The Wanamaker Organ - Inside the world's largest operating musical instrument
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ธ.ค. 2014
- Most Philadelphians don’t realize that the largest working musical instrument in the world is built into one of the city’s landmarks, the former John Wanamaker department store, now Macy’s, at 13th and Market streets.
The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ at Macy’s is a 7-story-high contraption bigger than most people’s houses, even rich people’s. The vast maze of 26,677 pipes and baffles and bellows and wires and wooden stairways lies hidden behind what many of us have always thought was the Wanamaker Organ. - บันเทิง
Guitar tuner : Uses fingers
Piano tuner : Uses tools
Pipe organ tuner : has an office inside the organ
and two full-time employees lmao
Don’t forget about drummers. We use a key.
LOL
Original gangster
I read "The Wanker's Organ".
And it is !
People seem to have an orgasm at seeing so many keys and switches.
Just like the number of screens and buttons on a BMW only for a different crowd.
When people ask most musicians what we play: "I play the piano/harp/flute/cello!"
When people ask organists what they play: "I PLAY A 14-STORY BUILDING. FEAR ME."
Well, an organ is LITERALLY the size of the entire building. That's no joke, the pipes hidden behind the walls have so powerful sound, the air is travelling to farthest points of the building to the pipes. Most of you may know, a pipe organ is mostly used in churches. And there's a reason why pipe organ is called the king of musical instruments. It can literally play thousands of voices at once. This is so powerful.
Not all will understand or care about the how sounds are achieved.,.lots of care and maintenance for Macy's.
Carillon Players: "Yeah, But can the whole Town hear you play?"
@@TheSinkingTitanic2 ROTFL
Very true J Cortese, citizens of Philadelphia can be pleased to have the world's most biggest organ. If you love organ music and should you be in Philadelphia, this is one feature you wouldn't like to miss.
I’m a pilot and have been for three decades. What these musicians do with this organ, makes anything I do in the cockpit pale in comparison. Furthermore, what an amazing feat of mechanical engineering ! Thank you so much for sharing this behind the scene tour.
Right? Cockpits are rather simple compared to 6 keyboards and so many stops.
I couldn't even handle one.
Morrov PL No, me either. Amazing 4-limb skill. I’m a drummer too and thought that was complicated. No, not compared to that organ.
@@randyporter3491 Instruments are very complex and in depth compared to what is essentially stick and rudder with computers glued in.
Mad respect to people who mastered them.
Morrov PL That’s very true. The changes in avionics since I started flying is drastic. It’s more of a video game world now. In fact, the gamers and simulator pilots transition easily to the new technology. They just have to learn the flying skills
@@randyporter3491 Right, even in little GA aircraft you get these giant G1000s, making it all so much easier.
I'm doing my modular right after I graduate from uni in 2 years, and I chose an old C150, so I can learn to fly without a huge GPS unit staring into my face...
“Organists are part octopus”
And right then, a third foot appears in the background.
Yeah, that was funny. :)
Badly Drawn Turtle I just noticed that as well!! 😂😂😂😂. I laughed way too hard at that lol
But I thought "third foot" was the indian name for the Shi Tzu.
It's almost as if they edited it that way
If they are "octopus", it goes without saying that they have a third foot. The series has to go up to eight OCTO. You have to revise your Latin.
6 keyboards and like 600 keys on each side with all the switches. flying a space craft seems less complex than this
Does Kerbal Space Program works?
Have you ever built a level 3 sentry?
it does seem to take multiple people to play the thing. One pilot and one engineer.
Even Bach sometimes had an assistant to change the stops. (Not counting the poor apprentice pumping the bellows,)
Team Fortress 2???? I was building level 3 sentries in Team Fortress 1 while you guys could barely walk.
Its not the size that matters.... Unless you need a tour of a huge building to see all of it... Then size matters....
You know what they say about organs with big consoles
Shining Armor
I know what they say about MY organ!
