Being an organist, I don't know which impresses me more - how well the music is orchestrated, or the fact that he is playing it ALL FROM MEMORY!! Martin Ellis, you are epic, sir. [ tips hat and bows graciously ]
For those not familiar with this type of instrument, look at the colors of the controls in arched section. These are the "stops" that allow or stop air flow. The white ones are called "flues" (flute and something called a diapason), the red ones are "reeds" (which can actually be trumpets and clarinets and other types of brass and woodwind - but NOT flutes). The yellows are "string" sounds - or the pipe organ equivalent of those sounds. Other colors are either air-flow controls or other special types of "couplers" that make more than one pipe play when touching only one key.
it should also be pointed out that what you can see is only a small fraction of the entire instrument. the building had to be designed around the organ, which is multiple stories tall and has 8,000 pipes, as well as a 32 note set of tower bells (which can be hooked into the doorbell) and a plethora of additional voices.
@@declanbamforth234 Exactly. It's kinda like the whole place is built around the organ. Which apparently has over 6,000 pipes. How cool is that?! The organ sounds pretty good wouldn't you agree?
@@WaltKurtz68 I know! It's a literal Hall of music. It would be so intimidating to walk in that room and a man in a cloak sits there playing dramatic music
No. Actually, he's going down into a basement that has a kitchenette with a coffee pot. In the old days, theater organs descended into the orchestra pit on a lift so they wouldn't be in the way of the movie. They were only at stage level for the big solos. Nice effect, though, isn't it!
Theater organs have a very unique voicing, especially if you've never heard one! The Sanfilippo organ was rescued from an old theater in Omaha. It was then restored. Before "talkies" (old black & white movies) this was all you would hear during the whole movie. Fascinating!
The orchestration and authenticity of the sounds are amazing, considering this organ was built long before electronic synthesis came into being. Also the organist is highly skilled in selecting and balancing the sounds and playing them artfully.
@@profgyland2 Excuse me? Why would you want to destroy this magnificent work of art and engineering genius? The reason the original commenter said that the organ disappearing into a hole during the playing of an Indiana Jones theme seemed appropriate somehow is because that franchise repeated went down some hole or another to go find/rescue some artifact or another.
I just accidentally disliked your comment and hopefully fixed it. Did not mean that! I LOVE the cantina song especially (I actually have action figures of the band from the movie) but I live in Richmond, VA and we actually have a wurlitzer at the Byrd Theater. Have been super captivated by theater organs and have the pleasure of seeing one played!
I love to hear Martin play. I grew up in Indiana and knew of him when he worked at the Baldwin store in the mall and I believe he went to DePauw University which is where I grew up. He is an amazing musician
Around 1979, my neighbor had an 8mm (aka silent with subtitles) version of Star Wars. I don't know where they got it, but I assume that would be worth a lot now if it survived.
Having the privledge of seeing and hearing this magnificent instrument on many occasions, this video is very well done and exciting. The 5/80 Wurlitzer has never sounded better !!
Agreed. I have also been there several times and heard multiple organists. Mr Sanfilipo was always a gracious host and I made it a point to thank him for opening his home to the public. RIP Mr. Sanfilipo. I have moved away from the northern Illinois area and greatly miss the opportunities to hear this instrument. Thanks to his son this is still available at times to see for yourself. If you have the chance GO!!!
Ridge Patterson Flyn'd be perfect as Han Solo too! Charles Ogle as Chewbacca, John T. Bambury as R2-D2, Tor Johnson as Darth Vader, Alec Guinness as a jawa, Louise Brooks as Princess Leah, Leslie Howard as Luke Skywalker.
i first heard my first organ play at pizza and pipes and i still love the music to this day - it is sad that so many of the old places that had them are gone now -- i really miss them so thank god for you tube!!
Chills up and down my spine... goosebumps on my arms, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. These are the symptoms of hearing awesome music and instinctively KNOWING with every fiber of your being, that it is awesomeness of an epic caliber.
It reminded me of the Mighty Wurlitzer organ performances at The Organ Grinder pizza shops back in the 1970's/1980's. Great times! The entire restaurant would shake when the organist cranked it up. There is (or was) one remaining shop in Arizona that changed its name. All the pipes and organ parts from the other closed restaurants went to keeping their Wurlitzer functioning.
I wish I'd lived in the age when instruments of this kind could be found in most large cinemas - though I don't imagine they were often played as well as this.
don't tell anyone, I was trained on a 2m German tracker lol but...as I was playing this on every speaker in my house! I smiled (loving this), big grin at 2:06 (again LOVING this), felt faint at the build up 2:45 (Oh that solo reed! That real pipes!), had to sit down ...and fainted at the final percussion roll. Over the top Mr. Ellis. Exceptionally well done. Bravo.
Amazing organist…..playing an amazing instrument. Huge credits to him…and…the people that built that organ….an amazing piece of engineering….it looks impressive and sounds amazing. They got everything right…! Can’t imagine what it would take to build another one these days……!
Thanks for watching, Wendell! You might also like the videos of Martin Ellis playing the venerable Estey organ at the Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne, IN. It's really an amazing little organ! Listen particularly to the unusual stop, the Cor Glorieux, in the Arabian Dance section of the Nutcracker.
I'm from Fort Wayne, I didn't know the Masonic temple had an organ. The one at the Embassy Theater was the only pipe organ I knew of. Back when I was a kid in the 80s there was a Wurlitzer in a pizza place, but it closed and the organ was moved to Washington.
The Cantina Band ragtime bit is just brilliant, and the whole thing is great :D I love this - I've got visions of Star Wars and Indiana Jones as black-and-white silent films, with this as the sound-track. I love this :)
I digitize film at work and three inch silent black and white reels of first Star Wars come in - last gasp of being able to get snippets from favorite films on 8mm film for home viewing.
I was captivated with every single note. When any and all of these critics can hop up on that bench and do better, then let's have at at it. In the meanwhile, I tell them to shut the fuck up.
I love Sanfilippo!! I thought it sounded familiar, that place and that organ is amazing. Getting to walk through the pipes while it’s being played is a whole other experience. Wonderful music, wonderfully played!!!
The mechanics of these instruments must be of genius but how does it all connect with the instrument console turning around like that? Amazing, ....wow, what sounds! Thank you.
Thanks for the replies but I was hoping for a more detailed explanation due to this particular machine/instrument being in motion which would drastically complicate the workings. I know they must use compressed air, in my youth I played on a neighbor's home organ on which you had to operate pedals for it. I'm thinking there must be some electrical solenoids in it. One would need a schematic to see all of it and that would be a "doozy" for sure.
The HOME organ you played with the pedals used a VACUUM, rather than compressed air. Just like a player piano. You pump the air OUT of the main bellows and that supplies a reasonably constant vacuum to the rest of the organ. Both, theatre and Church organs use compressed air. The theatre organ uses a high pressure blower. I once knew how many inches of mercury. Church organs run a much lower pressure for a lot of reasons, one of which is NOISE. Another is that there are not as many bells and whistles on Church organs. Theatre Organs have MANY MILES of # 24 or 26 wire interconnecting the console and the Organ itself, which is sometimes many feet from the console. Stop tabs operate many solenoids, while the keys operate the valves that turn individual pipes on and off, as selected by the stop tabs. ELECTRICIAN'S NIGHTMARE!
Assuming the electronics in the organ are still original, there's going to be several hundred (or a few thousand) wires that need to go from the console into the floor. Originally I thought they just had one big wiring loom with lots of slack to allow for movement... but it's more likely that they have some (hinged?) structure to cradle the bundle of wires to keep them from getting pinched or broken. No matter what is going on under there, it must be one hell of a sight.
I know this video was uploaded 6 years ago now, but I am seriously in shock and awe at how awesome that was. That looks extremely complex to play, and timing everything to sound just right must be both very difficult and a nightmare too. However, you did a incredible job pulling it off. Trying to learn how to play piano is hard to begin with, I can only imaging the needed skills and talent to pull something like what you did in this video off are.
Ok, I just went to a concert where the Madison Symphony Orchestra performed the Soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban along with the film. They're going to do Star Wars Episode IV in May. If they can do this with a symphony orchestra, they can do it with a theater organ!
People talk about great inventions such as the light bulb... but there isn't much that can compare to good old Theater/Church organs!! Sadly the one at my church is electric and therefore not quite the same. (much like comparing an electric piano to a full 9' grand piano) it might get the same sound but it isn't the same. Anywho, absolutely great playing!!!!
A theatre organ is as big as it gets. It was for motion pictures in the 20s since synced audio was not easy to do. The biggest ever built is in Atlantic City and was damaged by a hurricane in the 40s, (and botched restoration) and is still only 20%? 50%? operational.
That is one incredible sounding organ. Being that we live in the same town I'm surprised I've never heard of nor seen him before now. Martin and Donna could certainly run head to head with each other because they both share the same talent and skill level. I love the many organs we have in Indianapolis but I wished we had an organ of this specification because this I love.
I'll see if I have one recorded. He played the toccata last fall as an encore for the Trinity Huntington rededication. I'll have to see if the recording I got is good enough to share. Otherwise, I'll ask him to let me record it sometime on the big organ at North UMC in Indy.
When I was a kid my family used to go to Organ Stop Pizza in Phoenix, AZ. When they went out of business, the organ was sold to Sanfilippo. (so I used to listen this organ when I was little)
I remember being forced to take organ lessons on my mom's mighty Yamaha Electone which I though was huge back in the 80's....it's a speck compared to this monster. Props to the dude on the keys, what a master! ...his footwork on the pedals is beautiful. For anyone who has never played the organ....this is one damn hard instrument to master.
During the time this has been on my channel, it has had nearly 360,000 views. If you like great organ music, I will point out that you can probably hear a fine pipe organ every week at a church near you. Martin Ellis is as amazing when he plays at North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, as he is here. In fact, he played this concert on a Saturday night, drove home to Indy from Chicago in the wee hours, and was on the bench of the big 4 manual organ at North by 7:30 the next morning. If great organ music turns you on, Pedal down to the church and seek it out. You may find that there is a lot else to attend church for, but if the organ brings you in the door, that's a Great, Swell start. (Just a little organ humor - Great and Swell are the two main keyboard divisions on most pipe organs.)
Next Sunday, Feb. 15th, 2015th, I'm doing "Close Encounters" for the prelude and John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare" at the MCC church in LA as a postlude. Dial in at mccla.org. around 9:00. EPT if you like. Sent with love. CVD
I'm not always sure God likes all the "god stuff" we do in churches. I think of music, if it's good music, as pure. I always hope that if God doesn't like the sermon, He'll enjoy the music. (PLEASE, no discussions on here about what "good music" is. I have tried to show you what I think is good music, and it's my channel!)
+Thaddeus Reynolds yes as it were church is for more then the organ, but truely the time to hear it is around christmas and easter, those are where they play the really really grand songs and have full choral singing, but the most important is the message and living it that you learn in church, but in fort wayne we have some pretty good stuff as far as the organ goes, the grand page organ at the embassy theater was one of only three built and the only one in its origional location I think they may have even expanded it as time went. and then there is the organ at trinity english lutheran church they have a huge music program where they play concerts during lent every thursday at noon, and lets not forget the organ of 3000 pipes in the Cathedral of The Imaculet Conception, its twin steeples and location next to the grand wayne convention center embassy theater, and botanical conservatory is a site not to be missed. but this was nice, sounded like an symphony but with a smaller organ in the middle of it.
My Grandfather; forever ago used to build and work on Wurlitzer pipe organs(even had a "baby trumpet" from one). well a long time ago here in my home town of Houston, Texas there was a pizza joint called Pipe Organ Pizza which had a full size Wurlitzer pipe organ with 4 consoles which he serviced. My grandfather was the foremost expert on how they functioned, he even occasionally played(to his account, he hated playing the Star Wars main theme cause when it came out it was the most popular things for kids to request) I wish I could have seen it, I love the sound of a mighty Wurlitzer and its my dream to see this one particular example.
Richmond Virginia has the Byrd Theater which is a 1926 silent movie palace. It is wonderfully ornate and on Saturday night the theater organ rises from the stage and performs. It was the most perfect place to see Phantom of the Opera
Oh God. I have no idea how i ended up here [proves that statement wrong by backtracking thru organ music to the dreaded toccata and fugue...] but I am glad I did, BRAVO SIR!
Your mastery of counterpoint and form is excellent... You remain very true to John Williams' original score, this is an Outstanding organ transcription!!! You are indeed The Man With The Flying Hands & Feet... The Tavern Theme was PERFECT for that instrument!... Love it love love this, 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
Peter, Thanks for your comment! Actually we still build wonderful pipe organs today! That's part of the reason for this TH-cam channel. Your point about funding is good, though. Many wonderful things in our culture suffer terribly (IMHO) because the people who used to fund great things are now being soaked by the government in many ways. It's not just direct taxes, it is also indirect taxes, regulations, and bureaucracy. Thus endeth the sermon (and political speech)!
I hope you get to Atlantic City to play the king, the Midmer-losh organ. 53% playable, 19,000 our of 33,112 playing. That's just the main chambers rebuilt/repaired.
The 17 richest Americans account for well over 70 percent of income last year and paid zero taxes when they should have paid billions. Stick to the organ and stop being a shill for the far right propaganda machine. Those people are bleeding this nation dry and have been for years. Your ideology based and voluntary ignorance is as deep as your musical skill sir.
That's part of the 'Toy Counter'. Theatre Organs have them. The one in the Byrd Theatre in Richmond VA has a piano under full expression, as well as a harp under full expression. Along with singing birds, Claxon auto horns, doorbells, and other things. The record "Liebert Takes Richmond" can be had on Ebay. a fun rcording that shows off the organ as well as the Organist.
Great performance but what a mug. Who puts their organ on a sarlacc pit??? He'll be busting out tasty jams as he's slowly digested over a thousand years...
Some years ago I took my (then) girlfriend to Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, AZ. I remember her stunned disbelief at the sheer power of that Wurlitzer. "That's the difference'', I explained, "between an instrument which makes its sound in and with air, versus loudspeakers."
