built in 1974.

GREAT (Chancel center)
Super sample
Tremulant
8’ Trumpet Walker
8’ Trompette 8 (Trp) Ruffatti
16 Fagot 16’ Walker
1 1/3’ IV Mixture 1 1/3 Ruffatti
2’ III-IV Fourniture 2 Tidwell
2’ III-IV Grave Mixture Walker
2’ Blockflöte 2’ Ruffatti
2’ Fifteenth 2’ Ruffatti
Cornet III Ruffatti
4’ Flûte Octaviante 4’ Walker
4’ Spillflöte 4’ Ruffatti
4’ Octave 4’ Ruffatti
4’ Prestant 4’ Tidwell
4’ Principal 4’ Ruffatti
8’ Flûte ouverte 8’ Ruffatti
8’ Bourdon 8’ Ruffatti
8’ Flûte harmonique 8’ Tidwell
8’ Gemshorn 8’ Ruffatti
8’ Principal 8’ Ruffatti
8 Montre 8’ Tidwell
8’ Diapason 8’ Walker
16’ Montre 16’ Ruffatti
Chimes (so) Walker
Harp (so) Walker
Orchestral Harp (so) Walker
Minor Bells Maas-Rowe
Flemish Bells Maas-Rowe
Symphonic Carillon Maas-Rowe

CHOIR (Chancel left)
Super
Unison
Sub
Tremulant
4’ Clairon Ruffatti
8’ Vox Humana Walker
8’ Clarinetto Ruffatti
8’ Bombarde Ruffatti
2/3 IV Tierce Mixture Ruffatti
2’ III Rauschquinte Ruffatti
1 3/5’ Tierce Ruffatti
2’ Waldflöte Ruffatti
2 2/3’ Nazard Ruffatti
4’ Nachthorn Ruffatti
4’ Principalino Ruffatti
4’ Spitzprincipal Tidwell
8’ Holtz Gedeckt Ruffatti
8’ II Erzähler Walker
8’ Viola Celeste Ruffatti
8’ Viola Ruffatti
8’ Celestial Chorus V (cel) Walker
8’ Principal Walker
16’ Violone Walker
Celesta Maas-Rowe
Harp Maas-Rowe

POSITIVE (Chancel center)
Super
Unison
Sub
Tremulant
4’ Musette Ruffatti
8’ Rohrschalmei Walker
8’ Krummhorn Ruffatti
8’ Trompeta Réal Ruffatti
8’ Trompette de Féte Ruffatti
16’ Dulzian Ruffatti
1/4' III Zimbel Ruffatti
1/2' IV Scharf Ruffatti
1’ Sifflöte Ruffatti
1 1/3’ Quintflöte Ruffatti
2’ Octave Ruffatti
2 2/3’ Sesquialtera Ruffatti
4’ Koppelflöte Ruffatti
4’ Prinzipal Ruffatti
8’ Holzgedeckt Ruffatti
8’ Quintadena Ruffatti
8’ Prestant Walker
Zimbelstern Ruffatti
Carillon (eth) Walker

CELESTIAL (Narthex)
8’ Anthropoglassa (vox humana) Walker
8’ II Voix des Anges (flute) Walker
8’ III Voix de Vivian (string) Walker
8’ Cor de Nuit Walker

TROMPETERIA (Chancel)
4’ Clarion Ruffatti
8’ Trumpet 8’ (Gt) Walker
8’ Trompette Ruffatti
8’ Trompette en Chamade (16’) Ruffatti
8’ Trompeta Réal Ruffatti
16’ Double Trompette Ruffatti

ANTIPHONAL (Narthex)
Super
Sub
Unison Off
1 1/3’ II-IV Mixture Tidwell
2’ Fifteenth Ruffatti
4’ Octave Ruffatti
8’ Spitzflöte Celeste Ruffatti
8’ Spitzflöte Ruffatti
8’ Principal Ruffatti
8’ Trompette de Fete Ruffatti
Echo Chime (eth) Walker
Carillon Walker
Echo Zimbelstern Walker


SWELL (Chancel left)
Super sample
Sub
Unison Off
Tremulant
4’ Clairon Ruffatti
8’ Voix Humaine Ruffatti
8’ Hautbois Ruffatti
8’ Cornopean Walker
8’ Trompette Ruffatti
8’ Trompette de Fete (Ant) Ruffatti
16’ Contre Trompette Ruffatti
1’ IV Acuta Ruffatti
2’ V Plein Jeu Ruffatti
2’ Octave Ruffatti
2 2/3’ Flute in XII Ruffatti
4’ Flauto Veneziano Ruffatti
4’ II Viole Celeste Walker
4’ Geigen Octave Ruffatti
4’ Principal Tidwell
8’ II Flute Celeste Walker
8’ Rohrflöte Ruffatti
8’ II Voix Celeste Walker
8’ Viole Celeste Ruffatti
8’ Viole de Gambe Ruffatti
8’ Geigen Principal Ruffatti
8’ Diapason Walker
16’ Rohr Gedeckt Ruffatti
16’ II Contre Gambe Walker
8’ Flemish Bells Maas-Rowe
8’ Minor Bells Maas-Rowe
8’ Symphonic Carillon Maas-Rowe