+Frabbledabble ok, that one was good
They say "keep it in your pants"
They said my organ wasn't big enough.
Thank you Macy's for saving this treasure. Now if only Atlantic City could find similar savior for the Boardwalk Organ which is even bigger.
kiqw it's still in the middle of restoration. They have a TH-cam channel with occasional updates.
what there's an other organ . bigger. than this . 🤔
The organ at the Atlantic City Convention Hall is slightly larger but not fully functional yet due to storm damage(leaking room many years a go) and lack of maintenance. It is now undergoing a multi-year restoration project. Once completed it will be again the world largest pipe organ. As an example, This organ at Macys has six manuals and around 30,000 pipes whereas the organ in in Atlantic City organ hs seven manual (two of which are larger the standard 61 note organ manuals) and has about 35, 000 apes. I understand that Mr. Conte neede to promote the organ at Macys but hegas played the Atlantic City organ and there is one or two You Tube videos of him doing that.
@@kiqw I don't know how many apes this organ has; are they really necessary? Must cost a fortune in bananas...
@@kiqw the organ at Atlantic City is the world’s largest based on number of pipes, however the Wanamaker Organ is the world’s largest pipe organ based on number of ranks and physical mass weight.
I think the neighbor kid has one of these things in his civic.
For forward propulsion?
.. hehe
omg! lmfao! thanks for that laugh.
the neighbor kid has a macy's in his civic? O.o
You mean pipes?
As a Philadelphian, it is a yearly ritual to go into Macy's each year and see their Christmas display, and catch a glimpse of the Wanamaker organ.
I am glad I know about this now.
I'm so jealous. Must be wonderful to hear.
When I lived in Philly back in the 70s and 80s dropping in at Wannamaker's when the organ was being played was a moving experience.
I couldn't care less if the only reason why Macy's decided to revive this organ is to attract patrons. This is an amazing piece that would have likely been completely forlorn if it weren't for their self interest.
Somos Numero Uno And with retail giving way to online shopping, and Macy's closing stores across the country, there's no certainty that their shareholders will continue to accept the six-figure annual cost of staff and maintenance required for this monster. Who know? It might be seven figures.
a jet fighter less, ONE day of war in a country the USA does not need and there would be plenty money there...
Somos Numero Uno We are number one but it's Bernie Sanders and it's Spanish...
It is a private organization and donations from private citizens that is paying for the restoration of the organ. It is a historic landmark and as such can not - at least in theory - be destroyed. Even is Macy's closes as a retail store, the organ would either have to be moved or preserved where it is. Macy's, in any case, does not pay for the maintenance of the organ,
Thank you for pointing that out. I had the same concern as "John Techwriter" when I heard about the association with Macy's. History is important here in Philadelphia - even the late Ravi Shankar said he liked that about us. He contrasted us with Manhattanites, but they're not alone. Try telling a Chicagoan that we used to agree not to build above Billy Penn's hat, [the statue atop City Hall], and watch their jaw drop. (They still can't figure out why we hang onto a cracked bell.)
Man imagine playing davy jone's theme on that beast of a organ .
Yes
Jusgentleman 1256 or the most epic version of The Baby Elephant Walk
Daydream Believer? yeah, I guess that'd be cool.
I'd prefer In a Gadda da Vida from Iron Butterfly.
Or something nice from Uriah Heep.
I'd wish Jon Lord could play it today.
Imagine playing Ganondorf's inner castle theme from Ocarina of Time on that beauty.
The organ was built at a cost of $105,000 in 1909, that is about $2,644,489.29 in todays money (9/2017)
Church really got power in and around the history
Moo Kitty The 1909 cost was just the start, John Wanamaker actually set up a pipe organ manufacturing company in the store and it grew exponentially. Today a New pipe organ for a church costs appx $25,000 per rank. However an organ of such such scale has many large scale ranks, particularly in the pedal, which can surpass $100,000 per rank. It is no hyperbole to say a new instrument to replace this would be over $50,000,000.
