Opus 6, 1980

The history of this organ is a colorful one. In the late 1930s, Claude Murphree, the first University Organist, felt the need for a small practice organ to supplement the large Auditorium instrument. A four-rank Kimball unit organ, entirely self-contained, was purchased and installed in the Florida Union Auditorium.

In 1960, it was realized that the needs of the Department of Music for organ practice space could not be met if the instrument remained in a location also used for committee meetings, movies, etc. The organ was, therefore, moved to Building “R” during the Thanksgiving holidays and set up in practice room 136. In 1966, the organ was completely overhauled and rebuilt by John Harold Murphy Pipe Organs of St. Petersburg, FL, a subsidiary of the Reuter Organ Company.

The Kimball/Murphy organ was completely changed and renovated again in 1980 by Klug & Schumacher, Inc. The company converted the organ into a fully functional tracker instrument. Certain parts of the organ (e.g. casework, blower, parts of the console, certain pipes, etc.) would be used in the new organ by Klug & Schumacher. The finished and current organ was installed in June of 1980.

Stop List

Manual I
8' Spillflote
4' Principal

Manual II
8' Spitzprincipal
2' Spitzflote

Pedal
16' Subbass
8' Gedeckt

Couplers
Manual II to Manual I
Manual I to Pedal
Manual II to Pedal

Manual Compass: 56 notes
Pedal Compass: 30 notes