New York City, New York
Philharmonic Hall
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Builder: Aeolian-Skinner Organ Co., Inc. Contract Year: 1959 Install Year: 1962 Opus: 1388 No. manuals: 4 No. stops: 89 No. ranks: 99 No. pipes: 5,727
Specification
GREAT ORGAN (3 5/8" wind) SWELL ORGAN (4 1/2" wind)
16' Kontra Geigen 61 16' Flute Courte 68
8' Prinzipal 61 8' Montre 68
8' Bourdon 61 8' Viole de Gambe 68
8' Spitzflöte 61 8' Viole Celeste 68
4' Octave 61 8' Flute Ouverte 68
4' Rohrflöte 61 4' Prestant 68
2 2/3' Quinte 61 4' Flûte à Pavillon 68
2' Superoktav 61 2 2/3' Nazard 61
2' Blockflöte 61 2' Octavin 61
IV-VI Mixtur 330 1 3/5' Tierce 61
III-V Zimbel 263 III Plein Jeu 183
III Kornet 183 III Cymbale 183
16' Fagott (in CH) 61 16' Bombarde 68
8' Trompette 68
CHOIR ORGAN (4 1/2" wind) 8' Basson 68
16' Gemshorn 68 4' Clairon 68
8' Viola Pomposa 68 Tremulant
8' Viola Celeste 68
8' Cor de Nuit 68 PEDAL ORGAN (5" wind)
8' Flauto Dolce 68 32' Kontra Geigen (ext GT) 12
8' Flute Celeste 68 16' Principal 32
4' Principal 68 16' Contre Basse 32
4' Flute Triangulaire 68 16' Bourdon 32
2 2/3' Rohrnasat 61 16' Kontra Geigen GT
2' Zauberflöte 61 16' Gemshorn CH
1 3/5' Terz 61 16' Flute Courte SW
1 1/3' Larigot 61 16' Holzquintade PO
IV Scharff 244 8' Oktav 32
8' Petite Trompette 68 8' Spitzflöte 32
8' Clarinet 68 8' Gemshorn CH
4' Fagott (ext GT) 31 8' Flute Courte SW
Tremulant 8' Bourdon 12
4' Choral Bass 32
POSITIV ORGAN (3" wind) 4' Spillflöte 32
16' Holzquintade 61 2' Spillflöte 12
8' Rohrflöte 61 IV Fourniture 128
8' Holzquintade 12 II Acuta 64
4' Koppelflöte 61 32' Kontra Posaune 12
2' Prinzipal 61 16' Posaune 32
1 1/3' Larigot 61 16' Bombarde SW
1' Sifflöte 61 16' English Post Horn BO
III Zimbel 183 16' Fagott GT
8' Krummhorn (4") 61 8' Trompete 32
4' Rohrschalmei (4") 61 8' Fagott GT
8' Krummhorn PO
BOMBARDE ORGAN (6" wind) 4' Klarine 12
VII Chorus Mixture 427 4' Rohrschalmei 32
16' English Post Horn 61 4' Krummhorn PO
8' Trompette Harmonique 61
8' English Post Horn 12
4' Clairon Harmonique 61
Tremulant
Source: Allen
Kinzey
Notes: Although originally slated to be installed
above the ceiling, the organ eventually found its home in a chamber
at the rear of the stage. Drawing from experience gleaned
from the two recent installations for
the Detroit and Philadelphia orchestras, Joseph Whiteford placed the organ
on a platform 12 feet above the stage in a chamber 50 feet wide, 11 feet
deep, and 27 feet high. As a result of these space restrictions, the
lowest 5 pipes of the wooden 32' Kontra Geigen were mitred.
The organ was separated from the hall by a fine wire mesh to which was attached
random-width wooden strips. When the stage lights were on, the organ
was not visible from the auditorium. When the organ was desired to be seen,
the organist had only to turn on the lights inside the
organ. The lighting was often altered to mirror the organ's
role in the music. Different divisions could be lit independently
or
the entire organ could be visible in all of its glory. The gold
lighting and the blue rear wall complimented the golden seats and
acoustical clouds of the hall.
The installation was originally slated for early 1962 so that the organ
might be used on opening night of the new concert hall on Sept. 23. However,
due to the delayed construction of the hall and several
labor disputes, the organ was not completed until 1963, forcing the Philharmonic
to use a two-manual Allen organ for the first season.
When finally installed, the Great division was in the middle of the organ, the
Positiv was slightly elevated to the right and the 32' Kontra Geigen could be
seen on the rear wall. The organ was flanked on the right by pipes of
the 16' Pedal Principal and on the left by the 32' Posaune. The three enclosed
divisions were behind these two ranks.
The organ was quite successful for some time, being described by Irving Kolodin
(Saturday Review) as being "By far the best musical sound ever heard
in Philharmonic Hall." When the hall was renovated as Avery Fisher
Hall in 1976, the organ was removed and sold to the Crystal Cathedral in Garden
Grove, Calif., to form the nucleus of their new five-manual Ruffatti organ.
Photo #2 Source: Fred Swann
Organ Historical Society Database: https://pipeorgandatabase.org/OrganDetails.php?OrganID=35680