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Æolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts was an American builder of a large number of
pipe organs The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...
from its inception as the Skinner Organ Company in 1901 until its closure in 1972. Key figures were Ernest M. Skinner (1866–1960), Arthur Hudson Marks (1875–1939), Joseph Silver Whiteford (1921-1978), and G. Donald Harrison (1889–1956). The company was formed from the merger of the
Skinner Organ Company Æolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts was an American builder of a large number of pipe organs from its inception as the Skinner Organ Company in 1901 until its closure in 1972. Key figures were Ernest M. Skinner (1866–1 ...
and the pipe organ division of the
Æolian Company The Aeolian Company was a musical-instrument making firm whose products included player organs, pianos, sheet music, records and phonographs. Founded in 1887, it was at one point the world's largest such firm. During the mid 20th century, it surpas ...
in 1932.


Skinner period

The Skinner & Cole Company was formed in 1902 as a partnership of Ernest Skinner and Cole, another former Hutchings-Votey employee. By 1904 the partnership had dissolved, and the "Ernest M. Skinner & Company" purchased the Skinner and Cole assets, in the form of the contract for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in New York CityOpus 113, 190
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Organ History
(Accessed 25 Dec 2010)
from the former company for $1. Between 1904 and 1910, the firm produced approximately 30 instruments, including several new instruments of Skinner's design, in the 60- to 80-stop size range. By 1912 the firm had perfected the "Pitman Windchest" to a state of simple technical elegance. (A "wind chest" is the large box, normally built of wood, upon which the sound producing pipes are "planted", and which contains the valves and mechanisms which control the wind supply to the pipes.) The Pitman chest allows the air to be held constantly pressurized, directly at the valves located beneath each of the thousands of pipes, which increases responsiveness to the player, and eliminates noise and other problems found with the "Ventil"-style chests, which apply wind only when a stop is drawn. Virtually all major builders of electro-pneumatic action organs, including M. P. Möller, W. W. Kimball (both firms now defunct), Schantz, and Reuter, use some form of the Pitman windchest to this day, although most have only recently begun to credit Skinner with the design and subsequent refinements that make it an industry benchmark. Skinner also developed and perfected numerous parts of the "actions" for the instruments, as well as the Whiffletree Shade Motor, a mechanical device that moves the expression shades in a smooth, fluid motion without the "slam" that often accompanies mechanical expression shade controls. This allowed the instruments to provide quick and responsive control of the expression (volume) levels of the different parts of the instrument. In 1914 the Skinner Organ Factory company moved into a new factory building in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston at Crescent Avenue and Sydney Street."Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1757 Skinner Organ"
''Dorchester Historical Society'', April 5, 2012
Whitney, Craig R.
''All the Stops: The Glorious Pipe Organ and Its American Masters''
PublicAffairs, Perseus Books Group, 2004. Cf
p.65
/ref>


