Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done marvelous deeds. —Psalm 98:1
1885 H. L. Roosevelt Pipe Organ
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The Roosevelt Family of New York State, noted for producing two presidents, also produced two brothers who were well known in the music world. Hilborne and Frank Roosevelt operated the Roosevelt Organ Works from 1872 to 1893. Hilborne is especially remembered as having made great advances in organ design and improved tonal quality, hallmarks of organ building in the early 20th century.
In 1887 the Roosevelt Organ Works installed an organ at St. Dominic's Church, tuning it especially for the superb acoustics of its intended space. Even now, it is tonally unchanged more than a century later, thus making it a rarity among the very few surviving Roosevelt organs left today. Originally it was a tracker organ but in the 1920's the tracking action was replaced by an electro-pneumatic action. Around this same time the pipes were reconfigured from a tall narrow case to instead conform to the shape of the Rose Window (that Rose Window shows St. Cecilia surrounded by six angels playing cymbals, viola, lute, trumpet, and harps).
In 1887 the Roosevelt Organ Works installed an organ at St. Dominic's Church, tuning it especially for the superb acoustics of its intended space. Even now, it is tonally unchanged more than a century later, thus making it a rarity among the very few surviving Roosevelt organs left today. Originally it was a tracker organ but in the 1920's the tracking action was replaced by an electro-pneumatic action. Around this same time the pipes were reconfigured from a tall narrow case to instead conform to the shape of the Rose Window (that Rose Window shows St. Cecilia surrounded by six angels playing cymbals, viola, lute, trumpet, and harps).
Click below to read about the history of the Roosevelt Organ at St. Dominic Church as it was published in the Organ Historical Society Organ Atlas 2011, Washington, D.C. (published by OHS Press).
To read about the plans for the ongoing renovation, restoration, and maintenance of the Organ, click the button below.
Special guest Ben LaPrairie playing the Roosevelt Organ at the end of Adoration for St. Dominic Young Adults on Thursday, July 19, 2018
