About 50 years ago I had the pleasure of hearing and playing the
Aeolian Duo-Art pipe organ in the George Eastman House in Rochester,
New York.  Fifty years ago the organ was in very good condition, and
quite impressive.  The home is now a museum and open to the public.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to visit the Eastman House again.  I had
a long visit with the curator, who was kind enough to allow me inspect
and play the organ.  Sadly, I found it not in the best condition.

Over the years it suffered a lot of neglect, and abuse.  One of the
former administrators had no interest in the instrument and cut the
cables so that the organ would not play again.  It remained silent for
many years.  During that time one organ chamber was removed to make
room for an office!  The parts were removed and stored in a garage on
the premises but were destroyed in a fire a few years later.

A few years ago the home was refurbished, and a new curator entered and
some enthusiasm for restoration of the home returned.  The Rochester
Theater Organ Society volunteered to do some restoration on the organ,
and did all they could, considering they are a volunteer organization
with limited funds.

The organ is presently playing, but rather poorly.  Someone took enough
interest to purchase a good supply of new recut Duo-Art rolls, but with
the organ in its present condition the music is far from pleasurable
to those who remember it in its former glory.

The curator obtained an earlier estimate to restore the organ which
quoted about $700,000.00, adding that the funds are not available.

Bruce Clark