SOLO (Chancel center)
Super
Sub
Unison Off
Tremulant
8’ English Horn Walker
8’ Orchestral Oboe Walker
8’ French Horn Walker
8’ Flugel Horn Walker
8’ Corno di Bassetto Walker
8’ Tuba Mirabilis Walker
4’ Orchestral Flute Walker
8’ Doppelflöte Walker
8’ II Cello Celeste Walker
Orchestral Chimes Walker
Glockenspiel Walker
Tower Chimes Walker

PEDAL (Chancel)
4’ Clairon (8’) Ruffatti
8’ Trompette Ruffatti
8’ Trompette de Fete (Ant) Ruffatti
16’ Contre Trompette (Sw) Ruffatti
16’ Posaune Walker
16’ Bombarde (32’) Ruffatti
32’ Contre Basson (Sw) Walker
32’ Kontre Posaune Walker
32’ Contre Bombarde Ruffatti
64’ Bombardon Walker
2 2/3 Mixture VI Ruffatti
2’ Flute Ruffatti
Aliquot Ruffatti
4’ Nachthorn Ruffatti
4’ Choral Bass (8’) Ruffatti
8’ Gedeckt Walker
8’ Flute Ruffatti
8’ Octave Ruffatti
16’ Principal (32’) Ruffatti
16’ Rohr Gedeckt (Sw) Ruffatti
16’ Montre (Gt) Ruffatti
16’ Open Wood Walker
16’ Contre Gambe II (Sw) Walker
16’ Subbass Ruffatti
32’ Untersatz Ruffatti
32’ Violone Walker
32’ Prestant Ruffatti
4’ Bourdon Bells (8’) Maas-Rowe
8’ Bourdon Bells Maas-Rowe

ETHERAL (Narthex)
Super
Tremulant
4’ Clarion Walker
8’ Trumpet Walker
16’ Fagotto Walker
2’ IV Plein Jeu Walker
4’ Harmonic Flute Walker
4’ Principal Walker
8’ Bourdon Walker
8’ II Viole Celeste Walker
8’ Principal Walker
16’ Flauto Basso Walker

ANTIPHONAL PEDAL (Narthex)
Super
16’ Posaune (Eth) Walker
16’ Voix de Vivian III (Cel) Walker
16’ Flauto Basso (Eth) Walker
16’ Spitzbass (Ant) Ruffatti

Organ Cathedral de Segovia Spain by José Echevarria 1702

Segovia Cathedral contains organs by José Echevarria and his son Pedro, builder in 1702 of the 31-stop organ Epistle organ in the Cathedral of Segovia, Spain, it was joined in 1772 by an identically cased Gospel organ on the opposite side.

The organs display the thrilling sounds of the horizontal reeds for battle music galore, interspersed with milder sounds.







Rick Berg and Sally Lewis play the two organs in the Cathedral of Segovia, Spain. This was from second movement of the Concerto for two organs by Antonio Soler.




Batalla Imperial for Organ composed by Juan Bautista José Cabanilles



A batalla is a piece, in which a military battle is illustrated and in which the organist can use the characteristic reed stops of Spanish organs

Performed by E. Power Biggs at the Cathedral de Segovia (date unknown)

Photos courtesy of Martin Doering from die-orgelseite.de and other public sources

Juan Bautista José Cabanilles (September 6, 1644 in Algemesi near Valencia -- April 29, 1712 in Valencia) was a Spanish organist and composer at Valencia cathedral. He is considered by many to have been the greatest Spanish baroque composer, and is sometimes called the Spanish Bach.
He probably began his musical career as a singer in a choir of a local church. Later he studied to become a priest in the cathedral at Valencia, which included lessons in music. On May 15, 1665, at 20 years of age, he was named the assistant organist of the cathedral. A year later, upon the death of his predecessor, he became the principal organist. On September 22, 1668 he was ordained as a priest. He kept his position as principal organist for 45 years, but from 1703 on his health often necessitated that a substitute be found. From 1675 to 1677 he also took charge of teaching the children in the cathedral choir.
Many of Cabanilles's compositions are virtuosic and advanced for their time. The majority of his manuscripts are kept in the Biblioteca de Catalunya in Barcelona. Numerous compositions for organ (tientos, toccatas, passacaglias, and other works) have survived, as well as a number of works for choirs of up to 13 parts.

The marvellous cathedral is located in the higher point of the town, standing out as watchtower the tower of the temple. It was built after the fire of the former Romanesque cathedral that took place in 1520 during Carlos V´ s reign. It is 105 meters length by 50 meters wide and 33 meters height in the major nave. It is a three naves temple with three side chapels in the transept, semicircular presbytery and ambulatory.
It has three entrances: in its main facade is located the Puerta del Perdón (Door of Forgiveness), by Juan Guas; in the Southern façade the Puerta de San Geroteo (St Geronteo´ s door) and the Puerta de San Frutos (San Frutos´ door).

Inside, the major altarpiece is sculpted with marbles, jaspers and bronze, and it houses the Gothic image of Nuestra Señora de la Paz. There are 23 chapels with interesting works of art, the impressive major altar, and the exceptional organ, still used, among other elements. It also includes artistic and historic treasures distributed around the temple. In the Cathedral Museum we can find excellent works of art, such as silversmith´ s craft pieces, tapestry, documents, etc.