Anthony Burke - 1929 Midmer-Losh Pipe Organ. Church of the Assumption, Ansonia, Connecticut (2006)

The last Midmer who was associated with this firm died in 1918, it having been operated in Brooklyn, New York, then Merrick, Long Island, New York, since 1860 by well respected organbuilders, Reuben and Reed Midmer, father and son. Brothers George and Seibert Losh purchased the firm in 1924, renamed it Midmer-Losh, and became everlastingly famous for building the largest organ in the world at Atlantic City, New Jersey. At about the same time as the contract was let for the Atlantic City organ, another was let in 1929 for the organ recorded on this CD, Opus 5519 at the Church of the Assumption in Ansonia, Connecticut. While hopes are high that the Atlantic City organ will be made playable and restored in the future, the very interesting organ at Church of the Assumption has already received a thorough tonal restoration and mechanical renovation by the Foley-Baker Organ Company. The organ features such innovations as a Choir manual of 85-notes, a Great Diapason of large scale with double languids, and very distinctive solo voices and high-pressure reeds of large scale among its 30 ranks on three manuals, replete with floating String and Melody divisions. Anthony Burke, the fine organist of the parish, demonstrates the restored organ and the large acoustics of its handsome environment at Assumption Church.