West Point Cadet Chapel

The Military Academy Cadet Chapel at West Point (New York) is a Protestant church building for the United States Military Academy. It contains the largest by number of rows of pipes organ in the world in a religious building.

History

The Cadet Chapel was built of granite in the Neo-Gothic style by Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson and completed on 12 June 1910.

The stained glass windows were designed by Willet Studios (Philadelphia ). The large window in the chancel is the motto of the Academy " Duty, Honor, Country " (Eng. "Duty, Honor, Country " ) labeled. The remaining windows were donated by various graduates vintages.

Vault

Altar

View of the western facade

Equipment

Organ

The Cadet Chapel was awarded its first organ in 1911. The instrument had 38 pipe ranks on three manuals and pedal, and was built by the American company Möller. The first organist was Frederick Mayer, a close friend of George Ashdown Audsleys.

Since 1911, the instrument was expanded. All extensions of the organ were donated alumni and individuals and are based on designs by the organist Mayers and George Audsleys.

The first minor enhancements began in 1913. A first major expansion took place in 1923, as the instrument with an Orchestral division was equipped. 1927 Viol division was added with 12 ranks of pipes. Another major expansion occurred in 1930 with the Harmonic division. In 1951, the organ had 213 rows of pipes.

The organ system today has 380 ranks of pipes (about 23,500 pipes ). It is thus - as measured by the number of rows of pipes - the largest organ in the world in a religious building and after the organ in the Atlantic City Convention Hall and the organ of Wanamaker Department Stores, the third largest organ ever. The instrument is still being expanded.

The organ system is distributed over several sites ( Transept Organ, Chancel Organ Left, Right, Chancel Organ, Echo Organ, Nave Organ ). She has a total of 303 registers, of which it is transmitted at 177 to register extendierte, and at 130 The complex has several " divisions", ie Manual to works that are associated with a specific manual. This " division " (including the " Orchestral division", which " Viol division" ) are found especially in the two Chancel organ.

The instrument is played by a viermanualigen game table, which is erected in the choir room. The registers rockers are located on both sides of the table in 10 superimposed rows.