Seibert Losh
Charles Seibert Losh (1880–1934) was an American musician, conductor, and organ builder. He was president of the Midmer-Losh Organ Company and oversaw the initial installation of the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ[1], which is often described as the largest musical instrument in the world.[2] Losh designed this organ with Republican New Jersey State Senator Emerson Richards, although the relationship ended in lawsuits and acrimony[3][4].
Losh was associated with a number of technical innovations in organ construction. He often consulted with fellow organ builder George Audsley. In 1921 he patented a new organ-pipe design.[5] In 1925 he installed a seven-octave manual in the Central Christian Church in Miami, Florida, an innovation which he described as "here to stay."[6] He installed a custom Midmer-Losh organ in 1926 in the recording studio of Thomas Edison[7] and wrote about his collaborations with Edison in trade publications.[8] The Edison organ was sold to the Derry Church in 1933.[9] Composer Charles Ives also corresponded with Losh about purchasing an organ, but the sale was never completed.[10]
Before running his own company, Losh installed the organ at the West Point Cadet Chapel[11] in 1911, which has also been considered one of the largest in the world, while working for the Moller Organ Company. He was known for pioneering the use of the pipe organ as accompaniment for film in New York City. Before leaving the Moller organization in 1918, as Eastern sales manager, Losh persuaded the Fox and Loews corporations to sign organ purchase contracts for their chains.[12]
He was the brother of singer and composer Samuel S. Losh. His granddaughter is the media scholar Elizabeth Losh.[13]
References
[edit]- ↑ "C. Siebert Losh; Former President of Organ Factory in Merrick, L. I." The New York Times. January 10, 1934.
- ↑ Preston, Laura (2022-08-15). "Helping the World's Largest Instrument Get Its Groove Back". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
- ↑ Smith, Stephen D. (2002). Atlantic City's musical masterpiece: the story of the world's largest pipe organ. Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society. Portsmouth, N.H: Published for the Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society, by Peter E. Randall. ISBN 978-0-9708494-4-1.
- ↑ Vic Ferrer (2012-07-06). The Senator's Masterpiece - Chapter 03 - Atlantic City Convention Hall Pipe Organ. Retrieved 2026-01-12 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "US-1376891-A - Patent Public Search | USPTO". ppubs.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
- ↑ Ochse, Orpha (1975). The History Of The Organ In The United States. Indiana University Press.
- ↑ Smith, Rollin (February 2021). "Edison's Organs" (PDF). The American Organist.
- ↑ Losh, C. Seibert Losh (October 1932). "Edison and the Organ". The American Organist. 15 (10): 597–8.
- ↑ George, Susan (2025-04-24). "Bobbie Atkinson • Heritage Committee Member and Elder". Derry Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ↑ "Charles Ives Papers at Yale University" (PDF).
- ↑ Pappas, George S. (1987). The Cadet Chapel: United States Military Academy. U.S.M.A. West Point, N.Y.?: U.S.M.A. Class of 1927. ISBN 978-0-917218-28-6.
- ↑ "C. Seibert Losh". The American Organist. 17 (2): 83. 1933.
- ↑ "virtualpolitik: Somthing Old, Something New, Something Borrowed . . ". Retrieved 2026-04-21.