1830 Thomas Appleton organ at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

1929 E.M. Skinner organ at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Inside the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Museum Pieces Revisited

…instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and Cincinnati's Museum Center at Union Terminal reveal two sides of the American organ builder's craft.

Program Broadcast dates:

• Week of April 22, 2013

Links and Resources:

• Printable program listings

Interview Audio:

Harley Piltingsrud talks with Michael Barone…
…and gives a little background on the Cincinnati Museum organ.
…and describes the impact of the Cincinnati Museum organ.

Music played in the program

Hour 1

G.F. HANDEL: Overture to An Occasional Oratorio –Stephen Tharp (Cincinnati Museum, r. 10/24/11)

WILLIAM SELBY: Fugue or Voluntary in D –Victoria Sirota (Metropolitan Museum, r. 4/12/12)

ARTHUR SULLIVAN: The Yeoman of the Guard Overture. RICHARD WAGNER: Pilgrim's Chorus, fr Tannhäuser –Rick Van Matre, saxophone; Peter Conte. (Cincinnati Museum, r. 2005)

ROBERT SIROTA: Holy Ghosts…3 American hymn settings: Helmley-Semley-From Greenland's Icy Mountains (premiere) –Victoria Sirota (Metropolitan Museum)

FRANZ LISZT: Funérailles –Frédéric Champion (Cincinnati Museum, r. 4/23/12)

Hour 2

CHARLES ZEUNER: Voluntary in G "Before Service". ROBERT SIROTA: Festival Prelude (Now thank we all our God) –Victoria Sirota (Metropolitan Museum)

CESAR FRANCK: Choral No. 2 in b –Pierre Pincemaille (Cincinnati Museum, r. 2/13/06)

FRANCIS LINLEY: Trumpet Voluntary in A –Victoria Sirota (Metropolitan Museum)

GUSTAV MAHLER: Ihrlicht, fr Symphony No. 2 –Stacey Rishoi, mezzo-soprano; Jean-Baptiste Robin (Cincinnati Museum, r. 5/2/11)

RICHARD WAGNER: Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire Music, fr Die Walküre –Peter Conte (Cincinnati Museum, r. 2005)

Performances feature a pair of unique and remarkable instruments. The 1830 Thomas Appleton organ, originally built in Boston for South Church in Hartford, CT, was relocated in 1883 to Sacred Heart Church in Plains, Pennsylvania, and 'rescued' from there and restored in 1982 for its present location in the Arms and Armor Gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The 1929 E.M. Skinner organ at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal was relocated from an impoverished church in Philadelphia and now plays into a unique visual and acoustical space in Cincinnati. The next Cincinnati Museum Center concert on April 29, 2013 features guest recitalist David Briggs, with trumpeter Robert Sullivan. Thanks to David Raymond and Harley Piltingsrud for providing recordings!