Thomas Gaynor plays a Halloween recital on the world's largest pipe organ!

[@srwicker]

I am impressed with this recording. It is the first i remember hearing that provides a sense of the vastness of the hall. As my tuner often liked to say, the best stop on any instrument is the room. If anyone thinks that this behemoth can’t FILL this room with sound, they are in for a surprise if they ever go there.

[@joespeciale5875]

Phenomenal playing with crystal clear articulation. Bravo!

[@csabalorincz706]

I have listened many times already to this concert, but only now I realized, that in Danse Macabre(2.) the organist uses the newly restored Trumpet Mirabilis and Tuba Maxima. Just wonderfull

[@danw1955]

That is the absolute *BEST* this instrument has ever sounded in a recorded session of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in Dm. (well at least the Tocatta part!)😁 The whole piece is about 9 minutes if I remember correctly. Those cheers from the audience were well deserved!😉👍

[@juliangerardcascio1111]

I ❤Love this Pipe Organ !!!!😊!!!!

[@ExAnimoPortugal]

I love this symphonic rendition of the Toccata. I know Bach purists will probably despise it, but Bach was all for trying new instruments and sounds. I believe he would've enjoyed it as well.

[@mikegross6107]

I'd give my eye teeth to hear that instrument in person (but no longer have them, I'm 85) lol!

[@chrisluckenbill]

Congratulations! This is one of the first recent recordings of this instrument in which it does not sound like a giant and tired harmonium.

[@tommcm503]

I'm not an organist, but am I correct in thinking that prior to the combination action being restored to working order, the VERY extensive utilization of voices Mr. Gaynor demonstrated here would not have been physically possible to achieve, even with a dozen people crowded around the console operating the stop tabs? And, given that the original combination action never really worked properly before it was destroyed almost 80 years ago, the organ is JUST NOW becoming truly capable of being utilized to the extent it was designed to be? How lucky we are that this amazing instrument escaped the scrap heap. It is one of the most fascinating things I have ever seen.

[@JIMD6370]

You're absolutely correct this wouldn't have been possible before the opus2 was installed.

[@joespeciale5875]

You may not be an organist or an organ technician, but you understand a great deal more than many people about the complexities of an instrument like this one.

[@davidkennedy4845]

Right on the money. Coming back better than ever.

[@J.G.H.]

The Midmer Losh Poseidon is over 90 years old and it hasn't functioned at 100% since 1944, the fact that the it may actually be fully operational again by it's 100th birthday in 2029 is really remarkable.

[@TurtleFL]

It's sounding a lot better for sure.... Cavaille Coll can already eat their hearts out.

[@michaelherring1944]

It's not really called Poseidon by very many people but you may call it whatever you wish. I think Eric started calling it that. Harry would know.

[@TurtleFL]

@@michaelherring1944 I was wondering where that name came from myself. I thought it was just Midmer-Losh plus some other companies.

[@topper2142]

I sure hope so,I can’t wait to hear her when I go and visit NJ one of these days. I may actually cry when I first hear the sound she makes as listening on headphones and soundbars can only do so much.

[@narmale]

i plan on being there for that birthday... its been a bucket list item for me when i discovered it in the late 90s that they were starting restorations

[@LeftiusMaximus]

I remember the recording of the Tocatta and Abide with me from several years ago. You could feel the power lurking, even with the wind sag and dead notes. I’m thrilled that I’ve lived long enough to see and hear some of the work that’s been done. It’ll be worth it all

[@JIMD6370]

@leftiusMaximus: even the 1998 recordings showed the shear power lurking waiting to be reawakened. And now, this recital, he really brings out all the sides of this organ.

[@mandysmetube]

Thanks for playing, Mr. Gaynor! 💕

[@joespeciale5875]

Mr. Gaynor‘s rendition of Danse Macabre-and the fantastic color stops he employs-are sensational. Years ago at an AGO national convention, the late great Gerre Hancock performed this transcription on a magnificent 4-manual classic EM Skinner with all the toy box and color stops you would want, and as great as that rendition was, this one on this limitlessly amazing instrument-along with Mr. Gaynor’s artistry-surpassed it. Right down to the moaning of the specters!

