ORGAN DAY

This past weekend found myself, the Capital Street Duo and two other clan members back in Philly for another back-to-back weekend, this time to see a big organ. And for once not attached, alas, to a Soth American.  It was a beautiful weekend, and I got to see my ex boss from Bloomingdales who has been the visual manager of the Macy's in the legendary Wanamaker's Building...the once opulent and stunning and still is, department store. He is still trying to get me to join the team there, but I just don't feel or sense job security there to go back again. But it was great seeing him and getting caught up, and he even joined us for drinks after the concert. I have been going to Wannamaker's and seeing the organ since I was but a wee one. My grandmother always took the train down to do her shopping in Philly and I would go along. And the clan and I are huge nerds when it comes to hearing the concert. The organ is so big and so powerful it literally shakes the building during livelier performances. 

Built for the St Louis Worlds Fairs, the organ was designed by renowned organ architect Geore Ashdown Audsley. The driving force behind the project was Murray M Harris, a superb organ builder in his own right and is hailed as the "Father of Organ Building.  In 1909 Philadelphia merchant- prince John Wanamaker bought the instrument for his new Philadelphia emporium, a soaring 13 floors. Thirteen freight cars were required to ship the entire organ from St. Louis and installation took two years. The Grand Organ was first heard in the store's grand atrium on June 22 1911, at the exact moment when England's King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey, who he also knew. Later that year, it was prominently featured when President William Taft dedicated the Store and the organ. Over the years even more pipes were installed, some 100.000 additional. The smallest pipe is a quarter inch in length. The largest pipe, nicknamed Big Mama Tuba, is some 45 feet long and 8 feet wide and once had a Shetland pony inside to show it's sheer size. Once the adding of pipes seemed finished, today the organ pipes cover several stories and the building, and many different rooms, an intricate system of pipes, bringing the total number today to 28,750. Commanding these huge resources is a massive console with six ivory keyboards, and 729 color coded stop tablets. The console weighs in at 2.5 tons. The entire instrument weight in at 287 tons.

The part of the organ you see on the balcony is only the pretty cosmetic piece and figure head of the organ. Most of the organ covers several floors and rooms. Now a National Historic Landmark and valued in excess of $79 million, the organ is of the American Symphonic design, which can play the great organ masterworks, as well as the entire range of orchestral literature. The pipework encompasses the resources of three symphony orchestras; it's string organ alone has 7,000 pipes. While there is debate if it is the world's largest organ...it's up for grab as the first, second, or third... but everyone agrees that it is by far the most impressive sounding in the world.

The organ players on Wanamaker Organ Day.

 

Cocktails outside after the concert. My ex-boss even brought along the one organist Luke, who is second from the right. My... was he handsome, and single. And at least I know he knows how to handle an organ and play it beautifully.

My gin cock-a-tail! Don't think I didn't miss celebrating World Gin Day either. I multi-tasked kids!!!! Cheers bitches!