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Organ Pavilion
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The Sign
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:56:10 Tuesday 12 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCX_9776 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Free Concerts
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 13:54:38 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1505 Add a comment or report a mistake
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The Organ
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 13:55:23 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1507 Add a comment or report a mistake
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The Concert Began
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:02:11 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1512 Add a comment or report a mistake
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A Photograph
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:55:51 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1522 Add a comment or report a mistake
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The Corridor
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:56:58 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1513 Add a comment or report a mistake
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The Pipes Inside
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:57:42 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1514 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Old Door
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:58:16 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1518 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Pipes Tied With Cloth Ribbons
The large vertical pipes were tied to a supporting wooden backboard using muslin ribbons.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 14:58:39 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1520 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Drums Too
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:01:09 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1527 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Air Past Hole
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:01:41 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1529 Add a comment or report a mistake
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A Snare Drum
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:01:51 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1531 Add a comment or report a mistake
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Outside Seating
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:04:05 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1536 Add a comment or report a mistake
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The Gift Shop
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 • Spreckels Organ Society • Balboa Park, San Diego, California • (Photo posted Wednesday 6 April 2011) • (Photo taken 15:05:59 Sunday 17 October 2010) • © 2011 Bryan Costales #BCY_1538 Add a comment or report a mistake
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