[@joespeciale5875]

Exactly! I attended all his concerts-I think you are referring to the 1984 AGO National Convention and Hancock’s virtuoso performances on the unparalleled EM Skinner @ Trinity St Peter’s Episcopal Church on Gough St in San Francisco. It was absolutely stunning, his capacity to make the instrument “speak.”

[@MrBanzoid]

Nice to see this wonderful old machine coming back to life!

[@claysibert]

The organ is beginning to really come alive again! It’s sounding so good!

[@putinkhuylo]

Oh yeah! My a/v system has Polk Audio speakers and a powered sub running 500 watts total! I just grin and grin when I hear this organ put through its paces.

[@A_Bit_of_Thought]

@@putinkhuylo You really need to hear the organ in person to appreciate the 64' pipes. There are very few subwoofer systems that have the deep response needed to handle that bottom octave. Edit - The subwoofer system needs to go down to about 5Hz to catch the deep bass. The Polk subwoofers only go down to about 25Hz.

[@putinkhuylo]

@@A_Bit_of_Thought Hey...I can only do the best I can with what I got. 😁. I am aware that sub 20hz is more felt than heard, so I just keep grinning. The main thing I noticed, even on YT audio, is that these lowest pedal notes do not 'honk' like most pipe organs. My direct-to-disk organ vinyls also have that bottom end fidelity which gives such a better 'fullness' to the pedals.

[@A_Bit_of_Thought]

@@putinkhuylo If you have a good turntable and tone arm, you have a better system than I thought. A typical analog system does not "brick wall" cut off at the frequency response limits. That means, if you don't go for extreme volume level, you can sneak in some some of the lower frequencies and enjoy some of the deep richness.

[@putinkhuylo]

@@A_Bit_of_Thought Yes, my vinyl system (which is a completely independent unit) is set up for fidelity rather than volume. The TT cart is an Audio Technica AT-25 with a custom Shibata stylus. Probably one of four in the world.

[@putinkhuylo]

Tocatta in D shows how well the pedal notes have been restored. :-). Great recital overall. Kudos!

[@danw1955]

I can't even imagine the process for tuning those, although I'm sure with modern electronic tuners, they can get them *EXACTLY* on pitch, the way they should be. It's not even close to being finished, but my God, it sounds amazing!😉

[@grunt98444]

If I understand it correctly they recorded them then sped it up enough to hear which pipes were in need of some care @@danw1955

[@richietwoshoes9531]

Thomas, we would love you to play a variety of organ recitals. you play wonderful we need more of a variety, you are not giving your followers enough to satisfy our hunger. thank you, RICHARD

[@knollozx]

Was für ein großartiges Instrument! Herrliche Stücke, toll gespielt....

[@Engineer9736]

0:30 BWV 565 Toccata 3:59 Danse Macabre 14:10 Phantom of the Opera 25:25 The Star Spangled Banner

[@mattrehm8612]

So good to hear many different ranks and the organ sounding in tune well, not to mention all the thousands of hours of restoration so far. Can't wait to visit from the UK in the next few years.

[@daveluttinen2547]

Just plain wow. The organ sounds magnificent and the organist is really on his game. Great editing on the video, too. Nice job, team working on Poseidon.

[@mattrehm8612]

Finally a recent play of BWV565 😀😀🎃🎃!!

[@augustberchelmann4946]

Thank you so much for this recital! It made my day!!

[@krisvojna7269]

I got goosebumps when I listened to this! Absolutely beautiful and insanely huge powerful sound! Thank you for sharing

[@TurtleFL]

I got a bit of the frissons myself.

[@CeruleanFilms]

If I'm not mistaken, the Bach Tocatta & Fugue was actually written to test pipe organs.

[@christophkonitzer4120]

Toll, fantastisch, bombastisch. Endlich eine Organist, der ansatzweise die Orgel ausnutzt und bespielt. Da wird es zur Herausforderung, den Ton aufzunehmen und angemessen wiederzugeben. Danke dafür.

