West Point Military Academy
Cadet Chapel's 4/380
Möller Church Pipe Organ

Founded in 1778 on the western banks of the Hudson River, the United States Military Academy at West Point is more than just the oldest and most preeminent military academy in the country. It is also a step back into American history.

More than 3 million visitors annually have seen pistols that belonged to George Washington and General George S. Patton Jr. at the West Point Museum, regimental battle flags going back to the Civil War, and the largest working church organ in the world at the Cadet Chapel.

The massive instrument was built by the M. P. Möller Company in 1911 and installed in the West Point Chapel that same year. Since then, much expansion has took place under the guiding hand of Frederick Mayer.

The organ in the Cadet Chapel at West Point Military Academy, NY, was built by Möller in 1911. Frederick C. Mayer, organist from 1911 to 1954, superintended a series of enlargements which, by 1951, left the organ with 213 ranks and 14,195 pipes.

Mayer acknowledged the influence of G.A. Audsley in his distinctive tonal design, which includes an unusual number of separate draws for the upperwork. Most of these registers are to be found in the 72-rank Harmonic division, with its choruses of loud and soft mutations.

The current West Point stoplist with a total of 874 speaking stops controlling 23,236 pipes, is bewildering in both its scale and its unique character, stamped as it is with the creative vision of a single-minded tonal architect.

Fellow Walnut Hill Wall of Fame member Paul Kealy sent in some photographs of this magnificent organ.

In the picture above, we are looking at the left stop sweep of the 4/380 Mighty Möller Church Pipe Organ.

In the picture above, we are looking at the right stop sweep of the 4/380 Mighty Möller Church Pipe Organ.

1. Legacies of Honor - Performed by Craig Williams.
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Legacies of Honor, by Bert Truax, was premiered in 1997 at the West Point Military Academy's magnificent Cadet Chapel, and was one of the first of the academy's bicentennial commissions. It pays tribute to three colorful figures in the Army's history; heroic bugler Calvin P. Titus, winner of the Medal of Honor during the China Relief Expedition; Louis Bentz, beloved class bugler of the 1st Artillery Corps, who was buried at West Point after 45 years of faithful service; and illustrious Civil War General Dan Butterfield, composer of Taps. The original version, recorded here, is for five trumpets, tympani, field drum and organ.

Bert Truax is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, and was a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra trumpet section from 1976 to 2000. He has been composing since 1978, and his Legacies of Honor was performed in Dallas by the Dallas Symphony, along with members of the Academy Band, during the fall of 1999.

Meredith Baker has been conductor of the Long Island Choral Society since 1979. Primarily a Church Musician, she has sung in choirs since the age of three, studied piano since 1956, organ since 1964, and held church positions since 1966.

She holds a number of professional degrees, a BM and MA both in organ performance from Queens College, CUNY, the Professional Studies Certificate in Church Music from Manhattan School of Music, and the Choirmaster and Fellow certificates obtained through examination by the American Guild of Organists. She is a charter member of the Delta Alpha chapter of the music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda.

Meredith has studied a number of additional instruments, and played in orchestras and bands throughout her school years. Flute, violin, bassoon were her primary instruments, with lots of additional work with the recorder family and some brass instruments. Her Catholic Cadet Choir at West Point performed during the Prelude at the Central Park Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II, for numerous Masses celebrated by the late Archbishop Cardinal O'Connor, for Archbishop Cardinal Egan, and for Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of the Military Ordinariate.

Miss Baker is a member of the Adjunct and Artist Music Faculty of Nassau Community College, Garden City. She was a member of the Liturgical Music Commission of the Archdiocese of New York from 1993 through 2001 and is serving in that capacity again. She also serves on the organ sub-committee of the LMC. She is frequently invited to play organ recitals in the metropolitan area and to provide workshops on organ technique and service playing, as well as choral warm-ups and repertoire.