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The National Music Museum presents organist Marie Rubis Bauer, Archdiocesan Director of Music and Cathedral Organist at Saint Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, in a special performance on the Museum’s rare 1808 Dieffenbach organ (NMM 04905). Built in Bethel, Pennsylvania, and originally installed in Zion Lutheran & Reformed Church in Orwigsburg, this towering Pennsylvania-German tracker organ stands nearly 12 feet tall, features 306 pipes, and is one of only seven Dieffenbach organs still in existence—the only one preserved in a major public collection. The concert will take place in the Richard Cutler Gallery, where the instrument is featured as part of the NMM’s Music & Spirituality exhibition. Audiences are invited to experience the remarkable sound of this historic organ in the hands of a distinguished performer whose career has spanned major concert venues in the U.S. and Europe, with performances hailed for their artistry and depth of interpretation.About the Instrument
Dieffenbach Pipe Organ (1808) – Bethel, Pennsylvania
Maker: Christian Dieffenbach
This single-manual Pennsylvania-German tracker pipe organ was built in 1808 for the Zion Lutheran & Reformed Church in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania. Standing 11 feet, 9 inches tall with 306 pipes, it is one of the most iconic objects in the NMM’s collection. Only seven Dieffenbach organs survive today, and the NMM’s example is the only one in a major public collection. Restored as part of the museum’s permanent exhibition renovation, the organ embodies the craftsmanship and musical traditions of early American communities.
Arne B. and Jeanne F. Larson Fund, and J. Laiten W**d Estate, 1990. NMM 04905.
This program is funded by the Clayton & Odessa Lang Ofstad Foundation, Bank of America N. A., Co-Trustee. The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
414 E Clark St (Corner: Clark/Yale), Vermillion, SD, United States, South Dakota 57069

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