[@jonasschmidt4454]

Jap. Man merkt auch dass die Orgel teils nicht instand ist, bspw gerade am Anfang oder auch am Ende bei ca 10:30 wo er öfter das manual wechsel, als kurzzeitig kein Ton zu hören ist. :) Und schön mal die Orgel anders als nur nach Streichern klingen zu hören 😅😂

[@JIMD6370]

@@jonasschmidt4454 you also have to remember this is "Only" around 53-54% of the whole organ and it was basically one step away from being boarded up, boy what progress!

[@jeffg.8964]

Phenomenal concert! Always stop by when I’m down the shore.

[@OTTOMOBIL8]

I AM VERY IMPRESSED ABOUT THIS FULL SOUND OF THIS ORGAN AND YOUR TOP PLAYING ! GREETINGS !

[@margaretbalsom7461]

No music even. What an exponent. Makes it look so easy.

[@jamesrmcgalliard137]

I can't wait for the full string organ to be restored

[@JIMD6370]

Man alive, this guy's not afraid to use everything!!!

[@chasea.williams6025]

Thats how you play that big organ!

[@JIMD6370]

@@chasea.williams6025 I think this is the most powerful I've ever heard it played, except for the video A mighty fortress.

[@accousticdecay]

Refreshingly superb rendition of the Toccata, with a note that this is actually church music; it is praise and worship music of the 17th century. Registrations are superb and must have taken hours to select from the hundreds of stops. And, to be certain, the National Anthem was rendered with great respect. This old man stood, alone at the desk, as every American should, in public or private.

[@JIMD6370]

He only had 9 hours the day before to program and practice.

[@XxXenosxX]

You should stop by the Wurlitzer at the Byrd Theatre in Richmond Virginia

[@OTTOMOBIL8]

BIN SEHR BEEINDRUCKT VON DIESER KLANGFÜLLE UND IHREM KÖNNEN !

[@slhasebroock]

Would love to hear in person one day!

[@A_Bit_of_Thought]

Make the trip! You have to hear the organ in person to believe it.

[@margaretbalsom7461]

This organist plays masterfully.

[@joespeciale5875]

Also-emotion-tugging and brilliant color performance of the series of motifs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom.”

[@narmale]

it sounded amazing on the great Wanamaker Organ!

[@patrickchambers5999]

At 75 there are only two things I stand when hearing them at home: The Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah and The Star Spangled Banner! Thanks to my Dad's hand on the back of my head at 6 years old in church at Christmas and 2991 days on active duty in the Air Force for the second.

[@bryan9587]

I always enjoy listening to Tocata in D minor being played on a pipe organ. It's exquisite.

[@margaretbalsom7461]

So many people can’t spell Toccata- does it change its spelling in some languages.

[@SaveKilgenOKC]

My favorite creepy Halloween selection by far is Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H. It was like he wanted to outdo this arrangement.

[@davidkennedy4845]

Fantastic to see this mighty pipe organ coming back better than ever. Pipe organs, the king of instruments, with the integration of electronic control have a promising future. Now we need more young people to take an interest and ensure their survival. The best thing for any organ is that it be played but they need maintenance too which is fascinating on its own.

[@nathanmorgan3647]

It never freaking fails. Page turning is hard y'all!!! lmao

[@anickode]

Having mostly composed for and performed on baroque organs where a 16' diapason or posaune was a "big" stop, I can't help but wonder whether ol' Bach would explode with excitement or soil his drawers hearing his work performed on an instrument of this magnitude. 😁

[@JIMD6370]

@anickode: after the original "holy €¥^^" moment, I think all the greats would embrace, and rewrite or write new all the great compositions.

[@chasea.williams6025]

He would love every moment of it

[@accousticdecay]

I'd like to think that Bach, a maverick of his time, would shout things like: "GADZOOKS! That sounds like thunder! Seven manuals! Show me those pipes!" Afterward he'd carefully examine the characteristics of each of the hundreds of stops, and then proceed with composing another entire library of organ music that none of us has ever heard.

