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Subject:
From:
Carl Schwartz <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Carl Schwartz <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:27:56 -0500
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Whitelegg finishing the organ is impossible.

The organ has the distinguishing features of early Ernest White designs, notably the Choir division and the copycat Erzähler pair, independent mutations and all that. 

The various biographical sources do not indicate when White was first associated with M. P. Möller but the date of the organ you mention is about correct - late 1940s.

Some of the early post-WWII Moller organs, in spite of White's involvement, carried on some of the character of Whitelegg's work. However the tendency towards tonal homogeneity and bland flue voicing won the day. Whitelegg organs have "character". 

It is POSSIBLE that the organ was designed by Whitelegg before or during the Second World War.  Moller, specifically Whitelegg, tonally rebuilt the Barckhoff/Lewis and Hitchcock organ then in St. Patrick's RC, Washington, DC in 1943. It suffered tonal finishing by Ernest White c. 1951 and was never worthy of note. Likely St. Patrick's was done with material on-hand lying around the factory including, likely, the new offset windchests.  Organ builders did not expect the war to last forever and as soon as an end seemed in sight were busy lining up new contracts to commence as soon as the restrictions and additional taxes were lifted.

The file for this organ may exist in the OHS Archives and that may reveal more information if one has the determination to explore the topic.

Cheers,

Carl Schwartz

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