Better Pipe Organ Database

Holtkamp Organ Co. Opus 1680 (1955ca.)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Kresge Auditorium
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA

Images

2014 - Auditorium Interior with organ in side gallery (Photograph by Doctor Casino - Cambridge MA, submitted by Andrew Scanlon/Andrew Scanlon)

Between 1950 and 1955 - Exterior of Kresge Auditorium and MIT Chapel (Photograph from an archival source: Library of Congress, submitted by Andrew Scanlon/Andrew Scanlon)

before 2022 - Organ at side stage gallery (Photograph by TG Gallagher Engineers , submitted by Andrew Scanlon/Andrew Scanlon)

after 1956 - Krege Auditorium and MIT Chapel, both housing Holtkamp organs (Photograph from an archival source: MIT Website, submitted by Andrew Scanlon/Andrew Scanlon)

2010 - Organ and console (Photograph by MIT Website, submitted by Andrew Scanlon/Andrew Scanlon)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Non-Traditional Style, As Consoles by Holtkamp, Schlicker, et al
Console position: Console in Fixed Position, Center
3 manuals
41 stops
Key action Type: Electrical
Stop action Type: Electrical
Stop layout Type: Tilting/Rocking Tablets Above Top Manual
Pedal Type: Concave Radiating (Meeting AGO Standards)
Expression Type: Balanced Expression Shoes/Pedals (Meeting AGO Standards)
Combination action: Setterboard
Has combination thumb pistons
Has coupler toe pistons
Has tutti toe pistons

Notes

2008-12-22 - Identified through information published in John Ferguson's <i>Walter Holtkamp: American Organ Builder</i> (DMA treatise, Eastman School of Music, 1976). Although neither Votteler-Holtkamp-Sparling nor their successor Holtkamp Organ Co. assigned Opus numbers to their instruments, this organ was identified in factory documents as Job number 1680. That number appears here as the Opus number of this instrument. -Database Manager

2009-10-26 - Updated through on-line information from Zach Bjornson. -Database Manager

2009-11-10 - Updated through on-line information from Zach Bjornson. -Database Manager

2016-12-21 - Updated through online information from Jim Overly. <br>The organ is just barely usable. Several stops on the great organ and one stop on the pedals are 'always on' Many ranks are in need of tuning. There is a professional who is looking at the organ and I have heard word that MIT is considering doing a restoration. This was observed by myself as I played the instrument at the Cambridge Symphony concert in November. -Database Manager

Stoplist

Stoplist from Zach Bjornson. On-line update from Zach Bjornson. Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded

Pedal:    
16' Principal (32)    
16' Subbass (32)    
16' Quintadena (from Great)    
8' Octave (32)    
8' Gedackt (32)    
4' Choralbass (32)    
4' Nachthorn (32)    
III Mixture (96)    
32' Cornet (160)    
16' Posaune (32)    
16' Dulzian (from Great)    
8' Trumpet (32)    
4' Schalmey (32)        

Great:    
16' Quintadena (61)    
8' Principal (61)    
8' Flute (61)    
8' Gedackt (61) 
4' Octave (61)        T   
4' Spitzfloete (61)    
2' Doublette (61)    
1 1/3' Octave Quinte (61)    
IV Plein Jeu (244)    
16' Dulzian (61)    
8' Trumpet (61)        

Swell:    
8' Rohrfloete (61)    
8' Gambe (61)    
8' Vox Celsete (61)    
8' Dulciane (61)    
4' Octave Geigen (61)    
4' Bourdon (61)    
2' Flautino (61)    
1' Piccolo (61)    
III Cymbal (183)    
8' Fagott (61)    
4' Clarion (61)    
8' Vox Humana (61)    
Vox tremulant        

Positiv:    
8' Copula (56)    
4' Prestant (56)    
4' Rohrfloete (56)    
2 2/3' Nazard (56)    
2' Octava (56)    
2' Flute (56)    
1 3/5' Tierce (56)    
III Fourniture (168)    
8' Cromorne (56)        

Great-Pedal    
Swell-Pedal    
Positiv-Pedal    
Swell-Great    
Positiv-Great    
Swell-Positiv

[Received on line November 10, 2009]