[@danw1955]

@@accousticdecay Well said... he would surely be amazed and probably write another complete library of music that would only be possible on an instrument of this magnitude! (and to think it's not even finished yet??!!) When they get the other chambers working, it will be absolutely MASSIVE to hear!😮🎵🎶

[@davidkennedy4845]

I think ol' Bach would have been ecstatic!

[@hii29516]

Thank you for your playing ‼️You are great player❤

[@michaelherring1944]

I loved this! Thank you!

[@JIMD6370]

I loved his comment in the interview where he said it startled him lol.

[@charleslayton9463]

HooHaa! What a beginning. That was a totally awesome Tocatta in Dm!!

[@pierregirard7561]

Watching from Golden Valley, MN USA

[@tomklock568]

Fantastic!

[@williammitchell1864]

Playing the Boardwalk Hall pipe organ, with 7 keyboards, would be every organist's dream! He didn't finish the Toccata and Fugue in D minor. He only played the Toccata part. Superb organist non the less!

[@xsm5525]

Toccata from Bach is obviously popular (maybe even over played) but I reckon the real deal is the Boellman's Toccata? which is very suited for halloween, if not - more than Bach's!

[@EdgarFGirtainIV]

What colors!!!!

[@billiemaul768]

I am so angry I forgot this. Can I pick it up somewhere?

[@Engineer9736]

You can just replay this video 🙂. Or maybe you mean that you had tickets to attend the concert in person? idk about that

[@EMay-ct7vx]

Here for Phantom XD Was not dissapoint.

[@jezzter4106]

From reading some of these comments i take it that this organ has had a long and complicated past and has not had a chance to show its true potential in which it was made for. My question here is, is there any videos that tell the tale of this instruments life?

[@mittrianafini3477]

Bravo

[@y11971alex]

I hope some of the proceeds will also go towards a more comprehensive capture of the instrument's sound: the music from of the manuals 1 and 3 is not nearly as prominent as when the performer was on manual 2. But I'm sure that is not a problem in person.

[@J.G.H.]

Well she's only 60-70% functional right now, I think the hope is to get her to nearly 100% in time for the centenary in 2029.

[@JIMD6370]

@@J.G.H. 51 or percent, just under 19,000 give or take.

[@JIMD6370]

It's all in how the manuals are programed.

[@michaelherring1944]

I believe the answer is that the 1st and 3rd manuals control the left stage chamber pipes which is over 100 feet away from the organ console (the right stage chamber is directly above the console). Therefore if you record near the console the right stage chamber will be much louder than the left. Also, the left stage chamber's swell shades have been restored and the right chamber's have not. The right stage chamber volume just is what it is and the organist has to work around that always full volume when choosing registrations. I've learned the best place to record the M-L is in the back upper center of the seating bowl (see my M-L videos) - I can hear the distinction between the left or right chambers but there is no appreciable reverb change caused by distance from my smartphone. Also, I believe they're using mics either inside the chambers or directly between them and feeding the resulting mix directly to the organist via headphones when they're recording on the M-L. That delay must be a booger to get used to without someway to equalize the delay between chamber outputs. Please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this.

[@JIMD6370]

@@michaelherring1944 the mics are about 50' away from the chambers, no headphones are used, unless their in ear types as I've never seen them.

[@brucevipond2222]

Thomas, if the phrase poetic artistry can be attributed to an obvious talent it could be for you. Of course the instrument is a major factor in any recital but it is not a given that anyone who plays the boardwalk will sound well. Quite the opposite, especially if I were to be allowed anywhere near the keys. Thank you

[@JIMD6370]

Only the second organists I've seen using all 7 manual's too!

[@michaellancaster7685]

I want to be an organ recipient.

[@жорадва]

Best

[@narmale]

seriously... can someone please take the time to learn Dual of Fates from TPM Star Wars on this?!

[@gotolunch]

ah. no music .very nice