Big, Bigger, Biggest

If the organ is the king of instruments, then our next Pipedreams program is a showplace for the kings of kings. This week we will compare seven of the world’s largest pipe organs in all of their Olympian splendor. We’ll listen to Peter Baicchi as he plays at the Crystal Cathedral and Fred Swann as he shows off the latest additions to First Congregational Church, Los Angeles. We’ll also visit the Cadet Chapel at West Point, the Mother Church of Christian Science in Boston, and Passau Cathedral, the largest church organ in Europe. And we’ll hear the mightiest of all, the Wanamaker Grand Court Organ in Philadelphia, and Senator Emerson Richards’ still-unrealized dream at Atlantic City’s Boarwalk Hall. It’s Big, Bigger, Biggest, the giants in their homes, this week on Pipedreams.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

October 9, 2000

Featured Organs:

Links and Resources

Just for the record, here’s an accounting of the size (number of manual keyboards, number of ranks, number of pipes) of these behemoths, in the order of their appearance:

West Point (IV/325/20,142);
Crystal Cathedral (V/293/17,106);
First Congregational, LA (V/346/20,000+);
Mother Church (IV/238/13,595);
Passau Cathedral (V/309/17,774);
Atlantic City Convention Hall (VII/449/33,112);
and Wanamaker (VI/469/30,067).

These numbers continue in flux as new ranks are added and old counts recounted. On a technicality, the Wanamaker Organ must be accorded biggest playable status, since it has the most ranks of pipes functional of any of the above instruments.

For those who enjoy lists, David Willey and Michael Laird have compiled some interesting (and mostly accurate) listing of pipe organs according to size:

And while we’re talking BIG, on Sunday, October 15, all across the country members of the American Guild of Organists are performing in a nationwide event called Pipes Spectacular! and billed as the World’s Largest Organ Concert. Contact the AGO for information about performances in your neighborhood: 212-870-2310.

Some additional weblinks:
Crystal Cathedral Home Page
Passau Cathedral Organ
1949 Aeolian-Skinner organ at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston
Aeolian-Skinner Opus List

Music played in the program

( Key to abbreviations)

WIDOR: Allegro vivace, from Symphony No. 5, Op. 42, #1 –Joan Lippincott (1911 Möller, hugely expanded/West Point Military Academy Cadet Chapel) Gothic CD-49046 (800-735-4720)

BACH: Chorale-prelude, Wo soll ich fliehen hin, S. 646. PEETERS: Aria. BRIAN SAWYERS: Rising Sun –Peter Baicchi (Aeolian-Skinner+Ruffatti/Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, CA) High Definition CD-1001

WEITZ: Grand Choeur. WEAVER: Introduction & Fugue on Saint Denio –Frederick Swann (1932 Skinner and 1969 Schlicker expanded/First Congregational Church, Los Angeles) Gothic CD-49118

MILHAUD: Pastorale. DUBOIS: Toccata –Thomas Richner (1949 Aeolian-Skinner/Christian Science Mother Church, Boston) Christian Science Publishing CD-73738

RENÉ VIERNE: Canzona. REGER: Toccata in d, Op. 59, no. 5 –Helga Schauerte (1981 Eisenbarth/Passau Cathedral, Germany) Syrius CD-141310

BACH: Toccata in d, S. 565 –Antoni Scott, organ LISZT: Ad nos Fantasy (finale excerpt) –Stephen Smith, organ (1932 Midmer-Losh/Atlantic City Convention Hall) ACCHOS CD-01 (Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society; 1009 Bay Ridge Avenue, PMB 108, Annapolis, MD 21403; www.acchos.org)

GRIEG (arr. Hebble): Romanza. BOELLMANN: Toccata, from Gothic Suite –Keith Chapman (1911 Wanamaker Organ/Macy’s Center City Department Store, Philadelphia, PA) Vantage CD-6304 and 2CD-698-002 (Friends of the Wanamaker Organ, 224 Lee Circle, Bryn Mawr, PA 19101-3726)

Filler–SAWYERS Rising Sun (see above)