Rochester on Track to Become Pipe Organ World Capitol
By: Cierra Putman
Updated: July 22, 2012
Rochester is trying to become the pipe organ capitol of the world, and the Eastman School of Music and EROI or the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative say they're on track to make it happen.
The goal is to get Rochester a pipe organ from every country and musical period.
"I would say with another four, four to five (more) organs," Mark Austin with the Eastman School of Music said.
Christ Church just got the newest addition to a citywide collection. In the sanctuary sits large pipes from a 19th century Hook and Hastings Romantic Pipe Organ.
"Hook and Hastings was noted for just really exceptional craftsmanship in building pipe organs,"
It's originally from Portland, Maine and was built in 1893.
A few hundred pipes have already been put in place but there are more than 1600 pipes in the organ. Some of the smallest are thinner than a pen and make a very high pitch sound. The biggest looks like a brown box and is 16 feet long.
In total, the Eastman School of Music and the EROI have brought about 30 organs to Rochester.
"Organs from France, England and Germany and America," Austin said. "We're just trying have a beautiful example of every style and every period."
The Memorial Art Gallery and Rochester churches house the instruments. Pipe organs that make beautiful music and teach.
The Hook and Hastings Romantic Pipe Organ should be completed in a month. It will have a grand showing in late November.
