So Long, Wanamaker Organ... 😥

[@herbertshallcross9775]

Your friend Kip gave me a tour of the organ something like 15 years ago. Very sorry to hear this.

[@waynerandom11]

So sad. Every trip I make from NYC to Philly for events always starts first with a 5:30pm Wanamaker concert :-(

[@herbertshallcross9775]

In their time, pipe organs were incredible technological wonders. Unlikely their time will come again. I am becoming old, and I have to appreciate the wonderful things I have seen that future generations probably will never experience.

[@Donna230]

Hi, Fran. This is sad. I like organs. We have one at my church.

[@raktoda707]

Thank you for respecting it.I know it sounds odd but mere words cannot describe

[@billdanbury]

It’s going to be the only organ in a Spirit Halloween store…

[@looking_33]

thats actually pretty fitting haha

[@herbertshallcross9775]

There was a smaller functioning pipe organ upstairs, too, and an entire "Mighty Wurlitzer" theater organ in pieces in the shop. Sic Transit Gloria Mundae.

[@wmrg1057]

Remember there is a second organ in the building in the Greek hall. , which was supposed to go to the Smithsonian originay, but they renege on it so it went to "Wanamakers"

[@FranLab]

I have footage of that Wurlitzer in action last year that I never posted.

[@atmylab]

@@FranLabwould you consider posting the footage? Sounds interesting.

[@chrispomphrett4283]

Sad day, it seems the world is ridding itself of all the stuff that makes it special, replacing with turgid and mundane...argh.

[@ScottfromBaltimore]

Sorry to hear the sad news, Fran,

[@TheStevenWhiting]

In the UK all these places would be protected by the building grading

[@FranLab]

It is protected - both the organ and the building - but that does not guarantee access, simply means it cannot be demolished.

[@OrganNLou]

@@FranLab EXACTLY! And the new company that owns it may do something to the building (inside) that would impair the organ in some way!

[@hotpuppy1]

@@FranLab There is 'demolition by neglect'. Historic Register will not insure the building stays if the owner lets it fall in on itself.

[@allenyuphone]

I am so sad to see the Wanamaker Organ leave Philadelphia in the spring!!! 😢😢😢😢😢

[@edmclaughlin4923]

Very sad. City is changing. This was a tourist draw. I have to wonder what is going to replace it. The waterfront?

[@FranLab]

A perfect replacement.... The smell of the Delaware and expensive craft beer. Totally the same!

[@Pisti846]

I remember John Wanamaker when I was a kid back in the 60s and 70s. Magnific store. As time has gone on floors have been closed. But you can't have nice things with changing demographics.

[@ameyring]

Hopefully whoever owns the building will keep the organ operational for visitors like Comcast does for its light show and LED display. BTW, there are two large organs at the Northlandz train attraction in NJ and they've been inoperational since the owner stopped playing them and moved to Florida. Those need a lot of work to restore. Sad times.

[@FranLab]

The owner of the organ is whomever owns the building, which right now is a faceless investment company.

[@hotpuppy1]

@@FranLab The building is doomed. Vulture Capitalists only care about one thing: $$$$$.

[@fmphotooffice5513]

Once again the arts get the short end, history be damned.

[@pr0engineer873]

Really sad to see. :(

[@johnwynne-qx6br]

Thumbs 👍 very sad hopefully the organ will have a new home.

[@herbertshallcross9775]

Most of the organ doesn't even show. It takes up more space than most retail establishments. It would be a big project to dismantle, move and reassemble it. It would take deep pockets and massive commitment.

[@FranLab]

It can't be moved at any acceptable expense - it occupies most of three floors and is physically part of the building.

