List of notable pipe organs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list and brief description of notable pipe organs in the world, with links to corresponding articles that exist.

See also: Category:Pipe organs

1 Historical Organs
2 'Large' Organs
3 Organs with notable construction methods
4 References

[edit] Historical Organs

The world's oldest playable pipe organ is located in the Basilica of Valère in Sion, Switzerland. Built around 1435, most of the case is original, but only 12 pipes are original, as these have been replaced during restorations.^[1]
The oldest (complete) surviving church organ in the UK is in St Botolph's Aldgate.

[edit] 'Large' Organs

The largest operational pipe organ, with 28,482 pipes and 461 ranks, is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia. It is also the second largest organ yet built and the largest functional musical instrument in the world. It is played twice a day, six days a week, and there are many recordings of this organ.
The largest pipe organ ever built, officially containing 33,114 pipes,^[2] is the Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ in Atlantic City, New Jersey, built by the Midmer-Losh Organ Company between 1929 and 1932. It contains the worlds largest Diaphone, the 64′ Diaphone-Dulzian in the Pedal Right Division. Unfortunately, the organ isn't operational because of prolonged decline, and damage during the renovation of the Boardwalk Hall.
The Grand Organ in the Sydney Town Hall's Centenary Hall, Australia was for many years the largest in the world. It remains the world's largest organ without any electric action components and is one of only two organs with a full length 64′stop^[3] - the Contra Trombone. The contra trombone can be heard by referring to http://www.sydneyorgan.com/STH64.mp3.
The Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall organ is the largest organ (200 ranks, 130 voices, 5 manuals, 10,154 pipes) with mechanical key action.
The world's largest all-pipe church organ, with about 21,800 pipes and some 355 ranks, is at the Cadet Chapel, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. (Details: 380 ranks, 874 stops, 293 voices, 23 divisions (across 4 manuals), 23,500 pipes. Stoplist). It is continually being enlarged.
The world's second largest church pipe organ, with some 20,000 pipes and 345 ranks, is at First Congregational Church, Los Angeles. Details and Stoplist.
The Royal Albert Hall Organ in London is the largest pipe organ in the United Kingdom.
The world's largest house organ can be found in the United States, in the Barry Norris Residence, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. It has 200 ranks, 161 voices and a total of 11,200 pipes, which can be played from the five-manual console in the living room.

[edit] Organs with notable construction methods

The Bamboo Organ at St. Joseph's Church in Los Piñas, Philippines. It was built in the early 1800s by a Spanish Priest entirely of Bamboo. It is the site of The World International Organ Festival held once a year. Recordings exist and are available online from St. Joseph's Church. Search for 'bamboo organ'.
The Ontario Science Centre's main exhibit is a hydraulophone, a kind of water-jet organ. This pipe organ has hydraulic action provided by three water pumps and the keys on the organ console are water jets, so that each "key" (water jet) affords a richly intricate means way to independently control volume, pitch, and timbre affecting each of the organ pipes. See Opening and Lesson (how to play it).
The 5/80 Theatre Organ in the residence of Jasper and Marian Sanfilippo of Barrington, Illinois, USA is considered to be the finest example of extension organ in the world today. Designed by David Junchen and installed in a purpose-built music room, its details can be viewed here.