Campus & Community

Organ Study at Syracuse University

Monday, February 29, 2016, By Keith Kobland

This video highlights the organ program at the University, which resides at the Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Crouse College’s original organ was built by Frank Roosevelt in 1889 and rebuilt by the Estey Organ Co. of Brattleboro, Vt., in 1924. In 1948, Arthur Poister joined the faculty of Syracuse University and sought to acquire new instruments by Walter Holtkamp of Cleveland, Ohio, whose pioneering work led to the development of a new eclectic style of American organ that could handle a wide variety of 16th- to 20th-century repertoire.

Holtkamp reused a substantial amount of pipework from the Roosevelt organ, giving this instrument even greater flexibility than most of Holtkamp’s original instruments, with warm foundation stops suited to the performance of Romantic music alongside the clear, bright voice of the neo-baroque ranks. The new organ was dedicated on Nov. 13, 1950. The organ has 3,828 pipes and 20 chimes.

Organ Study at Syracuse University from Syracuse University News on Vimeo.