Volume 55, Number 3, Summer 2011 THE TRACKER JOURNAL OF THE ORGAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY WELCOME TO CHICAGO! CHICAGO IS A WORLD-CLASS CITY that offers much to see and do—including fine dining, many museums, attractions, and events, and shopping. Allow time to savor the sights and sounds of this Come to vibrant city and make your convention trip truly un- forgettable! The 2012 Convention is presented by the Chicago-Midwest Chapter, which brought you the Chicago 2002 convention. We couldn’t fit all the wondrous organs and venues into just one convention—so make sure you don’t miss this opportunity to visit FOR OHS 2012 the City of Big Shoulders—and Big Sounds! July 8-13 † CITY OF BIG SOUNDS PHOTOS WILLIAM T. VAN PELT WHY CHICAGO? THE CONVENTION WILL COMPLETE what the 2002 con- vention started—demonstrating more of Chicago’s dis- tinguished pipe organs, from newer, interesting instru- ments that are frequent participants in Chicago’s music life, to hidden gems that have long been silent. The Convention events cover the length and breadth of the Chicago area, including northern Indiana venues, and include an evening boat cruise for viewing the mag- nificent Chicago skyline while you dine. PERFORMERS Recitalists include many of the Chicago area’s leading organists, along with artists familiar to OHS audiences from previous conventions. Many players have a Chicago connection, and the recit- als often feature younger players. CONVENTION ORGANS C.B. Fisk Casavant Frères, Limitée Hook & Hastings Hinners Organ Co. Skinner Organ Co. Wurlitzer Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co. Noack M.P. Möller W.W. Kimball Co. Wiener Wm. A. Johnson Estey Organ CONVENTION HOTEL CHICAGO MARRIOTT O’HARE 8535 West Higgins Road Chicago, IL 60631 THE HOTEL is conveniently located near O’Hare In- ternational Airport, and is 15 miles from downtown Chicago. A Chicago “El” train station is but a block away. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to and from O’Hare Airport. Rates $140, plus hotel sales tax of 14.9% On-site parking is $24 per day. ity o C f B e ounds i h S g T OHS 2012 C o hica g FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONVENTION CONTACT Dennis Northway, Convention Chair 773.764.5003 ~ [email protected] AND LOOK FOR OUR UPCOMING WEBSITE AT www.organsociety.org/2012 From the Executive Director the Tracker Volume 55, Number 3 SUMMER 2011 CONTENTS Dear Members and Friends of the OHS, from the 3 EXecutive director James Weaver Today I sit down to write these notes, having returned just yesterday from a three-day trip 12 The 2006 Restoration of to New Hampshire, where I visited a group the 1883 Thomas Prentiss of important archival holdings of the OHS. Sanborn Organ Michael Rathke Last fall, I saw our book collection housed in the Talbott Library at Westminster Choir 16 The Organs of College, Princeton, N.J. There, our archi- Bethany College vist, Bynum Petty, is overseeing continu- Kyle Johnson ing development of the collection of books and periodicals. It is an 18 FEATURE REVIEW elegant setting for the most complete collection, worldwide, of An American Bach Edition at Last books having to do with the history and development of the pipe Barbara Owen organ. The holdings in Enfield, N.H., are more mysterious, includ- EX Libris and ing important shop records of numerous American organbuilders, 27 Articles of interest ranging from check stubs to records of orders received and organs delivered, and gorgeous drawings of organs in their planning stages. IN THE TRACKER In Enfield, these treasures are housed in file cabinets, map draw- 28 50 Years Ago Scot L. Huntington ers and boxes, all covered with double sheets of plastic to keep them safe until the prince comes along to kiss the sleeping princess! They ARCHIVES CORNER are currently not accessible to researchers because there is no find- 30 Bynum Petty ing guide, and few amenities. Many scholars feel that these uncata- Historic Organ loged papers are the true gems of our collections because they offer 32 Citation 399 a view into the very heart of organbuilding in the United States, Allen Kinzey dating back to about 1900. The business records, check books, and ledgers are a goldmine of original material available to the histori- reviews 34 New Books and CDs ans of the future, and this material is unique. Two things are in the works: the American Organ Archives MINUTES Governing Board has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) that 40 Archives Governing Board invites qualified groups throughout the country to submit a pro- Endnotes posal that would bring all OHS archival holdings, shop records, and 44 books, together in one place. We hope that sometime in the near future it will be