@@zorokagami What does a chucrch have to do with this?
lol the fact that a 1 pound four string violin costs twice as much is sad
And that was only for a fraction of the current instrument. And, the whole thing put the organ builder out of business because of the cost of making it and shipping it via rail to the St. Louis World's Fair.
The "other guy" playing the Wanamaker Organ in this video was the late Michael Stairs, another great organist from Philadelphia, and a teacher and conductor as well. Sadly, Michael passed away in 2018 and his memorial service (at his home church) was packed to the
rafters with his friends and colleagues.
What a fantastic musical instrument. The time and resources it must have taken to create it must have been phenomenal! Thank you Macy's for caring for and restoring this fantastic piece of musical artistry!
what a masterpiece. and lets just hope no penny-pinching chair pusher gets the idea to silent that. and replace it with a, cheaper to maintain, electronic tin can.
I'm all for devising an initiative to create tools/methods to maintain the organ easier and in turn cheaper.
Brad Penrod where can i get this vst plugin?
the lavish scale of the construction of the organ bankrupt its builder
"What floor do you want the organ on?"
- "Yes".
Hats off to Macy's for putting some well-deserved effort into the restoration and maintenance of this marvelous instrument. I hope it continues to play for decades to come!
Embarrassed to say I remember that organ from the original _Mannequin!_
that one dude was respectful and took off his shoes.
I play with organ shoes not used for walking so no grit wears the pedals. I like it better than socks only.
Modern shoes are often too wide for playing the pedals. You can buy special organ shoes, or jazz dancing shoes with small heels, which are cheaper.
Toby Vance I used to have a pair of soft leather, thinly soled ankle boots that were my favorite for pedaling. They got ratty looking over the years and I purchased organ shoes. I still like my boots better. ❤️🎶🎵
Most of us can't play in socks unless in dire circumstances. For me, my Achilles tendon starts hurting. The loafers the one guy was wearing could be dedicated to organ playing; another organist friend of mine does that.
When I was on vacation in Philadelphia last month, I was lucky enough to get to hear this wonderful instrument played live. Anyone who make it to Philadelphia absolutely has to hear the Wannamaker Organ.
No sé porque razón tu comentario me aparece en un video en inglés sobre un órgano gigante, khe xd
@@Daniela-yi3xn él dijó que si estás en Philadelphia, debes visitar el orgáno porque es increíble. Lo siento, no hablo español perfecto, pero espero que te ayudé un poco.
I was there in 2001 in the "champagne seating section" when he did the dedication recital to honor the organ's full restoration and it was absolutely indescribable. The next day, I was at the console beside the organist controlling some of the stop tabs for the organist as he played Vierne's The Carillon.
Thank You Macy's for give it a new life!!
Amazing instrument that is kept amazingly clean inside - no dust to be seen anywhere!
Dust is a great enemy in all pipe organs, for both pipes and mechanisms. Keeping it clean is preventive medicine to keep it from relapsing.
Considering the size and power of this organ - just activate all the stops, play some big chords at maximum volume, and there won't be any dust within 3 or 4 miles, I reckon.
That’s one of the most wholesome things a multi million dollar company has done
Oh shut up you dimwit.
@@brucekaren6693 why you gotta be so rude
@@jakedarmstadter6943 Bruce “Karen”
@@georgehaas7292 lmao I didn’t even notice that
@@jakedarmstadter6943 By the way, I think I have seen your account elsewhere on TH-cam. Small world huh? Also, is that you with Peter in the picture?
Back around 1963 my Mother worked at a Italian restaurant off of Cherry St.,a couple blocks away from City Hall......Rizzo was mayor.
My Father would escort her to work.
He was a excellent musician.
My Mother was friends the manager at Wanamaker's
She somehow got my Father the opportunity to play that wonderful instrument.