Ah man, some of my favorite memories when I was a kid were the "Pipes-n-Pizza" establishments that don't seem to exist anymore. We had one near where I lived in Pontiac, Michigan in the 80s. I love that place. Always picked it for my birthday dinner. Great pizza while being entertained by an awesome Wurlitzer and a great organist. I always requested Star Wars and Superman. ; )
Wow! I LOVE Theater Organs; so glad there were some that survived the awful wrecking ball after talking pictures shut out the great silent movies that these were made for! Wish I could play one these; it'd be a dream come true!
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 82 วันนี้!! คู่เอก | ยอดไอคิว vs อับดัลลาห์](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hSsyTl_9bqs/mqdefault.jpg)
Being an organist, I don't know which impresses me more - how well the music is orchestrated, or the fact that he is playing it ALL FROM MEMORY!!
Martin Ellis, you are epic, sir. [ tips hat and bows graciously ]
It is. In fact, it was the most complex piece of machinery ever invented until the invention of the telephone exchange board.
Theater organs combine both :)
And before that was the steam engine 🤠
@DeathValleyLumberCompany steam engines are actually relatively basic machines (least until you get into things like superheating)
@@DeathValleyLumberCompany Nice
@@themanformerlyknownascomme777 Obviously.
An elegant instrument, for a more civilized age
Haha, spot on! :)
Perfect :)
Damn straight it is....
Its hardly over a century old. Absolutely a baby as far as organs go. Greatest instrument I've seen live by far though.
The hands the feet ,the amount of focus needed to play this instrument is underappreciated and unmatched.
For those not familiar with this type of instrument, look at the colors of the controls in arched section. These are the "stops" that allow or stop air flow. The white ones are called "flues" (flute and something called a diapason), the red ones are "reeds" (which can actually be trumpets and clarinets and other types of brass and woodwind - but NOT flutes). The yellows are "string" sounds - or the pipe organ equivalent of those sounds. Other colors are either air-flow controls or other special types of "couplers" that make more than one pipe play when touching only one key.
it should also be pointed out that what you can see is only a small fraction of the entire instrument. the building had to be designed around the organ, which is multiple stories tall and has 8,000 pipes, as well as a 32 note set of tower bells (which can be hooked into the doorbell) and a plethora of additional voices.
So the place I literally just a giant orchestra built in the building?
I've heard of a one man band but not a one man orchestra
@@declanbamforth234 Exactly. It's kinda like the whole place is built around the organ. Which apparently has over 6,000 pipes. How cool is that?! The organ sounds pretty good wouldn't you agree?
@@WaltKurtz68 I know! It's a literal Hall of music. It would be so intimidating to walk in that room and a man in a cloak sits there playing dramatic music
@@declanbamforth234 A one man orchestra... Yeah, that's exactly what we organists are. :-)
No. Actually, he's going down into a basement that has a kitchenette with a coffee pot. In the old days, theater organs descended into the orchestra pit on a lift so they wouldn't be in the way of the movie. They were only at stage level for the big solos. Nice effect, though, isn't it!
TH-cams algorithms just threw this up. And I’m SO glad they did. It’s. EPIC. Huge grins all round. Amazing .The raiders march is just superb.
Theater organs have a very unique voicing, especially if you've never heard one! The Sanfilippo organ was rescued from an old theater in Omaha. It was then restored. Before "talkies" (old black & white movies) this was all you would hear during the whole movie. Fascinating!
rg77083 It wasn't just restored. They kept gloming on to it until they ran out of room
That's why it's the "King of Instruments". Those of us who are blessed with the talent to play it are truly blessed.
Yes indeed!
It’s those who design these systems (Wurlitzer engineering division in 1571) within the organ who are blessed at heart
I can't even imagine how much time it took to prepare for that flawless performance.
The orchestration and authenticity of the sounds are amazing, considering this organ was built long before electronic synthesis came into being. Also the organist is highly skilled in selecting and balancing the sounds and playing them artfully.
Raiders of the Lost Ark is my favorite Star Wars movie!
Well...played...
I could listen to this all day. Have never heard such a great version of cantina band, instanly puts a smile in my face
I feel deeply sorry for you.
@@profgyland2 I feel deeply sorry for you.
My very first time hearing the Star Wars theme and Raiders of the Lost Ark on an organ. Well done 👍
An organist playing the Raiders theme, while disappearing into a hole in the ground, seems appropriate somehow...
Well said. The entire thing is monstrous and the housing of the instrument is just a scream. and should be burned.
Right??!!!
Perhaps in a thousand years he will be worth something😂
@@profgyland2 Excuse me? Why would you want to destroy this magnificent work of art and engineering genius?
The reason the original commenter said that the organ disappearing into a hole during the playing of an Indiana Jones theme seemed appropriate somehow is because that franchise repeated went down some hole or another to go find/rescue some artifact or another.
2:00 cantina song is the best part!
yes
I just accidentally disliked your comment and hopefully fixed it. Did not mean that! I LOVE the cantina song especially (I actually have action figures of the band from the movie) but I live in Richmond, VA and we actually have a wurlitzer at the Byrd Theater. Have been super captivated by theater organs and have the pleasure of seeing one played!
