Dimnent Memorial Chapel

Hope College

Holland, Michigan

Skinner Pipe Organ

Opus 732

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Thanks to MaryAnn Balduf for this demon-stration with Dr. Lewis.

The main organ in the front of Dimnent Chapel was built in 1929. It contains forty-eight ranks of pipes making a total of 2,932 pipes in all. These are distributed over six divisions that are controlled by a console with four manuals and a pedal keyboard. The longest pipe is 16 feet long and about 16 inches square; the smallest pipe is about one-half inch long. The organ also has two percussion stops: a set of chimes and a mechanical harp. In 1963 it was cleaned, refurbished, releathered and regulated.

The Great, Choir and Pedal divisions are located in the chambers to the left, the Swell division is located in the chamber to the right and the Solo division is located in a chamber above the proscenium arch. The Echo section and the chimes are located in a chamber which opens in the southwest corner of the gallery. The action of the organ is electro-pneumatic and wind pressures range from 5 to 15 inches.

Several of the divisions reflect the goals of organ builders from the American Romantic period of the early 1900s, and boast numerous 8-foot (unison) stops. Such stops are intended rather to imitate instruments of the symphony orchestra than to function as members of the classic organ ensemble. Complete diapason and reed choruses are to be found on the Great and Swell divisions, however: these two divisions provide the full traditional manual ensemble of the instrument.

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