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MMD > Archives > January 2004 > 2004.01.03 > 01Prev  Next


Player Pipe Organ by Robert Heilbuth
By Timothy Tikker

-- non-subscriber, please reply to sender and MMD --

Greetings:  I wanted to let MMD readers know that I inherited the
larger pipe organ built by Robert Heilbuth (1912-2002) for his home
in San Francisco.

Heilbuth built two automatic organs for his home: a smaller one in the
style of a band organ, using a modified Wurlitzer tracker bar, and then
a larger organ (23 ranks), portions of which were playable automatically,
some manually, and some both.  This latter organ had three player
mechanisms, each succeeding one having more stops and notes.

I now have the larger organ in storage in Yucaipa, California.  I will
reassemble and restore it in my home once I find one large enough to
fit it!  The organ took up most of a 12.5' x 16' dining room with 9'
ceilings.

The many player rolls, including many original compositions and some
arrangements, are still at Heilbuth's home in San Francisco.

Heilbuth's home and other belongings were inherited by Darryl Smith.
The band organ remains there in the living room, still playing.

I will let readers know when I have the organ restored and playing
again.

Timothy Tikker
Ann Arbor, Michigan


(Message sent Sat 3 Jan 2004, 14:43:42 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.)

Key Words in Subject:  Heilbuth, Organ, Pipe, Player, Robert

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