The pipe organ is referred to the King of Instruments for many reasons, and size is, of course, one of them. Pipe Organs are well known for their grandiose size and incredible range of tones and voices. While many organs fill entire churches or concert halls, one instrument stands above the rest. The Wanamaker Organ holds the title of the World’s Largest Organ. Located in Philadelphia, this remarkable instrument remains a true marvel of musical engineering. Today, Viscount Organs will look at this titanic pipe organ and its history.
Finding Its Home
While it can be found in Philadelphia today, this massive organ was originally built for the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair by the Los Angeles Art Organ Company. The original design called for the use of more than 10,000 pipes. The massive size naturally came with a massive price tag, and the builder went bankrupt during construction.
Soon after the bankruptcy, merchant John Wanamaker stepped in and purchased the organ. Wanamaker owned a prominent department store in Philadelphia and strongly believed in the power of music to enrich society. He immediately recognized the instrument’s potential and set out to give it a permanent home.
Finishing The Organ
In 1909, Wanamaker bought the organ and had the parts shipped to his seven-story tall emporium. Over the course of two years, Wanamaker dramatically expanded the organ so that it would fill his entire store. In fact, his vision for the organ was so immense, that he had a factory built on site to create new parts and pieces for the organ. Between 1911 and 1930, 40 full-time employees worked non-stop to create and install an additional 18,000 pipes to the already huge pipe organ. Wanamaker brought in several famous contemporary organists to supervise the construction and offer input, including Marcel Dupré.
The completed organ remains breathtaking to this day. It weighs an astonishing 287 tons and contains approximately 28,500 pipes spread across all seven stories of the building. These pipes range dramatically in size, from more than 32 feet long to as small as a quarter of an inch. The console is equally impressive, featuring six ivory keyboards, 42 foot controls, 168 piston buttons, and 729 color-coded stop tablets. Despite its immense scale, the Wanamaker Organ stands out for more than its size alone. Wanamaker was concerned with the quality of the organ as much as he was the quantity. The entire instrument is made from high-end materials and was crafted by master artisans. This instrument is a work of art in every sense.
The Wanamaker Organ Today
In 2006, Macy’s purchased the Wanamaker building and the organ in it. The department store continues to showcase the spectacular instrument, and it can be heard twice a day, six days a week. During the winter holiday season, additional shows are performed that celebrate the festive season. Over the course of its 100 years career, the Wanamaker has been played by a variety of accomplished organists, but only four have held the prestigious title of Grand Court Organist. The current Grand Court Organist has held this position for more than 25 years, and plays nearly year-round, only taking breaks to travel with other orchestras.
The Wanamaker Organ truly must be heard to be believed. Its sound fills the entire department store and carries clearly through all seven floors. While many visitors come to Macy’s for shopping, countless others arrive simply to experience this awe-inspiring instrument.
No matter the size of your pipe organ, you too can produce immense sound thanks to Viscount Organ’s Physis® technology. Find a dealer near you to find out more.