He said it took him a few minutes to familiarize himself with it since took a moment for the organ to sound after the key was depressed.
He played it very well .!
He was asked if he could come again and play.
I have to say that he talked about that experience often.
I'm proud that Macy's has done the right thing and protect this part of Philadelphia's history.
It's just a shame that Philly has lost so much since then.
IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE TO MEET PETER RICHARD CONTE IN WORCESTER MA A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. HEARING SOMEONE LIKE HIM PLAY THE PIPE ORGAN AT THE WORCESTER MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM WAS SOMETHING MOST OF US HAVE WAITED FOR, FOR OVER 30 YEARS.ALTHOUGH IN DESPERATE NEED OF RESTORATION, THE 7500 PIPE KIMBALL ORGAN HAS NEVER SOUNDED BETTER, THANKS AGAIN PETER.
Seeing and hearing this organ in person is a life event! All the videos and recordings in the world just don't capture the grandeur of this amazing instrument. It is usually played quite mildly when the store is open to shoppers. If the organist really lets loose on it, you could barely handle standing in the grand court. This is one of the most magnificent sights to behold and experience! Put this on your bucket list!
Just imagine tuning that instrument 😅
Every now and again, man creates something I find so absolutely impressive and complicated and so amazing. This is one of those times.
I am so happy to see Mr. Stairs performing in this video. R.I.P.
But does it have midi ports ?
No, but it can process external audio through it's pipes.
It doesn't have 1V/Oct CV in/out? Pathetic. A toy. Not even worth it. Back to the drawing board.
@Carter Mattoon No, it's for playing audio games.
They could probably add MIDI without too much effort. The keyboards uses electric signals to open the valves anyway, unlike mechanical organs which use the movement of the keys to mechanically open valves.
check out Rob Scallon's channel. This one doesn't, but the one in Chicago does.
Yes!!! The organist at the very beginning is playing in his socks! Me, too! (Many organists would frown on that.) Hoorah for you!
Amazing! Just heard it play this weekend while in Philly for the holidays.
Would love to hear Toccata and Fugue played on this magnificent instrument!
As in BWV565?
I legit can't play a keyboard with both hands, and you have these guys using every single Limb and digit in their bodies to make music.
Friend: what instrument do you play man?
me: church
Technically this guy would say he plays a department store
@@shawnpl0x everyone assume that organs are only built in churches, I watched one before this with this same comment too, and it also was not in a church, it was in a German concert hall.
@@shawnpl0x yeah I just came from that comment section. We have a joke thief 😂
All including nërv sistem
Dang! We used to have so much time to devote to building such wonderous things. I can't imagine how someone ever thought to create this giant organ. Just think of the amount of items which had to be cut and shaped just to make one key on one keyboard play 1 note. Mind boggling.
If you can play and understand the workings of that, flying a star ship will be a snap!¡!! Great information! Rock on Macy's!!! And Peter!!!! Keep it flowing.
I was in the John Wanamaker store in Philly in the early 80's. I got to see the Wanamaker organ I have never heard it played. I was astounded at the sheer size of this instrument.
I worked at Wanamaker's Department Store when I was in High School many years ago (before Macy's bought the store). I used to stand in the atrium balcony right across from the organ at the same level. The sound and vibrations were so powerful you could feel your body vibrate and reverberate with the music. It was quite an experience. I loved it.
Is there a list of people who have played that organ?
Richard Conte gives a great layman's description of an organ. A well produced news item all around, well done guys!
Peter Conte and Michael Stairs are the best at what they do. Here they are on an instrument that is the best at what it does, too.Thanks for this fine demonstration!
Thank you for caring for the Wanamaker Organ , Much Respect !
Thanks for covering this.
after these older guys get their reward to the other side who's left to preserve these things of history. it'll be a sad day when our hodden histories get tossed to the curb cause somebody simply don't respect the craftsmanship and time it took to build these things. I'm young but I understand the necessity of having these things. if it wasn't for historical object than history's just words. anyone can speak words. its knowing that makes you alive.
