The Grand Organ

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][3]

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.

In April 1994 the Sydney Opera House Trust awarded the contract for ongoing maintenance of the organ to Mark Fisher, one of the original staff of Ronald Sharp.[3]

In addition to its mechanical action, the organ can be played remotely by an electronic system, enabling it to be played from a remote console, or a performance or passage can be recorded by a system built into the keyboards and played back by the electronic action. This system is used by visiting organists to select the registration (the combination of stops) that they will use, enabling them to stand in different parts of the hall and hear the results. Its stops are entirely electronically operated and programmed.

Specifications [3]

Speaking stops

A five-manual modern organ console finished in light coloured wood. About 60 white drawstops are visible on each side, organised in columns by division.
Manuals and drawstops on the console of the Grand Organ.
Several ranks of metal pipes inside the Grand Organ.
I - Rückpositiv
Prinzipal8'
Piffaro8'
Gedackt8'
Quintadena8'
Oktav4'
Nachthorn4'
Rohrflöte4'
Nasat2.2/3'
Oktav2'
Spitzflöte2'
Terz1.3/5'
Quint1.1/3'
Sifflöte1.1/3'
Oktav1'
Quint2/3'
Oktav1/2'
Quint1/3'
Oktav1/4'
Quint1/6'
Oktav1/8'
SesquialteraII
Ophicleide16'
Rankett16'
Ophicleide8'
Trompete8'
Dulzian8'
Glocken1'
Tremulant
II - Hauptwerk
Prinzipal16'
Gedackt16'
Oktav8'
Gamba8'
Querflöte8'
Holzflöte8'
Rohrflöte8'
Quint5.1/3'
Grossnasat5.1/3'
Oktav4'
Gamba4'
Spitzflöte4'
Grossterz3.1/5'
Quint2.2/3'
Nasat2.2/3'
Oktav2'
Hohlflöte2'
Terz1.3/5'
PiffaroIV-VI
TerzianII
Kornett MixturVI
MixturVI
ScharffV
ZimbelIV
KornettVI
Trompete16'
Trompete8'
Trompete4'
Glocken2'
Tremulant
III - Oberwerk
Holzprinzipal16'
Quintatön16'
Prinzipal8'
Salizional8'
Schwebung8'
Spillflöte8'
Oktav4'
Salizional4'
Waldflöte4'
Querflöte2'
RauschpfeifeII
TerzianII
MixturV-VII
ScharffIV
Terz ZimbelIII
Septimen KornettV
Kopftrompete16'
Trompete8'
Oboe8'
Vox Humana8'
Schalmei4'
Tremulant
IV - Brustwerk
Gemshorn8'
Unda Maris8'
Offenflöte8'
Gedackt8'
Prinzipal4'
Quintadena4'
Nasat2.3/3'
Flachflöte2'
Terz1.3/5'
Quint1.1/3'
Septime1.1/7'
Schwiegel1'
None8/9'
GlöckleintonII
ScharffII
ZimbelI
Musette16'
Krummhorn8'
Regal8'
Trompetenregal4'
Glocken
Glockenspiel2/3'
Glockenspiel Reiterate
Kuckuckflöte
Tremulant
V - Kronwerk
KornettVIII-XII
Trompete16'
Feldtrompete8'
Vox Humana8'
Helltrompete4'
Ophicleide16'
Ophicleide8'
Glocken2'
Tremulant
Pedal
Prinzipal32'
Holzprinzipal16'
Oktav16'
Violonbass16'
Subbass16'
Rohrquint10.2/3'
Oktav8'
Violon8'
Gedackt8'
Grossterz6.2/5'
Quint5.1/3'
Oktav4'
Blockflöte4'
Terz3.1/5'
Quint2.2/3'
Septime2.2/7'
Nachthorn2'
Bauernflöte1'
RauschpfeifeIII
MixturV
ScharffVII
Posaune32'
Posaune16'
Fagott16'
Trompete8'
Dulzian8'
Trompete4'
Singend Kornett2'
Glocken2+4'
Tremulant

Couplers

Drawstop couplers
CouplerAction
Oberwerk to RückpositivElectric
Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk
Oberwerk to Hauptwerk
Brustwerk to Hauptwerk
Kronwerk to Hauptwerk
Kronwerk to Rückpositiv
Brustwerk to OberwerkMechanical
Rückpositiv to Pedal
Hauptwerk to Pedal
Oberwerk to Pedal
Brustwerk to Pedal
Kronwerk to Pedal 4Electric
Kronwerk to Pedal
Rocking tablet couplers
CouplerAction
Rückpositiv to Rückpositiv 16Electric
Rückpositiv to Rückpositiv 4
Oberwerk to Oberwerk 16
Oberwerk to Oberwerk 4
Brustwerk to Brustwerk 16
Brustwerk to Brustwerk 4
Kronwerk to Kronwerk 16
Kronwerk to Kronwerk 4
Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk 16
Rückpositiv to Hauptwerk 4
Oberwerk to Hauptwerk 16
Oberwerk to Hauptwerk 4
Kronwerk to Hauptwerk 16
Kronwerk to Hauptwerk 4
Hauptwerk and Pedal Pistons

Additional pictures of the organ and its components.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sydney Opera House" (PDF).
  2. "Sydney Opera House: 40 fascinating facts". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Mark Fisher (2009). "Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Grand Organ Technical Specifications". Organ Historical Trust of Australia. Retrieved 28 March 2020.


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