Click here to return to the Featured Organ of the Month main page. Scroll down to learn about and see the largest Theatre Pipe Organ in the world, the Mighty 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ installed at the home of Jasper Sanfilippo, Barrington Heights, Illinois!
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Jasper Sanfilippo's
5/80 Mighty WurliTzer
Theatre Pipe Organ

Click here to download a 768 x 1024 JPG image showing the massive console of the 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ at  van der Mer Manor.
5/80 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ console.


The sixth organ to be featured here is the magnificent 5-manual eighty-rank WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ, owned by Jasper Sanfilippo of the van der Mer Manor, now known as the Victoria Palace, in Barrington Hills, Illinous.

The instrument was actually built up from many different WurliTzers Jasper had collected. See Jasper Sanfilippo's website for more details.

Click here to visit the website of the world's largest privately owned WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ, in the Place de la Musique Salon at Jasper Sanfilippo's Victoria Palace, van der Mer Manor.
This is the 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ
installed at Jasper Sanfilippo's Victoria Palace
in the Place de la Musique Salon.

The massive organ console controls 8,000 pipes, percussions and sound effects in five rooms behind the four-story high curtain.

Robert Ridgeway, curator of this fine WurliTzer, has this to say about the organ:

Here, you can see the organ console on the lift in the stage of the huge Salon.
Looking down at the stage.

The beautiful gold leafed Jasper Sanfilippo console was constructed by Ken Crome as a brand new five manual shell built as a copy of the original Paradise console (later stripped and veneered ala Centre Theatre by Richard Vaughn, and finally purchased by Bill Brown). It was not a modified original. It was entirely new for that project.

All the keyboards are full length and the entire shell was increased in dimensions (but scaled the same) to accommodate well over 400 stops. Joseph DuciBella and David Junchen carefully researched the original existing Paradise photos and were able to replicate the console shell decorations, included obtaining the four cupids on top from the same company in Chicago that supplied them originally.

After Ken Crome built the Sanfilippo console shell, he built at least two more to the same basic design and dimensions but for only four manuals: the John Ledwon console in Agoura, California, and the Milhous Collection console (controlling the enormous Walker digital instrument) in Boca Raton, FL.

Here we see one of five chambers that in total house 8,000 pipes arranged in 80 ranks.
One of five chambers.

The Sanfilippo organ was the brainchild of the late David Junchen, one of the most gifted men to ever to be involved with our hobby. He was a superb music arranger, gifted author (we are all eagerly anticipating his book), fine player, and most of all, a technician who understood how all these components meld together to create a musical and useful instrument.

David's vision for the Sanfilippo organ was that it should be able to play the works of any composer. To this end there are multiples of many things, all voiced with different levels, tonalities and unique qualities.

There are four Tibias....not as stand alone ranks as was suggested as an idea on this list, but completely unified to play at all the necessary pitches expected today and available on nearly all the manuals.

There are nine Vox Humana ranks, each with a different vowel sound and ranging from so soft that when the shades are closed it is nearly inaudible to an assertive foil to the 25" Orchestral Tibia.

There are eighteen ranks of strings, each with different levels of intensity so that you can terrace the music as necessary in your combinations.

There are fifteen ranks of reeds (not counting the Voxes), covering all aspects of tonality and intensity.

There are forty-one separate tremulants so that you can have whatever theatrical sounds you want, but the organ is quite stable and powerful with all the trems off. With two independent four-rank mixtures, you can achieve remarkable classical organ sound for everything from Bach to transcriptions.

Four 32' nineteen 16' pedal stops give more than sufficient underpinning for any and all organ and orchestral works.

The thing to remember is that half of the ranks in the organ are softer than what you would normally encounter (and the other half, obviously, are powerful), and with nearly 100 3" thick swell shades you have a dynamic range second to none.

The dozen or so CDs made on it by a variety of musicians amply demonstrate how all of the above cohesively work to make spectacular music. The latest release by Jelani Eddington entitled Musical Fireworks covers all facets of theatre, popular, classical and transcription playing on one album.

