Organs for America : The Life and Work of David Tannenberg

From the Preface:

This book is the story of David Tannenberg, the organ builder of Lititz and of his organs. One of America's first full-time organ builders, Tannenberg built or helped to build almost fifty pipe organs for churches and individuals in six states, preparing them for such distant cities as Albany, New York, and Salem, North Carolina. They were built not only for the use of the Moravian Brethren, of which he was a member, but for German Reformed and Lutheran churches as well and, in at least one case, for a Roman Catholic church. The quality of Tannenberg's work was such that he is recognized today as one of the master organ builders, to be ranked alongside the Silbermanns and Arp Schnitger in Europe.

In recent years a renewed interest in the old, mechanical, "tracker action" organs has led to the rediscovery and restoration of most of Tannenberg's surviving works. But the story of his life has never adequately been told, nor the measure of his work been taken. The life and work of the baster builder have lain buried in the German manuscripts of the Moravian Brethren. Contained in their pages is the fascinating story of a people rich in music and religious devotion. It is from these pages that the story of the one whom they proudly called Brother David Tannenberg is taken.