Funds for the Tabernacle organ were raised separately from the building itself. A series of unspecified entertainments were proposed and planned by James E. Daniels and H. E. Giles, Provo, Utah stake chorister and organist, to raise monies. The drive got underway on 1 May 1889 in the form of a “Grand May Day Festival.” The ticket price was 15 cents. (See ticket inset in image of old organ pipes below.)

Additional fund-raising concerts included J. R. Boshard and A. C. Lund in 1904, vocalist Marie Trout, who received 60% of the gate with the fund-raising committee neeting $133.05, Willard Andelin on 3 February 1907 which gave a share of the proceeds to the fund.

At a meeting two days later, stake president Reed Smoot announced that “when the people are ready to go on and put the finishing touches on the building and install an organ,” he would put up $1,000 in cash. At this meeting, the motion to build an organ carried.

By the time of the Tabernacle’s dedication, insufficient funds had been raised and so the first organ brought in, by D. O. Calder, was a Mason and Risch Vocalion two-manual reed organ whose bellows were filled by means of a large lever according to Memories That Live. This organ was moved to the old Provo Third Ward building on First North and Fifth West in 1907 when the proper pipe organ was installed.

The organ cost $9,450.

As chronicled in the minutes of “Utah Stake Organ Fund Committee, 1907-1907,” on file at the Church Historian’s Office, on 3 June 1904, a committee was appointed with Lafayette Holbrook as chairman, E. H. Holt, secretary/treasurer and seating also R. R. Irvine, John R. Twelves, Hugh Clayton, J. H. Frisby, and L. L. Nelson. Later, L. O. Toft and George A. Startup (of candy fame), were added. Leading Provo musicians J. R. Bochard, C. W. Reid and A. C. Lund also lent assistance.

Ultimately, this committee relied on a “subscription” list as its main source of funds. Holbrook led the list of five to donate $500 each, ten for $100, fifty for $35, one hundred for $25 and two hundred for $10.50. (A total of $9,850.)

Apparently, the committee felt confident enough in its fund-raising to let out for bids and, on 29 August 1904, the W. W. Kimball Company of Chicago, Lyon and Healy of Chicago, the Hastings Company of Boston, and the Hastings-Votey Organ Company also of Boston submitted bids ranging from $12,000 to $18,000. On 31 October 1905, the committee entertained new bids by Kimball and also the Austin Organ Company of Hartford. Negociations continued.

Finally, on 3 February 1907, it was decided to adopt the Austin bid for $9.450. The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agreed to appropriate $4,000. Apparently, the subscription list would raise the lion’s share, but not reach its goal. On 6 February, secretary Holt notified Austin of the committee’s desire that the organ be delivered by 15 June and installation finished by 10 July including its casing to be cut from walnut. A few days later, photographs and blueprints of the organ emplacement were sent. C. W. Reid, Tabernacle organist, was tapped to provide Austin with any necessary specifications beyond the mere physical.

On 6 June 1907, L. R. Cheney, Austin’s tresurer wrote Holbrook that the organ had been shipped, that $4,725 were due on on delivery and that a supplement of $260 was being imposed for the extra Gamba stop Reid required.

Installation went according to schedule and on 17 August 1907 the committee demonstrated the instrument at a concert. Entry was charged 50 cents with children entering for half-price.

Accumulated from various wards, some still not reporting by late August, were $322 and the committee authorized the draft of the final check to Austin as soon as the amount the Church promised had been received. This was done, however, at a meeting on 3 September, the committee was still in debt for $2,588.71 and a discussion ensued between the bishops present as to how to make up for the shortfall.

Parts of the Austin organ remained in the Tabernacle throughout various updates including remodelings (1927, 1962) and enlargements (1927) until the most recent remodel in the mid 1990s.