Wanamaker Organ case restored

Friends of the Wanamaker Organ announces that the case of the historic organ at the former Wanamaker Department Store, now Macy’s, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has experienced a complete restoration. EverGreene Architectural Arts performed the work, and the grand organ case, newly repainted and gilded in 22-karat gold, will be unveiled and rededicated on June 1, Wanamaker Organ Day. Gifts from Macy’s, the Wyncote Foundation, the Michael Stairs Memorial Fund, and from the members of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ have funded the project.

The case was designed in 1910 by Daniel Hudson Burnham, architect of the department store, and was built by the Meader Furniture Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The façade is designed in the same Greco-Roman Renaissance revival style as the rest of the store and is topped by a human-size herald angel blowing twin trumpets. Twin carved heads supporting the twin pipe towers are said to be in the likeness of James B. Woodford, head of Wanamaker’s piano department.

Brought to Philadelphia following the St. Louis World’s Fair, the Wanamaker Organ was dedicated on June 22, 1911. It has since been enlarged and contains 464 ranks and 28,500 pipes.

The restoration project began in February, when conservators performed paint studies to determine the original colors used. In March, each of the 117 display pipes was removed for gilding. After a thorough cleaning, missing ornamentation will be replaced, and the façade will be repainted with the original scheme. Three and a half pounds of solid gold is required for the gold-leaf decorations.

For the rededication, free concerts feature Peter Richard Conte, Ken Cowan, Rudy Lucente, Monte Maxwell, Colin Howland, Philadelphia Brass, and others. There will be a musical celebration of the life of former Wanamaker Organist Keith Chapman, who died 30 years ago. A ticketed evening concert showcases Conte and Cowan in the closed store. Also planned is a pops concert on the Friends Wurlitzer organ in Macy’s Greek Hall.

For information: www.wanamakerorgan.com.

EverGreene conservator Brooke Russell with carved image of James Bayard Woodford