Philadelphia Macy's World's Largest Playing Organ

[Belldavid1000]

Con'd., nothing was and IS without Sacrifice. This Bvilding Is truely a Monument from every expression. Even here in the worbbly recording and flashes of dream-like exposure I say to myself, Wow! What really happened here? And!!!! It's still here! That is what this lousy little Youtube vedeo reveles. "the stone the bvilders rejected has become the Corner Stone". Thank You JW for your vission.

David Jonathan Bell, LosAngeles

[Belldavid1000]

Con'd. Very oddly and rarafied is this Petridish of collisions seen for very long. In this case, liken to atoms splitting into an Atomic bomb. Let's list all the variables of inposibility: a brick makers son, too a brick maker; visically unsuitable to enter the Armed Forces to fight the CivilWar(Thank God); failure after failure to establish a lasting Brand; one pit after another even up to 1907 a small eesession to unsettle the timeliness of progress on the Burnum structure.....

[Belldavid1000]

I think that whoever created this snippit, this 'view' is dream-like in it's baring witness to all one man (John Wanamaker) materialized of his veiw, his vission. If we know all the times he failed at his attemps to create his Brand. This alone took many trials of failure before the depot and then the Big Store was to happen. This Music invokes a crescendo of Hope. A note of resolvement of tenacity......

[warmlandlass1]

how unfortunate that this piece of audio video footage is of such dreadful qualty. If you really want to hear true justice to this magnificent Sam Wanamaker Pipe Organ, have a listen and look at the flash mob gathered for Christmas, singing The Hallelujah Chorous, and that marvellous organ being played so beautifully !

[kathyk243]

Shopping in that store while listening to the Wannamaker Organ being played was one of the biggest thrills of my life,and a trip that my husband and I planned for months! The Mighty Wannammaker should be preserved forever! This nation doesn't know how to appreciate true class anymore. Sad. KathyK

[mrspivvy]

I'd go there just to see/hear this

[1wannamaker]

Actually the Wannamaker organ.  Part of the culture and cultured operation of

one of the old grand department stores John Wannamakers. Every thing was

top drawer with a tea room on the top floor that served food on fine china

and linen table cloths. Like Rome the barbarians(may co.) sacked them.

[ny1news]

can u say huge waste of money...

[locke11216]

the midmer is playable to a degree and work is progressing on the left stage chamber now

[BH061595]

Ive heard this song before!!!

[glenn3rd2004]

This organ is a work of art worthy or preservation for generations to come. However, I believe the full resources of local, State, and Federal governments as well as rich benefactors be utilized to fully restore and preserve the Midmer Losh pipe organ on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, NJ, the worlds largest pipe organ. It's such a shame that the Midmer Losh organ was allowed to deteriorate and fall into disrepair. Let's make the great Boardwalk pipe organ in Atlantic City a national landmark

[goriii19582006]

@glenn3rd2004 I've read over 100 comments posted by you on YouTube, Flickr, and other websites and almost all of them are baseless and pointless. You commented on pipe organs, tuba players, construction/mining/farming equipment, tractors, tanker/cruise/cargo ships, Serena Williams, and angry cats. You obviously live in a fantasy world, buddy. Please refrain from posting any more comments on any website unless you do your proper research, sir.

[kerry5101971]

Does anyone have a better video or sound recording of this organ? No offense to the poster but it was just too complicated by grainy video & scratchy sound, not worthy of showing the majesty of such a wonderful instrument, but thanks for the attempt.

[ds1868]

Totally bizarre, but intriguing at the same time. I think a large pipe organ in a Shopping Mall is a good idea. Let's bring the King of Instruments to everyone, that's what I say!!

[korvinsnerfable]

@ds1868 department store not shopping mall

[Dufustoo]

Horrible video and sound.

[bigredchevytruck]

This organ is the only good thing (besides cheesesteaks) about Philly, the rest of the city is a DUMP!

[locke11216]

@bigredchevytruck AHH but dont forget philly is also the current residence of the fastest atlantic ocean liner ever. the SS United States

[theredarrow78]

@bigredchevytruck What about Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 30th Street Station to name a few. Philadelphia is not a dump. Granted some areas have seen better days, but it is still a great city.

