First Church of Christ, Scientist, La Mesa

Pasi Organ Builders of Roy, Washington built the new organ for First Church of Christ, Scientists in La Mesa. It was custom-designed to inspire the congregation when singing hymns, to provide a variety of orchestrally-related stops useful in accompanying the vocal soloist, and to contain all of the essential tonal ingredients for performing a wide range of solo organ literature. The organ has 29 stops played from two manuals and pedal. The instrument has mechanical key action (tracker action) and electric stop action. An unusual feature is that the. key desk (console) is located more than 15 feet from the base of the organ case requiring the trackers to run beneath the central platform area. The organ contains about 1,450 pipes, most of which were made in the builder's shop. Several rows of pipes were reused from the previous pipe organ at this church, which was an Estey organ of the 1920s. Although the case and the tonal design of this organ are rooted in historical traditions, particularly the 19th century American "Vistorian" organ, the aim was to create a thoroughly modern instrument capable of playing a wealth of musical repertoire.