I love to hear Martin play. I grew up in Indiana and knew of him when he worked at the Baldwin store in the mall and I believe he went to DePauw University which is where I grew up. He is an amazing musician
I imagine this being played when a silent Star Wars first was shown.
Around 1979, my neighbor had an 8mm (aka silent with subtitles) version of Star Wars. I don't know where they got it, but I assume that would be worth a lot now if it survived.
Having the privledge of seeing and hearing this magnificent instrument on many occasions, this video is very well done and exciting. The 5/80 Wurlitzer has never sounded better !!
I can only imagine the strings one would have pull to see this in person
Agreed. I have also been there several times and heard multiple organists. Mr Sanfilipo was always a gracious host and I made it a point to thank him for opening his home to the public. RIP Mr. Sanfilipo. I have moved away from the northern Illinois area and greatly miss the opportunities to hear this instrument. Thanks to his son this is still available at times to see for yourself. If you have the chance GO!!!
Having heard this in person, its hard to appreciate how powerful this organ really is from this video.
I don't know if I should be marveling over the technological marvel that is this organ, or being blown away by the skill of this organist...
1:35-1:43 Did I hear a little Back to the Future snuck in there?
+Slurpee the Great Yes you did.
Yess! I was thinking that
Ok I'm really tired I thought I was just hearing things
Slurpee the Unholy yeah I did
Yeah, I hear that!!!
Why does EVERYTHING sound better on organ!?!? Amazing!
***** You call your organ a she? I thought the organ was the King of all instruments?
***** I agree! It's far too powerful and beautiful to be king ^_^
Just imagine for a momment it's 1925 and Star Wars has just premiered (directed by Fritz Lang).
And Raiders of the Lost Ark came out with Errol Flynn as Indiana Jones
Ridge Patterson Flyn'd be perfect as Han Solo too! Charles Ogle as Chewbacca, John T. Bambury as R2-D2, Tor Johnson as Darth Vader, Alec Guinness as a jawa, Louise Brooks as Princess Leah, Leslie Howard as Luke Skywalker.
Seth Jones And Lon Chaney as Emperor Palpatine
DARTH VADER? TOR JOHNSON??????? Tor would be a much better Chewbacca.
(I know I'm late to this party but!) OMG!!! I am so glad I'm not the only one that likes 'old Hollywood fancasts!!
I also do that with books!
No one is realizing hes playing all this by memory? He just earned a subscriber
i first heard my first organ play at pizza and pipes and i still love the music to this day - it is sad that so many of the old places that had them are gone now -- i really miss them so thank god for you tube!!
Thrilling entertainment! I've always been overwhelmed by the amazing God-given talents of those who play the pipe organ like this. This is wonderful!
It is. And take my word for it, it's also the HEAVIEST!
Thanks for listening!
...mouth open in awe
...mouth still open in awe
...still open
...that...was...amazing!!!
It's a shame there isn't many of These masterpiece instruments left in the world
Chills up and down my spine... goosebumps on my arms, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. These are the symptoms of hearing awesome music and instinctively KNOWING with every fiber of your being, that it is awesomeness of an epic caliber.
I'm not a Star Wars fan, but LOVE this sound and this guy's talent. Why aren't theatre organs given more air time?
Because NO ONE plays music on Radio any more, and those who do would not play the organ records available now.
It reminded me of the Mighty Wurlitzer organ performances at The Organ Grinder pizza shops back in the 1970's/1980's. Great times! The entire restaurant would shake when the organist cranked it up. There is (or was) one remaining shop in Arizona that changed its name. All the pipes and organ parts from the other closed restaurants went to keeping their Wurlitzer functioning.
I wish I'd lived in the age when instruments of this kind could be found in most large cinemas - though I don't imagine they were often played as well as this.
1969Wilus I believe that Martin Ellis is one of THE best theater organist in the world today
Jcarta
When I was a kid late 50's, local skating rink had a wurlitzer organ about 1/3 as big, and live music to skate by
some silent film "organists" were pianists who just mindlessly put down all the stop tabs.
Five rows of keys plus foot peddles. Simply amazing work of art. Not to mention the musician.
Go Marteen!!!!! I'm so happy that I know him and have had a chance to travel with him. He truly is a genius!! Miss you!!
don't tell anyone, I was trained on a 2m German tracker lol but...as I was playing this on every speaker in my house! I smiled (loving this), big grin at 2:06 (again LOVING this), felt faint at the build up 2:45 (Oh that solo reed! That real pipes!), had to sit down ...and fainted at the final percussion roll. Over the top Mr. Ellis. Exceptionally well done. Bravo.
Goosebumps... I adore this. As if the films had been made and scored in the era of adventure cinema which inspired Lucas' creativity.