The Sanfilippo organ is only one two organs of which I am aware that can encompass this vast tonal texture...and the other one is in Philadelphia and it has every other feature you could ask for except for a truly "theatrical" division with deep tremulants.

To hear this for yourselves go to www.rjeproductions.com and order Musical Fireworks. You will NOT be disappointed. For those of you who have never experienced the Sanfilippo instrument in person, it will expand your musical horizons and expectations in ways you couldn't have even imagined.

Sincerely,

Robert Ridgeway, Curator
Sanfilippo Foundation Collection
Barrington Hills, IL


Specification for the Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ
at Place de la Musique

~ Sanfilippo residence in Barrington Hills, Illinois ~
Submitted by Michael Gagne, owner of PIPE ORGANS EXCLUSIVELY at Yahoo!


PEDAL

32 Contra Bombarde
32 Diaphone
32 Magnaton
32 Contra-Tibia Clausa
16 English Horn
16 Bombarde
16 Ophicleide
16 Chorus Trumpet
16 Diaphone
16 Magnaton
16 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
16 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
16 Diaphonic Horn
16 Bourdon
16 Oboe Horn
16 Clarinet
16 Solo Violins
16 Contra Salicionals
8 English Horn
8 Chorus Trumpet
8 Tuba Horn
8 Chorus Tuba
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Minor Diapason
8 Horn Diapason
8 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
8 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8 Tibia Clausa (Foundation)
8 Flute
8 Rohrflote
8 Clarinet
8 String Ensemble
8 Salicionals
16 Piano
8 Piano
Kettle Drum
Bass Drum
Crash Cymbal
Sizzle Cymbal
Roll Cymbal
Finger Cymbal
Triangle
Accomp to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Solo to Pedal
Ethereal to Pedal

BACKRAIL

Accomp Second Touch:
8 Tuba Maxima
8 English Horn
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Trumpet Ensemble
8 Tuba Ensemble
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Basset Horn
4 Piccolo Ensemble
8 Piano
8 Solo Harp
Octave Glockenspiel
Cathedral Chimes
Third Key Traps
Traps to 2nd Touch
Great Octave Accomp
Solo to Accomp
Ethereal to Accomp

ACCOMPANIMENT

8 English Horn
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Solo Trumpet
8 Chorus Trumpet
8 Tuba Horn
8 Chorus Tuba
8 Trumpet
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Open Diapason
8 Principal
8 Minor Diapason
8 Horn Diapason
8 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
8 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8 Tibia Clausa (Foundation)
8 Flauto Mirabilis
8 Rohrflote
8 Koppel Flote
8 Lieblich Flote
8 Quintadena
8 Concert Flute
8 Harmonic Flute
8 Nachthorn
8 Flauto Dolce
8 French Horn
8 Oboe Horn
8 Clarinet
8 Basset Horn
8 Krumet
8 Solo Saxophone
8 Saxophone
8 Major Vox Humana
8 Mezzo Vox Humana
8 Solo Vox Humana
8 Vox Humana
8 Minor Vox Humana
8 Vox Mystica
8 Solo Violins
8 Cellos
8 Violins
8 Solo Strings
8 Violes d'Orchestre
8 Salicional
8 Gemshorns
8 Erzahlers
4 Octave (Open)
4 Minor Octave
4 Horn Octave
4 Piccolo (Solo)
4 Piccolo (Foundation)
4 Rohrflote
4 Koppel Flote
4 Lieblich Flote
4 Flute
4 Nachthorn
4 Vox Humana Ensemble
4 Minor Vox Humana
4 Vox Mystica
4 String Ensemble
4 Violins
4 Salicets
4 Gernshorns
2-2/3 Lieblich Twelfth
2 Piccolo
2 Nachthorn
1-3/5 Tierce
1-1/3 Quinte
1 Sifflote
8 Piano
8 Solo Harp
8 Harp
4 Solo Harp
4 Harp
4 Vibraphone
4 Chrysoglott
Snare Drum
Chinese Block
Tom-Tom
Castanets
Tambourine
Sizzle Cymbal
Hi-Hat Cymbal
Sleigh Bells
Triangle
Finger Cymbal
Sand Block
Octave
Solo to Accomp
Ethereal to Accomp

