Medinah Temple Pipe Organ, Chicago - Austin Opus 558

[FGelevators]

so this is what it looked like before Bloomingdale's Home/Furniture moved in. where you see at 0:51 there's a huge glass elevator right in the middle there

[Brockett122]

My fave was the 16' Lawnmower stop.

[helloitsmelol097]

Anyone know what the pipes are at 3:30?

[Organsk8er]

@helloitsmelol097 The pipes you see at 3:30 are (most of) the 16' and 32' octaves of the Contra Bombarde. It plays on 26" wind pressure. Barely visible behind these large, mitered metal pipes you can see the 32' Wood Open Diapason. It's about as big as a house...lol

[helloitsmelol097]

@Organsk8er what are the pipes in front that are bent idk what you actually call it but it's almost like a large trumpet looking pipe.... theres a pipe in our organ Double Trumpet 16' and I was wondering if that might be the pipes to it. If so it's the largest pipes on the organ but the organ is very compacted into a small space

[Organsk8er]

@helloitsmelol097 Yeah, those pipes make up the 16' and 32' Ophecleide/Bombarde. A large reed stop, played in the pedal, similar to a trumpet, but bigger, and darker in tone. The "bends" are referred to as a process called "mitering" the pipes, or I guess, in effect, "bending" them so that they fit under lower ceiling clearance. The longest pipes in this set ARE 32' long, but they've been mitered so that they might only be 16' long for example. The air is still going through 32' of pipe.

[wurlitzer3]

Someone else will have to fill in the details but I remember seeing on PIPORG-L that this organ is being installed in a large church. I can't help but that this video helped the organ find a new home.

[Organsk8er]

@wurlitzer3 You are correct. This organ has finally found a new home. This video did most certainly help. More details to follow.

[quintiton]

any one know  where this insstrument went to ?

[Organsk8er]

@quintiton It will be installed in a large church in the Chicago suburbs. More details to follow. :-)

[davbear221]

Does anybody know the location of this instrument? We have the perfect room for it now looking for a historical instrument!

[Operaman41]

IS this in a Jewish Temple???? If so what happened to it??

[Organsk8er]

@Operaman41 The Medinah Temple is the Chicago Chapter if the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine...(Shriners)...this was their auditorium in Chicago, on Ohio between Wabash and Ontario. They moved out, as the video implies, in 2001, and the organ was removed to safe storage. The shell of the building stands, but the inside was completely gutted for use as a Bloomingdale's.

All the best~

-Dean:)

[manga12]

why do they always pronounce Ma dinne ah when they announce them in a parade

The proper name of the city in the middle east is Me dean ah, as in medina saudi arabia

[flyurway]

Wow, this video was more than I wxpected, nice job. Yep, nothing like "progress". Let's take some handcrafted work of art and gut it...better yet, how about another parking lot? Looks like it was an awesome instrument, it's least it's salvaged for now.

[prosciaorg]

although i spent many hours at this rare 5 manual console, regretfully i never got any closer to the mechanics of the instrument than the two large spencer blowers. kudos to the service folks that maintained the organ. given how Austin organs are built, installing it must have been a real challenge.

[prosciaorg]

as a teenager in chicago, i played this organ thanks to the spirit and generosity of Karl Lutz, the manager of the mosque at that time (mid 60's). Due largely in part to my experience with this instrument, today in the southeast (atlanta area) for the past 30 years, I own and operate a service company (we also build on occasion).

[brb21592]

does anyone know where the organ is stored/ is today?

[thomante]

Thanks for sharing this extraodinary video. The Medinah Temple Building also houses the 'Tree Studios' that have maintained artists studios since 1894.

[05Forenza]

Its a shame that magnificent organ had to be removed for a department store. Lucky it's at least in storage.

[peterewers]

Wonderful ! I wish we would have such instruments here in Germany... A "Kastenlade" to go in - unconcievabel ! Is there anybody who knows more about the recording of Jongen, Symph. concertante with Virgil Fox and Barenboim on this instrument?

[prosciaorg]

My company recently completed repairs on another historic Austin located in the Trinity United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA. A unique feature of this instrument is the double sided Swell division, meaning it has two sets of expression shades, one set that opens into the large sanctuary, the other that opens into the fellowship hall, controlled by a separate two manual console. Both the sanctuary and fellowship hall have their own facade pipe arrangements which we restored to original condition.

[Organsk8er]

@prosciaorg Awesome! So glad to hear another historic Austin being preserved, protected, and taken care of! :)

[prosciaorg]

Mr. Carl Lutz was the Potentate of the temple back in the early 60's when I live in Chi-town. He granted permission to me to play that wonderful organ anytime I came to the Temple. The office staff would stop their work and come into the auditorium to hear me play. You can't imagine how thrilling it was to be sitting near one of the speaking 32' facade pipes, thanks to the placement of the console. This organ was instrumental in my deciding to devote my adult life to the care of historic organs

[farmervern]

Sad to see such beautiful instruments go away. They all bring tears to my eyes when I hear them play!! Gotta love the KING OF INSTRUMENTS!!

[Larsky1010]

What a tragedy to lose not only the organ but the beautiful setting of the theatre itself! And those window details: I wonder if any of them remain.

[Organsk8er]

Bloomingdale's restored all of the windows. They're all still in the building. Although all of the interior surfaces of the building have basically been painted white, the fabulous mural above the stage was only covered, not painted over. The renovation was done in a way such that, in theory, it could be restored to its original form if someone in the future ever desired to do that.

[orgelspielerkmd]

This is the organ with which the Chicago Symphony (under Sir George Solti) performed Mahler's Symphony No. 2 ("Resurrection").  What a fabulous sound it makes with the choir and orchestra at the end of the finale!

[Organsk8er]

I would love to hear that!

