Newspapers / The New Bern Mirror … / Sept. 25, 1964, edition 1 / Page 1
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New Bern Public Li- - The NEW BERN I PUBLISHED WEEKLY the heart op VOLUME 7 NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1964 NUMBER 26 Our photographs of Old Salem In last week’s issue stirred so much interestamongNewBern- ians that we plan to publish an entire series from time to time. While visiting the historic Moravian community, it was our good fortune to see an organ built In 1797 that has been re stored in the Brothers House. The work was Just being com pleted by John Chrastina, a master craftsman, when we made a pop call. No newsman was ever treated more cor dially. The organ was constructed by the Moravian organ-builder, David Tannenberg, who also built the largest organ in America for the Zion Lutheran Church at Philadelphia in 1790. It was destroyed by fire four years later. Tannenberg also fashioned exceptional organs at Nazareth Hall and Yorktown (now York). Without doubt he was Pennsyl vania’s most famous organ- builder, and even a layman like the Mirror’s editor can readily detect the quality of his fine musical instruments. In 1804, while setting up the Yorktown organ, Tannenberg had a stroke, fell from a scaf fold and died. The organ was first played at his own funeral. At the time of his death, he was recognized as America’s -TsK, most skilled organ-builder. , Tannenberg built about 40 organs which were used by Mor avians, Lutherans, German Re formed, and Roman Catholics in Pennsylvania, New York, Mary land, Virginia and North Caro lina. Approximately 12 Tan nenberg organs are in existence in part or in whole in varying conditions today. The Tannenberg organ re cently restored In Old Salem was found in an attic in the Home Moravian Church. It was built in Lltitz and used in the Salem congregation meeting hall, which is no longer stand ing, until the 1850’s. The Saal (chapel) of the new ly restored Brothers House in Old Salem was chosen as a rea sonable substitute for housing the little organ. The original Saal organ (now missing) was made by Salem organ builder, Joseph Bullitschek. There were two organ build ers in the Moravian villages around Salem. However they made their living largely through other trades while Tan nenberg in Litltz was a full time instrument builder. Besides the organ for the Salem congregation meeting hall, Tannenberg in 1800 built the Home Moravian Church organ in Winston-Salem which was used until 1913 and is now in storage. Much of the 1797 organ has survived its long sleep in the church attic. Most of the case, wind chest, trackers and enough of the five ranks of pipes to enable the organ builder to re place accurately the damaged and missing ones. The keyboard of the organ is an unusual sight for 20th cen tury visitors. The color of the keys (m the old organ is in com plete reverse to the standard color system today. The natural keys are black and the keys of the sharps and flats are ivory white. The organ will be an appro priate addition to the Brothers House in Old Salem, the busi- (Contlnued on page 3) TALL TOURISTS—^No, this remarkable Mirrw photo wasn’t taken in the tropics. 'The pair of herons (or maybe you’ll insist they are cranes) seen here have been feeding in back of KunbreU’s Outboard Service on recent days with a number oi others. Encouraged to head this way by Ethel and Gladys, they feasted on small fish brought in by the tide. They hxric like a husband and wife who decided to stop speaking after a bitt^ quarrel, but it was just a pose to make sure they landed on our front page.—^Fhoto by BUly Ben ners.
The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.)
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Sept. 25, 1964, edition 1
1
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