[@johnwynne-qx6br]

Thankyou for the feedback, very sad, I had written a idea about trying to save the building/organ but I must have pressed the wrong button and it disappeared. Basically needs a very wealthy person/s who would invest in it but not expect vast returns. 👍

[@bernardphilips3423]

C est dommage que vos vidéos ne sont pas sous titre en français merci

[@atmylab]

Maybe Bezos would buy it. The place could be a cultural center or a museum, the “Amazon Wanamaker Center”.

[@hotpuppy1]

If it doesn't put more $$$ in his pockets, it isn't going to happen. He isn't like Rockefeller or Carnegie that actually became civic minded in their later years after stomping on the workforce for decades prior.

[@filepz629]

❤️‍🔥FRAN❤️‍🔥

[@user-mgc]

Life is change.

[@FranLab]

So is death - that doesn't mean you think it's great.

[@robertusa1234]

With luck it will be moved somewhere. Hoping it will be re homed to the Smithsonian or Franklin Institute.

[@FranLab]

Absolutely not possible. The organ is a substantial part of the building, comprising much of three floors.

[@SoItGoesCAL34]

Do they play the organ throughout the day?

[@FranLab]

There is a posted schedule on the website.

[@chefron8]

Very sad, Fran. I can see how much it means to you personally. I hope that something can be worked out with the new owners.

[@FranLab]

If you ever visit personally, you'd see just how vast a space it is - no way to just 'let people in'.

[@chefron8]

@@FranLab Got it, Fran. I imagine subdividing the building would destroy the acoustics. The biggest organ I've personally seen is the one in the Kennedy Center. That was back in 1981 though.

[@calikokat100]

Love your content and discussions

[@DimasFajar-ns4vb]

google map is amazing good job

[@brownyysnoopy]

I visited the wanamaker organ because fran made a visit to it and showed its history...

[@nolinnellz3499]

NOOO WHY 😭

[@Lethgar_Smith]

Nothing lasts forever. The world is changing in very big ways. Be prepared to say goodbye to a lot of things in the upcoming years.

[@FranLab]

Including Fran - and thanks for reminding me!

[@atmylab]

What sort of things?

[@OrganNLou]

Scary world we are living in now!

[@rb032682]

😔😢🎹

[@mrsjohnson1743]

Noooo! This shouldn't be. I didn't know of the magnificent organ until Fran's videos. I am now a long distance, fan of the organ.

[@sticki3000]

Wanamaker gone, Virgil Fox too long ago...

[@TheOwlman]

Tragedy!

[@D.E.Middleton]

Thanks Fran.. I am sorry for you.

[@assignmeanameplease]

Sad news Fran

[@absurdengineering]

This is a tragedy. Perhaps the organ could be moved to a country that has a bit more care for cultural artifacts? Japan? South Korea? India? Heck, China even?

[@KanalFrump]

did you watch Fran's videos about the organ? It's not so much a thing as a part of the building.

[@mrsjohnson1743]

I can’t even imagine how someone could move that.

[@wmrg1057]

The cost to move and reinstal would be staggering. In most cases, these projects would start but never complete. Prime example was the moller organ in the old convention center in West phily. Most of it that was not lost or stole 6:15 n went to the univ of Oklahoma's organ program which was shut down when they had a change of leadership in 2019. From my understanding it's being. Broken up for parts except for maybe a small part of it that had been restored and installed No respect.

[@andrewmoore3121]

⁠@@wmrg1057The Convention Center Moller has been broken up for a couple of years, unfortunately. One console went to one buyer, another to a different one, much of the Great chorus-work went a major builder, wind chests and components that had been restored at OU were sold for pennies on the dollar. I work with people who worked for Moller. Apparently sometime in the mid 80’s a bunch of the then current employees went on a field trip to the Convention Center to tour the organ, and the reaction from all of them was “WE built this?!?” Absolutely irreplaceable.

[@absurdengineering]

@@mrsjohnson1743It takes a crazy number of man-hours to do. Moving this thing would be probably a couple man-years of effort plus however long it’d take to install and revive at the destination. But it’s possible given enough funding (ha ha).