9/16/07 7:26 PM
I enjoyed reading this article because my grandfather, Arthur Kohl, built pipe organs out of his small, 6-employee factory in Rochester, NY, for many decades, beginning around 1920. It's believed he was the last pipe organ manufacturer to build every component himself, including such details as the electrical wiring, as opposed to purchasing pre-made components.
He and my grandmother, who was an accomplished organ/piano player, spent a half century installing pipe organs in nearly every state east of the Mississippi. They sent their large cargo by rail or truck to the recipient site (usually a church), then drove their car cross country to meet it. As it could take one to two weeks to assemble the monster instrument, they were graciously welcomed by parishoners who put them up in their homes. Once installed, they serviced their organs thereafter. Often, all that was necessary was a tuning whereby my grandmother patiently played while my grandfather crawled around the pipe room to tweak each pipe to perfect tone once again. It was a career of endless adventure and gratification for my grandparents.
When they finally retired at the age of 76, the factory long closed and their activities having been limited to continue servicing their organs, the first thing they did was build a complete, huge pipe organ in their garage! Talk about loving one's profession!
Please, if anyone should know of or come across a pipe organ with the name KOHL on it, email me privately. I'd love to know that my grandparents' legacy still lives long after their own passing.
