THE WORLD'S LARGEST MECHANICAL PIPE ORGAN - HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL, LIEPĀJA, LATVIA

[@burtward895]

Imagine all the linkages, junctions, joints, and total moving parts.

[@modularshop6513]

It is an incredible organ, the back of it is a huge maze of sticks and rods leading to rank upon rank of all manner of pipes. Multiple rooms and catwalks to go through and you'll never see it all.

[@BarryWaterlow]

Wonderful explanation of a rather complex instrument. Who would have imagined that the world's largest mechanical organ would be in Latvia!

[@PACKERMAN2077]

The stops are beautiful. What is interesting is that it's not actually the largest most impressive cockpit, it's actually cozy compared to Atlantic City or Chicago, and it's tucked away hidden in the wall behind those secret doors. I thought all of them had throne rooms 🤯

[@PACKERMAN2077]

@J. W. K. Thanks

[@dpeter6396]

Big pipe organs have been my favorite instrument since the early '60s. Thanks for the demonstration and for giving us a taste of the sound. Outstanding...

[@plasticraincoat1]

Absolutely wonderful demonstration- thank you for being so down to earth about it.

[@bengunn99]

Quite right. There's no faffing about with Johnathon.

[@clydesight]

What a beautiful -- but complex -- pipe organ! Even partially restored the sound is magnificent. Thanks so much for this video.

[@vyvianspipes]

What a fine instrument!! I’m still marveling HOW they built it... way back in those days!!

[@marybroderick8265]

God gave man the knowledge of how to make musical instruments to praise Him. Read psalm 150

[@ZGryphon]

Big church organs were the space programs of their day. :)

[@davidsoar4452]

Stumbled across this by accident. I absolutely love Jonathan’s postings and recitals on here. He’s such a lovely and personable guy, and was a great help to me in Manchester a few years ago when I needed an emergency organ to practice for playing at the wedding of a friend. This post is quite extraordinary. I consider myself a total organ nerd, but I had no idea this instrument existed! Thanks, Jonathan!

[@hans2406]

The organ sounds like a pipe organ should sound. Beautiful!

[@Daveinet]

I've listen to many pipe organ recordings, and I'd have to say, I really like the sound of this instrument. Most pipe organs sound overly bright, almost to the point of being harsh or brittle. This organ just has a very warm sound. Not sure if it is just softer materials or exactly what, but it just sounds right. The room acoustics are good to, with a fairly short decay time. It just doesn't sound like its trying to be something, it just is.

[@SirDeanosity]

Not sure if you have heard a pipe organ live. IMO they are what they sound like as that is what the designer / builder intended. Unlike loud exhaust modifications intended to make a vehicle sound like something it isn't.

[@millomweb]

"Most pipe organs sound overly bright, almost to the point of being harsh or brittle." - I'd strongly suspect that's purely down to the choice of the organist. I'd be surprised to find a pipe organ that doesn't have a good range of mellow sounds. Unfortunately the human is attracted to bright things - whether colours or sounds. They are not impressed by a dull image - and where photograph images of nature, it's the more stark images that are favoured and the subtleties of duller colours is forgotten about. It's likely the same for sound too - so a 'good' sound is an impressive one - so organists favour the brighter side of an instrument in cases of demonstrations. In real life, the church organ is sometimes played as people arrive - and it is very much toned down - played softly with those mellow sounds. Ahh - 'recordings' - different ball game again. You need to experience them more in real life - where the organ is not being the star attraction but the accompaniment to the birdsong entering via the open doors. A sound you can talk over at a whisper with ease but nonetheless is still there yet everyone ignores it as it blends into the background. Can you imagine making a recording of sounds not intended to be listened to ! Just the thing for the waiting room or supermarket ambience !

[@e.conboy4286]

pmailkeey : I’m looking forward to a recording like that! Nike: ‘JUST DO IT! ‘ Our souls need it.

[@Daveinet]

I have heard pipe organs live, but the rooms were full of people. Not only that, but in a couple thousand seat auditorium, you are maybe 100 or 150 feet away from the pipes. High frequencies diminish over distance thus the instrument does not sound as bright. It was never intended to sound that bright or have that much ambience, as the auditoriums are intended to be full. 2000 people dampens a lot of sound. My complaint was about recordings, not necessarily the live instrument.

[@Daveinet]

@@millomweb You misquoted me. You skipped the word "RECORDINGS". The whole point is that for most recordings, they don't fill the rooms with acoustically simulated people.