[asamstr]

i wonder if someone would go all the way to philly just to play the organ. i know i would.

[32ContreBombarde]

@asamstr I've gone there three times just to listen. The was a gent from a local church filling in for Peter, he used almost full organ, 32' Bombarde too, it was chilling.

[julorg]

I think this piece is "Choral" of Joseph Jongen

[rohrgedackt8]

You are correct, it's Opus 37 #4. I played this piece for my master's recital this past summer, which I posted on YouTube. It's a fantastic piece!

[britandveg]

@julorg You are correct :)! And it is a lovely piece to play I might add!

[portapottty]

THIS ORGAN IS AT WANAMAKERS NOT MACY'S

[julorg]

This is the Wanamaker organ, but the shop is now owned by Macy's

[miles1145]

i got yer big organ right here ladies!! sorry, someone had to say it. i just got a job in this building!

[rexx6869]

Isn't this terribly loud to be shopping to? Not to mean insult or anything but I don't think I could concentrate on what I was buying if I was shopping at full organ lol :)

[julorg]

First : the organ attracts shoppers.

Second : you'll (sadly) never hear the full organ on shopping hours.

[Cosplaygirl03]

I remember when my teacher brought my classmates and I here for the Christmas light show. It was my first time seeing something so beautiful. I plan on going back sometime again to see and hear it.

[Baldgol4]

Wasn't this once known as the Wanamaker organ?

[johnm001]

The largest pipe organ in the world is the one in Atlantic City (by number of pipes), but it doesn't work, so it doesn't matter how large it is. The John Wanamaker Pipe Organ, is the largest operational pipe organ in the world, and the largest pipe organ by number of ranks. No matter what anyone thinks or thought. The one depicted here is the world's largest working pipe organ.

[julorg]

I think this is "The lost chord", very intense and emotionnal piece.

[Contratrombone64]

I find it amusing everyone's so obsessed with what the biggest pipe organ is. Sure, the big ones are impressive, but some of the more modest sized insrtuments are worthy too, don't you think?

[formby2]

I thought the organ at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, England, UK, was supposed to be the largest in the world??

[Karlfalcon]

152 ranks? Hardly.

[sulpont]

The Liverpool Anglican Cathedral organ is the largest in the UK and has the loudest working organ stop in the world, being the Tuba Magna (see the cathedral's website for the details and spec)

[julorg]

The Corona trumpet is really amazing but the Ophicleide in Midmer-Losh organ in Atlantic City Broadwalk Hall is even much louder.

[sulpont]

The organ of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool is the largest in the UK but what you might be thinking of is that it has the loudest stop in the world, being the Tuba Magna. The Cathedral website has more details on that if you want to check it out.

[compton357]

its most certainly not the loudest stop in the world! It is one of them, but, its not THE loudest.

[Sonnedude]

Actually the world's largest organ is om Atlantic City in the great $20 million hall. It's sometimes refered to as "The Senetor's Masterpiece", it has over 1,000 ranks, 7 manuals, and over 33,000 pipes. unfortunately, the maintenance hasn't been kept up...you should check it out though!

[acchos]

no, the atlantic city convetion hall organ has 449 ranks and 33114 pipes, 852 speaking stops, 1235 stop tabs, 7 manuals.

[Sonnedude]

you're right, I wasn't sure about the ranks....all I knew was the pipes and the manuales, thanks for settin' me straight

[firefighter14530]

Actually, if I remember right, the rank count on Atlantic City is only 449 with 7 manuals. A friend of mine is the curator of Atlantic City Organs.

[acchos]

"only" hehehe. Yeah, 449 ranks, 33,114 pipes, 852 speaking stops, seven manuals. who cares which of the two organs are largest, lets all just appreciate them both and be glad that they are still in existance!!!

[kennyricks]

hmmm i don't believe that is correct unless they mean self playing pipe organ, but the world's largest pipe organ is actually the LDS pipe organ in Salt Lake City, UT at the LDS Conference Center

[trombonedude5566]

This is definitely bigger than the LDS instrument, actually. While that is a monster at 130 ranks built by the Schoenstein company, this is over twice the size at over 460. This is the biggest there is, anywhere.