Piping Up! The 1979 Casavant Organ of St. Peter’s Cathedral: A Historical Sound Reimagined

Episode 20 of Piping Up with Stephen Regec

Welcome to Episode 2 of our 8-part series, where we explore the grand and historic pipe organs of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, PA. In this episode, we feature the remarkable Casavant Frères Ltée Organ at St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton. This instrument, installed in 1979 as Casavant Opus 3414, is known for its majestic presence and versatile tonal capabilities, consisting of 52 ranks, three manuals, and over 2,770 pipes. This organ is a mechanical organ also known as a tracker organ. When you press a key it allows the player to have direct control to opening the pipe pallet.

In 1979, under the guidance of Bishop McCormick, this organ was installed at St. Peter’s Cathedral by Casavant Frères of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. Designed by Gerhard Brunzema, this instrument replicates the style and craftsmanship of 17th-century European organs, specifically those found in Holland and Germany. It is a free-standing organ, encased in oak. Its tracker action and historical design make it an extraordinary centerpiece of the cathedral’s musical tradition. With this unique instrument, the Cathedral organ provides both the power and precision required for liturgical music and organ concerts, offering a truly authentic sound experience.

It is notable to mention that this organ is one of the finest samples of an organ that is tuned in a historically well-tempered tuning called "Well-Tempered Valotti/Young". This tuning system, a variation of well-tempered tuning, was designed to reflect historical practices from 17th-century Europe, where organs in places like Holland and Germany would have used temperaments that allowed for greater tonal variety. With this system, certain keys sound more consonant while others retain slight tension, providing a richer, more expressive sound across the tonal spectrum. This authentic tuning brings out the organ’s unique character, allowing it to replicate the historical soundscapes of Baroque and early Classical music.

Our featured organist, Maria Zengion, takes the bench to showcase the incredible sound of this unique instrument. Maria, currently serving as the organist at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Scranton, has an impressive career in sacred music. Her expertise has led her to serve as an organist at numerous churches, including Grace Episcopal Church, Honesdale, and here at St. Peter’s Cathedral.

A graduate of Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, with a Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance, Maria was honored with the prestigious Alexander McCurdy Award for excellence. She continued her studies at The New England Conservatory of Music, earning a Master of Music in Organ Performance, with a focus on historical performance practice. In addition to her performance career, Maria has studied organ building, and apprenticing across the U.S., and has served as the Organ Curator for The Bethlehem Bach Choir since 2000.

Join us as Maria performs and brings the sounds of this historic organ to life in an unforgettable musical experience!

Channel Intro music is brought to you by Walker Technical Organ Company and Daniel Umholtz.

For more information about the organ visit: https://pipeorgandatabase.org/instrum...

For more information about the Cathedral visit: https://www.stpeterscathedral.org/