Madison Masonic Center - Audio Demo

I spent some time today at the Madison Masonic Center, crawling through the chambers of the organ, playing through stops and doing some recording tests. I'd say the organ is about 70-80% functional, (amazing, really, as it is nearing 100 years old!). What is working shows a lush and colorful example of Romantic organbuilding in the USA in the early 1900's - a surviving organ that was built by the Wangerin organ company of Milwaukee, WI (now defunct). This is probably one of the few Wangerin organs that has never been mucked around with tonally, and hence is a great representation of the work of that company. Apologies for the occasional missed note - I was improvising and fighting stoptabs that refused to stay selected, as well as no combination action(!), so everything is hand-registered, and at a couple of places you will see me actually hold down the stop tabs on the Choir with one hand while playing with the other... [CHUCKLE]

It is my hope to help the MMC to raise the funds necessary to restore this fine historical treasure.

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Music

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• Madison

[dsbassoon]

Beautiful!  Can you provide the specs for us?

[giwro]

@dsbassoon There is not enough space here in reply section, but I;ll get it posted somewhere else at some point

[SilverlakeDehners]

American organs of that period by less 'glamorous' builders (like Skinner and Kimball) are truly endangered species. I know Wangerin's work first hand and it is quality material, artistically voiced! Good luck keeping it original!

[giwro]

@SilverlakeDehners Glad you enjoyed it!

[wljmrbill]

What a privledge to have the chance to work with this instrument. Great sounds.