During this year 2022 two important new organs have been completed by Fratelli Ruffatti in the U.S.
The organ at St. Katharine of Siena RC Church in Wayne, Pa. is a three-manual, 37-stop instrument, featuring two twin movable consoles, on the balcony over the main entrance and at nave floor level. The Great, Swell and Pedal are located over the balcony, while the Positiv is divided at the sides of the main altar. In keeping with the church architecture, the design is clean and modern.
The main portion of the instrument, over the rear balcony
The Positiv division
Detail of the console. The control panel features a touch-screen
The second instrument is located in the Chapel of Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a two-manual organ, but in spite of its relatively moderate size it is designed to be more flexible in its use than many of its three-manual counterparts.
A notable and not-so-common feature is the division of the Grand-Orgue into two sections, unenclosed and enclosed. Each section is equipped with its own separate set of sub and super couplers and a Unison Off. The unusual possibility of applying intramanual couplers and Unison Off only to a few stops , and of using them in conjunction with other non-coupled stops within the same manual, offers new and exciting possibilities. The console controls also include a Grand-Orgue Enclosed to Expressif Transfer, which can separate the two Grand-Orgue sections in a single motion, canceling the stops drawn on the first manual and transferring them to the second. The two Grand-Orgue sections, now located on separate keyboards, can be used in dialogue, one against the other. Or the enclosed Grand-Orgue stops can be used together with the stops of the second manual, which are also under expression.
Versatility is vastly increased by the high efficiency of the expression enclosures, which utilize innovative devices to increase volume control.
The console displays a user-friendly touch-screen. By a simple touch the organist can jump from one icon to the next to access different functions. The icons are many, but all are intuitive to put any organist at ease from the first experience.
The casework is of classical design, but with a contemporary touch, blending the classical style with features that belong to the 21st century. It is finished with a white lacquer and enriched by 24-carat gold leaf accents.
The new organ at Notre Dame Seminary, New Orleans
24-karat gold leaf decorations (detail)
The console, made of American Black Walnut
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