Well that's why it's good this organ has a corporate sponsor. My great uncle was an organist in vaudeville theaters and built a pipe organ in his house as a hobby (the guts looked a lot like this one but much smaller). When he died, no one wanted the organ so his decades long hobby ended up scrapped.
Toby Vance What if Old Harry the janitor spills some fluid of some kind on it? That would be an "Oh Sh*t" moment!😳
Well, as the man said in the video, the organ was almost completely broken down and unplayable. Given enough time, it would have been forgotten entirely. Macy's not only helped bring attention to the instrument, but spent who knows how much money repairing it and even more on the employees whose sole job it is to keep it running. I don't care if it's supposed to draw customers into their store thus making them money, the fact that they thought to restore this thing is worth letting them slide on that fact.
It would be awesome if more historical objects (art, instruments, whatever) could be preserved by some of these corporations that are worth billions. Yeah, it costs money, and sometimes a lot of it, but that stuff could be lost forever without help.
WORD. Well said.
Today’s generations, with their “give me”attitudes, will ultimately be the ruination of our society, and the demoRATS, with their unending greed for votes, are leading the way.
Free healthcare, free housing, free everything, that we cannot afford will be the end of what is good today. I am 70 now, and maybe I should not care, because I will be dead and it will be todays youth that will suffer!
And the worst thing is they do not care and will not listen!
Wow. I am so glad someone is taking care of this wonderful musical machine. What a treasure.
It's a dream of mine to visit this amazing place some day with my disabled son. He will be in awe.
AMAZING INSTRUMENT = I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF "VISITING' & HAVING MY PHOTO TAKEN, SITTING AT THIS HUGE, BEAUTIFUL-SOUNDING INSTRUMENT. THANKS FOR THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO. from Lois Carolyn (Baker) Smith, a Church Musician
it sounded amazing during the behind the scenes bit
I am so glad that this organ has been brought back to life.
That Organ should be listed as a world heritage instrument Wow fffking wow, the pipe rooms left me jaw dropped, seriously
I remember that the organ was in a deplorable state when I was a kid (80-ies). I'm very happy the icon (!) is indeed well maintained. Good luck!
My late husband was a church organist and had a recording of Virgil Fox playing this instrument. He told me that his dream was to one day go to Philadelphia and see and hear it. Sadly he never got the chance. He died in 2017. The day I left our house for the last time, I played a TH-cam video of Virgil playing “Come Sweet Death” on this organ.
Oh, gosh. Makes me nostalgic for the days back in the mid-1970s when you could come up to the console and watch the organist play. I knew the organist at that time and would sit with him for the Wednesday concert, whenever I could.
I loved this video showing the organ.
Please post another video wit more details about this organ. This is just amazing post.
I have many wonderful childhood memories of this organ and Wanamakers! I'm glad to see the organ is healthy and still being played. It is sad how many of the pipe organs in this country are being distroyed. Thank you for the video and maintaining the organ and it's systems.
Show me the Forbidden Stop that opens the black iron pipe deep in a hidden basement that drives all listeners mad.
Isaac Marion do you know the legend of “the brown note”?
eliot duhan It’s not a story the church would tell you...
I am so glad Macy is keeping this going. It's such an amazing piece of equipment and history.
Honestly I wish this was a longer video. I would love to go there and check it out. Good on Macy's for pouring resources to keep it going.
Would love to hear "Chopsticks" on this!!
this is absolutely amazing! I have a John wannamaker baby grand. It's nothing special but it's a really cool old instrument that works and sounds great.
I remember going to Wanamakers when I was a younger to see this organ and watch a light show over the holidays. It was wonderful.
