Spreckels Organ Pavilion
Albright, Harrison
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Date
1914Description
Detail, base of the pierced arch of the organ house; John D. and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ, one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, to the City of San Diego in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. This unique organ contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with highly embellished gables (which contain electric lighting for evening performances). Since 1917, San Diego has had a civic organist, who performs free weekly Sunday concerts. During the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition the stage size was doubled and a fountain added. The outdoor seating accommodates over 2,400. The sound is powered by a 20 HP blower housed in the basement, and can be heard for 3 miles. Source: Balboa Park (San Diego) [website]; http://www.balboapark.org/ (accessed 7/24/2013)
Type of Work
band shellSubject
music, California Pacific International Exposition (1935-1936 : San Diego, Calif.), Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.), Performing arts, world's fairs, Twentieth century, Renaissance Revival
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only