Spreckels Organ
A Brief History of the
History
A renowned San Diego icon and National Historic Site, the Spreckels Organ Pavilion was constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. This extraordinary gift was made by brothers John D. and Adolf B. Spreckels to the people of San Diego who welcomed the Organ’s first performance on December 31, 1914, with more than 30,000 people in attendance. The Spreckels Organ has since entertained and engaged millions of guests from around the world who have enjoyed Sunday afternoon and holiday concerts as well as an International Summer Organ Festival, the largest of its kind in the United States.
Today, the Spreckels Organ, with its 5098 pipes, has the distinction of being the largest open-air musical instrument in the world. In 1988, the nonprofit Spreckels Organ Society was formed “to preserve, program, and promote the Spreckels Organ as a world treasure for all people.” In accordance with the 1915 Deed of Gift, all concerts at the Pavilion are free and open to the public. The Spreckels Organ Society works cooperatively with the City of San Diego to fulfill this promise. Together they support San Diego’s internationally acclaimed Civic Organist and the Organ Curator, an expert in maintaining the Organ.
Civic Organists
1915-1932 – Dr. Humphrey J. Stewart
1933-1954 – Royal Brown
1954-1957 – Charles Shatto
1957-1978 – Douglas Duncan
1978-1984 – Jared Jacobsen
1984-2000 – Robert Plimpton
2001-2016 – Dr. Carol Williams
2018-Present – Raúl Prieto Ramírez
Curators
1914 – Installer – Edward Crome
1914-1915 – Anton Rokos
1915-1932 – Roy W. Tolchard
1932-1947 – E. A. Spencer
1947-1974 – Leonard Dowling
1974-2015 – Lyle W. Blackinton
2016-Present – Dale Sorenson
SPRECKELS OUTDOOR PIPE ORGAN
1915 Austin Opus #453
New Consoles 1935, 1981, 2010
Additions 1935, 1960, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1996, 2014, 2016, 2020
81 Ranks – 5,098 Pipes
GREAT
16' Major Diapason 46 pipes
8' Stentorphone 61 pipes
8' Open Diapason 61 pipes
8' Horn Diapason 61 pipes
8’ GAMBA 73 pipes 2014
8’ GAMBA CELESTE 73 pipes 2014
8' MAJESTIC FLUTE 122 pipes 2020
4' Octave 61 pipes
2' Super Octave 61 pipes
V Mixture 305 pipes 1988
V Grand Cornet 255 pipes 1935
16' Tuba Sonora solo
8' Tuba Sonora solo
4' Tuba Sonora solo
8' Tibia solo
4' Tibia solo
SWELL
16' Quintaton 73 pipes
8' Phonon Diapason 73 pipes
8' Violin Diapason 73 pipes
8' Tibia Clausa 73 pipes
8' Rohr Floete 73 pipes
8' Flauto Dolce 73 pipes
8' Viole D'Gamba 73 pipes
8' Concert Celeste 73 pipes
4' Principal 73 pipes
4' Flauto Traverso 73 pipes
2' Piccolo 61 pipes
III Dolce Cornet 183 pipes
IV Scharf 244 pipes 1988
16' Contra Posaune 73 pipes
8' Cornopean 73 pipes
8’ Oboe 73 pipes
4' Clarion 73 pipes 1988
8' Vox Humana 61 pipes
Tremulant
CHOIR
16' Contra Viole 73 pipes
8' Geigen Principal 73 pipes
8’ Geigen celeste 61 pipes 2016
8' Concert Flute 73 pipes
8' Viole D'Orchestra 73 pipes
8' Viole Celeste 73 pipes
4' Violina 73 pipes
4’ VIOLINA CELESTE 73 pipes 2016
4' Flute D'Amour 73 pipes
8' French Horn 73 pipes
8' Clarinet 73 pipes
tremulant
FESTIVAL REEDS
16' Bombarde 61 pipes 1988
8' Festival Trompette 61 pipes 1988
4' Trompette Clarion 61 pipes 1988
Reeds on Great
Reeds on Solo
8’ centennial tuba solo
8’ centennial tuba swell 61 pipes 2014
SOLO
8' Grand Diapason 73 pipes
8' Tibia Plena 73 pipes
8' Flute Celeste 61 pipes
8' Gross Gamba 73 pipes
8' Gamba Celeste 61 pipes
4' Flute Ouverte 73 pipes
4' Harmonic Flute 61 pipes
8' Tuba Sonora 73 pipes
8' Horn Tuba 73 pipes 1960
8' Orchestral Oboe 73 pipes
8’ crommorne 73 pipes 2016
8’ solo vox humana 73 pipes 2016
tremulant
TIBIA (solo / fLOATING)
16' Tibia
8' Tibia
5 1/3' Tibia
4' Tibia 73 pipes 1996
2 2/3' Tibia
2' Tibia
1 3/5' Tibia
tremulant
Tibia on Great
Tibia on Swell
Tibia on Choir
Tibia on Solo
PEDAL
32' Contra Magnaton 12 pipes
16' Magnaton 32 pipes
16' Open Diapason 12 pipes
16' Violone 12 pipes
16' Bourdon 32 pipes
16' contra viole choir
8' Octave 32 pipes 1987
8' Gross Floete 32 PIPES
8' Bourdon 12 pipes
8' Violoncello 32 pipes
4' Super Octave 32 pipes 1987
IV Mixture 128 pipes 1987
32' Contra Bombarde 32 pipes 1990
16' Tuba Sonora solo 12 pipes
16' Contra Posaune swell
8' Tuba Sonora solo
PERCUSSIONTOY COUNTER
Chimes SOLO WOOD BLOCK*
Harp CHOIR TRAIN WHISTLE*
glockenspiel CHOIR, SOLO* POLICE WHISTLE*
XYLOPHONE SOLO* siren*
Bass Drum PEDAL KLAXON*
Tympani PEDAL bell*
TRIANGLE PEDAL* gong*
TAMBORINE CHOIR*
SNARE DRUM CHOIR
CASTINETTES CHOIR*
Cymbal F PEDAL
Cymbal P PEDAL
crash cymbal TOE STUD
ROLL CYMBAL TOE STUd*
*2014
The organ is maintained by L.W. Blackinton and Associates, Inc
Lyle Blackinton, Curator 1974 – 2014
Dale Sorenson, Curator 2015 -