GREAT

16 English Horn
16 Bombarde
16 Solo Trumpet (ten. c)
16 Chorus
16 Trumpet
16 Chorus Tuba (ten. c)
16 Trumpet (ten. c)
16 Diaphone
16 Open Diapason
16 Diaphonic Horn
16 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
16 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
16 Tibia Clausa (ten. c) (Found.)
16 Rohr Bourdon (ten. c)
16 Lieblich Bourdon (ten. c)
16 Quintadena (ten. c)
16 Flauto Dolce (ten. c)
16 Oboe Horn
16 Clarinet
16 Krumet (ten. c)
16 Musette (ten. c)
16 Orchestral Oboe (ten. c)
16 Solo Saxophone (ten c)
16 Saxophone (ten. c)
16 Major Vox Humana (ten. c)
16 Mezzo Vox Humana (ten. c)
16 Vox Humana Ensemble (ten. c)
16 Solo Violins
16 Double Strings (ten. c)
16 Contra Salicional
16 Contra Gemshorns (ten. c)
8 English Horn
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Solo Trumpet
8 Chorus Trumpet
8 Tuba Horn
8 Chorus Tuba
8 Trumpet
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Open Diapason
8 Minor Diapason
8 Horn Diapason
8 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
8 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8 Tibia Clausa (Foundation)
8 Rohrflote
8 Lieblich Flote
8 Quintadena
8 Concert Flute
8 Flauto Dolce
8 Oboe Horn
8 Clarinet
8 Kinura
8 Krurnet
8 Musette
8 Orchestral Oboe
8 Solo Saxophone
8 Saxophone
8 Major Vox Humana
8 Mezzo Vox Humana
8 Solo Vox Humana
8 Vox Humana
8 Minor Vox Humana
8 Vox Mystica
8 Solo Violins
8 Cellos
8 Violins
8 Solo Strings
8 Violes d'Orchestre
8 Salicional
8 Gemshorns
8 Erzahlers
5-1/3 Fifth (Foundation)

GREAT (continued)

4 Chorus Trumpet
4 Chorus Tuba
4 Diaphonic Octave
4 Octave (Open)
4 Principal
4 Minor Octave
4 Horn Octave
4 Piccolo (Orchestral)
4 Piccolo (Solo)
4 Piccolo (Foundation)
4 Rohrflote
4 Koppel Flote
4 Lieblich Flote
4 Harmonic Flute
4 Flute
4 Nachthorn
4 Solo Violins
4 Cellos
4 Violins
4 Solo Strings
4 Violes
4 Salicets
3-1/5 Tenth (Foundation)
2-2/3 Twelfth (Solo)
2-2/3 Twelfth (Foundation)
2-2/3 Twelfth (Nachthorn)
2 Minor Fifteenth
2 Fifteenth
2 Piccolo (Orchestral)
2 Piccolo (Solo)
2 Piccolo (Foundation)
2 Rohrflote
2 Piccolo
2 Nachthom
1-3/5 Tierce (Foundation)
1 Fife (Lieblich)
2 Mixture IV
1-1/3 Sharf IV
8 Piano
4 Piano
4 Solo Harp
4 Vibraphone
4 Chrysoglott
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Sub Octave
Unison Off
Octave
Solo to Great
Solo to Great (Pizz.)
Ethereal to Great

TREMULANTS

Tibia Clausa
Vox Humana/Saxophone
Concert Flute/Salicional
Erzahler/Koppel/Lieblich
Open Diapason/Chorus Trumpet
Viol d'Orchestre/Clarinet
Diaphonic Diapason
Tuba Horn
Chorus Tuba/Violin
Gemshorn/Principal/Minor Diapason
Rohrflote/Nachthorn/Mixture
Solo
Kinura/Orchestral Oboe
Solo Trumpet
Orchestral
Flauto Mirabilis
Musette/Krumet/Vox Major
Orchestral Reeds
Solo Violin/Basset Horn
Tuba Mirabilis
English Horn
Tuba Maxima
Ethereal

