Darren Willard wrote:

> Is this the same instrument?  If so, bravo!  Dr. Ronald Hough
> could really make it come to life!  This was obviously a major
> task to create.

Yes, it is one and the same.  I was the tall guy Dr. Hough had stand
at the dedication in 1986.  Thank you for your kind words.  The organ
is an awesome instrument.

This organ was the one originally in the basement of Senator Phipps
mansion which now belongs to the University there in Denver.  It was
originally 46 ranks and is now 53 with my addition of Trompette En
Chamade, Gt. Nineteenth and Fourniture IV, Choir Larigot.  These were
all directly copied by my pipe maker from the same pipes found in the
big sister organ at St. John's Cathedral Denver (Episcopal).

Both organs were designed by the same organist/choirmaster at St.
John's.  I believe his name was Fenster.  The Senator had bought the
(now MSU) Kimball for his wife's Christmas present, but the console was
not finished in time.  The Welte Musicalle (10 roll player) was up and
playing under the tree in 1935, however.  The senator liked the house
Kimball so much that he had Kimball build the 97 rank Kimball in the
Cathedral where he also attended.

The Welte Philharmonic system and assets were owned by Kimball at that
time.  The Welte on this Texas organ has about 130 Welte Rolls that go
with it.  It will also play the Kimball Standard Philharmonic rolls,
but no one has ever seen one of those.

Does anyone know about availability of Kimball Standard Philharmonic
organ rolls?

I consider the Kimball pipe organ the Aeolian Skinner of its day.  Of
course after the retired CEO's baby boy shut down the Kimball organ
factory and went to the ill fated electronic Kimball most of the finest
pipe craftsmen went to work for Aeolian Skinner.

D. L. Bullock    Piano World    St. Louis
Still tuning the MSU Kimball every 6 months.