Better Pipe Organ Database

Skinner Organ Co. Opus 377 (1922)

Schenley High School: Auditorium
4101 Bigelow Blvd.
Pittsburgh, PA

Note: Not playable. (in this location)

Images

Unknown - Postcard aerial view (Photograph from an archival source: iheartpgh.com, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

Unknown - Auditorium interior to rear (Photograph by archive.triblive.com, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

Unknown - Auditorium interior (Photograph by pinterest.com, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

Unknown - Organ Facade Pipes, April 2012 (Photograph by James Hill/Database Manager)

Unknown - Auditorium Stage, June 2012 (Photograph by James Hill/Database Manager)

Unknown - Auditorium Exterior, April 2013 (Photograph by James Hill/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

3 manuals
34 stops
30 registers

Notes

2006-01-07 - Identified through information adapted from E. M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List, by Sand Lawn and Allen Kinzey (Organ Historical Society, 1997), and included here through the kind permission of Sand Lawn: With full automatic player attachment; designed by John Bell; no information. -Database Manager

2008-06-26 - Received via e-mail from Jim Stark: "Skinner opus 377 was mostly there last time I saw it -- 3 or 4 years ago. The console was still there, but is now probably gone. The player mechanism was raided many years ago. Frankly, I would rather save the building than the organ, but I don't think either is likely." -Database Manager

2011-07-25 - Updated through online information from James Hill. -- The Organ was destroyed in a fire that ravished the school auditorium in 1972; however, much of the pipework for the organ is still in place mounted in the auditorium walls. The school was closed by the Pittsburgh School District in 2008 due to severe maintenance problems, the school is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places so its remaining pieces are in no danger. -Database Manager

2013-09-13 - An original installation. Updated by A George Kohl, based on personal knowledge of the organ. -- This instrument is still located in the Schenley High School Auditorium as it was originally installed. It was damaged by a fire, but much of the pipe work and the console are still in place. The instrument is believed to be the only real pipe organ installed in a Pittsburgh Public High School. The "Automatic Player" was removed many years ago. The organ was maintained used into the mid 1950s. The Pittsburgh Board of Education granted graded music credits to students who were studying organ based on their performance for a jury once each year. Records were kept on each student and the students yearly progress was noted for consideration each year. The school was closed in 2008. It was sold by the Pittsburgh Board of Education to a development company: PMC - Robert Edelmann (Sp ?)for demolition in September, 2013. 2013. -Database Manager

2013-09-13 - Updated through online information from A. George Kohl. -- I played a jury on this instrument in 1952 for extra music credit at Taylor Allderdice High School. I have been promised an opportunity to take digital pictures of at least the unique console before the demolition of the building. -Database Manager

Stoplist

Stoplist from The Aeolian-Skinner Archives Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

     Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
     Schenley High School

     Skinner   Op. 377   3/33

     1922 (year of contract)
     ________________________________________________

     GREAT (Chamber 1)           CHOIR (Chamber 1)
  8' First Diapason   73      8' Concert Flute     73
  8' Second Diapason  73      8' Viole d'Orchestre 73
  8' Gross Flute      73      8' Voix Celeste      73
  8' Erzähler         73      4' Flute Harmonique  73
  4' Octave           73      2' Piccolo           61
  8' Tuba             73      8' Clarinet          73
  8' French Horn      73      8' English Horn      73
     Tremulant                   Tremulant
     Chimes           EC         Harp              SW
                                 Celesta           SW
     SWELL (Chamber 2)  
 16' Bourdon          73         ECHO (Chamber 3)
  8' Diapason         73      8' Gedeckt           73
  8' Rohrflöte        73      4' Flute a Cheminee  61
  8' Voix Celeste II 134      8' Vox Humana        73
  8' Spitzflöte       73         Chimes            25
  8' Flute Celeste    73
  4' Flauto d'Amore   73         PEDAL (Chamber 2)
III  Dolce Cornet    183     16' Diapason          32
 16' English Horn     73     16' Bourdon           32
  8' Cornopean        73     16' Gedeckt           SW
  8' Oboe             73      8' Major Flute (Diap)12
     Tremulant                8' Flute             SW
     Harp             61     16' English Horn      SW
     Celesta

[Received online from Jeff Scofield September 12, 2013]

Websites

Opus 377: Schenley High School - (Aeolian-Skinner Archives Web Site) Stoplist (Check Internet Archive, archive.is)