Atlantic City Convention Hall Pipe Organ - Hess Collection HQ

[flyurway]

Very nice video. What a masterpiece of engineering, I can't even begin to imagine the 100's of miles of wiring for the relays and combination actions - just for starters. Does anyone know the prognosis of this behemouth ever acheiving even close to 100%? Pretty doubtful I'd think considering it never even has been, but it would be something to see. Sorry though, but that is one butt ugly main console! :)

[Blahbevava]

Something So Magnificent during this era! The Visual Art Deco, The Electric Age of Technology And the mysterious Transitional Gateway Into the Modern World!! The First Time in many ways Man-Kind was successfully able to defy Nature, Sickness, and the Darkness Of The Night!! It brings tears to my eyes when I hear the Brilliant sound of this organ shine as it is like the sound of that defiance and Joy of those voices all crying out against that darkness that we are all now free from!!

[MultiBlue75]

The larger organ is currently under restoration. I took a private tour of both organs and I was able to hear both. The larger organ's right side has issues(mostly tuning and leaking issues)but is playable. Money is tight and it takes alot of time to get things done. The left stage chamber has a huge portion removed and is being restored right now. The Curator said it will be awhile for it to be restored. However, the smaller organ is almost completely restored and sounds good.

[poopingeneral]

@MultiBlue75 how long did the tour take, and did you get to play it? oh and how loud was it?

[Chefpavel]

I remember hearing this organ as a very young child (1950s) and being amazed at the power and seemingly endless reverb in the massive space. It is pitiful that it has fallen into such disrepair. A roof replacement could have saved most of the water-damaged chambers that now will cost 20 times what a new roof could have prevented.

I find subtle irony in that the two largest pipe organs in the world are within 60 miles of each other. Was it to compete with the Wanamaker organ in Philadelphia?

[noteworthy99]

Thank you for posting such an interesting video.The concept and the construction of this instrument from the pictures are really remarkable. The technical complexity, skills involved and scale of labour involved just fantastic. Kept a lot of men in a job. It is also a grand sounding instrument. No one is ever going to top this one. They just don’t make them like this anymore. The ingenuity of man put to good purpose. Long may it be supported.

[321pocoyo]

How a mechanical system can "remember" the stops combination?

[nexgenhippy]

@321pocoyo best idea is to google 'pipe organ combination action', as its quite complex, theres a wikipedia page on it among other things.

[321pocoyo]

@nexgenhippy Thank you, that's a quite interesting mechanism!

[paulbrockenhagen]

The intro was very similar to a dream I had of finding an old weather organ in a shed. I knew this organ was large but had know idea how so untill I watched this video. I belive when I visit in person I will again be blown away. Excellent post.

[Tetsuo315]

nice view of the diaphones

[steelersfanhawaii]

all that wind piping looks like the piping from the reactor compartment of a Trident class balistic missile submarine

[steelersfanhawaii]

anybody know when the last time the ENTIRE organ was fully operational?

[furrypeanut1]

@steelersfanhawaii It's never been more than about 90% operational. That was in the 50's. And It will probably be a while before it's even close to that state again unfortunately.

[3dwurli]

@furrypeanut1 When it was first built it was fully operational, till 1944 when the basement of the hall was flooded, ruining the combination action. It was fully functional right up till the early 60s.

[furrypeanut1]

@3dwurli That's interesting. I suppose I heard the wrong info.

[tonymarru]

isnt the john wanamaker organ larger?

[furrypeanut1]

@tonymarru in number of ranks, yes. it has 466 as opposed to 449 on this one. but the ranks have more pipes individually on this one, giving it around 5000 pipes more than the wanamaker organ.

[3dwurli]

$1 for each ticket sold, from willing bands/musicians would help make a difference, especially if they were given a tour just to see whats involved.....

[fourstar7]

that is a BIG ASS pipe organ.

[3dwurli]

@fourstar7 well.......considering its the largest musical instrument ever built.......its goin to be BIG. It takes 4 or 5 hours to tour through the entire instrument

[danielmkubacki]

WILL THEY EVER GET THE MIDMER LOSH FIXED?? I may be in my 80's befor is 100%LOL

[poopingeneral]

@danielmkubacki I think once the money is ready and available and more publicity is given, I then it will get back to restored order.

[3dwurli]

@danielmkubacki once the swell organ is back in after restoration and the dead magnets in the right stage are fixed, 1/3rd of the organ will be playable. Progress may be slow, but on a project of this scale, it is going to be, the swell organ alone has around 4 or 5 thousand pipes.

[nexgenhippy]

nice upload very rare pics thank you :)