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]

Let the sophomoric feeding frenzy begin!

[dighton]

This could will get ugly.

[Loyalist]

palpable 25-foot swells.

Now that's a big organ!

[martin_fierro]

(popping popcorn)

[Revolting cat!]

This guy seems to have taken his spam emails too seriesly!

[river rat]

I'm sure his wife would prefer he had it in the bedroom..
Semper Fi

[woofie]

I get 3 or 4 emails a week asking if I want a big organ...

[ovrtaxt]

Cheap entertainment indeed. In fact, I was just reading up on ol' Gary Cox, speaking of organs.

[cyborg]

If he comes to the health food store I work in, I will give him some herbs to help him with his want of a bigger organ.

[bjcintennessee]

Hmmm... most men would prefer a big organ for their bedroom.

I know, that's "sophmoric, but I didn't want to disappoint - LOL.

[RichInOC]

It's not the size of your organ that counts, it's whether the vibrations make the earth move.

[sinkspur]

Does this massive organ meet local codes?

Surely someone will have to handle it!

[Hoverbug]

Too late! I've already got the biggest one.

Hb

[socal_parrot]

Is it still the biggest organ when the weather turns cold?

[eddie willers]

I was just reading up on ol' Gary Cox,

Speaking of big Johnsons, Randy hit his first homer.

[ovrtaxt]

Do those herbs work? And if so, how do you know?

[Revolting cat!]

He doesn't play it and neither does his wife, but I bet when she sees it she'll want to play with it!

[sinkspur]

To be accurate, this is the world's largest theatre organ.

The John Wanamaker store in Philadelphia, with its 10,000 pipe Wicks, and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, with its 11,000 pipe Aeolian-Skinner, have larger concert organs.

[ovrtaxt]

Well, this guys a musician. We all think we have the biggest one. Of course, I'm the only one who's right.

[cyborg]

My clients claim they work... judging by how often some of them purchase, they can open a piano outlet.