Cleveland, Ohio

Severance Hall


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Builder:        Skinner Organ Company
   Year:        1929
   Opus:        816
   
No. manuals:    4
No. stops:      86
No. ranks:      94
No. pipes:      6,025

Specification

            GREAT ORGAN (8" wind)                    SWELL ORGAN (6" wind)
        16' Double Diapason      61              16' Melodia              73
         8' First Diapason       61               8' Diapason             73
         8' Second Diapason      61               8' Rohrflute            73
         8' Third Diapason       61 (in CH)       8' Salicional           73
         8' Harmonic Flute       61               8' Voix Celeste         73
         8' Gedeckt              61 (in CH)       8' Flauto Dolce         73
         8' Viola                61 (in CH)       8' Flute Celeste (TC)   61
         8' Erzähler             61 (in CH)       8' Echo Gamba           73
     5 1/3' Quinte               61               8' Echo Gamba Celeste   73
         4' Octave               61               4' Octave               73
         4' Flute                61 (in CH)       4' Flute Triangulaire   73
     2 2/3' Twelfth              61               2' Flautino             61
         2' Fifteenth            61               V  Cornet              305
       VII  Chorus Mixture      427                    (12-15-17-19-22)
              (15-19-22-26-29-33-36)              V  Mixture             305
        IV  Harmonics           244                    (15-19-22-26-29)
              (17-19-flat 21-22)                 16' Waldhorn (10" wind)  73
        16' Trumpet  (10" wind)  61               8' Trumpet  (10" wind)  73
         8' Tromba   (10" wind)  61               8' French Trumpet       73
         4' Clarion  (10" wind)  61               8' Oboe d'Amore         73
            Chimes               SO               8' Vox Humana           73
            High Pressure Reeds  SO               4' Clarion  (10" wind)  73
                                                     Tremolo
            CHOIR ORGAN (6" wind)                 8' Harp                 CH
        16' Gamba                73               4' Celesta              CH
         8' Geigen               73
         8' Concert Flute        73                  PEDAL ORGAN (6" wind)
         8' Gamba                73              32' Major Bass           32
         8' Dulciana             73              16' Diapason             32
         8' Dulcet II           146              16' Contra Bass          32
         4' Octave               73              16' Diapason             GT
         4' Flute                73              16' Bourdon              12
     2 2/3' Nazard               61              16' Melodia              SW
         2' Piccolo              61              16' Dulciana             32
     1 3/5' Tierce               61              16' Gamba                CH
     1 1/3' Larigot              61               8' Octave               12
       III  Carillon (12-17-22) 183               8' Gedeckt              12
        16' Fagotto              73               8' Cello                CH
         8' Orchestral Trumpet   73               8' Still Gedeckt        SW
         8' Orchestral Oboe      73               4' Super Octave         12
         8' Clarinet             73              IV  Mixture  (5" wind)  128
            Tremolo                                    (10-12-flat 14-15)
         8' Harp (TC)            --              32' Bombarde (20" wind)  32
         4' Celesta (10" wind)   61 bars         32' Fagotto  (10" wind)  12 CH
                                                 16' Trombone (15" wind)  12
            SOLO ORGAN (10" wind)                16' Waldhorn             SW
         8' Flauto Mirabilis     73              16' Fagotto              CH
         8' Gamba                73               8' Tromba               12
         8' Gamba Celeste        73                  Chimes               SO
         4' Orchestral Flute     73
        16' Corno di Bassetto    73
         8' Tuba Mirabilis (18") 73
         8' French Horn    (18") 73
         8' English Horn         73
         8' Corno di Bassetto    73
         4' Tuba Clarion   (18") 73
            Tremolo
            Chimes               25 tubes


Source: Jonathan Bowen; further clarification by Allen Kinzey

Notes: (The following is from the organ 2001 dedication program.) The organ was originally installed in 1931 in a large catwalk area high above the stage; a huge trapdoor at the top of the stage was the means by which the organ's sound would reach the audience. Needless to say, the installation was not successful and the organ was rarely used between 1932 and 1958.

At the insistence of music director George Szell, a new stage shell was erected in 1958 to improve the hall's acoustics. While vastly enhancing the sound, the shell effectively entombed the organ and compromised its voice even further, although louvered slats were installed to enable speakers in the rear wall of the shell to broadcast its sound out to the audience.

Though inadequate, this new electronic transmission method was used sporadically until 1976. After 1976, small portatives and electronic [organs] were utilized for repertoire that required an organ. The last piece performed on the Norton Memorial Organ was Berlioz's "Te Deum" in April 1976.

In January 1997 the Musical Arts Association Board of Trustees endorsed plans for a major renovation and expansion of Severance Hall, including $2 million for relocation and restoration of the organ. Jack M. Bethards, president and tonal director of Schoenstein & Company in San Francisco, guided the initial planning and served as the Orchestra's organ consultant throughout the project.

The Schantz Organ Company was contracted to do the work, which began in 1997. The new organ chamber occupies the space directly behind a new facade of non-playing pipes, one level above and behind the stage. The work was completed at the end of 2000.

Organ Historical Society Database: https://pipeorgandatabase.org/OrganDetails.php?OrganID=7271