Magnificent State Trumpets At The Cathedral Of St. John The Divine In Celebration Of Easter

The glorious State Trumpets, a set of unique pipes of the Cathedral’s Great Organ, will be played for the first time in years at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Harlem to celebrate the Easter holiday.

Easter Holiday during the Great Vigil of Easter service on Saturday, April 20 at 7:00 PM and at the Festal Eucharist for Easter Day on Sunday, April 21 at 11:00 AM at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street) in Harlem, New York.

The State Trumpets were first installed in 1954 as a part of a larger project to enhance the Cathedral’s Great Organ, originally built in 1910. They were inspired by the Biblical reference to the sound of the silver trumpets in Solomon’s Temple and were created to reproduce the stunning effects of the Royal Trumpets in English cathedrals.

The 61 reed pipes, on 50-foot winds, are placed horizontally to project the tone down the great Nave of the Cathedral 500 feet from where the organ console and organist sit. The very high pressure was needed for the almost percussive articulation and fiery tone, characteristic of the straight, valveless trumpet. They are used on state occasions, such as when the Bishop enters the western bronze doors on Easter morning.

After the 2001 fire in the North Transept of the Cathedral caused heavy smoke damage to the Great Organ, the State Trumpets were removed as a part of a larger restoration effort. The restored trumpets were heard for the first time during the rededication of the Cathedral in November 2008. The Trumpets were removed again in 2013 for repair and restoration, and these events will debut their return.

Saturday, April 20 at 7 PM ET

Sunday, April 21 at 11 AM ET

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (at 112th Street), Harlem, New York