Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio
1877 E. & G.G. Hook and Hastings, Boston, opus 869
(Stoplist: Larry Chace (rlc1@cornell.edu) (specs posted on 2 May 1993))

NOTES from Larry Chace


According to Thomas Murray, this was "the largest Hook organ built in the 19th 
century and quite possibly the largest 19th century organ by any American builder."

The Pedal 32' Open Diapason was partially in the case, decorated with carvings and 
painted embellishments.  The key action was Barker lever.

The organ was rebuilt by Austin in 1923, reusing most of the flue pipes and some of 
the reeds; it is not clear whether or not Austin replaced the windchests.  The organ 
was removed in the 1970s and its parts were dispersed.  "The Tracker" for Spring 
1965 has the Austin specification.

A somewhat smaller but similar organ is extant at Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston, 
opus 801 from 1875.  That organ was fitted with a second- hand theatre organ console 
(!) and electro-pneumatic pull-down action around 1930.  The church has started a 
project to restore the organ: Cathedral Organ Restoration Fund, 75 Union Park Street, 
Boson, MA, 02118. A CD is available (also through the OHS) of Leo Abbott playing 
after some of the most critial repair work was started: SK-519.  There is also a very 
interesting LP from Thomas Murray, "The Boston Masterpieces", AFKA S-3641.  On this 
recording, he plays a demo of this organ stop by stop with commentary.  It is a great 
way to hear each register individually. This LP was available through the OHS; I don't 
know if they still have it. (And since the Holy Cross organ is very much like the 
Cincinnati organ, the LP serves as a guide to both.)

On that record, the Great Acuta clearly has both Tierce and Septieme ranks (as Professor 
Murray says) and the several Cornet mixtures include Tierces.  It is true that Audsley 
gives a composition for the Cincinnati Acuta that includes only Quints and Octaves, 
but I believe that he does show Tierces in the Cincinnati Cornets.

Perhaps 18 years ago, Cullie Mowers and I visited Tom Cunningham, organ builder in 
Ohio, when he was having a big sale to dispose of his organ business.  I bought the 
Great Viol d'Amour and the Swell 5-rank Mixture; we also saw the 7-rank Cymbale, the 
Bell Open Diapason, and the Stentorphone. (Tom had purchased much of the pipework when 
the Hook/Austin was removed from the Music Hall.)  I still have the Viol d'Amour and 
may use it in my residence organ.  I sold the Mixture to a local organ builder (*not* 
Cullie) for use as most of the Diapason chorus in a Hook replica that he was building.  
Sad to say, he left the State before finishing the job and before completely paying 
me for the mixture.  Recently, I saw an item in an organ magazine that suggests he may 
be doing (organ) business in a Southern state.  Sigh!

Larry Chace (also rlc1@cornell.edu) (specs posted on 2 May 1993)