Felix Schoenstein, opus 7, 1890

 A fine instrument with German romantic traits, this is the only surviving intact organ by the founder of the Schoenstein company.
 

Stop list

Great 58 notes

Open Diapason 16’ (tc)

Open Diapason 8’

Stopped Diapason 8’

Gamba 8’

Principal 4’

Hohlflute 4’

Twelfth 2 2/3’

Fifteenth 2’

Mixture II-IV (Cornet)

Trumpet 8’

Swell 58 notes

Melodia 8’

Salicional 8

’Viola 8' [tc]

Geigen Diapason 8’

Octaviant 4’

Concert Flöte 4’

Gemshorn 2’

Oboe 8’

Cornopean 8’

Tremolo

Pedal 30/32 notes

Open Diapason 16'

Bourdon 16'

History

The organ was built for St. Markus Lutheran Church in San Francisco in 1891 by Felix F. Schoenstein, founder of the Schoenstein & Co organ building firm. He was trained in Germany and came to work for Joseph Severin Mayer, pioneer California organ builder, in 1868. Opus 7 is his last remaining instrument, intact enough to show his original intention.

The organ was moved in 1940 to St. Peter’s & Paul church in San Francisco, electrified and combined with parts of another organ. In 1986 the organ was removed and replaced with a new Schoenstein organ designed to adequately fill the vast space. Opus 7 was made available to St. Markus once again, but they could not carry out their intentions to have the instrument restored.

The instrument was removed from long term storage in 2019 and stored in our shop. All pipes have been inventoried, cleaned off and stored in clean trays.

Inventory and Description

The quality of the pipework is very high, showing a clear influence of German romantic style. The Great mixture is scaled as a Cornet and contains a 17th rank. One important stop is missing, the Great Trumpet 8’, and should be reconstructed.

There are three manual slider wind chests, two for Great and one for Swell. Three box reservoirs with single fold bellows on top, one spring loaded serving as preliminary reservoir and Pedal reservoir, one for Great and one for Swell. Two keyboards, black walnut jambs, compass CC-a3. Original stop knobs with engraved ivory labels.

The instrument can be rebuilt as a two- or three-manual tracker organ restoring the original chests, bellows, keyboards and stop knobs. The case can be newly constructed, or one can be selected from our inventory. Installation behind an existing case front may also be possible.

A grant of 50,000$ is available from the Schoenstein company, depending on the nature of the project.