WANAMAKER ORGAN update

[beel m]

Breaking news, 4/1/16
PHILADELPHIA
The Wanamaker Organ will be getting a new stop, its curator announced today. Macy's will be acquiring the famous "Terz-zimbel" stop from Washington National Cathedral, which has declared it redundant because of numerous hearing-loss claims, and installing it in the 6-manual Wanamaker Organ.
"The Terz-zimbel, along with our existing Baroque stops like the Clear Flute, French Trumpet, and double-languid Diapason, will make possible the proper registration of gentler Bach organ works. More importantly, it will make use of the presently unused stop tab in the 'Original String Division' that visitors keep pestering me about" said Murt Cangel, Curator.
Future additions will include a "chorus of throbbing Tibias", a "battery of Zildjian crash cymbals", and a "few more viole/violin stops as the Wanamaker Organ is quite deficient in string-tone" according to Cangel.

ATLANTIC CITY
The Historic Organs Restoration Committee (HORC) is proud to announce today that a contract has been issued to Pary S. Ghillips to add an eighth manual (61-note compass) to the Boardwalk Hall organ. It will be the home manual for the "Brass Chorus" division, if it is ever made playable, and a few stop tabs from unused "swell shade couplers" will be assigned to sub/super/u off functions for the eighth manual. "We deeply regret that it isn't possible to add enough stops to couple the other 21 divisions to the new eighth manual at all possible pitches, since at all costs we want to keep the stop jambs unaltered" said the HORC in a statement.

That's all I know...
Bill Miller, Phila PA

[arie v]

Hey Bill,

Your spelling skills have deteriorated today. Also, important announcements like these should wait till April 2 of this year. Kind of adds to the credibility of the story.

AV

[beel m]

WANAMAKER ORGAN BREAKING NEWS 4/1/18

Macy's Philadelphia, home of the 6-manual Wanamaker Organ, is planning big music programming changes, it was announced today. According to Murt Cangel, curator of the organ, "Macy's has made a corporate decision to have music in all its stores which reflects the culture surrounding that store." According to Cangel, that means the music in the famous store which includes the Wanamaker Organ will need to be predominately gospel, rap, and hip-hop. "I was tasked by senior store management with bringing the Wanamaker Organ into this new musical culture. I thought about this for a long time, wondering how the 29,000 pipes of our organ could handle that music. I was unable to reach a conclusion until this morning when listening to an old Lenny Dee record. Voila! A new idea was born."
Cangel went on to say that he decided that there would have to be a Hammond B-3 organ and Leslie speakers in the Grand Court. "I decided that we should put the new B-3 right next to the Wanamaker Organ console... which would be (nick)named the "WANA-B." He further explained that to have sufficient audio, there would be 25 Leslie 147 cabinets spread around the Grand Court and in front of the organ facade, each with a high-output amp. "With all those Leslies spinning at ever-so-slightly different speeds, it will give us what engineers call "CHIGGACHIGGAWAHWAH", which is perfect for hip-hop music."
According to Cangel, the cost would be $248,997.12 for a rebuilt B-3, 25 hot-rodded rebuilt Leslies, and installation. Not included would be $9,000. to "train our staff organists in rap music playing." He stated that the proposal, since it met the "PC" goals of corporate Macy's, was immediately approved by the Phildelphia store manager. "It'll happen soon" said Cangel. "I can't wait to hear the first two-organ concert with the Wanamaker Organ and the WANA-B. It'll make musical history!"
Stay tuned for further details... :-)

[Epicurious Maximus]

Spelling Scmelling. I think forums are like conversations. The idea is getting the point across and spreading the word. I have found very few times that spelling impeded the verity of something unless it was highly technical. You should see how technical people murder words (Example: "Nu-kew-lur" for "nuclear" or "electric" for "eclectic". By the way, I've seen stops labelled "Bourbon" instead of "Bourdon". Besides, don't you agree that English may be the most unstable language? I'm glad the National Cathedral got rid of that awful rank and I'm thrilled the Convention Hall Organ is getting the funding it desperately needs. Its one of the world's true treasures. Thanks Bill.

[myorgan]

Too late, Epicurious. April Fool's day has passed. Better luck next time!;-)

Michael

P.S. Bill, you about had me until you got to the B3 w/Leslies!:embarrassed: