From Organ Database Builders editor Stephen Hall, October 18, 2019. —
The following excerpts from a news article at least establish that Strauss was active in the 1960s. It is not stated in the article, but is implied that the company also did the 2002 refurbishment.
The 1923 Beman organ in the Spencer Presbyterian Church was custom built for the church building and is the only pipe organ the church has had. The church was built (1913-1914) without a specific plan for an organ. There was a cramped space in the side of the choir loft that the Beman Company was allotted to build the organ. It is a two manual, electric action pipe organ with eleven stops and chimes enclosed in one separate department for expression. The organ body [case] is made of solid black walnut and the outside finish of light oak. The keys are of walrus ivory. The organ “spoke” through an oak lattice grill structure, which is still in place. In May of 1923, the organ was completed and installed. The A.R. Strauss Organ Company of Ithaca, who had been maintaining the organ, was requested, in 1967, to upgrade the instrument by adding several ranks of pipes. The organ was refurbished in 2002, with solid-state electronics, the wind chest rebuilt, and the “midi” (musical instrument digital interface) installed
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From Organ Database Builders editor Stephen Hall, October 18, 2019. —
A.R. Strauss is the business name of Arthur Richard Strauss (Builder ID=5976).
A.R. Strauss advertised in The Tracker in the 1970s, but only with a business card ad that had minimal information.
A.R. Strauss is listed in the Manta and Freeinfo business directories as an organ service firm in Ithaca, New York, Manta states that the firm was established in 1960.
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