The contract for the present organ in the Cathedral was signed with Knud Smenge of Melbourne in 1998.15 Described on the builder's nameplate as his Opus 50, the instrument is mounted on the east wall behind the sanctuary, so that the sound projects directly down the nave. Owing to limitations of space, the bulk of the organ is located fairly low, beneath the three east-facing lancet windows, with two tall towers flanking the sides of the windows.
The casework, of Tasmanian Oak, was designed by the architect, Robin Gibson. The console is movable and the action is entirely electric (including the swell mechanisms). This was unusual for Smenge, almost all of whose instruments were built using mechanical action. The consultant for the project was Dr Robert Boughen, at that time Organist of St John's Cathedral, Brisbane.
This is the second cathedral in Australia for which Knud Smenge has built an organ, the first being St George's Anglican Cathedral, Perth, for which he supplied two organs in 1993-94. The instrument at St Stephen's was Smenge's last before his retirement. It was blessed and officially opened on Sunday 29 October 2000, an organ recital having been given on the previous evening by Dr Robert Boughen.
The specification of the instrument is as follows:
GREAT
Bourdon
Principal
Rohrflute
Hohlflute
Gamba
Salicional
Octave
Harmonic Flute
Spitzflute
Octave
Mixture
Trumpet
SWELL
Bourdon
Hohlflute
Salicional
Voix Celeste
Principal
Spitzflute
Nazard
Waldflute
Terz
Mixture
Fagot
Harmonic Trumpet
Oboe
POSITIV [enclosed]
Gedackt
Spitzflute
Rohrflute
Principal
Nasat
Sesquialtera
Clarinet
Fanfare Trumpet
PEDAL
Untersatz
Subbas
Principal
Bourdon
Octave
Spitzflute
Bourdon
Choral Bass
Mixture
Bombarde
Fagot
Trumpet
Fagot
Oboe
COUPLERS
Great to Pedal
Swell to Pedal
Positiv to Pedal
Swell to Great
Swell to Positiv
Positiv to Great
Great to Positiv
Swell Sub Octave
Swell Super Octave
Positiv Sub Octave
Positiv Super Octave
Swell tremulant
Positiv tremulant
Great tremulant
Detached (movable) console
Electro-pneumatic action
Compass: 61/32
Radiating concave pedalboard
Cone tuning
Equal temperament
8 thumb pistons to Swell Organ
8 thumb pistons to Great Organ
8 thumb pistons to Positiv Organ
8 combination pedals to Pedal Organ
8 General thumb pistions
8 General combination pedals
Sequencer
Manuals I & II invertible
Both 'swells' available on one Swell Pedal.16
Some minor tonal finishing and adjustments to the electrics of the organ were carried out in 2001 by W.J. Simon Pierce.
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