Our Flentrop Organ

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On the green in the quintessential New England town of Collinsville, Connecticut, is Christ Community Church.  In June of 1965, a flat-bed truck containing a pipe organ in a thousand pieces arrived at this historic landmark where the famous Dutch organ-builder, Dirk A. Flentrop, personally supervised the unloading and installation of his custom-made masterpiece. 

The construction and design of our Flentrop organ are based on classical principles including tracker-action which is a direct mechanical connection between the keyboard and the valve which admits air to the pipe.  A tracker-action organ is less expensive to build because it is less complicated; is much more trouble-free; and is quiet.  Through careful design and construction, the longevity of such fine organs is measured in centuries.  

High-quality materials were used in the construction of our Flentrop.  They included pipes of copper, tin, lead, and wood, as well as an organ case of African Mahogany in a simple, functional design.  The organ case, designed to project and focus the tone, is also an excellent piece of workmanship that enhances the beauty of our sanctuary. 

Pipe organs are usually described by the number of manuals (keyboards), then the number of stops (voices), and lastly the number of ranks (groups of pipes).  Our Flentrop has two manuals, 18 stops, and 28 ranks. 

As an unsurpassed instrument musically and mechanically, our Flentrop is one of the fine organs in New England, and is an inspiration to the musical life of our church.  It accompanies hymn-singing in spiritual ways; has soft, clear stops for choral anthems and soft responses; and is versatile for playing great organ literature, past and present.  It is a treasure to enjoy and to preserve for generations to come.

Thank you to Cheryl M. Scholes for this article