Amazing organist…..playing an amazing instrument. Huge credits to him…and…the people that built that organ….an amazing piece of engineering….it looks impressive and sounds amazing. They got everything right…! Can’t imagine what it would take to build another one these days……!
Whenever I hear Organ music, it always reminds me of old, 8/16-bit retro music. Am I the only one?
The first sound cards did sound like a tiny organ.
i really wanna hear it lol
I grew up listening to all sorts of stuff on this organ. This really brings a tear to the eye! Well done indeed.
Thanks for watching, Wendell! You might also like the videos of Martin Ellis playing the venerable Estey organ at the Masonic Temple in Fort Wayne, IN. It's really an amazing little organ! Listen particularly to the unusual stop, the Cor Glorieux, in the Arabian Dance section of the Nutcracker.
I'm from Fort Wayne, I didn't know the Masonic temple had an organ. The one at the Embassy Theater was the only pipe organ I knew of.
Back when I was a kid in the 80s there was a Wurlitzer in a pizza place, but it closed and the organ was moved to Washington.
i do like the sound off this organ very much thanks a lot for to enjoy
Looks like a pretty complicated instrument to play.
Understatement of the century!!
Let's ask Martin ;-)
I'm speechless the sound these things make are amazing
It's a horrible noise.
@@profgyland2 Go away troll. Take your venom somewhere else.
@@profgyland2 go back to your sex-themed pop songs
The Cantina Band ragtime bit is just brilliant, and the whole thing is great :D I love this - I've got visions of Star Wars and Indiana Jones as black-and-white silent films, with this as the sound-track. I love this :)
I digitize film at work and three inch silent black and white reels of first Star Wars come in - last gasp of being able to get snippets from favorite films on 8mm film for home viewing.
amazing versatility of the theatre organ well demonstrated with these familiar tunes!!
You thumbs down people.... if you don't get chills from this, you might be dead. Check yo pulse. Too amazing.
Sometimes, more is less. This is one of those times.
Why so obsessed with the “score”?
They are all dead! Cold dead.
I was captivated with every single note. When any and all of these critics can hop up on that bench and do better, then let's have at at it. In the meanwhile, I tell them to shut the fuck up.
I guarantee that if you'd been there, you'd get chills!
Wonderful! Really invokes the Saturday afternoon matinee down at your local movie palace.
The Funny thing about Star Was was this Iam 61 years old now back then I was 18 years years old when the Movie was originaly Released
Absolutely magnificent! Thank you, thank, and thank you again!
Music to make your heart soar!.
1:37 sounds Like Back to the future
That's what I thought.
Bach to the future
Im always awed by the fact that he seems to playing that remarkable instrument from memory! remembering all those stops >_< boggles the mind, Bravo!
"I do not want the Emperor's prize damaged."
I love Sanfilippo!! I thought it sounded familiar, that place and that organ is amazing. Getting to walk through the pipes while it’s being played is a whole other experience. Wonderful music, wonderfully played!!!
The mechanics of these instruments must be of genius but how does it all connect with the instrument console turning around like that? Amazing, ....wow, what sounds! Thank you.
whalesong999 It's all pneumatic. Valves and such.
electricity!
Thanks for the replies but I was hoping for a more detailed explanation due to this particular machine/instrument being in motion which would drastically complicate the workings. I know they must use compressed air, in my youth I played on a neighbor's home organ on which you had to operate pedals for it. I'm thinking there must be some electrical solenoids in it. One would need a schematic to see all of it and that would be a "doozy" for sure.
The HOME organ you played with the pedals used a VACUUM, rather than compressed air. Just like a player piano. You pump the air OUT of the main bellows and that supplies a reasonably constant vacuum to the rest of the organ.
Both, theatre and Church organs use compressed air. The theatre organ uses a high pressure blower. I once knew how many inches of mercury. Church organs run a much lower pressure for a lot of reasons, one of which is NOISE. Another is that there are not as many bells and whistles on Church organs.
Theatre Organs have MANY MILES of # 24 or 26 wire interconnecting the console and the Organ itself, which is sometimes many feet from the console. Stop tabs operate many solenoids, while the keys operate the valves that turn individual pipes on and off, as selected by the stop tabs. ELECTRICIAN'S NIGHTMARE!
Assuming the electronics in the organ are still original, there's going to be several hundred (or a few thousand) wires that need to go from the console into the floor.
Originally I thought they just had one big wiring loom with lots of slack to allow for movement... but it's more likely that they have some (hinged?) structure to cradle the bundle of wires to keep them from getting pinched or broken. No matter what is going on under there, it must be one hell of a sight.
Magnificent ! I can totally respect anyone who can play with all 10 fingers and both feet, no automatics just total talent. Thank you for sharing
I know this video was uploaded 6 years ago now, but I am seriously in shock and awe at how awesome that was. That looks extremely complex to play, and timing everything to sound just right must be both very difficult and a nightmare too.
