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The Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, usually referred to as the Kotzschmar Organ, is a pipe organ located at Merrill Auditorium in the City Hall of Portland, Maine, United States.

History

Built in 1911 by the Austin Organ Co. as Opus 323, the Kotzschmar Organ was the second-largest organ in the world at the time, and it remains the largest organ in Maine today.^[1]

The organ was donated to the city by Portland native Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis, founder of the Curtis Publishing Company of Philadelphia, as a memorial to Hermann Kotzschmar, a close family friend for whom he had been named. Kotzschmar was a German-born musician who came to Portland in 1849, acquired a reputation as the city's most prominent musician, and lived there until his death in 1908.^[1]

The Kotzschmar Organ is a prime example of the U.S. style of municipal (city–owned) organs which were once a prevalent part of American culture throughout the first half of the 20th century.^[2] It was the first municipal organ built in the U.S.,^[3] and is one of only two U.S. municipal organs still owned by a municipality – the other being the Spreckels Organ in San Diego, California.^[1]

Organists

Municipal organists

The City of Portland created the position of Municipal Organist in 1912. The position was maintained until 1981 when it was eliminated due to budget constraints. That same year a non-profit organization called Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ was formed in order to provide continued funding for a municipal organist (who would become an FOKO employee), as well as to fund maintenance and restoration of the organ.^[1]

To date, there have been eleven municipal organists in Portland:^[1]

Will C. Macfarlane, 1912–1919
Irvin John [James] Morgan, 1919–1921
Edwin H. Lemare, 1921–1923
Charles Raymond Cronham, 1924–1932
Alfred Brinkler, 1935–1952
John E. Fay, 1952–1976
Douglas Rafter, 1976–1981
Gerald McGee, 1983–1988
Earl Miller, 1988–1989
Ray Cornils, 1990–2017
James Kennerley, 2018–present

Visiting organists

A partial list of notable organists who have played the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ:^[1]^[4]

External links

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Parkinson-Tucker, Janice (2005). Behind the Pipes: The Story of the Kotzschmar Organ. South Portland, Maine: Casco House Publishing. ISBN 0-9763041-1-2.
^ The American Municipal Pipe Organ Website
^ "Pipedreams #0124: The Maine Idea". Retrieved 27 October 2010.
^ "Archived Concerts". Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
^ Thomas Heywood at the Kotzschmar Organ
^ Kapp, Madeline (August 24, 2016). "Orgelfest16 opener showcases masterful playing of Frederick Swann". Retrieved 2018-08-07.

43°39′34″N 70°15′26″W / 43.65955°N 70.25725°W / 43.65955; -70.25725

[Behind-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Parkinson-Tucker, Janice (2005). Behind the Pipes: The Story of the Kotzschmar Organ. South Portland, Maine: Casco House Publishing. ISBN 0-9763041-1-2.

[2] The American Municipal Pipe Organ Website

[pipedreams-3] "Pipedreams #0124: The Maine Idea". Retrieved 27 October 2010.

[4] "Archived Concerts". Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-01.

