Man Wants Biggest Organ for His Living Room

newsmax.com ^ | 9-20-03 | With Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[ovrtaxt]

Posted Saturday, Sept. 20, 2003 5:56 PM EDT

Man Wants Biggest Organ for His Living Room

Jasper Sanfilippo, a collector of musical devices, doesn’t play the organ and neither does his wife, but he does have the distinction of owning the biggest organ in the world, which is on proud display in an oversized living room of his estate in Barrington Hills, Ill., according to a feature in Forbe’s magazine.

While Radio City's Wurlitzer, the world's second largest, has 4,500 pipes, Jasper's has 8,000, says Tom Hazleton, an acclaimed theater organist. "If this doesn't blow your socks off, nothing will," Hazleton says.

Sanfilippo built a 27,000-square-foot living room in which to house the biggest Wurlitzer pipe organ in captivity. The immense instrument is feed air (10,000 cubic feet per minute) via a 50hp, 440-volt blower and can play "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" with the same ease as a Debussy delicacy.

Fortunately for the non-player owner, the organ has a feature permitting the capture of keystrokes, recalling every note of every artist who's played at the Sanfilippos' home, as well as the tonal settings he chose -- and even the lighting in the room.

Included are buttons that summon thunder, surf, tom-toms and a glockenspiel, and a 32-note set of bells (the largest weighing 426 pounds).

Scoff if you like, but experts agree that Sanfilippo has created something extraordinary, says organist John Giacchi.

Victory at Sea, a favored selection, has palpable 25-foot swells.

[ovrtaxt]

However, I actually do have an organ in my home--an old beat up practice organ that someone gave me.

Beating one's organ is not a recommended method of practice. Especially if you plan to give it away.

[ovrtaxt]

Yeah, that happens all the time....

[logician2u]

Still arrogant as hell, I see.

Sink, you have never seen arrogance until you've gone to an AGO conclave and asked if any of those present have ever sat down at a Wurlitzer console.

All I did then, and now, was build a small bridge to understanding. Don't take it so personally.

[freedumb2003]

"The immense instrument is feed air (10,000 cubic feet per minute) via a 50hp, 440-volt blower...
"

General Clark moonlights as an organ air feeder? It all makes sense now...

[Petronski]

Latent?

[killjoy]

You know those creams you are supposed to use and you will get bigger? Wouldn't your hand get bigger too?

[Swordmaker]

I wonder what sort of air pressure it takes. How big the digital system is, the electric bills...

Article says 1000HP... doesn't mention pressure.

The system was apparently built in the 1920s so I doubt anything is digital in the modern usage... but then most pipe organs pipes and stops are either ON or OFF... which makes them among the first binary, "digital" instruments.

One could also note that they are played with the digits of the hands and perhaps the feet... again, making them "digital."

[Desdemona]

The system was apparently built in the 1920s so I doubt anything is digital in the modern usage... but then most pipe organs pipes and stops are either ON or OFF... which makes them among the first binary, "digital" instruments.

I know of at least two big pipe organs that were put on digital systems recently. Both are almost 100 years old. It's possible to do it.

[ovrtaxt]

I guess so, and if you swallow viagra too slowly, you'll wake up with a stiff neck.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

You haven't lived, Sinky, until you've heard the Wanamaker Organ, and watched it being played.

I'm lucky to work right across the City Hall square from the store.

[fqued]

"Any AGO members here?"

Are you, yourself, an AGO member?
I'm not, but I work with the dean of the Denver chapter. I fixed his catastrophe in an organ chamber today--don't tell anyone, though.