click on images to enlarge Ernest White Studio Parish House Church of St. Mary the Virgin 145 West 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10036 Organ Specifications: • II/12 Rieger Orgelbau (1954) ► III/39 M.P. Möller, Op. 8516 (1952) ► III/34 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 1080 (1946) ► II/15 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Op. 995 (1939) Ernest White was born on June 20, 1901 in London, Ontario. He studied violin locally and organ at the Toronto Conservatory of Music with Ernest MacMillan and Healey Willan. He moved to New York in 1926 for lessons with Lynnwood Farnam and was acclaimed for his performance at the 1927 AGO Convention in St. Louis. He was organist-choirmaster 1927-35 at St. James Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, and 1935-7 at Trinity Church, Lenox, Mass. For 25 years (1937-62) Ernest White was associated with the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York City, first as organist, and later as music director, where it was his custom to give two series of organ recitals each year. White also became tonal director for the organ builder M.P. Möller, of Hagerstown, MD, designing and supervising installations in the USA and Canada, including those in New York at St. George's Episcopal Church, the Interchurch Center Chapel, and a studio organ at St. Mary the Virgin. White taught at Bard College (Columbia University) and Pius X School of Liturgical Music in New York (1935-8), at the Music Teachers' College, University of Western Ontario (1948-51), at Jordan College (Butler University) and the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis (1963-71), and at the University of Bridgeport, Conn, 1971-3. He became organist-choirmaster at St. George's Church, Bridgeport, in 1973. He gave over 1000 organ recitals featuring both old and modern repertoire. He was noted also for his trail-blazing editions of early organ music and for his recordings, among which was the first issued of Messiaen's La Nativité du Seigneur. Rollin Smith (AGO and RCCO Music, August 1977) said of White, 'That he was able to synthesize the many contingencies of organ playing and organ construction into one pioneering point of view will distinguish his name and stature for many years to come'. Ernest White died in Fairfield, Conn., on September 21, 1980.               Rieger Orgelbau Schwarzach, Austria (1954) Unknown action 2 manuals, 12 stops Specifications for this organ have not yet been located.               M.P. Möller, Inc. Hagerstown, Md. – Opus 8516 (1952), rev. Electro-pneumatic key and stop action 3 manuals, 42 stops, 39 ranks, 2310 pipes This organ was expanded from a small instrument built by M.P. Möller for the 1952 AGO Convention held in San Francisco. The convention organ had two manuals (Great and Positiv) and a small Pedal division with duplexed stops from the Positiv. Following the convention, White had the organ enlarged to 71 registers, with a new three-manual drawknob console controlling 42 stops, 39 ranks, and 2310 pipes. It was then moved to the Choir Room (originally the gymnasium) of St. Mary the Virgin where it was heard in recitals, recordings and broadcasts. The organ was also featured in several Möller advertisements at that time. In 1956, the organ was again rebuilt, enlarged to 63 ranks, and moved to St. Paul Redeemer Episcopal Church in Chicago.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes (3" pressure) 16   Bourdon 61 2 2/3   Quint 61 8   Bourdon 61 2   Octavin 61 8   Salicional 61   Cornet II ranks 122 4   Principal 61   Fourniture V ranks 257 4   Nachthorn 61   Tremulant                 Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes (3" pressure) 8   Quintaton 61     Cymbal III ranks 183 2   Principal * 61     * originally 4' Gemshorn                   Swell I Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½" pressure) 8   Gambe 61 16   Krummhorn 61 8   Gambe Celeste 61 8   Trompette 61 2   Blockflöte 61 4   Schalmei 61       Tremulant                 Swell II Organ (Manual III) – 61 notes, enclosed (3½" pressure) 8   Gemshorn 61   Plein Jeu IV ranks 244 8   Gemshorn Celeste 61 8   Musette 61 8   Rohrflöte 61   Tremulant 4   Fugara [later removed] (61)                     Pedal Organ – 32 notes (3" pressure) 16   Bourdon GT 3 1/5   Terz 32 16   Soubasse 32 2 2/3   Quint GT 16   Quintaten [ext. POS] 12 2 2/7   