Pipe Organ Database

Pipe Organs of Columbus OHS 2022: By 1973 the organ was in rickety condition, its mechanism failing, and with the Orgelbewegung in full swing, a decision to discard the Skinner was looming. Robert M. Turner of Turner and Associates, Hopewell, New Jersey, was retained on account of his reputation for recasting pipework of other Skinner organs as part of exciting new neo-French tonal schemes, a slowly emerging American organ trend. Turner’s 1976 proposal was executed: it would include new mechanicals and new, all electric-action wind chests. Meanwhile soon to be redundant Skinner voices were sold, and a crew from Hopewell arrived to remove items to be incorporated into the new organ. Once the salvaged elements were in Turner’s hands, the carcass of the Skinner mechanism met its fate. The huge Swell boxes, bearers, and case structure that had contained the Swell, Choir, and Solo Organs remained in place for reuse with the Turner organ.

Close to the reported end of the work in Hopewell, a fire of suspicious origin broke out in the shop and Turner subsequently declared bankruptcy. Three local organ enthusiasts, including Mr. Herzog, made a quick trip to New Jersey, hired a moving company, and in a goodwill gesture toward the cathedral “basically absconded with the organ” to avoid any further loss.

Over the next several months, specifications would evolve as Wicks compiled additional analysis of salvaged organ components. The inventory of items surveyed begs the obvious question: which did more damage to the Turner organ project in reality—the fire, or whatever underlying business issues existed that led to the almost simultaneous bankruptcy? Either way, the lack of completed organ work for the money already paid by the cathedral was disproportionate.

[ed. The result was the Wicks "rebuild" of this organ which sufficed until replaced by the Fritts organ.]

Updated through online information from James R. Stettner.

Identified through information adapted from E. M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List, by Sand Lawn and Allen Kinzey (Organ Historical Society, 1997), and included here through the kind permission of Sand Lawn:
Dedication recital by Edwin Arthur Kraft on April 18, 1923; replaced by 3/68 Wicks, #5667 in 1968.