John W. Landon, himself a theatre pipe organist, has written the first history of the theatre pipe organ. He traces its development from church organ to a theatrical instrument that took the place of a piano. Landon also discusses the pipe organ's later emergence as a solo instrument, its use in radio broadcasting and phonograph records, and its present uses. The book also includes a history of those companies that built theatre organs and biographical sketches of some of the leading theatre organists. The appendixes list theatre organ installations around the world.