possible to consolidate the complete collection. The proposed relocation will allow the archivist opportunity to ex- ON THE COVER tend his current brilliant work of organization to the uncataloged T.P. Sanborn & Son organ in papers, making them available for serious students and scholars. St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Bloomington, A grant of $25,000 has been received from the Joseph G. Brad- Indiana. ley Charitable Foundation. This grant will be used specifically to digitize the collection of Skinner material, much of which will be Featured on page 12 PHOTO by WILLIAM T. VAN PELT vol. 55, no. 3 THE TRACKER 5 From the Executive Director continued available online, an exciting new direction that allows the We saw and played the oldest E.& G.G. Hook (1846) in Archives to share its rich holdings with countless num- Charlestown, N.H., a Hook & Hastings (1897) in Newport, bers of people, many not likely to have the opportunity an 1875 Hutchings, Plaisted in Woodstock, Vt., as well as a to visit the collection itself. Online sharing of resources is 1932 Estey player organ in Meriden, N.H. Also, in Wood- a very exciting development, pursued by premier collec- stock, we played a 1986 instrument by A. David Moore, tions around the world. We hope this gift will be the first and in his shop saw the parts of the 1834 Alley brought of many, allowing the OHS to develop its collections in a in for rebuilding from Newburyport, Mass. A great treat manner that places it in the front rank of American institu- for me, in Windsor, Vt., was to play the ca. 1826 Lemuel tions whose mission is to share holdings with a very broad Hedge/1868 S.S. Hamill organ that is known as “The OHS range of interested public, ranging from young enthusiasts Emblem Organ.” to the most seasoned historians. I guess what was amazing and humbling about these On a personal note, I have a framed reproduction of old instruments was their tonal beauty and the fact that one of the large Dom Bédos organ drawings from L’art du they were all working so very well. These instruments facteur d’orgues (The Art of the Organbuilder, 1766–78). are sturdy, their bellows leather is strong and flexible, It makes a grand statement on the office wall, but, in the and the winding is great. The tuning is amazingly good, OHS office it surely invites a companion piece of an Amer- and the musical value of these little instruments is simply ican organ—or two. When I visited the Enfield collection extraordinary. with long-time OHS member Ed Boadway, he pointed out I came away so happy (again) that I have joined an or- to me the great beauty of the drawings from the Aeolian ganization that maintains and celebrates All Pipes—All the Organ Company. I realize that these, like those of Dom Time! Bédos, are not only instructive, but wonderful works of I do look forward to our years of working together! art. One day, when we can copy them, I would love the opportunity to frame and exhibit such beautiful material. And finally, capping the visit to Enfield, my gener- Sincerely, ous and enterprising host, Ed Boadway, introduced me to a wonderful group of instruments that are found in his neighborhood. Jim Weaver A CALL FOR NOMInaTIONS FOR THE 2011 John Ogasapian Book Prize A caSH PRIZE OF $1,500 will be awarded by the Organ Historical Society for the most outstanding book related to the pipe organ pub- lished during the years 2008–2011. Books on the study of the pipe organ will be eligible, including the biographical, institutional, technical, cultural, theoretical, musi- cological, geographical and social approaches. The deadline for nominations is November 30, 2011. Nomination forms may be found on the OHS website. www.organsociety.org 6 THE TRACKER vol. 55, no. 3 NEW OHS MEMBERS The Legacy Society • FEBRUARY 11 – juNE 26, 2011 Herbert D. Abbott † Thomas Garbrick The Organ Historical Society welcomes its newest members. Anonymous John J. Geller Harold Anderson, Jr. Michael Maiden Rachel W. Archibald † Belmon H. Hall Jon R. Beveridge David Medow Freeman Bell William L. Huber † Henry Boon Bruce Menozzi Paul A. Bender Dana J. Hull David Broskowski Tomoko Akatsu Miyamoto Edgar A. Boadway Scot L. Huntington Diana Brownson Steven Monrotus Mrs. E. Power Biggs † Mark Jameson Ruth Burhop David Moon Paul Birckner David L. Junchen † Judy Croskey Brice Petersen Brian Buehler † Preston J. Kauffman † Richard A. Darne Scott Rainey Raimondo Alberto DiBona Jacob Reed Randell Franklyn Busby Forrest C. Mack † Jerrad J. Fenske Judith Roach John Rice Churchill † Earl L. Miller † Shogo Fujiyoshi Mako Rova John E. Courter, fago † Dennis E. Northway Shirley Gray Miah Han Robert Sharpe David P. Dahl Barbara Owen Gary V. Hanson Austin Paul Thomas Speaker Richard Ditewig Stephen L.