Image
Organ Pavilion

The Sign
(1 of 14) (11186 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101012_155610_BCX_9776.jpg

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion was created by John D. Spreckels (1853-1926) of the Spreckels sugar fortune. The organ and pavilion were created for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:56:10 Tuesday 12 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCX_9776
Add a comment or report a mistake

Free Concerts
(2 of 14) (8052 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_135448_BCY_1505.jpg

Free concerts are held every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (14:00). A huge metal roll-up door (see the previous shot) was rolled up to expose the organ for the concert, then rolled down after the concert to protect the organ from the elements. Once rolled up, the scene is a majestic one.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 13:54:38 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1505
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Organ
(3 of 14) (8081 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_135523_BCY_1507.jpg

This was the organ keyboard. Unseen under it in the basement was a 20 horsepower compressor that fed air to all the instrument pipes. Seating on stage was first come first serve, but there was plenty of seating off stage too.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 13:55:23 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1507
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Concert Began
(4 of 14) (8168 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_140211_BCY_1512.jpg

The concert began with an introduction of the organ's history and the organ player of the day. The man introducing also turned the pages for the performer during the performance. This days performance was composed of mostly spirited classical works.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:02:11 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1512
Add a comment or report a mistake

A Photograph
(5 of 14) (8212 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_145551_BCY_1522.jpg

While the concert was underway, the behind-the-scenes interior of the pavilion was open for self guided tours. Just inside was a corridor of historic photographs. Here was one photograph showing that Albert Einstein attended a concert on Saturday the 31st of December in 1932, during his first visit to San Diego.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:55:51 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1522
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Corridor
(6 of 14) (8085 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_145658_BCY_1513.jpg

The was the corridor just inside the pavilion. The organ keyboard with the concert underway could be seen at the far end of the corridor. The walls of the corridor were lined with dozens of historic photographs of famous people attending concerts.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:56:58 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1513
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Pipes Inside
(7 of 14) (8220 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_145742_BCY_1514.jpg

The pipes inside were plain galvanized metal because they were not meant to be seen by the public. There by the pipes, the concert was body-shakingly loud. The keyboard caused electrically actuated valves to open allowing compressed air to flow up a selected pipe.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:57:42 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1514
Add a comment or report a mistake

Old Door
(8 of 14) (8089 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_145816_BCY_1518.jpg

An old doorway was at the far end of the corridor with the photographs. Beyond it, just visible through one window pane, was the edge of the pavilion.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:58:16 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1518
Add a comment or report a mistake

Pipes Tied With Cloth Ribbons
(9 of 14) (8083 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_145839_BCY_1520.jpg

The large vertical pipes were tied to a supporting wooden backboard using muslin ribbons.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 14:58:39 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1520
Add a comment or report a mistake

Drums Too
(10 of 14) (8162 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_150109_BCY_1527.jpg

Snare drums and bass drums were also part of the suite of instruments the organ could produce. In addition there were bells and gongs (not shown).


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:01:09 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1527
Add a comment or report a mistake

Air Past Hole
(11 of 14) (8160 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_150141_BCY_1529.jpg

The tops of the pipes were open. It was the rush of air past a slot in the side of the pipe that created the tone. Here the actual slots could be seen near the top of each pipe.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:01:41 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1529
Add a comment or report a mistake

A Snare Drum
(12 of 14) (8118 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_150151_BCY_1531.jpg

A snare drum was near the bottom of the display of pipes and instruments. To the right, behind the narrow pipes in the foreground, gongs were suspended.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:01:51 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1531
Add a comment or report a mistake

Outside Seating
(13 of 14) (8128 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_150405_BCY_1536.jpg

Seating outside for the concert as viewed from beside the stage was hardly filled. Perhaps it was the threat of rain that kept folks away that day.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:04:05 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1536
Add a comment or report a mistake

The Gift Shop
(14 of 14) (8096 views)

./Spreckels_Organ_Pavilion_20101017_150559_BCY_1538.jpg

In the wide overview of the concert the gift shop could be seen at the far right. It sold CDs of past performances and books describing the pavilion and the Spreckels family.


Spreckels Organ Pavilion external link   •  Spreckels Organ Society external link   •  Balboa Park, San Diego, California   •  (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:05:59 Sunday 17 October 2010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_1538
Add a comment or report a mistake


Subscribe to our mailing list for a Sunday summary of the week's stories.
* indicates required
Email Format
home contact topic guide top 25 photos video writing blogs upload terms privacy