[@citizenkeeno8014]

Them: What instrument do you play? Me: Church.

[@friedcash9815]

lol

[@oron61]

There are Churches with multiple organs where one console can control all of them at once. In one of them, they managed to hide a small division in the ceiling.

[@RezaChity-G]

@@oron61 Woah!

[@ImJustJAG]

@@oron61 cool

[@MK_z_TK]

yes

[@Lesiba2]

Well you dont need gym when you play this organ every Sunday

[@michaelmartens7728]

... during the week without the pneumatic machine, on Sunday with... ^^

[@JohnNozum]

That's funny!

[@roelofvandermerwe1147]

My organ lecturer is quite a short, well built man. Upon asking him one day "Winand, do you work out". He replied "no.... But" then proceeding to point his thumb towards the instrument. He too is a church organist that works with a large mechanical organ

[@mrwibble70]

I worked in organ building for 15 years, and I've never seen such a unique action. I'd love to see inside of the instrument.

[@ClissaT]

Yes, to see the actual workings would be such a treat. Is that what's being repaired on this instrument?

[@modularshop6513]

They will let you tour it if you plan in advance. Very nice people and more than happy to show you around.

[@richardhedderly]

Fabulous sounds plus saves a trip to the gym!

[@WCM1945]

ANd infinitely more rewarding!

[@ggolds5]

Thank you Jonathan Scott, what a great review of this magnificent organ.

[@terryr.sublimeorganmusic]

So interesting! Love how the start/stop pumping stops are now for lights. So glad this magnificent organ is being restored. Thanks for the lesson.

[@susanhughes8970]

I’ve always loved organ music and your video was exceptional Jonathan. Thankyou for sharing your expertise with us..

[@josephkwesistephens3477]

Good and allegromatic organ.love this organ

[@JBridges1092]

Wow, you really get a work out pulling registration on that instrument, don't you? That's a fascinating instrument.

[@millomweb]

Not seen anything like that before. Looks like someone needs to go round it with a grease gun ! And servo-assisted keyboard !

[@modularshop6513]

@@millomweb Wood drawbars, some several meters long. You won't do much with a grease gun, the friction is already as low as it will get (very nice workmanship), it is just that there is so much hooked up to one linkage that it really adds up. 50 grams times a few hundred links and you need real arms to pull out the stops.

[@millomweb]

@@modularshop6513 Pivots offer less friction than sliding surfaces. So I might as well ask, what stop operates the most things?

[@modularshop6513]

@@millomweb mixture stops I guess; mind: I spent an hour looking over the guts and I did not have time (or gear) to make sketches, didn't even think that someone might be interested or I would have definitely taken photographs; next time I am in Liepaja I will try to fix.

[@millomweb]

@@modularshop6513 I'm not a musician. I'm a mechanical engineer :) Have an electronic organ here at home. Again, my only interest is the control system. For instance it only has an octave & a bit pedal board but if I play pedal notes through the MIDI it'll play the same range as the 2 manuals ! As for the trad pipe organ, I've always been fascinated by the manual couplers ! I like the sound of fairground organs - especially 'Victory'. Search webby for 'Victory on Tour'. It's a trad organ - air powered from compressor and plays punched hole books BUT put a blank page in and turn the feed off, you can play it via its Yamaha MIDI !

[@Baard2000]

......I highly appreciate the enthousiasm of the Scottbrothers for keeping the organ culture . By playing,by explaining .....keep up the good work guys!!!!!!

[@jfro5867]

Just realised what I would do if I could have my time again, what a fabulous job. Makes it look so easy. So talented.

[@baronderochemont8556]

Playing it must feel like flying a big jet airliner.

[@nickelodeonmuseum7303]

Would just like to say that my wife and I are great fans of the Scott Brothers! Thank you for a great tour around this instrument and kudos to Tom too for always producing such brilliant sound and videos. Also his great piano playing on occasions. Love the duets!

[@martinroeeidhammer9108]

Great that this mechanical organ is taken care of. I am sure that when they get it voiced and tuned it will sound marvelous.

[@catherinevandagriff1865]

I would lose my ever-loving mind with so many options. It's directing AND playing every instrument of the orchestra.

[@caseyflorida]

Jonathan, thanks for the explanation of this beast of a mechanical action instrument! It's truly a treasure.

