![]() ![]() The organ was restored by the Schantz Organ Company in Orrville, Ohio. The organ façade and console after the Severance Hall renovation, 2000 The new stage design also included a façade, allowing the organ’s sound to travel easily from directly behind the stage, without obstruction, into the concert hall. At this time, the organ chambers were relocated to a newly-constructed space behind the stage. In an effort to reclaim the organ’s voice, an extensive restoration project was planned as part of the renovation of Severance Hall in 2000. ![]() The “Szell Shell” shortly after its installation, 1958 Because of these unsatisfactory conditions, the organ was rarely used in concerts after 1976. The instrument was now barely audible to the audience, and regularly had to be amplified with speakers. This “Szell Shell” enhanced the hall’s acoustics, but it also created additional problems for the organ’s sound. In 1958, under the leadership of music director George Szell, a new acoustical shell was installed on the main stage in an effort to improve the acoustics of the concert hall. The organ as it was originally installed, in a cramped loft above the main stage, 1931 (a small portion of the instrument is shown above) Its original installation, in a cramped space above the stage, made the organ difficult to hear. The location of the organ in Severance Hall is hugely important for its sound. Norton Memorial Organ console on Severance Hall stage, 2000 The enormous instrument weighs 50,000 pounds, and is comprised of 94 ranks of 6,025 pipes ranging in length from 32 feet to 7 inches. Skinner Organ Company of Boston, and stands as one of the largest Skinner organs in existence today. It was originally built in 1930 by the E.M. But you might be surprised to find out that Severance Hall’s symphonic organ, known as the Norton Memorial Organ, has quite a history of its own as well. ![]() Many of us are familiar with the rich legacy of Severance Hall, built in 1931 as the home of The Cleveland Orchestra. ![]()
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