List of 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
Contents |
[edit] Historic Organs
- It is generally agreed upon that 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]
- It is said that the organ in the St. Andreas at Ostönnen (Westfalia, Germany) is even older than the organ mentioned above. Its wind chests and divisions date back to 1425 - 1430, and half the pipes are still original. However, the case and key action were rebuilt in the Baroque period.[2]
- The oldest (complete) surviving church organ in the UK is in St Botolph's Aldgate.
[edit] 'Large' Organs
- The largest operational pipe organ, with 28,541 pipes and 462 ranks, is the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia. It is also the second largest organ yet built and the largest completely 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 and 449 ranks,[3] 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 world's largest Diaphone, the 64′ Diaphone-Dulzian in the Pedal Right Division, which is also one of only two full-length 64′ stops in the world (click here for a sound sample). Unfortunately, the organ isn't operational because of prolonged decline and damage during the renovation of the Boardwalk Hall. A workman found the cable linking the Kimball Console to the pipes in his way and cut the cable, doing some very expensive damage to the Kimball console so that it could no longer be played. A portion of the organ (the Right Stage chamber) has functioned from 1998 to 2000 and a recording was made during that time. Currently, the Kimbal Ballroom console and the Right Stage chamber of the Main Auditorium organ are being restored to playing order again.
- The National Concert Hall instrument in Taipei, Taiwan, was the largest in Asia when installed in 1987.
- 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′ Contra-Trombone stop (click here for a sound sample).[4]
- 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 church organ 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 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, including three 32′ stops rolled up in the basement, 161 stops and a total of 11,200 pipes, which can be played from the five-manual console in the living room.
- In 2007, the Shanghai Central Concert Hall will open with the largest pipe organ in China. The organist is head of the organ department of Shanghai Conservatory.
[edit] Organs with notable construction methods
- The Bamboo Organ at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Las Piñas, Philippines, some 20 miles from downtown Manila, is made almost entirely of bamboo. The building of the organ was begun in 1816 by a Spanish Augustinian monk, Fr. Diego Cera de la Virgen del Carmen, and completed in 1824. It has been damaged repeatedly over the years but always restored. The first restoration was undertaken by Fr. Cera himself. Recordings of the organ exist and are available online from St. Joseph's Church.
- The main exhibit in the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Ontario 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.
- The organ in the Weingarten Basilica, Germany is built around six church windows, with a detached console facing the church. The tracker action is entirely mechanical, sometimes spanning as much as 20 metres, and going around several corners. It was built by Joseph Gabler during 1713 - 1750. It is the largest organ with mechanical action in Europe. Photos and details can be viewed here.
