Frank played at Wrigley Field earlier today for the Winter Sports Classic. I remember when he played regularly at Wrigley back in the 1970s, & I still have some cassette tapes of his National Anthem performances there.
From what I understand, the main reason the organ wasn't installed in the new stadium as because Frank told the builders that it would have cost many millions of dollars to recondition and reinstall the Barton (it would be more like less than half a million), which led to it being axed from the new stadium. So... yeah.
He would come down to the Quad Cities a few years back and have "olde time hockey nights" where they played the organ all night long. It was a blast. Incredible to hear.
From over in the UK we look on you Americans as delightfully crazy! It's fantastically outrageous to have such an organ at a hockey match! UK football stadiums aren't equipped with organs! Perhaps if they were I'd have developed an interest in football . . . Thanks for posting this video. Pity it's not a real pipe organ though.
If a guy can have the stadium organ console, installed in his HOUSE.... I don't think "they couldn't bring that organ over here" is the right thing to say, or accurate at all. I still love the Hawks, and Hawks games, but I'm not at all impressed by the organ sound. It's electronic,average and boring. No it wouldn't sound EXACTLY the same as the Stadium, specially since the original pipes no longer exist now, but try to imagine the United Center with a real organ in it!
Some of those old pipe organs would indeed cost millions to move. Especially the ones with the pipes built into the walls etc. I know, when renovating St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto, they couldn't give the organ away because it would have cost at least a million to move it. Also, he call's it the biggest pipe organ in the world but on several lists I've seen, it doesn't make the top ten.
@@jcavankelly There were four rooms in the ceiling with the pipes. I'm sure there was more that I couldn't see but maybe it was the biggest when it was made? Or maybe it was the biggest theater organ? I don't know but it was the biggest and loudest I've ever heard. It's definitely missed. And the Wirtz family has plenty of millions.
Allen Organs aren't real pipes, but they are certainly the best immitation I have ever heard. I play a small Allen that has more virtual pipes than our entire sanctuary could hold if they were real. It is a blast to play every Sunday. And no tuning, revoicing, or sticky Pittman valves.
i don't get why they play any modern music at all at blackhawks games. fans loved it in the chicago stadium when frank just played the organ all night long. if they want the old school atmosphere of the stadium, they should hand the reigns over to frank full-time.
Frank: honestly, it needs voicing and tremulant adjustment. It's uninspiring and nowhere true to the theatrical lyrical sound, which was so much the difference between the Stadium Barton, and the rest. Allen organs can approach theatrical sound. Grab a screw driver and hit the pots. Fire the guy that left it as it is now.
In sound comparison the old organ was a 1929 Rolls and the new one is a 94 Ford Festiva. I don't know what stops he uses for the anthem nowadays but it sounds absolutely NOTHING like real pipes.
It's a damn shame what happened to that pipe organ from the old building. It should have went to a pizza parlor or department store--something other than a grave.
