George Eastman's house, in Rochester, New York, is once again home to the world's largest residential pipe organ. A team of volunteers alongside Parsons Pipe Organ Builders—the same family and company that serviced Eastman's pipe organ decades ago–completed the reinstallation of the north organ in July with the support of Dr. Richard Zipf. The first public concerts take place September 21 and 22.
The new Aeolian organ totals 106 ranks and more than 6,000 pipes. While Eastman originally had 132 ranks, the organ has been operating for more than 50 years with fewer than half. When the 50-room residence was being converted to a museum in the late 1940s, a fire in the north organ chamber destroyed many of the pipes inside.
The new north organ and pipes, a donation from Dr. Richard Zipf from Sacramento, California, were transported across the country in April 2012 and housed for a year for servicing and assembling at Parsons Pipe Organ Builders in Canandaigua, New York—the family business is the same company that serviced the house pipe organ for George Eastman himself, decades ago. Zipf had been trying to find a new home for his Aeolian 1345. He decided not only to donate the ranks and pipes to Eastman House, but also to fund the removal of the organ from his home, transportation across the country, and the reinstallation at Eastman House.
George Eastman hired the Parsons Pipe Organ Builders in 1919 to service his Aeolian 1416 pipe organ. Bryant Parsons Jr., now in his 90s, has memories of accompanying his father to Eastman's home to service the organ. The Parsons company has annually tuned and repaired the south organ on Mondays when the museum is closed to the public.
"Having a role in the process of returning George Eastman's house organ to its original splendor has been a wonderful opportunity for our company," said Richard Parsons, president, Parsons Pipe Organ Builders. "Converting the organ chamber to its original purpose to house an organ designed for another mansion was not without its challenges. All organs have a way of teaching us something about the past and the people who shaped it, and this was certainly no exception. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with the staff and volunteers at George Eastman House and to help with this important part of Rochester's history."
A benefit concert to commemorate the Eastman House Aeolian Organ Renewal Project will be held on Saturday, September 21, and will be hosted by the Eastman House Council. The event begins at 7 p.m. with tours available of the north organ chamber and a screening of a short documentary about the north organ's journey from California and its reinstallation at George Eastman House. The concert will begin at 8 p.m., followed by a champagne and dessert reception. Tickets are $75 and will go on sale beginning August 15 at eastmanhouse.org/pipeorgan or 585/ 271-3361 ext. 249.
The first public performances of the new north organ will begin on Sunday, September 22. Recitals by various organists will take place on the hour from noon to 4 p.m., and are included with museum admission.
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