The Colorful History of the Chapel's Aeolian Organ
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Duke junior Bradley Bowen plays the Chapel's Aeolian organ.
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Duke junior Bradley Bowen plays the Chapel's Aeolian organ.
Duke junior Bradley Bowen plays the Chapel's Aeolian organ.
Music from Duke Chapel’s Aeolian Organ has lifted countless hearts and voices since it was installed in 1932 as part of the original construction of the building. The history of the instrument—nicknamed “Bertha” and later dedicated as the Kathleen Upton Byrns McClendon Organ—intersects with music trends, colorful personalities, and engineering challenges. That is what intrigued Bradley Bowen, a Duke junior and statistics major. Also a member of the Duke Chapel Choir, Bowen undertook a research project on the Aeolian—advised by University Organist Robert Parkins—which led him to visit forty organs in seven states and uncover thirty-three sources for his fifty-page report. In this episode of our Sounds of Faith podcast, Bowen tells the story of the Aeolian with anecdotes, pivotal events, key facts, and archival recordings.
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