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Hear The HMHS Britannic Organ - a Facinating Story

branchporter

New member
Around 1914 - 1915, a large "Welte Philharmonic" pipe organ was built for the HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the Titanic. This versatile organ could be played by keyboared, or by paper roll. The organ includes "toy counter" elements.

The reports I read vary - some say the organ was built but never installed. while others say it was installed, then removed and returned to the factory when the unfinished Britannic was
requisitioned as a hospital ship for WWI duty in 1915.

For nearly 100 years there has been speculation about the existence or whereabouts of the organ. Then, in 2006,
the Swiss Museum for Music Automations undertook a complete restoration of a Welte Philharmonic organ they had purchased in 1969. It was found that the word "Britannic" was stamped into wood parts throughout their organ. They had known of a few of the past owners of the organ, but the restoration reveled it's origin.

Here is a playlist of 29 pieces played on the Britannic Organ. Most are played by roll (or possibly MIDI made from a roll) and some may be by an organist. The mechanical playing is some of
the best I have heard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cakh9D0mn5I&index=11&list=PLUSRfoOcUe4YnRyZRYx8IYA9di1uUWKes

More history of the ship and organ can be found here:
http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-ocean-liner-britannic-was-latest.html





 
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branchporter

New member
The pieces from #13 through # 26 are performed on the organ's console by organist David Rumsery. Many others are paper roll recordings, cut from performances by historic organists of years ago, which were made before acoustic recordings were possible.


This site gives more information on the organ and the pieces in the playlist:
http://www.oehmsclassics.com/cd.php?formatid=501&sprache=eng

Here's the organ as it appears at the Museum für Musikautomaten
britannic-orgel.jpg
 
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Padster

New member
I have bought the first two volumes of the Britannic organ after hearing the You Tube link and reading the story. It really is a quality instrument.

Best wishes,
Padster
 
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