M. P. Moller

Mathias Peter Møller (more commonly known as M.P. Möller) was a prolific Danish organ builder. He was a native of the Danish island of Bornholm. He founded the "M.P. Moller Pipe Organ Company" in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in 1875. The city of Hagerstown took notice of Möller's early successes and induced him to move his business to that city to help make Hagerstown a viable business center in Western Maryland. The result was M. P. Möller, Inc. and the company remained in business until 1992, with a production of over 11,000 instruments.

History

The earliest instruments were built by industry supply houses under contract to Möller. The early Möller instruments utilized tracker action which links the organ console to the pipe chests by mechanical means. By 1902 tubular-pneumatic action was used until the company developed its own version of electro-pneumatic actions by 1919 (pitman action). Möller thought that anybody that wanted a pipe organ should be able to get one. So, the company built many "Artiste" type instruments, smaller mass-produced organs which incorporated standard specifications with fewer sets of pipes. Möller organs can be found in churches, synagogues, schools, concert halls, movie theaters and private residences.

There are many fine Möller installations and given the massive output of the firm some that are not so fine. The first major contract that Möller landed with the United States Service academies was the instrument in the Cadet Chapel of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. This was Möller Opus (serial number) 1200. The project bid package included an approved organ design of three manuals and pedal. The winning bidder was allowed to suggest and implement changes to this design following contract award. As a result Möller, as the builder of the organ, got to demonstrate his best practices in the Cadet Chapel organ. Möller remained the primary supplier of additions until after WWII. Today the mostly-Möller organ is the largest Church Organ in the World (note that Los Angeles First Congregational Church also makes that claim with their 346-rank giant).

Prior to WWII Möller had been a low cost supplier. With the end of the war Möller began to compete directly with Aeolian-Skinner. One memorable example of Möller's product are the two instruments at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., recently rebuilt by Goulding and Wood. A three manual organ occupies the transept and a four manual is located in the rear gallery. The largest Möller church organ, built as a single new instrument, is installed in Calvary Church, Charlotte, North Carolina, Opus 11739, completed in 1990. Möller also built a large number of theater organs (often known as the "Möller Deluxe" organ) and the company's largest theatre instrument still resides in Atlanta's Fox Theatre, affectionately known as the "Mighty Mo."

Möller introduced solid state electronics for console components and other innovations in the 1980's, later than many other competitors. This, coupled with serious labor problems over the years, lagging investments in the plant and escalation in the cost of fabrication contributed to the end of the company which came in 1992. Several investors attempted to revive the company and move it from its ancient factory on Hagerstown's Prospect Street, but to no avail. Möller's assets were auctioned off in 1993. Beautiful completed and almost-completed consoles, voiced pipes, hardwoods and the like were sold for a fraction of their value. Unfortunately, some churches never received their new pipe organs.

References

Organ Console of Moller Opus 9983, built in 1967, says "Hagerstown, Maryland".
Ochse, Orpha. "The History of the Organ in the United States." Indiana University Press

External links

* [http://theatreorgans.com/laird/top.pipe.organs.html "World's Largest Pipe Organs" Lists the Calvary organ as Moller Opus 11739 and the 14th Largest in the World]
* [http://theatreorgans.com/laird/calvary/ The Calvary Grand Organ - Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina (Link No. 1)]
* [http://www.calvarychurch.com/site/nav.cfm?cat=18&subcat=150&subsub=44 The Calvary Grand Organ - Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina (Link No. 2)]
* [http://www.foxtheatre.org Atlanta Fox Theatre website]
* [http://www.usma.army.mil/Chaplain/cadetchapel.htm The Cadet Chapel at West Point (Link No. 1)]
* [http://www.usma.edu/Chaplain/uscc/index.htm The Cadet Chapel at West Point (Link No. 2)]