The World's Most Famous Organ Piece Played on the World's Largest Fully Operational Pipe Organ

"The world's most famous organ piece, played on the world's largest ful­ly func­tion­ing pipe organ. That's what you have above. Here, organ­ist Dylan David Shaw per­forms Bach's Toc­ca­ta and Fugue in D minor on the famous Wana­mak­er organ. Orig­i­nal­ly built for the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, the organ end­ed up in Philadel­phi­a's Wana­mak­er's depart­ment store in 1911. More than a cen­tu­ry lat­er, the organ still resides in the same store. But Macy's even­tu­al­ly took over Wanamaker's, and Macy's now plans to close the store, leav­ing the fate of the organ unknown."

"Where will the 28,000-pipe organ find a new home? That's still TBD, some­thing that's like­ly to get resolved in the months to come."

Dylan David Shaw performs Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor on the Wanamaker Organ, described as the world's largest fully functioning pipe organ. The instrument was originally built for the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and was installed in Wanamaker's Philadelphia department store in 1911. The organ, containing 28,000 pipes, remains in that building more than a century later. Macy's eventually acquired Wanamaker's and now plans to close the Philadelphia store, leaving the organ's future and relocation uncertain. A decision about a new home for the organ is likely to be reached in the coming months.

Read at Open Culture