[@larrystewart2506]

This is a beautiful tour of what must be one of the most fascinatingly different Organs in the world, and I am thrilled to learn more about it! Thank you, Jonathan, for this fast-paced and enthusiastic tour! Your love of the Organ and its functioning stand out clearly in this video and it matches my delight in seeing it! Thank you and Tom for another 5-star presentation! ❤❤🏆🇨🇦

[@zimmer7781]

Thank you. I enjoy every video you offer. I learn more and more about the organ.

[@s0012823]

Awesome instrument, so difficult to play. A masterpiece, this must be conserved. The sound is unmatched!

[@tambrosia]

THANK YOU for posting The Organ king of instruments

[@peterad1529]

a KZbin rabbit hole, I've been watching alot of organ videos. now I want to travel just to listen in person!

[@Home_Rich]

I've been there as a kid, haven't truly appreciated that church, now remembering that massive organ and the architecture, I feel more patriotic every day.

[@agmjfcom]

Thanks mate. After this vid I can finally go and play an organ for the first time in my life. I was totally confused up to now.

[@cymbalom]

Magnificent! Thank you!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Full Organ mode certainly sounds great on this thing, & it transposes up a half step from Concert pitch so it's a C# Pipe Organ

[@pauldoerflingerMarcoPolo1947]

De très intéressantes explications pour mieux comprendre cette diversité de sonorités. Merci à Scottbrohersduo.

[@ralf-peter.schwarz]

Thank you so much!!! I waited for long time, to enjoy that video!!! Keep on promotion to complete the restoration!!!

[@calolson9572]

Thanks for the tour - fascinating!!!

[@Framusic]

Listening to many pipe organs on youtube on and off.... but this one certainly seems to have the most incredible and massive sound until now!

[@mikeprzybylo1447]

Indeed a magnificent instrument! Thank you for creating and sharing this informative video

[@AsteroidTVGaming]

I absolutely love this kind of organ tour videos! Thank you guys!

[@Boris_Chang]

What a great upper body workout you’ll get from playing this organ.

[@apxpandy4965]

Wow - fantastic instrument, well demonstrated - thanks!

[@Charccy]

Very beautiful organ in many respects. Thank you so much for showing and musical interludes.

[@Velostigmat]

Wow. That instrument is enchanting.

[@ginadodds2695]

That concert in Latvia was AMAZING! Bellmore, NY USA

[@KravchenkoAudioPerth]

Looks like a real work out to play. An interesting video. Thanks for producing and sharing it.

[@gigiw.7650]

Thanks for such a good demonstration! Beautiful instrument. Hopefully I can hear it in person some day!

[@angelalabellarte2665]

Awwww thank you so much for this beautiful video !!! ❤️

[@Narayan_1996]

MY HEART IS MELTED, BRAVO!

[@stephenwilliams5201]

So that's where the term petal to the metal came from. Ah! Gut. Danka!

[@michaelmartens7728]

The world's biggest mechanical tracker action instrument - even with a free reed rank 32' (sounds like Giesecke, Göttingen). Many thanks for this vivid presentation - with a charming northern accent... :-)

[@gobbel2000]

"Ventil" is the German word for "valve" if you were curious.

[@gobbel2000]

@@krisg822 Thank you for showing me that. I only checked leo.org and the cambridge online dictionary, which both don't list 'ventil' as an English word. I also never heard 'ventil' being used in English. But as you rightfully noted as I now checked further, the German word 'ventil' is indeed also being used by English organ builders as well as possibly in the context of some other wind instruments. The English word 'ventil' is directly taken from the German equivalent. Its etymology and translation (from its German root) is, as I would assume, not widely known outside of the realm of organ building specialists. The votes on my initial comment may give credit to that fact. And could you possibly explain to me what a 'valeve' is?

[@piezku]

and Venttiili is finnish word for valve

[@ggolds5]

@@gobbel2000 It is interesting that you were simply trying to educate people on terminology and Kris G felt the need to call you names rather then just ad his opinion in a kind or helpful way. I even more appreciate your further explanation of the word and it's origins. I think Kris G should listen to some organ music to put himself in a better mood. Thank you again.

[@ggolds5]

@@krisg822 It still wasn't very nice of you to call mrbirdie "making a fool of himself " simply for trying to educate people on a word that some might find puzzling. Kind of arrogant if you ask me. Either way, I still appreciate your educating me on the terminology of the word Ventil.

