Better Pipe Organ Database

Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. (1940ca.)

Harvard University: Busch-Reisinger Museum of German Culture
Cambridge, MA

Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)

Images

2009-03-15 - Building exterior (Photograph by Wikipedia, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

ca. 1937 - E. Power Biggs at the Aeolian-Skinner console (Photograph from an archival source: Courtesy of the Aeolian-Skinner Archives, submitted by Jeff Scofield/Jeff Scofield)

Consoles

Main

2 manuals
23 stops
25 registers
3 divisions
Key action Type: Electrical
Stop action Type: Electrical
Manual compass: 61 notes
Pedal compass: 32 notes

Notes

2004-10-30 - "Experimental organ. Entirely unenclosed on 2 1/2 inches of wind pressure. Loaned to Busch-Reisinger Museum (Adolphus Bush Hall), Harvard University. Altered in 1950. Sold to E. Power Biggs. Moved to Boston University; burned in 1971." -Database Manager

2007-03-05 - Updated 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: On loan from the factory; used by E. Power Biggs on CBS Radio broadcasts; altered in 1950. Sold to E. Power Biggs when replaced by Flentrop in 1957. -Database Manager

2016-05-22 - Updated through online information from Anthony Fountain. I believe Harvard either sold or donated this instrument to Boston University after acquiring the present Flentrop organ. It was installed in the Concert Hall of the School of Music at 855 Commonwealth Avenue, where it served until destroyed by fire in the early '70s, set, it was noised, by a disgruntled campus radical during a period of unrest. The late Dr. Max Miller, Music Director of Marsh Chapel at BU in those days, told me he was able to salvage some of the 16' pipes from the instrument and had them added to the Casavant Organ in the chapel. I have no documentation to prove any of this, but do remember Max Miller telling me about it. You might want to contact someone at BU to see if they have any information in their files that confirms what I've written here. I'd love to hear if you have any success. Good luck! -Database Manager

Stoplist

From Allen Kinzey via The Aeolian-Skinner Archives Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard University - Busch-Reisinger Museum of German Culture

Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc.   Opus 951   1936
2 manuals, 23 stops, 30 ranks
________________________________________________________________________

           HAUPTWERK (Manual I)               POSITIV (Manual II)
       16' Quintade (TC)   49              8' Koppelflöte     61
        8' Principal       61              4' Nachthorn       61
        8' Spitzflöte      61          2 2/3' Nasat           61
        4' Principal       61              2' Blockflöte      61
        4' Rohrflöte       61          1 3/5' Terz            61
    2 2/3' Quinte          61              1' Sifflöte        61
        2' Super Octave    61            III  Cymbel         183
       IV  Fourniture     244              8' Krummhorn       61

           PEDAL
       16' Bourdon         32
        8' Principal       32
        8' Gedeckt Pommer  32
        4' Nachthorn       32
        2' Blockflöte      32
      III  Fourniture      96
       16' Posaune         32
        8' Trompete        12
        4' Krummhorn       PO


[Received from Steven E. Lawson  2014-09-12]

Documents

From THE AMERICAN ORGANIST March 1938 p.4 Description and commentary -Jeff Scofield
From THE AMERICAN ORGANIST March 1938 p.3 Description and commentary -Jeff Scofield
From THE AMERICAN ORGANIST March 1938 p.2 Stoplist, description and commentary -Jeff Scofield
From THE AMERICAN ORGANIST March 1938 p.1 D -Jeff Scofield
Write-up from THE DIAPASON May 1937, p.2 Description and commentary, p.2 -Jeff Scofield
Write-up from THE DIAPASON May 1937, p.1 Stoplist and description, p.1 -Jeff Scofield

Websites

Opus 951: Harvard University - Busch-Reisinger Museum - (Aeolian-Skinner Archives website) Stoplist, photograph (Check Internet Archive, archive.is)

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