[orgelspielerkmd]

If you are an organ/choral enthusiast, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing the Eight Symphony as well...a STUNNING work!!!

[jk8429]

How great that the last days of this organ in it's original home were documented - thank you!

I read that the organ was put into storage in the Chicago area. Is it still in storage? Has anyone shown any serious interest in purchasing and restoring it?

[ikebaga2]

This is beautiful! I recently aquired a Live album of the Statesmen Quartet performing in this place in 1960. Very cool to see inside this cool place!

[VicFerrer]

Organists need to learn how to be less critical and more supportive otherwise the species will not survive.

The recorded audio of this instrument was not for the purpose of this video. This was not a performance. I am just happy there was someone in the building willing to play a few chords for me.

[gandalfthegreen]

years of work destroyed for nothing :(

[TrompenCham167]

This is such a fantastic instrument. Where can I get the stop list? The bastards are turning it into a bleeding department store. They should do the transformation and then put the organ back in. Just like a little sister of Wanamaker's. Hmmm...

[Organsk8er]

The stoplist is on the OHS website.

[Streetcar1743]

Those corporate idiots in Chicago! They can't seem to get it. The pipe organ has such a grand sound. If Philly can do it at Macy's, why can't other stores do it too.

[manga12]

Chi town they cant even keep the pride of chicago alive, the main Marshall Fields store was bought up by federated and now its a macys, they could not even keep the name on it, at least let it have its pride, no they strip it of its honor and parade it off like a spoil of war, let the local history be kept heavens noo could not do that

Not to mention how little reguarde they have for their music history,

[TEMPO690]

@manga12 I live in Chicago for thirty years and I can tell you that the majority of the population that live here are too distracted by whats going on with American Idol, nobody gives a shit....

[manga12]

i doubt that they are worried about american idol there are other things like the gangs and crime rate in the hoods that makes the news more often then you can shake a a stick at , but there are fewer people that appreciate the history of chi town besides the museums and the sports teams there.

soo much comes out of chicagos history I could go all day about it, and the noteworty historical buildings, as well as the music that came out of chicago, and the old stockyards.

[and3583]

That is soooo NOT how to play "Ye Holy Angels Bright"

[Branchporter]

At least it wasn't played on a harmonium! :-)

[wurlitzer3]

What a gorgeous sounding symphonic organ. Thank God they're coming back into fashion.

[akm5176]

Coming back into fashion!?!?! When did organs ever go out of style!? How could some one not love a massive pipe organ? I just wish I could afford one.

[codeman2008]

Symphonic organs most definitely went out of style! Ever hear of the 60's and 70's?!

You know like the organ reform movement or the baroque revival era.

[latribe]

I bet that department store will be having problems in the recession. It would not have done so if it had an organ in it to attract the punters - organs are being installed in shopping malls in Japan. Americans and English can't see beyond the end of their noses.

[djbjr1130]

who do i talk to...i want to buy/rescue it??

[AllenJBlodgettJrmota]

I think that it would be a great thing for Appleton West High School

[MANTLEBERG]

Thans for putting this on the tube, well done,i keep on watching this over, best regards M.B. ENGLAND..

[iminsane84]

wow talk about claustrophobia.

[1965JWP]

What dumb SOBs in Chicago allowed that theatre to be turned into a department store??? Wow, what a waste.

[ovalhed]

I remembe rmny times as a child playing this organ while my grandfoather was potentate. So many keys and buttons to pull.

Watching this video took me right back in time.

An unrelated side note: the CSO used to record their albums on that stage due to the acoustics of the building.

I have yet to go in to Bloomies. TOo many memeories of the building as it was designed to be and originally used.

[Hammondlover2]

There's no excuse to destroy beautiful buildings and render their wonderful organs homeless. In the 60's up here in Rochester the magnificent RKO Palace theater was torn down to make room for a new apartment complex. Luckily the 4/23 Wurlitzer it housed was saved, but the apartments never came to be. Now the area is a overgrown parking lot in a seedy section of the city.

[CindyBradyTooh]

*AMAZIN*! :D

Well done! :)

Thanks for the cool video.

~Cindy! :)

[tempetiger]

Is that organ still up for sale? I was thinking one of the ATOS chapters might be interested in acquiring it. We are always looking for new homes for organs, both classical and theatre.

[michaelsmusicservice]

I'm glad that John & I stopped by to see this before it was removed. "Historical Reuse" sounds so positive to some people, but saving the outside shell hardly qualifies as preservation. But, it does come with tax credits! Thanks, Vic; beautiful editing job.

[specialkvi]

Gee, you think Bloomingdales could of saved the organ and make it like Wanamaker's (Macy's).

[farmall1938]

5 manuals, 92 ranks.... a rather large instrument. Does Austin own the organ now ? Was it purchased, or donated to the present owner ??? A fascinating video.

[fluteceleste]

Thanks so much for this important document..fortunately the instrument could be saved!

[Branchporter]

The "walk in" type of windchest seen at 3:40 to 4:50 was unique to Austin organs. The whole room was pressurized, and it's "ceiling" was the surface that the pipes sat on. At 4:34 you catch a glimpse of the valve mechanisms beneath the pipes.

To see an Austin Universal Windchest mechanism in action, enter 'click and clack austin' into the You Tube search.

Thanks for the post, VicFerrer. I hope this great organ will find a new home!

[jvollmar]

Awesome video!

[ArtDecoLuvr]

I was in the building recently -- it is a Bloomingdale's department store. While some of the decorative elements remain, it is sad to see the loss of such an amazing venue. It is not nearly the place it used to be!

[Organgrinder010]

Holy smokes, that is a massive organ. The architecture of the building is no less than stunning. The pipework and chests are very interesting -I love the valves on the doors!