I was privileged to be there in 1973 when Keith Chapman was there. It seemed odd to have to walk through the stockroom for the shoe department to get to the console. The combination action had only 5 pistons that worked. The explanation I was given was the store was afraid to do anything about it as the original wiring, which was copper wire wrapped in cloth and dipped in wax presented a fire hazard due to the current draw of the solenoids installed then. Keith played the score from "The Sound of Music" from memory. What a tragic loss when he died in a plane crash. Wish we could all hear him today. Regardless, I have heard Conte play and he is just as gifted and worthy - all uber musicians in their own right.
There's a 2-disc recording of Keith playing during store hours (you can hear the cash registers in the background). His version of Pictures at an Exhibition is my favorite.
I've been lucky enough to listen to this thing play a few times in person. It's indescribable, you can literally feel the vibrations of the music in your body not like any bass you've experienced before.
How do I carry it to my next gig?
Sipho Ndhlovu I think you can order the carrying case from Amazon.
With this instrument, the gig comes to the instrument.
Sipho Ndhlovu Think about Johnny Cash' record "One Piece At A Time!"😁
You carry your next gig to it!
every sunday at 12 am?
that organ blows my mind, absolute amazing
Michael Stairs!!! One of my favorite teachers at the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts .
How amazing and informative ! Thank you Macy's and also to this master organist, you are great!
don't forget to thank the assistant organist!
Organists are few and far between. Our church's organ sits silent because they can't find anyone to play it.
El Tigre that's sad. A huge and magnificent instrument, with no one to play it and let the sounds free.
This is so amazing and cool!
Fascinating tour of such a spectacular instrument
I attended a Philadelphia District Corps of Engineers meeting few years ago. Their offices were in the building next to Wannamaker's. On our return from lunch, we cut through Macy's and I saw the organ from the floor, then was lucky enough to get to hear it during Christmas. A memorable event I will always remember.
When I was 5 yrs old, I stood between the legs of the eagle and listened to the organ during Christmas time. I remember what I wore then and to hear it was amazing, I'm so glad that the Wanamaker Organ has been restored and continues to play.
Can you imagine playing Saint-Saëns third there with full orchestra?
I bet the acoustics would be great.
Oh yeah that ending!!!!
What an instrument! Thanks for this great video. So glad the instrument is being preserved!
I've always wanted to visit Wanamaker's, but maybe this visit with organist Conti is the best way. Thank you so much Mr. Conti. I am thrilled to watch this. Yes, I am a life-long organist now 86.
If just playing a 3 or 4 voice fugue can be challenging with this I would definitely go crazy. Jeez
I want one in my home and fast!! ....WOW!! thank to Macy's Store for taking care of such Magnificent Instrument.
You could get a pump Reed organ, those were actually designed to go in people's living rooms, lol
"...and fast", LOL
This makes me miss my Mom. When I was younger she would be playing at church and I would come up and crawl over the foot pedals and press buttons hahahaha
I saw and heard this amazing instrument in 2018. It was worth the trip.
The cost to maintain this instrument must be phenomenal. It’s great to see that Macy’s is willing to put some of their profits into keeping this icon available for the public to see and hear. Bravo Macy’s.👍👍
but have the played the Interstellar OST on it?
they should
Oh, such a grand idea!
"Those aren't mountains"
Jaden Smith "they're waves"
Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
COOPER.
When I was a boy in Philadelphia, my aunt took me every year to see the Christmas show at Wanamaker’s. It’s good to see the organ has been restored to its former glory. Too much history has been erased in the past few years. It brings back my faith in humanity to know this is preserved.
The miracle is to find someone who knows how to play it
Amazing
That would be so scary to control, to me at least.
It would be great to have a more regular postings from the wanamaker organ when notable performances( guest organist) are conducted other than holidays does anyone know if they post more often?
Wonderful!!! So glad they saved it!!! That's a Musical Monument! Thanks for the tour! :-)
It's amazing the store hasn't collapsed. The vibrations created by the organ must beat the crap out of the structure.
im sure they were built for that (: buildings had some actyal structural muscle to them back then.