[5] Thomas Heywood at the Kotzschmar Organ

[6] Kapp, Madeline (August 24, 2016). "Orgelfest16 opener showcases masterful playing of Frederick Swann". Retrieved 2018-08-07.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Pipe organ in Portland, Maine}}
 [[File:Kotzschmar Organ cropped.jpg|thumb|280px|The newly renovated Kotzschmar Organ at Merrill Auditorium, Portland, Maine. October, 2014]]
-The '''Kotzschmar Memorial Organ''', usually referred to as the '''Kotzschmar Organ''', is a [[pipe organ]] located at [[Merrill Auditorium]] in the City Hall of [[Portland, Maine]], [[United States]]. Built in 1911 by the [[Austin Organs, Inc.|Austin Organ Co.]] as Opus 323, it was the second-largest organ in the world at the time, and it remains the largest organ in [[Maine]] today.<ref name="Behind">{{cite book |title=Behind the Pipes: The Story of the Kotzschmar Organ |last=Parkinson-Tucker |first=Janice |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2005 |publisher=Casco House Publishing |location=South Portland, Maine |isbn=0-9763041-1-2 |pages= }}</ref>
+The '''Kotzschmar Memorial Organ''', usually referred to as the '''Kotzschmar Organ''', is a [[pipe organ]] located at [[Merrill Auditorium]] in the City Hall of [[Portland, Maine]], [[United States]].
+== History ==
-The organ was donated to the city by Portland native [[Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis]] (founder of the [[Curtis Publishing Company]] of Philadelphia) as a memorial to [[Hermann Kotzschmar]], a close family friend for whom he had been named.  Kotzschmar was
+[[File:The Herman Kotzschmar Memorial Organ, City Hall, Portland, Me. , by Tichnor Brothers, c. 1920-1935, from the Digital Commonwealth - 1 commonwealth 3n2041065.jpg|thumb|right|The Kotzschmar Organ as it appeared in the 1920s]]
-a German-born musician who came to Portland in 1849, acquired the reputation as the city's most prominent musician, and lived there until his death in 1908. <ref name="Behind" />
+Built in 1911 by the [[Austin Organs, Inc.|Austin Organ Co.]] as Opus 323, the Kotzschmar Organ was the second-largest organ in the world at the time, and it remains the largest organ in [[Maine]] today.<ref name="Behind">{{cite book |title=Behind the Pipes: The Story of the Kotzschmar Organ |last=Parkinson-Tucker |first=Janice |year=2005 |publisher=Casco House Publishing |location=South Portland, Maine |isbn=0-9763041-1-2 }}</ref>
+The organ was donated to the city by Portland native [[Cyrus Hermann Kotzschmar Curtis]], founder of the [[Curtis Publishing Company]] of Philadelphia, as a memorial to [[Hermann Kotzschmar]], a close family friend for whom he had been named.  Kotzschmar was a German-born musician who came to Portland in 1849, acquired a reputation as the city's most prominent musician, and lived there until his death in 1908.<ref name="Behind" />
-The Kotzschmar Organ is a prime example of the U.S. style of municipal (city-owned) organs which were once a prevalent part of American culture throughout the first half of the 20th century.<ref>[http://www.municipalorgans.net/?page_id=8 The American Municipal Pipe Organ Website]</ref> It was the first municipal organ built in the U.S.,<ref name="pipedreams">{{cite web|title=Pipedreams #0124: The Maine Idea|url=http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/listings/2001/0124/|accessdate=27 October 2010}}</ref> and is one of only two U.S. municipal organs still owned by a municipality — the other being the [[Spreckels Organ Pavilion, San Diego, California|Spreckels Organ]] in [[San Diego, California]].<ref name="Behind" /> . [http://www.porttix.com PortTIX] is the official box office for Kotzschmar organ performances at Merrill Auditorium.
+The Kotzschmar Organ is a prime example of the U.S. style of municipal (city–owned) organs which were once a prevalent part of American culture throughout the first half of the 20th century.<ref>[http://www.municipalorgans.net/?page_id=8 The American Municipal Pipe Organ Website]</ref> It was the first municipal organ built in the U.S.,<ref name="pipedreams">{{cite web|title=Pipedreams #0124: The Maine Idea|url=http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/listings/2001/0124/|access-date=27 October 2010}}</ref> and is one of only two U.S. municipal organs still owned by a municipality – the other being the [[Spreckels Organ Pavilion, San Diego, California|Spreckels Organ]] in [[San Diego, California]].<ref name="Behind" />
 ==Organists==
-[[Image:Portland City Hall Auditorium and Kotzschmar Organ 1912.jpg|thumb|The Kotzschmar Organ in 1912, shortly after it was built.]]
 ===Municipal organists===
-The City of Portland created the position of ''municipal organist'' in 1912. The position remained until 1981, when it was eliminated due to budget constraints. That same year, a non-profit organization called Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ was formed in order to provide continued funding for a municipal organist (who would become a FOKO employee), as well as to fund upkeep and restoration of the organ, which the city could no longer afford.<ref name="Behind" />
+The City of Portland created the position of ''Municipal Organist'' in 1912. The position was maintained until 1981 when it was eliminated due to budget constraints. That same year a non-profit organization called ''Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ'' was formed in order to provide continued funding for a municipal organist (who would become an FOKO employee), as well as to fund maintenance and restoration of the organ.<ref name="Behind" />
 To date, there have been eleven municipal organists in Portland:<ref name="Behind" />
+* Will C. Macfarlane, 1912–1919
+* Irvin John [James] Morgan, 1919–1921
-{{col-begin}}
+* Edwin H. Lemare, 1921–1923
-{{col-break}}
+* Charles Raymond Cronham, 1924–1932
-* Will C. Macfarlane, 1912-1919
+* Alfred Brinkler, 1935–1952
-* Irvin John [James] Morgan, 1919-1921
-* Edwin H. Lemare, 1921-1923
+* John E. Fay, 1952–1976
+* Douglas Rafter, 1976–1981
-* Charles Raymond Cronham, 1924-1932
+* Gerald McGee, 1983–1988
-{{col-break}}
+* Earl Miller, 1988–1989
-* Alfred Brinkler, 1935-1952
+* Ray Cornils, 1990–2017
-* John E. Fay, 1952-1976
+* James Kennerley, 2018–present
-* Douglas Rafter, 1976-1981
-* Gerald McGee, 1983-1988
-{{col-break}}
-* Earl Miller, 1988-1989
-* Ray Cornils, 1990-2017
-* James Kennerley, 2018-present
-{{col-end}}
 ===Visiting organists===
-A partial list of notable organists who have played the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ:<ref name="Behind" /> <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foko.org/archived_concerts.php |title=Archived Concerts |accessdate=2008-08-01 |work= |publisher=Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ |date= }}</ref>
+A partial list of notable organists who have played the Kotzschmar Memorial Organ:<ref name="Behind" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foko.org/archived_concerts.php |title=Archived Concerts |access-date=2008-08-01 |publisher=Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820092114/http://www.foko.org/archived_concerts.php |archive-date=2008-08-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 {{col-begin}}
@@ Line 39: / Line 36: @@
 * [[Joseph Bonnet]]
 * [[Cameron Carpenter]]
-* [[Peter Richard Conte]]
 * [[Ken Cowan]]
 * [[Virgil Fox]]
@@ Line 57: / Line 53: @@
 == External links ==
-{{commonscat|Kotzschmar Memorial Organ}}
+{{commons category|Kotzschmar Memorial Organ}}
 * [http://www.foko.org/ Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ]
-*[https://www.porttix.com/view-seat-merrill-auditorium/ Seating Chart for Merrill Auditorium]
+* [https://www.portlandmaine.gov/574/Merrill-Auditorium Official City of Portland site for the Merrill Auditorium]
 == References ==
 {{reflist}}
+{{coord|43.65955|N|70.25725|W |format=dms |region:US-ME_type:landmark_scale:5000 |display=title}}
-[[Category:Individual pipe organs]]
+[[Category:Individual pipe organs in the United States]]
 [[Category:Culture of Portland, Maine]]
 [[Category:Tourist attractions in Portland, Maine]]
-{{coord|43.65955|N|70.25725|W |format=dms |region:US-ME_type:landmark_scale:5000 |display=title}}