to the Organ Library of the Boston Chapter, American Guild of Organists, located at the School of Theology on the campus of Boston University. The Organ Library is a repository of music written or transcribed for the pipe organ, as well as books pertaining to the history of organ music and organ performance. It includes the archives and papers of notable concert organists.

Current News

Scanning Music

Music that is out of print and not protected by copyright (generally anything published after 1923) will be scanned upon request and made accessible to users anywhere in the world via the Web Catalog.  Currently, there is no charge for a resonable number of pages.  Sample pages my be viewed (and downloaded) of (1) Lemmens, Four Offertoires (2) Reger's Benedictus, and (3) H. A. Matthews, Cantilena in D (St. Cecilia Series No. 1, pub. 1908).

Douglas Rafter Collection and Archive

Thanks to the generosity of Douglas L. Rafter, formerly civic orgainst of Portland, Maine, the Organ Library recently received an extraordinarily large collection of music assembled by Mr. Rafter during his long career as a church and concert organist.  It includes the music library of his teacher, John Herman Loud, the first American to be awarded the ARCM (1895).  Now 95 years of age, Mr. Rafter lives in a retirement community in Maine.

T. Tertius Noble Archive

See the "Collections" page of the website for a complete inventory (finder's list) of the T. Tertius Noble Archive, the major repository for the papers and musical scores of the former director of music at St. Thomas Church, New York City, and the founder of its choir school. The Library's holdings include autograph scores of his orchestral and orchestral/choral music, songs, anthems and organ music, along with a large collection of correspondence, an extensive typewritten "Memoir," and many phototographs. The material was analyzed and inventoried by Dr. Ghilyana Dordzhieva.

Donations of Music

The Organ Library always welcomes donations of organ music, large and small, for incorporation into the permanent research collection (now about 45,000 items).  Such donations are tax-deductible.  For more information see the "Donations of Music" page on the website, or contact the Librarian.



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