Jack Moelmann - Chicago Stadium Barton Organ - 1994 (complete) 

When you hear this instrument being played, if you don’t get chills running down you body, and tears in you eyes, folks, you’re not human!

Listening to this on headphones and you feel like you are actually in the old Chicago Stadium before a game. Nice to feel inside the "Old Barn" again....

I really miss this organ. I wish sports stadiums would go back to using these awesome pipe organs.

The memories associated with that building and that sound make me sad, longing for a rerun of the glory days of Hull, Mikita, Hall, Moose, Tex, etc. How sweet is this sound! Thank you so much for posting, and for playing so beautifully, Jack.

I can remember when I was a kid in the early '40s my Grandfather Axel Christensen took me up to the organ loft and I met Al Melgard the resident organist. What an amazing experience for a kid 7 or 8 years old!

the greatest organ ever to be played at a hockey game.

1:50 - 3:10 This rendition of "God Bless America" is so beautiful, it makes me start to cry...

The best 19 minutes of music you’ll listen to all day!

This is awesome!! Gotta love the old days and bring back memories!!

I went to many Blackhawk games in the Stadium. You can take all the current day sky boxes and electric music. I would rather have the old Chicago Stadium any day of the week.

I was just enjoying this priceless recording again, one of my favorites. Also a priceless talent Mr. Moelmann, but when you factor playing of this high caliber AND the slight delay from the keyboard to the pipes in the ceiling with the relays and such, as Nancy Faust once talked about with this magnificent Barton Organ, that's really another degree of difficulty, flawlessly executed. Hearing this organ always makes me feel good. Thank you for this video.

This is just beautiful. I'm so glad this was captured. Brings back memories of when my dad used to take me and my brother to Blackhawks games in the 1990's.

A story about the Chicago Stadium organ and Al Melgard. Al Melgard worked for Barton and was putting the organ thru its paces. He was at The Stadium for a prize fight. The fight ended, and the fans disagreed with the decision and began rioting. Al opened up the organ and began playing a rousing march. Windows and light bulbs started shattering. The riot ended. Next day, Mr. Wrertz hired Al Melgard with a lifetime contract. By the way, Al Melgard had only nine fingers.

Days gone bye..im glad i grew up going there. The best NHL Building in all sports..u could hear it when it was played 2 blocks d own madison st. You could feel your seat shake.. The bigist organ the barton pipe organ ...should of moved it...to the uc.. But thats old school today..i guss.melgard was the best playing it.9 fingers.. Today fans dont care..about it..glad its on you tube..good old days of the chicago stadium...im glad i took my son in there when he was 4 yrs old the last yr it was open. He still remember s it..

This dude is a BEAST! Too bad most sports stadiums use electronics nowadays I can't imagine how great this sounds in person. It sucks, all these instruments were slightly before my time.

I have been playing piano for over 45 years. But, I had the opportunity to sit behind a theatre organ console not too long ago, and I felt like a beginner all over again. To be able to play a console like this, you are a master & receive all of my respect.

Someday this video will be thrust into the consciousness of a new generation by the RU-vid algorithm, and the stadium's story will be told yet again. I can only hope.

I’m 61, a long time Flyers fan, but growing up in the 70’s there was no better time then watching the Flyers at the stadium. This organ and the crowd were mesmerizing. Wish it wasn’t gone.🙁

I could listen to this all day! What an acoustical experience!

How the bloody hell can you get rid of something as great as this???? beats me?

I am very thankful to have these videos posted for our enjoyment!Love the sound of this organ,its amazing!

I've had the honor to play a (much smaller) Barton organ at the theatre where I work. Nothing could ever replace the sound of these amazing instruments. It's so sad that there are so few left.

I will never forget my precious few times at the Stadium, nor this wonderful instrument which was like the singing of angels combined with the voice of God; and Nancy Faust playing St. Elmo's Fire and all the 80s pop stuff.... Jack does a great performance here. There's something about that rich Barton sound! I have a brick from the Stadium that goes in my casket. Thanks for posting this treasure for us. It's too bad we will never see craftsmanship like this again.....

Beautiful instrument! The way it fills the stadium with sound is simply amazing. I wish it had never burned down.

...had the rare experience of sitting at the console of this wonderfully massive instrument during an organ crawl in Chicago many many years ago. Even with the angle of the two topmost manuals, playing them was a unique and challenging experience. Such a delight to hear it in all its grandeur once again. Played on a much more modest Barton at a church in Steven's Point WI which I believe was the original Fox Theatre organ with the "divided" solo manual.

Its a damn shame that the atmosphere of the great arenas like the Chicago Stadium, the Montreal Forum and the Olympia in detroit will never be replicated again...simply put the fact that the team ownerships have to build a sterile cavernous building so that they can put way too many fans in the building and separate them from the game itself is despicable!!! Im old enough to have seen games in each of those arenas and when the fans were actually overlooking the ice itself it connected the fans with the game ...