[@MindBodySoulOk]

Large coffee

[@francescopolo2621]

Thank you so much for this view at such a unique instrument. I imagine the magnificence of its sound, but I'm also astonished by the mechanical wonderful that this instrument really is. I really hope they complete the restore, this is a wonderful historic piece of mechanical-musical art.

[@craighuston2629]

Currently, the world's largest mechanical (tracker) action organ was built by Ronald Sharp in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia, and includes over 10,500 pipes.

[@vinyalonde]

What a treat! Thanks for putting this up.

[@florianchurch]

Fantastic orchestral sound! Woderful organ! Thanks for positing. Btw.: in Prabuty (near Kwidzyn) are small 11 voices organ by Orgelbauanstalt B. Grüneberg from Szczecin, built in 1910 and marked with opus number 623. Intersting sound too :)

[@yvongobeil222]

Impressionnant!

[@anirbandasgupta7535]

I have always been fascinated by pipe organs, and your videos are superb..... keep up the good work 👍

[@johnferguson4089]

Many thanks for going to the trouble to show and to demonstrate this instrument.

[@zbomb33]

This is fantastic! Thank you so much, I’ve learned quite a bit from this video.

[@romaingofflot4661]

I love the melody at the beginning of the video.

[@librabys]

This is ''Water Music'' by Haendel

[@phillipbaggio7915]

I never knew how Ventil systems worked until now. Wonderful organ and wonderful playing!

[@epincion]

Thanks Jonathan, i would love to have seen some photos or video of the inside of the organ.

[@hudsonoliver5437]

I'm not sure this is the world's largest mechanical pipe organ. It has 131 stops and over 7,000 pipes. However, the Sydney Opera House Organ in Australia is also a mechanical pipe organ with 131 stops but with 10, 244 pipes, making it possibly the world's largest. Would love to see a video of you playing this organ in the near future.

[@BCSchmerker]

+scottbrotherduo *This is one of the more fascinating organs on which I've seen an article.* This Heinrich Andreas Contius - Barnim Grüneberg full-mechanical IV+P/131 packs controls, e.g. a ventil for each Divisional chorus, that foreshadowed the philharmonic approach of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in Western Europe. A complex piece such as: *WATER MUSIC: FIREWORKS MUSIC, HWV 349* (popularly known as Water Music Suite No. 2 in D) (Georg-Friedrich Händel) Royal Academy of Music, PRS/Samuel Arnold, MCPS/Deutsche Händelgesellschaft, GeMA would keep two registrants busy during the performance; e.g. should Gert van Hoef (BUMA-STEMRA) hold a concert at Holy Trinity, Liepāja, LVA, he ought to bring veteran registrant Jan de Rooij along with wife Marjolein, herself no slouch in a supporting role.

[@callie9970]

sounds awesome. thanks for such a lovely video!

[@michaelhoerig5920]

Are you able to play fast passages of the Hauptwerk with manuals coupled? It is the largest mechanical action I've ever seen! Thank you for demonstrating it! I like the ventil system! Truthfully, I've never before heard of this instrument.

[@michaelhoerig5920]

@J. W. K. I know what a Barker Lever is, but that hardly seems enough to saddle that enormous instrument!

[@JohnnyMcMenamin]

Beautiful. Thanks for posting!

[@aldolajak1267]

Would love to see the actual tracker mechanism.

[@RedVanOden]

no i bardzo dobrze, krótko i na temat

[@Buisness1]

Magnificent! One could certainly get a workout on this console (smile). Also unlike St. John The Divne in NYC, I'm wondering how the organist make up for the a.accustics of the Cathedral?

[@yves-noel-mariegonnet1043]

Absolument magnifique = un chef d'oeuvre. Merci!

[@user-uo7rv6yr7x]

Good to read the description, and see what he means by “largest mechanical organ”, as I thought that was the Sydney Opera House Organ, but he’s referring to an entirely mechanical action, including stops and wind. Great film, sound and playing as always!

[@ianrobertson2282]

I think you mean Sydney Town Hall organ. I thought that was the largest mechanical action organ.

[@granthellmers4595]

Sydney Opera House organ is the largest tracker action organ in the world. It has mechanical/tracker key action and electric stop action.

[@granthellmers4595]

@@ianrobertson2282 Sydney Town Hall organ was the largest organ in the world built before 1900. It has pneumatic action.

[@peterbollinger8902]

Amazing features on this organ.

[@malcomflibbleghast8140]

got more vids on this beast?

[@dheyes803]

Thank you for sharing this massive instrument with the rest of the world. I imagine that it’s quite the bit of a workout to play it for a couple of hours.

