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Outside organs - where are they?

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  • Outside organs - where are they?



    I read in a book somewhere there is an organ up the top of a mountain in a castle tower which speaks outside. Also I have seen a picture of an outside organ in some American park somewhere. Where else are there outside organs (apart from fairground ones)?</p>

    Do they have to be voiced differently and how do they stay in tune. Are there any churches with an exterior pipe organs?
    </p>

  • #2
    Re: Outside organs - where are they?


    I'm on the road and don't have access to my usual resources, so I'll have to extemporize on this. Others can do some fact checking here...

    The most famous is probably the Spreckels organ in Balboa Park (San Diego). This is a 1915 (?) Austin that gets a regular hearing during their popular recital series.

    There is an outdoor organ in a cemeteryin Los Angeles, if I'm not mistaken.

    San Francisco's municipal organ (another Austin from 1915, over 100 ranks) was to be installed in an outdoor park, but this plan seems to have stalled.

    There is another Austin located in Bohemian Grove (?) just north of San Francisco. I believe members of the Bohemian Club (?) hear this organ from time to time.

    The Skinner at San Francisco's Palace of the Legion of Honor contains a8' Arch Clarion (on 30" ?) located behind a moveable frieze, open to the courtyard. When this stop was functional it was said to be heard for miles out to sea.

    On the East coast the organ at Ocean Grove is quite renowned.

    Then there is "the Shed" at Tanglewood - an interesting Aeolian-Skinner with a single 32' reed pipe on low C.

    What about ballparks? And what of the Barton (?) organ?

    There is an outdoor organ or two (or more) in Germany.

    I recall reading about the most famous of those German organs, and the one in Los Angeles - apparently the wind pressure is/was extraordinarily high, and the organs are deafening up close. But to a passerby, the sound is quite pleasant and perhaps even distant.

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    • #3
      Re: Outside organs - where are they?



      [quote user="Greg"]Do they have to be voiced differently . . . . [/quote]</P>


      Doesn't matter how they are voiced. Theysound lousy, no matter what! [:S]</P>


      A couple of days ago,Iwas talking to a tech who voices organs. He commented on how awful outdoor organs sound. The sound just fades away into oblivion.</P>
      2008: Phoenix III/44

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      • #4
        Re: Outside organs - where are they?



        Roosevelt Memorial Park, Gardena, CA: http://members.aol.com/theorganst/Page1.html. I have heard this instrument. It hisses like a tea kettle!</P>


        David</P>

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        • #5
          Re: Outside organs - where are they?

          There is the Massey Memorial organ at the Chautauqua Institution (that is awful to type, so many repeated letters) The Massey lays claim to being the largest outdoor pipe organ (which it is), but I have found surprisingly few pictures of it on the internet. I can't think of any others besides the two Spreckels organs (Balboa Austin and the Legion of Honor Skinner). They do sound very dry, no matter what you do, without all that interior space to reflect and temper sound, the organ sound just kind of dies off, doesn't have anywhere to go.

          Here's a video of Carol Williams at the famous Spreckels organ (the Austin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RK9SElBfJo the piece is Brahms Hungarian Dance No.5

          I can't seem to find another piece for fair comparison.

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          • #6
            Re: Outside organs - where are they?



            Here is a zoom out view of the outdoor organ with Carol Williams:</p>

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNpkrlBc6P0&amp;NR=1</p>

            Interesting. </p>

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            • #7
              Re: Outside organs - where are they?



              Hello - I have just joined the forum and saw this posting from a couple years ago. My company was responsible for the reconstruction of the Massey Organ back in the 92-93 off-season and we continue to maintain it today.
              </p>

              Here is a link to my web site with a few pictures of the organ. We intend to build this section of the site and may even have a separate site built just for the organ. </p>

              I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the organ.
              </p>

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              • #8
                Re: Outside organs - where are they?



                Hello! I'm located very close to the Chatauqua Institution and have heard the Massey Memorial Organ twice. It is a SPECTACULAR instrument! I would love to play it one day. It is large, and beautiful. It fits the large outdoor amphitheatre quite nicely. I have sang at Chatauqua on two occasions, and if anyone is nearby, or is interested in visiting, I highly recommend it. My experiences there have been excellent.</p>

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                • #9
                  Re: Outside organs - where are they?



                  Here's a thought - would an outdoor organ sound better if it was located in a valley so that the surrounding hills could reflect the sound like the walls inside a building?</P>


                  [*-)]</P>


                  Jezza</P>

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                  • #10
                    Re: Outside organs - where are they?



                    [quote user="davidecasteel"] Roosevelt Memorial Park, Gardena, CA: http://members.aol.com/theorganst/Page1.html. I have heard this instrument. It hisses like a tea kettle![/quote]</P>


                    So, if an outdoor organ plays, and there is no one to hear it, does it make a sound?[6][A]</P>
                    Way too many organs to list, but I do have 5 Allens:
                    • MOS-2 Model 505-B / ADC-4300-DK / ADC-5400 / ADC-6000 (Symphony) / ADC-8000DKC
                    • Lowrey Heritage (DSO-1)
                    • 11 Pump Organs, 1 Pipe Organ & 7 Pianos

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                    • #11
                      Re: Outside organs - where are they?

                      Yes, because the organist can hear it...unless he/she/it is deaf [8-|]

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