Septieme 32 8   Spitzprinzipal 32 2   Octavin GT 8   Stopped Diapason [ext.] 12 2   Stopped Diapason [ext.] 12 8   Bourdon GT   Cornet II ranks GT 5 1/3   Gross Quinte 32 32   Sackbutt [later addition] 32 4   Spitzprinzipal [ext.] 12 16   Krummhorn SW I 4   Stopped Diapason [ext.] 12     4   Nachthorn GT     Zimbelstern                 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, Mass. – Opus 1080 (1946) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action Wind pressure: 3 inches throughout 3 manuals, 27 stops, 34 ranks, 1,852 pipes                 This unusual Aeolian-Skinner organ was located in the Choir Room of the Parish House of St. Mary the Virgin. The studio organ was purchased in 1947 by Gordon Jeffrey for Aeolian Hall, London, Ontario, and was transferred to the London site under White's supervision.                 Great Organ (Manual II) – 61 notes 16   Quintaton 61 2 2/3   Quint 61 8   Bourdon 61 2   Octavin 61 4   Prestant 61   Fourniture IV ranks 244             Swell I Organ (Man. III) – 61 notes, enclosed   Swell II Organ (Man. III) – 61 notes, enclosed 8   Gambe 61 16   Fagot 61 8   Gambe Celeste [TC] 49 8   Trompette 61 4   Rohrflöte 61 4   Cromorne 61     Plein Jeu III ranks 183                     Positiv Organ (Manual I) – 61 notes 8   Cor de Nuit 61 2   Blockflöte 61 4   Koppelflöte 61 1 3/5   Tierce 61 2 2/3   Nazard 61   Cymbale III ranks 183                 Pedal Organ – 32 notes 16   Contre Basse 32 32   Sackbut [ext. SW II] * 12 16   Quintaton GT 16   Fagot SW II 8   Spitz Principal 32 8   Fagot SW II 8   Rohrflöte 32 4   Fagot SW II     Cornet II ranks 64       Fourniture IV ranks 128     * added at a later time                 Aeolian-Skinner Organ Company, Inc. Boston, Mass. – Opus 995 (1939) Electro-pneumatic key and stop action 2 manuals, 14 stops, 15 ranks, 881 pipes Aeolian-Skinner Op. 995 was installed in Ernest White's apartment, located on the top floor of the Parish House of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Additions were made in 1941 and 1942, ultimately enlarging the organ to 15 stops, 13 registers, 19 ranks, and 1038 pipes. In 1945, the organ was sold to Gordon D. Jeffrey, who installed it in his apartment in London, Ontario. Additions were made in 1947, and it was moved to Duke University, Durham, N.C. The organ was later relocated to Harold Andrews in Greensboro, NC, and is extant.                 Manual I – 61 notes 8   Salicional 61   Mixture III ranks * 183 4   Rohrflöte 61 8   Krummhorn * 61 2   Italian Principal 61                   Manual II – 61 notes 8   Nason Flute 61 1 3/5   Terz 61 4   Nachthorn * (orig. Principal) 61   Scharf III ranks * 183 2 2/3   Nasat 61                       Pedal – 32 notes 16   Quintaton [ext. Man. II] 12 5 1/3   Rohrquint [ext. Man. II] 12 8   Spitzprincipal 32     Mixture III ranks ** 96 8   Koppelflöte 32 16   Dulzian *** 32                         *   added 1941 as Op. 995-A         **   added late 1941 as Op. 995-B         ***   added 1942 as Op. 995-C               Sources:     Aeolian-Skinner Archives: http://aeolian-skinner.110mb.com/     The American Organist, February 1954. Specifications for M.P. Möller Organ, Op. 8516 (1952); courtesy Jeff Scofield.     Barnes, William Harrison. The Contemporary American Organ: Its Evolution, Design and Construction (Sixth Edition). New York: J. Fischer & Bro., 1956.     Callahan, Charles. The American Classic Organ - A History in Letters. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1990. Aeolian-Skinner shop notes dated October 12, 1955.     The Canadian Encyclopedia of Music in Canada website: www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com     The Diapason, April 1955. Specifications for Möller, Op. 8516. Courtesy Jeff Scofield.     Kinzey, Allen, and Sand Lawn, comps. E.M. Skinner/Aeolian-Skinner Opus List. New Rev. Ed. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1997.       Linzel, Ed. Recollections of Ernest White in conversations with David Scribner.     Smith, Rollin. "Ernest White," Music - The A.G.O. & R.C.C.O. Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 8, August 1977. Courtesy Jonathan Bowen. Photos:     Barthel, Alan. Photo of Ernest White; courtesy Kyle Babin.     Bowen, Jonathan. Aeolian-Skinner organ, Op. 1080 (1946).     Scofield, Jeff. M.P. Möller organ, Op. 8516 (1952).               | NYC AGO Home Page | Back to NYC Organ Project List |