Most Heroic/ Imposing Sounding Organs in US

[Bill Hecot]

It seems there are a few of those wild outdoor organs. I love the underground bunker that houses the console.

Also to add to my original list, seems like the Cleveland Auditorium Organ (opus 328) was something of a whopper. Some great recent videos about it. Mighty large room as well.

[Terpodion]

One of my first installation trips when I went to work for Gress-Miles was a largish 3 manual in a large Catholic church in NJ. It was impressive enough with that "Agressive-Miles" voicing in the reverberant room but one of the regulators would jump into vibration when large chords were played - they used diaphragmatic regulators like Midmer-Losh. The top would vibrate vigorously like a woofer cone, shaking the whole gallery at some undefined 32' pitch. Quite impressive if you didn't know it wasn't supposed to be there - almost like a diaphone. We were tempted to leave it that way but we fixed it.

Cheers:

Alan

[Mirabilis]

The Ophecleide rank in St. John the Divine's Pedal division has 68 pipes, playing at 32 - 16 - 8 - 4. Yes, the
pressure is 25". I don't know the pressure on the old, revoiced E. M. Skinner 32' reed. Only the bottom octave
plays; those pipes were never removed in 1954, just disconnected. This latter reed has very minimal use.

[Bill Hecot]

Alan/Mirablis, thanks for the info. St John is an amazing organ I am lucky enough to live just a few blocks from (Riverside too). I must say being a total newbie we just sampled the "Abbey Spectacular" Gerard Brooks recording of the St. Ouen Cavaille Coll Sunday at my AV club and the Widor Finale was so potent I can't even begin to describe. The reverb at the end of the passage was like 8 seconds.... I know this organ is common knowledge to most but was my first experience. I can't even imagine what is sounds like live.

I am officially lifting my initial focus off of just US organs. Who knew there was a whole world out there ...

[myorgan]

I am officially lifting my initial focus off of just US organs. Who knew there was a whole world out there ...

FINALLY!!! You'll be glad you shifted focus.

BTW, my wife (a symphony musician) makes it very clear when she likes an organ--she sits, cross-legged in the middle of the floor, just to absorb the sound. Sometimes it makes me wish she could play so I could just experience that once more!

How about the oldest municipal pipe organ in the US? I had the opportunity to play it once for a concert when it was being rebuilt, but my college wouldn't let me go.

Michael

[Bill Hecot]

Wow, that's a bummer. That's quite an organ. A 32' Bombarde and a 32' Contra Tuba is a pretty potent combo on the reed side of things....

[Bill Hecot]

I had an opportunity to hear the organ in York Minster in England. I think you would find their set of 32' stops to be most satisfying. Of course, you DID specify only US instruments.

David

David, I checked out York Minster. What's a 32' Sackbut?? Is that a big reed? The pic on this link of the double open diapason is quite impressive:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64649127@N00/233739142/

Edit: Nevermind found your spectacular photos and description elsewhere in the forum. All I can say is "wow". In a structure such as this with all of those huge stops exposed, must be earth shaking. Now to find some recordings...

[myorgan]

David, I checked out York Minster. What's a 32' Sackbut?? Is that a big reed?

(Michael resists the urge to make a "smart" comment). Bill, check out the following site: http://www.organstops.org/s/Sackbut.html

Michael

[davidecasteel]

A sackbut is a reed. Wikipedia says its a cross between a trombone (posaune) and a trumpet.

My photos of York Minster are on Webshots: http://travel.webshots.com/album/559...PUsvN?start=12. Am I to understand that you already found them? The placement of many of the big 32' pipes is right at ground level--one could stick one's foot through the mouth of some of them (not recommended, of course).

David

[pictureroll]

Priory Records has a DVD of York Minster on it there is a recital of 14 pieces played by John Scott Whiteley,with views of the Minster;the city; the organ;the organ being played.There is also a demo and history of the organ.There are 7 of these so far with Salisbury coming this or next month.All of them are just wonderful in every way. I highly recommend them.Priory has a website that shows all of the DVD's that are available.

Cheers from Dallas,Texas
Jerry F Bacon