BOMBARDE

8 Trumpet Imperial (unencl.)
8 English Horn
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Solo Trumpet
9 Chorus Trumpet
8 Tuba Horn
8 Chorus Tuba
8 Trumpet
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Horn Diapason
8 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
8 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8 Tibia Clausa (Foundation)
8 Harmonic Flute
8 Quintadena
8 Flauto Dolce
8 French Horn
8 Oboe Horn
8 Saxophone
8 Vox Humana Ensemble
8 Vox Mystica
8 String Ensemble
8 Solo Strings
4 Solo Clarion
4 Horn Octave
4 Piccolo (Orchestral)
4 Piccolo (Solo)
4 Piccolo (Foundation)
4 Harmonic Flute
2 Piccolo (Orchestral)
2 Piccolo (Solo)
2 Piccolo (Foundation)
1 Fife (Solo)
1-1/3 Scharf IV
8 Piano
8 Solo Harp
4 Vibraphone
4 Chrysoglott
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Sub Octave
Unison Off
Octave
Great to Bombarde

SOLO

8 Tuba Maxima (unencl.)
8 English Horn
8 Tuba Mirabilis
8 Solo Trumpet
8 Chorus Trumpet
8 Tuba Horn
8 Chorus Tuba
8 Trumpet
8 Diaphonic Diapason
8 Tibia Clausa (Orchestral)
8 Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8 Tibia Clausa (Main)
8 Flauto Mirabilis
8 French Horn
8 Clarinet
8 Basset Horn
8 Cor Anglais
8 Kinura
8 Krumet
8 Musette
8 Orchestral Oboe
8 Solo Saxophone
8 Saxophone
8 Vox Humana Ensemble
8 Solo Vox Humana
8 Vox Humana
8 Minor Vox Humana
8 String Ensemble (Major)
8 String Ensemble (Mezzo)
8 Erzahlers
4 Piccolo (Orchestral)
4 Piccolo (Solo)
4 Piccolo (Main)
4 Flauto Mirabilis
2-2/3 Twelfth (Tibia Ensemble)
2 Piccolo (Orchestral)
2 Piccolo (Solo)
2 Piccolo (Main)
1-3/5 Tierce (Tibia Ensemble)
8 Piano
8 Solo Harp
8 Vibraphone
8 Chrysoglott
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Sleighbells
Ethereal Chimes
Sub Octave
Unison Off
Third
Fifth
Octave

ETHEREAL

8 Bugle Battaglia (unencl.)
8 Trumpet Imperial (unencl.)
8 Tuba Maxima (unencl.)
8 Stopped Diapason
8 Dulcetts
8 Dulcianas
8 Vox Humana
8 Vox Humana Ensemble
4 Stopped Diapason
2-2/3 Stopped Twelfth
2 Stopped Piccolo
4 Chrysoglott
Carillon (unencl.)
Cathedral Chimes
Ethereal Chimes
Sub Octave
Unison Off
Octave
Great to Ethereal
Solo to Ethereal

GENERAL

Horn Diapason Celeste On
Major Celestes Off
Minor Celestes Off
Vibraphone Motor On
Mandolin
Marimba Reit.
Percussion Reit.
Master _Expression Off
Divided _Expression
Alternate Crescendo

Sound effects and auxiliary controls on
two swing-out trays on each side of the
console

PISTONS

Pedal 4

Accompaniment 15 (First 10 also control pedal)

Great15

Bombarde15

Solo 15

Ethereal 5

Generals 39

Featured Recordings

Dave Wickerham - I>Sounds of Music

Click here to buy a copy of Dave Wickerham's CD entitled Sounds of Music featuring the Sanfilippo 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer.
Buy a copy of Dave Wickerham's CD entitled Sounds of Music

featuring the Sanfilippo Residence 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer

Click here to download a 728 x 520 JPG image of Dave Wickerham at the 5/80 Mighty WurliTzer.
Visit Dave Wickerham's home page.


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