[@radiorexandy]

Awesome! Spectacular! Thank you so much for the presentation :-)

[@markhugo8270]

The Sydney Opera House Grand Organ is the world's largest mechanical tracker-action pipe organ.[1][2] It is located in the concert hall of Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, and was designed by Ronald Sharp, who was assisted by Mark Fisher, Myk Fairhurst and Raymond Bridge.[1] It is in six divisions, five manuals plus pedals, and is the largest tracker action organ ever built, with 131 speaking stops served by 200 ranks of pipes consisting of 10,244[3] pipes. It is a neo-baroque organ in style. The contract for the construction of the organ was awarded in 1969, during the construction of the Opera House, and the organ was completed in 1979, six years after the opening of the building. Since then the electronics have been updated, including a major refit in 2002, but the musical specification is unchanged from that developed by Sharp starting in 1967.

[@timstoffel4799]

Interesting ventil system on that instrument.... And some rather interesting voices!

[@mdrobnson3912]

I love the tone of this organ. It seems much richer than some of the others you've played. To me The details are all gobbledygook despite being raised in a very musical family. But hearing you string it all together and make that thing talk is why I keep looking about in your playlist. LOL

[@andrewanderson5048]

Hi Jonathan, I really enjoy your channel and videos but this one was particularly enjoyable and informative. I imagine that the ventils can serve as useful presets on an instrument such as this that has no combination action. Keep up the good work.

[@joellindholm3727]

Organ builder: So How big do you want the organ to be?? The church: Yes

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

Is it just me or do the older organs look and sound better than the modern (last 40-50 years) organs. Not only does this organ look truly impressive - to suit its equally impressive surroundings, a beautiful cathedral indeed - but it really does sound incredible, even with only the tiny amount we heard.

[@annpersson3715]

I AGGRE WITH YOU AND THE FULL ORGAN WAS REALLY BIG.

[@richardjtaylor8545]

What is the name of the first piece you play at the start? It sounds brilliant

[@richardhedderly]

No gym needed this week.

[@danielgyorky8357]

Beautiful! What's the name of the piece in the intro?

[@millomweb]

After restoration complete, I'd appreciate another video explaining the colour coding system as I've never seen that kind of thing anywhere else and wasn't even aware of it !

[@markcooke729]

Fabulous! I hope you get a chance to post a complete run through of this organ and all of its departments soon!

[@philnox7734]

Stunning

[@jonnda]

3:36 bass notes go sharp. "Without the pitch being affected" Lol. Probably just needs some work, but free reeds do go flat and sharp like that with wind pressure differences. Very noticeable on a melodica.

[@bendito999]

But sounds really cool though, can kind of bravado the notes

[@jonnda]

@@bendito999 It depends on what you're playing, and your personal tastes. My Fender Rhodes has some bad tines that drift sharp if the note is held for more than a couple seconds. In that context, for example, it's very annoying. Especially when other notes are held against it. On melodica, changing air pressure can be used to bend notes and be expressive. But in that case I can mostly control the effect, so I think more positively about it.

[@HeavensGremlin]

What a glorious instrument. Magnificent...!!!!

[@monicag.1779]

Thank you for this video which I can learn more about the interesting instrument. Happy journey to Norway for you both!

[@jaybeeshultz]

Are we going to hear more selections on this organ? Would sure like to.

[@jakubjandourek2822]

Amazing instrument! Thank you.

[@maypoman2]

Amazing!

[@lawrencerodeback]

I've binged watched organ videos for some reasons and still haven't figured out what would possess someone to come up with such and enormous instrument. Where do you even start?

[@andreacosta74]

Differently from the north-german and the Alsatian organ tradition with only octave and fifths armonics mixtures, this is a pure “Thuringian sounding” organ. Third sounding “terzmixturen” sligtly untuned, played in the upper octave, make this a kind of..Carousel organ 😜. So this kind of organs in the style of Stertzing, Scheibe, Trost, Cuntius, Wagner and later E.F. Walcker, simply have an armonic “complexity” that don’t forgive! So they need perfect care.

[@JakePurches-Base2music]

Fabulous!

[@instrumentenfreak]

Wow. This thing is massive!

[@steamgent4592]

Awesome organ thanks for sharing

[@leonardoferreira3077]

what the name of the song you play at the beginning?

[@bilcal]

What a massive instrument! You mentioned it was still under restoration. When is that work projected to be complete? Thanks!