St. Brigid Roman Catholic Church
The Martin Ott Pipe Organ
The St. Brigid organ was built by Martin Ott of St. Louis, Missouri and dedicated on October 3, 1993. It was made possible by the generosity of 276 donors. The 37-stop, 51-rank instrument was built in Gottingen, Germany and St. Louis, Missouri. With 2,536 pipes, it is the largest of its kind in San Diego and the largest ever built by Ott. The organ provides excellent resources for solo literature and choral accomplishment.
Tracker organs are mechanical, not electronic. Developed in Germany, they "live" for centuries; some 17th-Century instruments are still in regular use."Trackers" are long, narrow strips of wood linking the manuals (keyboards) to valves in the windchest. Pressing a key opens the corresponding valve, allowing air to enter the pipe and produce sound. Electrical power is used only to pull stops and supply the blower.
The organ was custom-made for this church and has been scaled and voiced to suit its acoustics. Pipes range in length from 3/8 inch to 18 feet. Pipe cases are made of American red oak, stained to a walnut finish, featuring gold-leaf embellishments in the shape of Celtic designs from the Book of Kells. The organ console holds three manuals and one pedal keyboard. The music rack contains a wood-inlay image of the cross of St. Brigid. The Relative Division hanging off the rail of the gallery contains nine ranks of pipes. That division enhances congregational singing during liturgies.
For further information, contact Director of Music Ministry, Jensine Nolan.Click here to Return to Parish Highlights page.
