Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1919 — HUGE ORGAN WILL FURNISH MUSIC FOR METHODIST CENTENARY CELEBRATION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HUGE ORGAN WILL FURNISH MUSIC FOR METHODIST CENTENARY CELEBRATION

SHIMMERING, j pulsating strings; liquid, sparkling flutes; broad, dignlfied diapason*. militant, exultant trumpets and reeds from the plaintive vcfx human*; the conteijiplative orchestral oboe; the ni.t.iu French horri and the quaint to the massive, compelling sonorousness of the great 32-foot bombardo and its accompanying battery of brilliant tubas, comprise the tour divisions of the huge organ which being installed in the Coliseum at the exposition grounds for the Methodist Centenarv celebration to be h<l<t in Columbus, June .20 to July .13. The’ of gab Is being I>ui It uad or the direct supervision of W. J. Kraft, director of music at Columbia university. by Moller of Hagerstown, Md. It ’’ coat about SSO,O<W. instrument compares favorably, with the largest organs now in use,” said Professor Kraft. "It ismuch larger than the municipal organ at Portland, Met The organ has 98 stops, having as subdivision great, swell, choir, solo and echo. It will have the divisions of woodwind, -brass, strings, harp and chimes; It is my purpose t<s invite some d’s the leading - organists of the world to Come to the celebration and give recitals.” Mr Moller, builder of the organ, said: “I know of no organ in the country which has the power or so many modern appliances us that beifig built for the Centenary celebration. It will probably hold the record for being the largest organ used for any reiigio-HS gathering.” —— There are three -Separate blowing plants, requiring 25 horse-power, with centrifugal electric blowers and generators. The console is movable, being connected with the organ by a flexible cable, located immediately in front of the stage at the west end of the auditorium. The organ covers a floor space of 900 square feet and weighs approximately eight tons. The blowers furnich tJJitO cubic feet of air per minut*. Twenty-one miles of wire have been installed. The pipes range from three-quarters of an inch in length to 32 feet. I* planning the accompaniment for congregational singing... Jn an auditorium seating 10.000 people, the committee in charge of the preparatory

work saw that an orchestra would be ineffective, and that nothing would be. so peculiarly In keeping with the religious motive underlying the whole movement as the resonance power, beauty and spiritual .uplift which t would result from the use of an organ. This organ will furnish accompaniment of great mixed choruses rang-

Of Columbia University, Who Has Charge of Ail Music at the Centenary Celebration. ing from 500 to 1,500 voices, which will have part in the Centenary Celeofatibh. The work of installing its mechanism already is started and the I erm - of the contract call for completion by. May 1. Professor Kraft has invited some of the leading organists of t-he United Stated to display their skill on this organ during the progress of th* Centenary.

WILLIAM A. KRAFT