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Aeolian Organ Demonstrations

Hear the latest in luxury home entertainment—circa 1920—with free, daily demonstrations of our Aeolian organ.

Want to experience the pinnacle of 1920s home entertainment? Join us for a short program exploring the history of our beautifully restored Aeolian residential player pipe organ.

In this 20-minute demonstration, listen and learn about the significance of this rare musical instrument, which is original to HNOC’s Seignouret-Brulatour Building. In addition to the usual rotation of tunes, seasonal selections are also played throughout the year.

Hear the Organ

Free demonstrations offered Tuesday–Sunday
11–11:20 a.m. and 3–3:20 p.m.
520 Royal Street, Seignouret-Brulatour Building, 3rd Floor
Barbara S. Beckman Music Room

Included with free museum admission, no registration required

A person holds a long scroll in front of a seated group in a warmly lit room with wooden floors. A sign titled Centuries of History is in the background. The attendees are watching attentively.
Photo by Amber Johnson, HNOC
An ornate scroll of paper partially unrolled, displaying text and a signature in the center, with intricate decorative borders. It features a label with the title Murillo (Allegro de Concert) and mentions DUO-ART The Aeolian Company at the bottom.
67466 Murillo Allegro de Concert Op. 138, between 1920 and 1932, by Genevieve Pitot (pianist) and the Aeolian Company (manufacturer). HNOC, gift of Alfred E. Lemmon, 2017.0344.1
Get a close look at original paper rolls used to play the organ, which can be played automatically or manually by a performer.
The photograph shows the music room of the Seignouret-Brulatour house at 520 Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Aeolian organ console is visible on the left side of the picture. Metal grilles over the openings to the spaces for the organ pipes are visible on the right side. A fireplace is visible on the right side. Furniture and other decorations of the room are visible.

The Aeolian organ and music room of the Seignouret-Brulatour house, between 1927 and 1956.

HNOC, from the papers of Mrs. E. B. “Nella” Ludwig, MSS 542.2.4.1

About the Organ

In the early 20th century, having a player organ in the home was a luxury reserved for the most opulent residences, allowing the owner to have access to recorded music before radios and phonographs were commonplace. Tobacco magnate William Ratcliffe Irby remodeled the property at 520 Royal Street—now part of HNOC’s Seignouret-Brulatour Building—to serve as his personal residence starting in 1918. In the process he installed a player organ in the entry room to his lavish third-floor apartment.

In their “Heart of America” WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans explores the history of HNOC’s Aeolian organ.
Listen to the organ play “Berceuse, op.31” by Louis Vierne (1870-1937), famed organist of Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris.

The instrument is one of approximately 1,800 built by the Aeolian Company of New York At the height of the trend there were more than a dozen of them along “Millionaires’ Row” on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Today, it is one of only a handful that has survived to this day in its original location and in working condition, after a meticulous restoration by the Holtkamp Organ Company.

Read More

Read about the organ and its restoration on our First Draft blog.

First Draft

Pipe Dreams

HNOC’s restored Aeolian organ re-creates the sound of Gilded Age excess.

View View
A vintage pipe organ with ornate wooden carvings surrounding tall, golden pipes. The intricate woodwork includes decorative floral patterns and columns, all set against a warm, neutral background.
A close-up of organ pipes in various sizes, arranged in a curved pattern. The pipes are made from metal, with some featuring a bronze hue and others a silver tone, creating a visually striking contrast.

Related Stories

View More
First Draft

Pipe Dreams

HNOC’s restored Aeolian organ re-creates the sound of Gilded Age excess.

View View
First Draft

Parlor Music and Player Pianos

Before stereos and Spotify, people’s musical lives looked and sounded drastically different.

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