However, you did a incredible job pulling it off. Trying to learn how to play piano is hard to begin with, I can only imaging the needed skills and talent to pull something like what you did in this video off are.
Ok, I just went to a concert where the Madison Symphony Orchestra performed the Soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban along with the film. They're going to do Star Wars Episode IV in May. If they can do this with a symphony orchestra, they can do it with a theater organ!
People talk about great inventions such as the light bulb... but there isn't much that can compare to good old Theater/Church organs!!
Sadly the one at my church is electric and therefore not quite the same. (much like comparing an electric piano to a full 9' grand piano) it might get the same sound but it isn't the same.
Anywho, absolutely great playing!!!!
Lord Queezle what? my forest villages churches all have real organs!?
Ilkka Krapi Well a theater organ is so much different to a church organ. It's much more complex.
A theatre organ is as big as it gets. It was for motion pictures in the 20s since synced audio was not easy to do. The biggest ever built is in Atlantic City and was damaged by a hurricane in the 40s, (and botched restoration) and is still only 20%? 50%? operational.
That is one incredible sounding organ. Being that we live in the same town I'm surprised I've never heard of nor seen him before now. Martin and Donna could certainly run head to head with each other because they both share the same talent and skill level. I love the many organs we have in Indianapolis but I wished we had an organ of this specification because this I love.
I would love to see Mr. Ells' Rendition of Toccata and Fuge in D Minor on this Organ
I'll see if I have one recorded. He played the toccata last fall as an encore for the Trinity Huntington rededication. I'll have to see if the recording I got is good enough to share. Otherwise, I'll ask him to let me record it sometime on the big organ at North UMC in Indy.
Thaddeus Reynolds That would be really cool.
Thank you for uploading this.
+Thaddeus Reynolds I'd love to hear Passacaglia and Fugue in c minor. One of the most haunting pieces Bach composed.
Lars Rasmussen
wow
When I was a kid my family used to go to Organ Stop Pizza in Phoenix, AZ. When they went out of business, the organ was sold to Sanfilippo. (so I used to listen this organ when I was little)
He pulled out all the stops... literally
or at least pressed the tilting tablets and thumb pistons
Lol... killed me
as a former church organist/pianist, you were having Way too much fun here! Love it!
I remember being forced to take organ lessons on my mom's mighty Yamaha Electone which I though was huge back in the 80's....it's a speck compared to this monster. Props to the dude on the keys, what a master! ...his footwork on the pedals is beautiful.
For anyone who has never played the organ....this is one damn hard instrument to master.
larrytate555 I have an elective H7
Just bought an old electone tonight!
An excellent piece of playing on a fabulous instrument. I just wish I could have some of those stops on the organ I play!
During the time this has been on my channel, it has had nearly 360,000 views. If you like great organ music, I will point out that you can probably hear a fine pipe organ every week at a church near you. Martin Ellis is as amazing when he plays at North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, as he is here. In fact, he played this concert on a Saturday night, drove home to Indy from Chicago in the wee hours, and was on the bench of the big 4 manual organ at North by 7:30 the next morning. If great organ music turns you on, Pedal down to the church and seek it out. You may find that there is a lot else to attend church for, but if the organ brings you in the door, that's a Great, Swell start. (Just a little organ humor - Great and Swell are the two main keyboard divisions on most pipe organs.)
Next Sunday, Feb. 15th, 2015th, I'm doing "Close Encounters" for the prelude and John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare" at the MCC church in LA as a postlude. Dial in at mccla.org. around 9:00. EPT if you like. Sent with love. CVD
I just want to say that was amazing organ playing.
Church would be great if it weren't for all the god stuff.
I'm not always sure God likes all the "god stuff" we do in churches. I think of music, if it's good music, as pure. I always hope that if God doesn't like the sermon, He'll enjoy the music. (PLEASE, no discussions on here about what "good music" is. I have tried to show you what I think is good music, and it's my channel!)
+Thaddeus Reynolds yes as it were church is for more then the organ, but truely the time to hear it is around christmas and easter, those are where they play the really really grand songs and have full choral singing, but the most important is the message and living it that you learn in church, but in fort wayne we have some pretty good stuff as far as the organ goes, the grand page organ at the embassy theater was one of only three built and the only one in its origional location I think they may have even expanded it as time went. and then there is the organ at trinity english lutheran church they have a huge music program where they play concerts during lent every thursday at noon, and lets not forget the organ of 3000 pipes in the Cathedral of The Imaculet Conception, its twin steeples and location next to the grand wayne convention center embassy theater, and botanical conservatory is a site not to be missed.
but this was nice, sounded like an symphony but with a smaller organ in the middle of it.
