HISTORY:
According to the Organ Historical Society's online database, an organ
by an
unknown builder
was in this church prior to 1910. This organ was moved to
St. Paul
(Col'd) Episcopal, Atlanta, GA in 1911, after Central
purchased Pilcher Op. 710 in 1910.
According to a written church history of Central Presbyterian, an organ
was installed in
December of 1909 by the Henry Pilcher Co. of Louisville at a cost of
$1,825 (perhaps it was commissioned by the church in 1909, or begun
that year, and completed or dedicated in 1910).
Description from the Organ
Historical Society database:
Henry Pilcher's Sons (1910, Opus 710).
2 manuals. 9 stops. 9 ranks.
Slider chests. Mechanical key action. Mechanical stop action.
Cost $1850.
A
Quint 1-1/3' stop was added in more recent years.
Members of the Evansville Chapter of the American Guild of Organist
visited the Pilcher organ at Central Presbyterian on an organ crawl in
October 2002 and
reported in the chapter's newsletter: "The group then went on to
Central Presbyterian Church and
heard the
refined and delicate tones of an early 20th century mechanical action
organ built by Henry Pilcher & Sons, Louisville....surely a
significant historical musical treasure."
The organ was to have received a thorough cleaning from the Miller
Organ Company in the Spring of 2009 according to the Miller
website.
The Evansville Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, in
conjunction with the congregation of Central Presbyteria Church, held a
centennial celebration in honor of the instrument on January 24, 2010,
consisting of a concert and reception (see performers above, and sound
clips from the concert below).
Dr. Emil Ahnell is the organist at the church as of 2010.
Click
here for more on the
Pilcher organ company.
Sound
Clips from Centennial Program on January 24, 2010
