Lew White Institute for Organ
1680 Broadway at 53rd Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
Organ Specifications:
► II/4 W.W. Kimball Co. (1927)
• II/8 W.W. Kimball Co. (1927)
• III/8 W.W. Kimball Co. (1927) |
Lew White was born in Philadelphia and studied violin with his father, Herman White, a prominent Philadelphia music teacher. Mr. White graduated from the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music and also studied composition with Ernest Schelling. He served as accompanist to Hans Kindler, the cellist, and came to New York in that capacity. Later he turned to the pipe organ, studying with H. Alexander Matthews at the University of Pennsylvania. As an organist, he played on the Stanley Theatre circuit and appeared as guest organist in theatres throughout the country. White was hired by Samuel Rothafel to play the Kimball organ in the lobby of the new Roxy Theatre in New York. "The Cathedral of Motion Pcitures," as the Roxy was known, had a large Kimball organ in the main theatre, controlled by three consoles in the orchestra pit. White, as chief organist, played the five-manual console in the center, flanked by two three-manual consoles played by Emil Velazco and Dr. C.A.J. Parmentier.
When Mr. White was not playing at the Roxy Theatre, he was busy with other musical endeavors. On Saturday mornings at 8:30, he broadcast an organ program from his studio, played another program on NBC every Sunday morning, and on Sunday evenings played the Paramount Studio Wurlitzer on CBS. He made recordings for RCA-Victor and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, provided background music for Columbia film shorts, and composed popular and semi-classical music. For the Aeolian Company, Lew White produced ten organ rolls of popular music with jazz. After the decline of the organ in theatres, he was active in radio and television, providing mood music for such programs as "Inner Sanctum," "The Web," "Grand Central Station," and "Portia Faces Life."
Throughout his career, Mr. White taught organ and established the Lew White Institute for Organ for theatre organists. He later operated the School of Hammond Organ at 3 East 43rd Street in New York.
Lew White died after an illness of several months on March 3, 1955, at the age of 52.
Lew White plays Ain't Misbehavin' at the Lew White Organ Studio.
Lew White plays Singin' in the Rain at the Lew White Organ Studio. |
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Practice Organ
W. W. Kimball Company
Chicago, Ill. (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 33 stops, 4 ranks
In 1927, the W.W. Kimball Company built three organs for the Lew White Institute. This practice organ had two manuals and four ranks. |
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Accompaniment (Manual I) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Flute |
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4 |
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Violin |
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8 |
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Kinura |
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2 |
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Tibia |
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8 |
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Tibia |
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2 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Violin |
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Second Touch |
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4 |
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Tibia |
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8 |
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Kinura |
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4 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Tibia |
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Solo (Manual II) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Tibia [TC] |
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4 |
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Flute |
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16 |
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Violin [TC] |
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4 |
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Violin |
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8 |
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Kinura |
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2 2/3 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Oboe [synthetic?] |
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2 |
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Tibia |
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8 |
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Tibia |
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2 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Flute |
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2 |
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Violin |
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8 |
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Violin |
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1 3/5 |
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Flute |
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4 |
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Tibia |
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Pedal Organ – 32 notes
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32 |
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Resultant |
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8 |
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Flute |
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16 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Violin |
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8 |
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Tibia |
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4 |
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Violin |
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Percussions and Traps
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| Glockenspiel |
Snare Drum, tap |
Tambourine |
| Bells |
Snare Drum, roll |
Chinese Block, tap |
| Bass Drum |
Triangle |
Chinese Block, roll |
| Tympani |
Tom Tom |
Shuffle |
| Cymbal |
Castanets |
Bird |
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Combinations
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 |
affecting Accomp. stops * |
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Pistons No. 1-2-3-4-5 |
affecting Solo stops * |
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Pistons No. 1-2 |
affecting Pedal stops |
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* second touch affecting Pedal stops |
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Stop Analysis |
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Pipes |
8 |
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Violin |
85 |
8 |
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Tibia |
85 |
16 |
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Flute |
101 |
8 |
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Kinura |
61 |
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Total |
332 |
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Practice Organ
W. W. Kimball Company
Chicago, Ill. (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
2 manuals, 61 stops, 8 ranks
This practice organ had 8 ranks controlled by 61 stops, including 6 stops for the Pianoforte. There were 11 other percussion stops and 20 traps. The organ was enclosed in two expression chambers. |
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Stop Analysis |
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Pipes |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
8 |
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Violin One |
85 |
8 |
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Violin Two |
73 |
8 |
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Tibia |
97 |
16 |
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Flute |
101 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
73 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
8 |
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Kinura |
61 |
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Total |
636 |
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Studio Organ
W. W. Kimball Company
Chicago, Ill. (1927)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 61 stops, 8 ranks
The three-manual studio organ had the same registers as the second practice organ above, but without a Pianoforte. |
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Stop Analysis |
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Pipes |
8 |
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Diapason |
73 |
8 |
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Violin One |
85 |
8 |
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Violin Two |
73 |
8 |
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Tibia |
97 |
16 |
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Flute |
101 |
8 |
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Trumpet |
73 |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
73 |
8 |
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Kinura |
61 |
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Total |
636 |
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Sources:
The American Organist, p. 147 (c. 1927). Stoprail matrix of first Kimball practice organ; description of second practice organ and studio organ. Courtesy Jonathan Bowen.
Junchen, David L. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. I. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1985.
"Lew White Dead; Organist was 52," The New York Times, March 4, 1955.
Smith, Rollin. The Aeolian Pipe Organ and its Music. Richmond: The Organ Historical Society, 1998.
The Theatre Organ Home Page website: www.theatreorgans.com/
YouTube.com: recordings of Lew White at the Lew White Organ Studio.
Photos:
The Theatre Organ Home Page website: photo of Lew White.
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