Tallest pipe organ in PIPE SIZE?

[Soubasse]

Once was involved in removing an theater organ from an auditorium years ago. The 32' pedal pipes were horizontally mounted in the proscenium arch high above the stage. Made for a very time consuming task removing those.

Interesting you should post that as I've recently come from playing for some graduation ceremonies at one of our larger theatre venues wherein is housed the largest (I think it still is) moveable mechanical action organ. Sadly, it's a godawful example of a late 70s Rieger (voicing is really dreadful) so it's not much to boast about. The only time you can use the 32' ranks (1 flue and 1 reed) is when the instrument is moved onto the stage. These ranks are (as mentioned above) also mounted horizontally in the ceiling of the auditorium. Apparently they have a decent effect from the audience perspective, but you'd never know at the console because you can't hear them from there.

Back on topic (partly) - my lasting impression of the Sydney Town Hall megathyrium's 64' reed was definitely one of a percussive effect rather than a melodic one. In fact, I did on one occasion hear a theatre organist use it as a bass drum - a quick tap on the lowest notes of the pedal board with the 64' drawn was enough for a single "thwack" of the reed!

[Krummhorn]

Finally found it ... a sound sample of the STH 64' rank by itself that someone sent me years ago.

Seems one member here a couple years ago commented on this sound being akin to "the flatulence of an elephant" ... to each their own

Here it is - the last two octaves in a descending c major scale:

[dll927]

A couple of comments:

SilverLuna -- However far out the Mormons may be theologically (I've always thought John Smith and Mary Baker Eddy would have been locked up in a 'funny farm' if they had lived 100 years later), They seem to be known for being pretty tolerant of other peoples' beliefs. At least a couple of their organists have been employed in other churches, and I sort of wonder if their newest one (Unsworth) is a recent convert.

About 64' pipes -- would reed pipes need to be that size? Reed pipes have a different form than flue pipes, so length isn't quite what it would seem. As for putting pipes horizontally, I don't see why that wouldn't work with pipes that size, especially if they are wood - it would be pretty thick, anyway.

Doubling pipes back on themselves is known as 'mitering', and I've seen those in a couple of organs. Sometimes if height is a problem, there's not much choice. They look a little weird, but they work. If you're going to put in tall pipes, you'd better figure on that when the building is built!! True, in a lot of churches there never was a problem, but the proportions of French cathedrals aren't used everywhere.

[Contratrombone64]

dll927

Thanks for bringing up mitering as an option for reducing the actual space needed (vertically) for pipes. I read about this in a tome I own, and it explained, in far too technical terms for a dolt such as me, that there is a point where the resultant overtones and harmonicds are not workable if the mitering begins too early up the length of the pipe.

There is a classic example, and ugly in my opinion, of mitering on the pedal 16' Trombone on Christ church St. Laurence's marvellous organ. You can actually see it if you stand up against the northern end of the southern wall and look (lovingly) up into the back of the side of the organ case. Looks like a piece of oil refinery piping to me.

[SilverLuna]

That also leads to another question-- what's the ungliest looking pipe? xD

No, but another one I'm curious about is the tallest organ in overall hieght. I remember a few years ago i found one somewhere in the UK, with an organ about as tall as a 5-story building, but i can't find it anymorez!!! D:

[Soubasse]

Thanks for bringing up mitering as an option for reducing the actual space needed (vertically) for pipes. I read about this in a tome I own, and it explained, in far too technical terms for a dolt such as me, that there is a point where the resultant overtones and harmonicds are not workable if the mitering begins too early up the length of the pipe.

I know what you mean about the terminology. An organ builder I know simplified it for me by saying that mitered pipes (flue or reed) often sound "needlessly muffled." He said a similar thing about stopped ranks too, particularly reeds.

if you stand up against the northern end of the southern wall

Now you're just trying to confuse us . You're right though, they're not the most attractive thing. There's a parish organ here that has mitered reeds in full view as part of the casing. I've always wanted to put a screen in front of them, they look intestinely ugly.

