The Wanamaker Organ - Inside the world's largest operating musical instrument

Most Philadelphians don’t realize that the largest working musical instrument in the world is built into one of the city’s landmarks, the former John Wanamaker department store, now Macy’s, at 13th and Market streets. The Wanamaker Grand Court Organ at Macy’s is a 7-story-high contraption bigger than most people’s houses, even rich people’s. The vast maze of 26,677 pipes and baffles and bellows and wires and wooden stairways lies hidden behind what many of us have always thought was the Wanamaker Organ.

Comments

1. i have those socks
2. anyone else spot the 65% off at 2:29 ???
3. A great wonder of 19th century engineering!
4. I play in my socks too
5. Peter Conte and Michael Stairs are the best at what they do. Here they are on an instrument that is the best at what it does, too.Thanks for this fine demonstration!
6. Amazing!
7. This I have to say on next trip to Philly!
8. I grew up knowing Henry and Alma Baecker/Becker. I believe she was the organist at John Wanamaker's for many years. Henry was a journeyman organ builder and if I remember correctly had a large hand in the instrument's construction. Henry built a wonderful organ into their long gone home in Toms River and had speakers built into every wall possible. I have Alma's name plaque as a reminder of her at home as well as Henry's coil winder. I am grateful that Macy's invested in this preservation. Showed that they are truly a quality organization with a focus on history and culture.
9. Did the organ at the Atlantic City Municipal Auditorium stop working? Because that one is larger, I think.
10. What is the song at the beginning?
11. is touch heavier than piano? my country one organist said yes and she said also can feel the touch ..,but i confuse since thats eletric operate now day and not direct control the key'stop'from organ.
12. What are they playing between 4:11 and 4:23?
13. Wow, Macy's is closing down their stores, I hope the don't trash this organ! O_o
14. It was originally built for the St. Louis World's Fair. I used to hear it regularly when I was a student in Phila. Xmas was especially spectacular.
15. Yeah... play with your huge organ.... in your temple dedicated to Mercury... US holy of holies.
16. I would just play massive perfect cadences all day
17. War schon eine tolle Zeit!!!
18. as a pianist myself, I got confused just seeing that monstrosity..too much organ for me..LOL
19. That sucker's electrical! He just needs a nuclear reaction to generate the 1.21 jiggawatts of electricity he needs.
20. imagine have to tune this oml