Philharmonic Hall
Lincoln Center, New York City
Æolian-Skinner, Opus 1388, 1963

Although originally slated to be installed above the ceiling, the organ eventually found its home in a chamber at the rear of the stage. Drawing from experience gleaned from the two recent installations for the Detroit and Philadelphia orchestras, Joseph Whiteford placed the organ on a platform 12 feet above the stage in a chamber 50 feet wide, 11 feet deep, and 27 feet high. As a result of these space restrictions the lowest 5 pipes of the wooden 32' Kontra Geigen were mitred.

The organ was separated from the hall by a fine wire mesh to which was attached random-width wooden strips. When the stage lights were on, the organ was not visible from the auditorium. When the organ was desired to be seen, the organist had only to turn on the lights inside the organ. The lighting was often altered to mirror the organ's role in the music. Different divisions could be lit independently or the entire organ could be visible in all of its glory. The gold lighting and the blue rear wall complimented the golden seats and acoustical clouds of the hall.

Installation was originally slated for early 1962 so that the organ might be used on opening night of the new concert hall on Sept. 23. However, due to the delayed construction of the hall and several labor disputes, the organ was not completed until 1963, forcing the Philharmonic to use a two manual Allen organ for the first season.

When finally installed, the Great division was in the middle of the organ, the Positiv was slightly elevated to the right and the 32' Kontra Geigen could be seen on the rear wall. The organ was flanked on the right by pipes of the 16' Pedal Principal and on the left by the 32' Posaune. The three enclosed divisions were behind these two ranks.

The organ was quite successful for some time, being described in by Irving Kolodin (Saturday Review) as being "By far the best musical sound ever heard in Philharmonic Hall". When the hall was renovated as Avery Fisher Hall in 1976, the organ was removed and sold to the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA to form the nucleus of the new five manual Ruffatti Organ.

Specifications in PDF Format
Printable Stoplist of the Organ

Great   Swell
16 Kontra Geigen 61 16 Flute Courte 68
8 Prinzipal 61 8 Montre 68
8 Bourdon 61 8 Viole de Gambe 68
8 Spitz Flote 61 8 Viole Celeste 68
4 Oktav 61 8 Flute Ouverte 68
4 Rohr Flote 61 4 Prestant 68
2 2/3 Quinte 61 4 Flute a Pavillon 68
2 Superoktav 61 2 2/3 Nazard 61
2 Blockflote 61 2 Octavin 61
IV-VI Mixtur 305 1 3/5 Tierce 61
III-V Zimbel 244 III Plein Jeu 183
III Kornet 183 III Cymbale 183
16 Fagott Ch. 16 Bombarde 68
8 Trompette 68
Choir 8 Basson 68
16 Gemshorn 68 4 Clairon 68
8 Viola Pomposa 68 Tremulant
8 Viola Celeste 68
8 Cor de Nuit 68 Bombarde
8 Flauto Dolce 68 VII Chorus Mixture 427
8 Flute Celeste 68 16 English Post Horn 61
4 Principal 68 8 Trompette Harmonique 61
4 Flute Triangulaire 68 8 English Post Horn 12
2 2/3 Rohr Nasat 61 4 Clairon Harmonique 61
2 Zauberflote 61
1 3/5 Terz 61
1 1/3 Larigot 61 Pedal
IV Scharff 244 32 Kontra Geigen 12
16 Fagott 68 16 Principal 32
8 Petite Trompette 68 16 Contrebasse 32
8 Clarinet 68 16 Bourdon 32
4 Fagott 24 16 Kontra Geigen Gt.
Tremulant 16 Gemshorn Ch.
16 Flute Courte Sw.
Positiv 16 Holz Quintade Pos.
16 Holz Quintade 61 8 Oktav 32
8 Rohr Flote 61 8 Spitz Flote 32
8 Holz Quintade 12 8 Gemshorn Ch.
4 Koppel Flote 61 8 Flute Courte Sw.
2 Prinzipal 61 8 Bourdon 12
1 1/3 Larigot 61 4 Choral Bass 32
1 Sifflote 61 4 Spillflote 32
III Zimbel 183 2 Spillflote 12
8 Krummhorn 61 Fourniture IV 128
4 Rohr Schalmei 61 Acuta II 64
Tremulant 32 Kontra Posaune 12
16 Posaune 32
16 Bombarde Sw.
16 English Post Horn Bom.
8 Trompete 32
8 Fagott Gt.
8 Krummhorn Pos.
4 Klarine 12
4 Rohr Schalmei 32
4 Krummhorn Pos.