Harrison period

G. Donald Harrison joined the Skinner firm in July 1927, and slowly began to influence how Skinner organs were built. After several years of conflict between Ernest Skinner and Arthur Marks, Harrison was appointed Vice-President and Tonal Director of Æolian-Skinner in 1933. The company’s tonal philosophy continued to turn from the romantic-style orchestral instruments built under the direction of Skinner to a classically eclectic style. Organists began to look to the past to find direction for the future, and in doing so they found that they were in sympathy with the ideas being developed by Harrison. These ideas included the provision of smaller-scaled diapasons, along with more higher-pitched and mutation stops in place of large-scaled unison diapasons, color reeds and flutes. During Harrison's tenure from 1933 until his death in 1956 (while doing tonal finishing on the organ at St. Thomas Church, New York City, which was completed by Arthur Birchall after Harrison's death), the tonal design of Æolian-Skinner organs changed a great deal, but retained and perfected many of Ernest Skinner's mechanical innovations. The company used Skinner's Pitman windchest, for example, throughout its existence. Also the high quality and distinctive design details of the Æolian-Skinner console were preserved. Notable instruments built or rebuilt during the Harrison period include (date, consoles/ranks): *New Haven, Connecticut:
Trinity Church on the Green Trinity Church on the Green or Trinity on the Green is a historic, culturally and community-active parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut in New Haven, Connecticut, of the Episcopal Church. It is one of three historic churches on the Ne ...
(1935, III/78) *Boston, Massachusetts: Church of the Advent (1935, III/77 ) *Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Northrop Auditorium Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium (commonly known as Northrop Auditorium or simply Northrop) is a performing arts venue at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is named in honor of Cyrus Northrop, the university's second presi ...
Opus 892C (1936, IV/102) *Groton, Massachusetts: Groton School (1935, III/95) *San Francisco, California: Grace Cathedral Opus 910 (1933, IV/125)G. Donald Harrison signature organ. *New York, New York: Church of St. Mary the Virgin (1942, IV/76) *Salt Lake City, Utah:
Mormon Tabernacle The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in the U.S. state of Utah. The Tabernacle was built from 1863 to 1875 to house meetings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
(1948, V/204)G. Donald Harrison Signature organ * St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Mt. Kisco, New York (1952) G. Donald Harrison signature organ *Boston, Massachusetts: Symphony Hall (1949, IV/80) G. Donald Harrison signature organ *Boston, Massachusetts:
The First Church of Christ, Scientist The First Church of Christ, Scientist is the administrative headquarters and mother church of the Church of Christ, Scientist, also known as the Christian Science church. Christian Science was founded in the 19th century in Lynn, Massachusetts ...
Opus 1203 (1952, IV/241 ) *Jacksonville, Illinois:
MacMurray College MacMurray College was a private college in Jacksonville, Illinois. Its enrollment in fall 2015 was 570. Founded in 1846, the college closed in May 2020. History Although founded in 1846 by a group of Methodist clergymen as the Illinois Confer ...
Annie Merner Chapel (1952 Opus 1150, IV/59) – G. Donald Harrison "signature" organ? Needs to be referenced against records according the Aeolian-Skinner archives via the organ historical society. Information according to pipe organ database sites that this organ was built during the Harrison era but there is no proof that it is indeed a G. Donald Harrison signature organ. *New York, New York: Cathedral of St. John the Divine (1953, IV/141)Opus 150-A first organ to have the state trumpet. G. Donald Harrison signature organ *Ithaca, New York:
Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
Sage Chapel Sage Chapel is the non-denominational chapel on the campus of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York State which serves as the burial ground for many contributors to Cornell's history, including the founders of the university: Ezra Cornell and A ...
(1940, III/69) *Rock Hill, South Carolina:
Winthrop University Winthrop University is a public university in Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was founded in 1886 by David Bancroft Johnson, who served as the superintendent of Columbia, South Carolina, schools. He received a grant from Robert Charles Winthrop, ...
Opus 1257 (1955, IV/78) G. Donald Harrison signature organ *Rochester, Minnesota: St Marys Hospital Chapel (1932) *Seymour, Connecticut: Seymour Congregational Church, Opus 1262 (1955)


Whiteford period

After Harrison's death in June 1956, former Vice President Joseph S. Whiteford was appointed President. Whiteford joined the company in 1948 and had distinguished himself through research in the field of musical
acoustics Acoustics is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration, sound, ultrasound and infrasound. A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician ...
as it relates to church music. Under his direction, Æolian-Skinner built pipe organs for five of the foremost symphony orchestras in America. His love for vocal music led him to emphasize the role of the organ in accompanying singing. He had a charismatic personality that was well suited to the prestige of the Æolian-Skinner name. In fact, his personal involvement secured major contracts that were directly commissioned without competing bids. His tonal work was not without criticism, including from within the company- e.g. Donald Gillett's unhappiness with Whiteford's "string quartet Greats". For more information see Dr Charles Callahan's book ''Aeolian-Skinner Remembered''. ''Notable instruments from the Whiteford period include:'' *Detroit:
Ford Auditorium Ford Auditorium was a 2,920-seat auditorium in Detroit, Michigan built in 1955 and opened in 1956. Located on the Detroit riverfront, it served as a home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) for more than 33 years and was an integral part of th ...
(1957, III/71). Dismantled immediately prior to the auditorium being demolished in 2011. The organ will be installed in St. Aloysius Catholic Church in downtown Detroit. *Westminster, Maryland: Baker Memorial Chapel (1958) *Independence, Missouri:
RLDS Auditorium The Auditorium (formerly the RLDS Auditorium) is a house of worship and office building located on the greater Temple Lot in Independence, Missouri. The Auditorium is part of the headquarters complex of Community of Christ which also includes th ...
(1959, IV/113) *Honolulu: St. Andrew's Cathedral (1960, IV/72) *Ypsilanti, Michigan: Eastern Michigan University Pease Auditorium (1960). Still in full working order and used for regular performances. *New York City: Church of the Epiphany (1962) *Atlanta: Cathedral of St. Philip (1962, IV/98) *New York City:
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, Philharmonic Hall (1963, IV/98). Removed and incorporated into the
Crystal Cathedral Christ Cathedral (Latin: ''Cathedralis Christi''; Spanish: ''Catedral de Cristo''; Vietnamese: ''Nhà Thờ Chính Tòa Chúa Kitô''), formerly and informally known as the Crystal Cathedral, is an American church building of the Diocese of Or ...
(now Christ Cathedral) organ, Garden Grove, California. After the Whiteford's resignation in 1966, John J. Tyrell, Donald M. Gillett, and Robert L. Sipe served as president until the company ceased operations in 1972.