[Krummhorn]

. . . but another one I'm curious about is the tallest organ in overall hieght. I remember a few years ago i found one somewhere in the UK, with an organ about as tall as a 5-story building, but i can't find it anymorez!!! D:

The Wanamaker organ totals 7 stories in height ... the organ pipe chambers themselves occupying 5 stories as per this wikipedia article.

[SilverLuna]

LOL It's really hard to imagnie the largest (in overall size and pipes) organ (which IS the biggest instrument) is in a mall O.o

But that would be weird to hear music from pipes in the wall while shopping... can scare the crap out of one.
It'sd also kinda funny.... a PIPE ORGAN in a SHOPPING MALL?!

Ahh well this Macy's is sure a unique one xP

[Krummhorn]

I agree, Silver ...

One of these days I'll get to Philadelphia. Seeing and hearing the Wanamaker is certainly on my priority list of things to do.

[Thimae]

Hi, pipe organ fans from all around the world!
I'm a newbie, so glad to meet you all. ^^

But I've been looking around the web trying to find the tallest pipe organ in the world, but i always come up with the Wanamaker organ in Philidelphia (sp?)!! I know it's the largest in ranks numbers (http://www.theatreorgans.com/laird/top.pipe.organs.html), but is there one with the tallest pipes? I hope i make sense D:

Thank you for your time in helping me!
~Silver

I guess that title belongs to the Boardwalk Hall organ at Atlantic City, which has a true full length 64' Diaphone-Dulzian rank (reeds down to AAAA, then diaphone pipes). As far as I know, its tallest pipe stands 47' with the rest mitered.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

[Contratrombone64]

Thimae - you are right and wrong on that ... there are two that have that honour, the one you mentioned and the one in my home town (look at my avatar and you'll see its name mentioned).

[dll927]

To say the least, this discussion reminds one that pipe organs are individual and unique instruments. It goes without saying that building limits and other factors sometimes necessitate oddball measures to fit the damned thing into the space available.

A few posts back, I raised the question of whether a 64' stop has sound or is just there for reputation. It appears that the latter gets the vote. What's the point if they go beyond the limits of human hearing? And few places really have the room to put such monsters, anyway. So a "resultant" ends up being the result.

I've only been in the Crystal Cathedral once. It has a reputation for horrible acoustics (what's that about glass houses??), but I've heard several people carry on about the awesome sound of the organ. Which may raise the question of whether they know what they are talking about. Even Fred Swann, after he left, was heard to somewhat diss that organ. But he went on to FCCLA, which is an entirely different kettle of fish -- I've been to that one lots of times.

It still seems to me that there are organs around that reach the point of being too big for their own good. There is only so much you can do at one time, and the rest is largely "show". And when they are divided into different places (Crystal Cathedral and FCCLA), it raises the question of whether they are really one organ -- both of those have two consoles, and the ones at the Crystal Cath. are NOT identical.

BTW, both Crystal Cathedral and FCCLA have websites that go into considerable lengths about their respective instruments. You can esily Google the C.C. and the other is www.fccla.org.

[Thimae]

Thimae - you are right and wrong on that ... there are two that have that honour, the one you mentioned and the one in my home town (look at my avatar and you'll see its name mentioned).

Sorry, I know about your 64' monster - it was the first real 64' rank I've ever "heard" (I tried to electronically reproduce it many times - even my headphones aren't up to the job ). But as far as I know, the 64' octave of Sydney Town Hall's Trombone is even more strongly mitered as the one at ACCH. Of course, honours belong two both organs (and as far as I can tell, no German organ builder will ever attempt to create a real 64' - even if the accoustics really could support one, as it is the case at Cologne Cathedral )

Best wishes,

Thimae

[smilingvox]

64 feet. One such rank is the wood Contratrombone at Sydney Town Hall organ in Australia.

Wanamaker organ does not have a 64' rank ... rather a 'resultant' that usually comprises two ranks, 32' and a 10 2/3' which play together.

A 32' and 21 1/3', played together, forms the 64' Resultant.

[SilverLuna]

dll927-- people think the organ is awesome becuase of the size and the quality. I personally think it's a wonderful instrument, with all it's pipes (which sadly they'll be putting in new digital stops) and how well they work together. Not to mention how loud it is! Yet again, people have diffrent opinions on things and that's just fine.

And, what's "FCCLA"?