The Life And Work Of Ernest M. Skinner

[Jonathan Thorne]

Whilst exercising my interest about E M Skinner I came across a book on Amazon by Dorothy J. Holden. I was just wondering if it is a recommended book or if there is any other literature about this great organ builder.

[Pierre Lauwers]

There is not many available about E-M Skinner. I would take it even without knowing. He himself wrote two little books -two must-have-. I have one of the two "The modern organ" (re-edition by the organ litterature foundation, Braintree, Mass). There are some very interesting articles from Jonathan Ambrosino on his website.

Best wishes,

Pierre Lauwers.

[Malcolm Farr]

Another very worthwhile book - one that might well be read in conjunction with the latter part of the "The Life and Work of Ernest M. Skinner" - is "The American Classic Organ: A History in Letters" by Dr Charles Callahan (pub. The Organ Historical Society, 1990). It covers the period 1924 to 1956, and not only shows how the dispute between Skinner and Donald Harrison developed over the years, but also shows clearly the positions taken by Henry Willis III and Senator Emerson Richards. Quite illuminating.

 

Regards

Malcolm F