Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry [now Drexel University]: Main Building, Auditorium
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
Images
2023-10-14 - Solo Stop Jamb (Photograph by Matt Rakowski/Matt Rakowski)
2023-10-14 - Great and Orchestral Stop Jamb (Photograph by Matt Rakowski/Matt Rakowski)
2023-10-14 - Swell and Pedal Stop Jamb (Photograph by Matt Rakowski/Matt Rakowski)
2023-10-14 - Half of Swell Devision (Photograph by Matt Rakowski/Matt Rakowski)
2013-09-18 - Auditorium interior to rear (Photograph by Columbus Construction, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)
Unknown - Auditorium interior (Photograph from an archival source: Drexel Magazine, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)
Consoles
Main
- Organ type: Traditional With Roll Top
- Console position: Console in Fixed Position, Center
- 4 manuals
- 70 stops
- 93 registers
- 5 divisions
- Key action Type: Electrical
- Stop action Type: Electrical
- Stop layout Type: Stop Keys Above Top Manual
- Manual compass: 61 notes
- Pedal compass: 32 notes
- Pedal Type: Concave Radiating (Details Unknown)
- Expression Type: Balanced Expression Shoes/Pedals (Details Unknown)
- Has crescendo
- Combination action: Fixed Mechanical
- Has combination thumb pistons
- Has combination toe pistons
- Has coupler toe pistons
- Has tutti toe pistons
Notes
2004-12-21 - Information identifying this instrument from the Austin Organs, Inc. web site, accessed December 20, 2004: http://www.austinorgans.com/organ-research.htm. -Database Manager
2008-08-08 - Updated through online information from Steven Powell. -Database Manager
2008-11-10 - Updated through online information from Paul Marchesano. -- The organ was donated by Cyrus Curtis in 1928. It is originally reported to have 70 ranks. I thought some minor tonal changes occurred in the 1970s, but do not have documentation. -Database Manager
2011-02-16 - Updated through online information from Doug Backman. -Database Manager
2012-10-17 - Updated through online information from Alex Smith. -- Organ was altered in the 1970s by Fabry, and in the 1990s by Duddy. -Database Manager
2016-04-14 - Updated through online information from Bernie Kunkel.
The original pipework is now restored to the organ, on original toe holes, with the exception of the missing Vox Humana. The organ is also missing the original Chime action (replaced by electric action), the Solo Marimba, the Bass Drum, the Snare Drum, and the Turkish and Crash Cymbal. The original rectifier is present but has been superseded. -Database Manager
2023-10-02 - The instrument has sat unused for quite a while, with the rectifier, main blower, and high pressure blower still intact and working. The Universal wind chest is leaking significantly with some attempts to have it sealed with duct tape. The facade is now falling apart with most of the pipes dented, sagging, and bent. One of the facade pipes is missing its foot. Most of the toe studs are non-functional. The console vacuum and mechanisms for the combination action are still working and in use. Most of the pipework is intact and present with the exception of the 8' Vox Humana. The whole instrument needs a serious restoration and cleaning. The console, whilst mostly functional, needs cleaning and restoration. The facade needs restoration. -Matthew Rakowski
2023-10-17 - The 8' Vox Humana has been located and put back in the organ. Percussion traps are missing. The melodic percussion remains with exception of the Solo marimba. The high pressure blower has been taken offline.
The slow restoration of this instrument has now begun. -Matt Rakowski
Stoplist
Stoplist copied from <i>The Diapason</i> July 1927 and edited to fit alterations made. Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Drexel Institute, Main Bldg. Auditorium
Austin Op. 1548 1928 4/77
_______________________________________________________
GREAT (*encl in ORCH) SWELL
16' Dbl Open Diapason 61 16' Bourdon 73
8' 1st Open Diapason 61 8' Diapason Phonon 73
8' 2nd Open Diapason 61 8' Horn Diapason 73
8' 3rd Open Diapason 61 8' Violoncello 73
8' Grossflöte 61 8' Rohrflöte 73
8' Violoncello 61 * 8' Viole Celeste III 219
8' Doppelflöte 61 * 8' Viole d'Orchestre 73
8' Clarabella 61 * 8' Melodia 73
8' Gemshorn 61 * 8' Flute Celeste 61
4' Octave 61 8' Salicional 73
4' Hohlflöte 61 * 4' Principal 73
2 2/3' Twelfth 61 4' Harmonic Flute 73
2' Fifteenth 61 2' Flautino 61
III Mixture 183 * III-IV Mixture 232
16' Double Trumpet 61 * 16' Contra Fagotto 73
8' Trumpet 61 * 8' Cornopean 73
4' Clarion 61 * 8' Corno d'Amore 73
Snare Drum Strike (c) 8' Oboe 73
Snare Drum Roll (c) 8' Vox Humana 61 (a)
Chimes SO 4' Clarion 61
Tremolo
Sub
SOLO Unison Off
Super
16' Violone 73 String Organ (b)
8' Grand Diapason 73 Harp OR
8' Flauto Major 73 Celesta OR
8' Gross Gamba 73
8' Gamba Celeste 73 ORCHESTRAL
4' Flute Ouverte 73
2' Concert Piccolo 61 16' Contra Dulciana 61
16' Tuba Profunda 61 8' Violin Diapason 73
8' Tuba Magna 73 8' Concert Flute 73
8' Tuba Harmonic 12 8' Viole d'Orchestre 73
8' Orchestral Oboe 73 8' Viole Celeste 73
4' Tuba Clarion 12 8' Vox Celeste 61
Tremolo 8' Quintadena 73
Sub 8' Dulciana 12
Unison Off 4' Flute d'Amour 73
Super 4' Dolce 12
String Organ 2 2/3' Nasard 7
Chimes 25 2' Flageolet 61
Marimba 37 2' Dulcet 5
8' French Horn 73
PEDAL 8' Clarinet 73
8' Cor Anglais 73
32' Contra Bourdon 32 Tremolo
32' Resultant Bourdon -- Sub
16' Open Diapason 32 Unison Off
16' 2nd Open Diapason GT Super
16' 1st Bourdon 32 8' Tuba Magna SO
16' 2nd Bourdon 12 String Organ
16' Violone SO Harp OR
16' Dulciana OR Celesta OR
8' Octave 12 Marimba OR
8' Flauto Dolce 12
8' Violoncello 32
4' Super Octave Flute12
32' Contra Bombarde 32 STRING
16' Bombarde 12
16' Tuba Profunda SO 7 stops at 8' pitch *
16' Contra Fagotto SW
8' Tuba Harmonic SO
4' Tuba Clarion SO
* Playable on Solo, Swell and Orchestral; to be affected
by the couplers and combinations on the manual on which
it is drawn; 475 pipes
a) Tab replaced by 2 2/3' Twelfth. Vox Humana pipes and chest are still in
the organ.
b) Tab replaced by "Swell Mixture"
c) Percussion traps are missing.
[Received from Jeff Scofield October 16, 2014]
Documents
Related Pipe Organ Database Entries
Other Links
Regrettably, it is not possible to display the information about the sponsor of this pipeorgandatabase entry or if there is a sponsor. Please see About Sponsors on Pipe Organ Database.