I have worked in data centers over my working career where the temperature and humidity had to be very precise. The reason for that was so components wouldn’t burn up from high temperatures and to prevent arcing across circuit paths from static buildup. Anywhere there is a large pipe organ the pipe chambers have to be temperature and humidity controlled to maintain the sound of the tuned pipes. Since pipes are made of different materials, wooden pipes could split if they got to dry. So when you see or hear of a large pipe organ, like this one, think of the money spent not only to refurbish the organ but to maintain sound quality. Kind of overwhelming when you think about it. Thank you Macy’s for restoring an truly national treasure!
please play once on tihs instrument " Castlevania - bloody tears"
I'm putting this on my bucket list!
I wanna hear "no time for caution" and heart of courage played on this organ
1:27 you can see a very rare stop
Rikhard 111 Which one?
@@MarionRelics 64' Gravissima
Wish I had known this BEFORE I went to Philly smh
Truly mind-boggling! What a fantastic instrument!
So wonderful so see and hear Michael Stairs, a consummate musician and educator. He is now so sorely missed because he did so much for so many while he was here.
would love to hear Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor on this
Dude, he has sooooo many other pieces that are equally as cool. Not to mention the hundreds of other cool pieces there are. Not saying toccata is bad, it’s just that there is so much more out there than it.
@@user-pz4um9hi1jNothing is equally as cool. Nothing comes even close. Dude.lol
@@mp3ste1 Go listen to his Fantasia in G Minor.
There is a Virgil Fox recording out there. I have the album from long ago, but burned a cd off the internet.
@@mp3ste1 Or 'We All Belive In One True God'
Or the Pascalliga In C Minor.
Imagine how it must sonds if ALL Stops are coupled on one manual o.O
that would be magnificent!
Christoper Anton that would be deafening!!
Danny Benthien They say it sounds horrible if you just pull all stops out without being selective about them. Also, all the quiter stops are just wasting air since they cannot be heard then.
By that point the organ might be starved for air despite 8 blowers.
Not if everything is tuned properly. But it WOULD be overwhelmingly loud. Of course, a lot of the softer ranks would be completely drowned out.
This organ has a switchboard for which ranks are used multi-level tutti switches, to avoid both unnecessary loudness unless true "full organ" is what's wanted, and to avoid using soft stops that wouldn't be heard.
I knew the Wanamaker organ is a monster-sized instrument but didn't realize it was only 5 to 10% smaller than the Municipal organ in New Jersey (at fully operating status). Organs of this size require long term approaches to on-going maintenance; every pneumatic appliance within the organ should be assigned a no-later-than date for rebuilding.The same approach should apply to cleaning and regulation of the pipes. It's great to see they have dedicated space for the organ technicians and lots of lighting. Digital switching technology is going a long way to making organs of this size considerably less expensive to maintain. Great video!!
I have heard this organ at Christmas since the 1950's.
Solution for Atlantic City: convert the convention hall into a shopping mall, and the organ therein will be playable again.
y11971alex the organ is now 100% functional but still needs a massive amount of tuning
Atlantic City is not even a third playable at this point. Far from 100% working.
The Midmer-Losh organ is only 35% restored. The Stage Left Chamber is currently being restored. Once that is done, 50% of the organ will have been restored. It's expected to be finished by 2023.
CorvetteCoonass
2023?!?!?!?!?
nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
@@omnitone remember these things are MASSIVE. Absolutely massive. There is a good reason that people say playing an organ is playing a church or a building. The really good ones are just that massive.
You know an instrument is mega when you need TWO people to play it
You should see some older mechanical organs. The larger ones need someone to actually play the keys and 2 people to turn the sheet music and operate the stop knobs.
Huh, I've been in that very Macy's lots of times & even heard the organ at Christmas time & had no idea the extent of how huge & complex it is!
What an amazing instrument! Organic and acoustic, yet controlled by air and electricity.