The St. Mark Organ

In 1914 a generous gift from Miss Amelia Eichelberger and Mrs. Ann Maria Zouck resulted in the purchase of a new organ for the growing congregation. With specifications developed by Miss Carolyn Cram, FAGO, organist and choir director of St. Mark, the firm of J.W. Steere and Son of Boston, Massachusetts, was awarded a contract to deliver a new four manual pipe organ to the congregation as a replacement for church’s existing Hook and Hastings organ. This was the first four-manual organ in any church in Hanover.

1914 -- Creation of the new organ is contracted, replacing the Hook and Hastings organ.

1957 -- The Steere organ is restored in the shop of the M.P. Möller & Co. of Hagerstown, Maryland, where it spent several months undergoing tonal and mechanical restoration. The project consltant was Virgil Fox.

1958 -- The new organ was played for the first time on Christmas Eve.

February 1959 -- Dr. Fox played the dedicatory recital, and returned in 1968 for his last performance in Hanover.

May 1995 -- the organ undergoes a complete rebuilding, accompanied with some tonal additions.

Since that time, seven stops totaling an additional nine ranks and 634 pipes have been added to the instrument, including the 8’ Festival Trumpet. Named the “Hellyecian Trumpet,” this commanding stop speaks on 12 inches of wind-pressure from Echo division in the Chancel.

In 2010, rewiring the entire organ and installing a solid-state relay system, as well as a new, four-manual and pedal console, was completed. The ivory manuals from the 1958 Möller console were also refurbished and installed in the new console. Other highlights of phase one include: the rebuilding and relocation of the Celesta or “Harp” stop that has been disconnected for several years, relocation of some great and pedal stops, recomposition of the Mixture III in the Great division, the addition of an 8’ Erzähler Celeste and 16’ Metal Bourdon in the Great organ, and digital additions to extend four existing pedal stops into the 32’ range.

In 2017, phases two and three are being completed which consist of the installation of a new wind chest and additional stops being added to the Choir division.

HEROIC PROPORTIONS: selected works for organ

International Concert Organist Felix Hell's newest Organ CD featuring the St. Mark Lutheran Church Organ from Hanover, PA.

Hear our church organ come to life and resonate under the skilled hands of a true modern day master. Felix Hell has performed organ concerts all around Asia, Europe, and the United States winning various awards and accolades.

This CD recorded here at St. Mark includes:

Johann Sebastian Bach - Prelude and Fugue BMV 552

Cesar Franck - Piece Heroique

Samuel Barber - Adagio

Eric R. Stewart - Sonetto

Healey Willan - Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue

Each CD is available at the cost of $18.00. You can call the Church office at 717-637-8904 to order your own copy (a shipping and handling charge of $3.00 may apply unless you arrange to pick it up in person).

1-12 electronic, 13-32 from 16’ Open Diapason

1-12 electronic, 13-32 from 16’ Bourdon

1-12 electronic, 13-32 from Choir, 16’ Gamba

32 pipes

(from Great)

(from Choir)

(from Swell)

12 pipes – ext., 16’ Diapason

12 pipes – ext., 16’ Bourdon

(from Choir)

(from Swell)

32 pipes

12 pipes – ext., 16’ Diapason

(from Swell)

12 pipes – ext., 5 1/3 Quint

(derived)

1-12 electronic, 13-32 from 16’ Posaune

1-12 electronic, 13-32 from Swell, 16’ Bassoon

32 pipes

(from Swell)

12 pipes – ext., 16’ Posaune

(from Great)

(from Swell)

12 pipes – ext., 16’ Posaune

Four-manual, moveable, draw knob console.

Console shell is of white oak; stop jambs are of walnut.

Manuals are of ivory covered naturals and ebony sharps.

Pedal board is of maple naturals and ebony sharps.

Peterson ICS-4000 control system w/piston sequencer, programmable crescendos, and tuttis on each level.

15 general and 6 divisional pistons on each level of memory.

Generals 1-10 duplicated on toe studs.

Pedal divisionals on thumb pistons and toe studs.

Reversible thumb and toe pistons for pedal couplers, 32’s, cymbelstern, tuttis.

Reversible toe piston for harp dampers.

Great to Choir transfer, all swells to swell, previous/next (thumb and toe).

5 level volume control on chimes.

Full complement of unison, sub, and super couplers, plus divisional and coupler cancel pistons.

Individual expression shoes for each division, plus crescendo shoe.