My Grandfather; forever ago used to build and work on Wurlitzer pipe organs(even had a "baby trumpet" from one). well a long time ago here in my home town of Houston, Texas there was a pizza joint called Pipe Organ Pizza which had a full size Wurlitzer pipe organ with 4 consoles which he serviced. My grandfather was the foremost expert on how they functioned, he even occasionally played(to his account, he hated playing the Star Wars main theme cause when it came out it was the most popular things for kids to request) I wish I could have seen it, I love the sound of a mighty Wurlitzer and its my dream to see this one particular example.
I love the trumpets
Richmond Virginia has the Byrd Theater which is a 1926 silent movie palace. It is wonderfully ornate and on Saturday night the theater organ rises from the stage and performs. It was the most perfect place to see Phantom of the Opera
3:40 something says Nom and it scared the crap out of me
Zaanne Son Sounds like a Zombie from Minecraft...
Sounded like half a second taken out of Korn - Twist to me.
Zaanne Son probably the Vox Humana Stop.
This has just come up on my TH-cam feed! Amazing & such talent
The organ sounds great
It's epic in another musical dimension...I feel these wonderful instruments actually have a soul.
Now to watch these two movies in black and white with this playing...
Awesome indeed. The Starwars Cantina song is perfectly suited for a pipe organ!
Oh God. I have no idea how i ended up here [proves that statement wrong by backtracking thru organ music to the dreaded toccata and fugue...] but I am glad I did, BRAVO SIR!
Your mastery of counterpoint and form is excellent... You remain very true to John Williams' original score, this is an Outstanding organ transcription!!! You are indeed The Man With The Flying Hands & Feet... The Tavern Theme was PERFECT for that instrument!... Love it love love this, 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
The force be with us!
Let the devil burn the thing!
been listening 61 years the best Ive ever heard!
Peter, Thanks for your comment! Actually we still build wonderful pipe organs today! That's part of the reason for this TH-cam channel. Your point about funding is good, though. Many wonderful things in our culture suffer terribly (IMHO) because the people who used to fund great things are now being soaked by the government in many ways. It's not just direct taxes, it is also indirect taxes, regulations, and bureaucracy. Thus endeth the sermon (and political speech)!
I hope you get to Atlantic City to play the king, the Midmer-losh organ. 53% playable, 19,000 our of 33,112 playing. That's just the main chambers rebuilt/repaired.
The 17 richest Americans account for well over 70 percent of income last year and paid zero taxes when they should have paid billions. Stick to the organ and stop being a shill for the far right propaganda machine. Those people are bleeding this nation dry and have been for years. Your ideology based and voluntary ignorance is as deep as your musical skill sir.
It's got its own percussion section? Sweet! Great arrangement, and an appropriate subject for a theater organ. Sounds fantastic.
That's part of the 'Toy Counter'. Theatre Organs have them. The one in the Byrd Theatre in Richmond VA has a piano under full expression, as well as a harp under full expression. Along with singing birds, Claxon auto horns, doorbells, and other things. The record "Liebert Takes Richmond" can be had on Ebay. a fun rcording that shows off the organ as well as the Organist.
How does this only have 343,264 views? It deserves to be in the millions!
You were just a little early :-). 2.28 million and counting at this point!
This organ has an impressive range of sounds: at times you could swear it is a regular electronic synth. Woa.
Great performance but what a mug. Who puts their organ on a sarlacc pit??? He'll be busting out tasty jams as he's slowly digested over a thousand years...
Ebeneezergoode1 A scruffy nerf herder. I'd guess.
I figured he was about to be frozen in carbonite
Thought he was being lower into the well of the souls
Actually goes down into an elevator shaft in the room below
Some years ago I took my (then) girlfriend to Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, AZ. I remember her stunned disbelief at the sheer power of that Wurlitzer. "That's the difference'', I explained, "between an instrument which makes its sound in and with air, versus loudspeakers."
2:05 OH GOD YES OH MY GOD SO MUCH YES.
Thank You for POSTING
BRAVO
The Organist did an amazing job
The Organ is truly magnificent
Wow - this is RIVETING! I LOVE THIS!!!
Ah man, some of my favorite memories when I was a kid were the "Pipes-n-Pizza" establishments that don't seem to exist anymore. We had one near where I lived in Pontiac, Michigan in the 80s. I love that place. Always picked it for my birthday dinner. Great pizza while being entertained by an awesome Wurlitzer and a great organist. I always requested Star Wars and Superman. ; )
I could hear some Back to the future in there :D
This is what it must have been like to watch a movie serial in an old time movie palace, great job!
Haha loved it especially for 2:00 part
Wow! I LOVE Theater Organs; so glad there were some that survived the awful wrecking ball after talking pictures shut out the great silent movies that these were made for! Wish I could play one these; it'd be a dream come true!
We need intersteller music played on that thing
Yes.
I'll try when I go visit family.
It's amazing what people can do. Examples, who designed this organ and who can play it. Way to go!
836 keys and buttons !!!
I love this song
Oh no, he's sinking into the sarlacc pit!
Enjoyed listening to your performance. Totally awesome.