Aeolian-Skinner Records

Beginning in 1954, Aeolian-Skinner produced a series of LP records titled ''The King of Instruments''. These LPs are devoted to the tone and history of the modern organ. Volume 1, ''The American Classic Organ'', contains a descriptive discussion written over both sides of the LP cover by Tyler Turner and Joseph Whiteford on the beginnings of the American classic organ. The five recorded sections on the record, with G. Donald Harrison as narrator describing the five selections, are "I-Principles", "II-Flutes", "III-Strings", "IV-Reeds", and "V-Mixtures and Mutations". Organ demonstrations come from the Aeolian-Skinner organs of St. John the Divine, Symphony Hall, St. Paul's Cathedral (Boston), and First Presbyterian Church, Kilgore, Texas. *Volume 1: "The American Classic Organ" *Volume 2: "Organ Literature-Bach to Langlais" *Volume 3: "Organ Recital" – Robert Owen, Christ Church; Bronxville, New York *Volume 4: Edgar Hilliar at St. Mark's; Mount Kisco, New York *Volume 5: "Music of Richard Purvis" – Grace Cathedral; San Francisco, California *Volume 6: "The Cathedral of St. John the Divine" Alec Wyton-Organist *Volume 7 "Marilyn Mason in Recital" St. John's Chapel; Groton, Massachusetts *Volume 8: "Norman Coke-Jephcott at St. John the Divine *Volume 9: "The Mother Church; Boston, Massachusetts" –
Ruth Barrett Phelps Ruth Barrett Phelps (October 21, 1899 - August 30, 1980) was an American organist whose career included both theatre organ and church performance. Biography Ruth was born on October 21, 1899 in Albany, New York. She studied under a number of wel ...
*Volume 10: "Music of the Church" – Organ and choir recital at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Kilgore, Texas *Volume 11: "Henry Hokans at All Saints" (Worcester, Massachusetts *Volume 12: "Pierre Cochereau at Symphony Hall" (Boston, Massachusetts *AS313: "Organ Music and Vocal Solos" – Ruth Barrett Phelps and Frederick Jagel, tenor, at The Mother Church, Boston *AS315: "Catharine Crozier Program I" – RLDS Auditorium, Independence, Missouri *AS316: "Catharine Crozier Program II" – RLDS Aufitorium, Independence, Missouri *AS317: "Phillip Steinhaus" – organ of All Saints Church, Pontiac, Michigan *AS318: "Two Great Organs" Albert Russell, organs of Philharmonic Hall, New York, and Asylum Hill Cong. Church, Hartford, Connecticut *AS319: "Duruflé Requiem" Albert Russell and choir *AS320: "John Weaver Playing Liszt and Mozart" – Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, New York *AS322: "Maurice and Marie-Madeleine Duruflé" – organ of Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis, Missouri *AS323: "Ronald Arnatt" – organ of Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis, Missouri *AS325: "Clyde Holloway" – organ of National Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC *AS327: "Robert Anderson in a Program of 20th Century Music" – organ of Zumbro Lutheran Congregation, Rochester, Minnesota *AS328: "Robert Anderson in a Program of 19th Century Music" – organ of Zumbro Lutheran Congregation, Rochester, Minnesota *AS329: "Robert Anderson in a Program of 18th Century Music" – organ of Zumbro Lutheran Congregation, Rochester, Minnesota *AS 306: Ruth Phelps at the Mother Church; Boston, Massachusetts *AS 322: Maurice and Marie-Madeleine Duruflé at Christ Church Cathedral; St. Louis, Missouri *AS 326: Alexander Boggs Ryan at the Cathedral of Christ the King; Kalamazoo, Michigan *ASC 501: "Two Great Organs" Albert Russell, organs of Philharmonic Hall, New York, and Asylum Hill Cong. Church, Hartford, Connecticut (Ampex reel-to-reel tape) *ASC 502: Catharine Crozier at the RLDS Auditorium, Independence MO (No. 1309, 1959) – Program I (Reubke, Langlais, Roger-Ducasse, Alain) (Ampex reel-to-reel tape) *ASC 503: Catharine Crozier at the RLDS (Community of Christ) Auditorium; Independence Missouri (Ampex reel-to-reel tape)


References

{{reflist *Callahan, Charles (1990). ''The American Classic Organ: a History in Letters''. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society. *Callahan, Charles (1996). ''Æolian-Skinner Remembered: a History in Letters''. Minneapolis: Randall M. Egan. *Holden, Dorothy (1985). ''The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner''. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society. *Owen, Barbara (1990). ''The Mormon Tabernacle Organ: An American Classic''. Salt Lake City: The American Classic Organ Symposium. *Ochse, Orpha (1975). ''The History of the Organ in the United States''. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.


External links


JOURNEYS; Old Pipes, Heavenly View: A Search for Musical BlissÆolian-Skinner history, timeline, and opus listsThe Riverside Church, Nave Organ
- see nr 11 *Two Unusual Organ Concert

Pipe organ building companies Defunct companies based in Massachusetts Musical instrument manufacturing companies based in Boston