I miss the old days of Hockey Music. I grew up a Blues fan and we have some good organ music, but There’s something about the Blackhawks Pipe Organ that was and still the best in Hockey!

Chicago Stadium 1929-1994 RIP

Bob Ropolo, a local organist, and owner of a 3/12 Barton equipped suburban club, The 19th Hole, formed a group to purchase, remove the organ, and find a new home for it. The six manual console was on display at the 19th Hole and for the first time it was possible for anyone to sit at the "monsterous" console. When Bob Ropolo decided to close the 19th Hole and relocate to Arizona, the bulk of the stadium Barton and the 19th Hole Barton was moved to a warehouse in Phoeniz, Arizona. In October of 1996, a propane tank on a trailer parked next to the warehouse had a exploded which created a big fire in the surrounding area. The warehouse was soon engulfed, and the two Bartons, along with a 3/19 WurliTzer from the Loew's State Memphis (Opus 1271) which had been fully restored and was waiting installation in a planned pizza restaurant were totally destroyed. The Stadium console which had not been moved into the warehouse survived and was sold to Phil Maloof who has it installed in his music room at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This is fantastic, one of the wonders of the world.

The beautiful sounds of my youth, and I’m not even from Chicago. #RememberTheRoar

Respect to everyone who works behind the scenes of these magnificent halls of human experience that go unnoticed...to the men who fashion how human interaction should be in seemingly unvoiced ways...God bless you All

That organ is no more. Its a shame, Well play Jack.

It would have been nice had they installed the same organ in the current United Center Arena. It would have kept a touch of the original Chicago Stadium.

The organ was originally to be installed in a restaurant in the Chicago area. The organ was successfully removed from the stadium, but sometime after, the storage facility holding the pipes caught fire and burnt to the ground. The console is the only thing left. It is now in the home of Phil Maloof, controlling about the same number of pipes as it did in the stadium. A very different sound though.

Wow! This was 30 years ago of this last time of the good old Chicago Stadium Game! As always, Let’s Go Hawks all the way!

I really got into hockey in 1993 and have vivid memories of watching my Leafs play at the Chicago stadium , this organ was truly unique and can’t imagine how it would have sounded in person

The old Chicago stadium was a religious experience. Every time there was a Hawks game on TV, I would watch it. Being from Canada, there wasn't a lot of games available on TV and I could never went to the madhouse on Madison.

No kidding, the United Center has no meaning to me. I was season ticket holder for the hawks from 1980-85. The mighty $ is all that was seen. Not the historic history. What a shame.

Jack, thanks for the great upload! I'm upset that I never got to see a game at Chicago Stadium; would've loved to hear the whole place shaking as that organ boomed throughout.

...absolutely wonderful. It is a shame what happened to this instrument. I lived in Milwaukee but to hear this instrument (and once even have the chance to sit at that magnificent console during a Chicago organ crawl) made the 90 minute trip worth it.

I wonder if Artisian or Allen organ company made any digital recordings of this organ before it was removed. I realize that the stadium would have an influence on the sound quality. But it is a smooth sound. I'm glad this video was made and preserved.

I miss the old Stadium, and the old Barton organ!

Oh thanks for the info, he lookks really good today I am visting the wurlizer factor in new york and try to play a theartre organ. I wish theatre organs still are popular still today they always put a smile on face everyday when I hear them play!

I never saw such a beautiful organ and stadium in my life. I'm more familar with the Philadelphia Spectrum, but this is a heart-warming video to show people what the Barton Theatre Pipe Organ was like.

@ssbphotography Worst part is, the pipes were all burnt up when the storage facility caught fire. Another smaller Barton was also burnt in it. The console (part that the organ is played from) is the only thing left. The non-damaged pipes are spread around the country and the console (now in the home of Phil Maloof) is no longer playing the original pipes. They are a mix of different pipes from various parted-out organs.

its such a beautiful instrument!

The biggest most single missed thing in NHL arenas today is the actual organ being played by a human, old Chicago Stadium was the best ever hands down, but the piped in tunes today suck. The ol' "by the book" program, meaning how everything is scripted nowadays, sucks.

Wonderful illustrations Music !

I watched the Big Bad Bruins of the late 60s and early 70s. I was always psyched when they played the Blackhawks in Chicago so I could hear the Chicago Stadium organ. It was legendary!

These were such cavernous spaces, and to have a real pipe organ fill them was AWESOME!

Back after another Cup win! I'll vouch for the pipe organ at Tampa - saw a game there in April 2014 - huge pipes on one end of the arena, and the organist is on a big platform. The Hawks should make Pellico more visible like this.

The full range of sounds of the Barton Organ were digitally recorded and installed in the new organ at The United Center, which replaced Chicago Stadium.

At 4:50 that is an ensemble of the 4 tibia clausa ranks of the organ, all warbling away. at 4:17 that is a mixture of several brass ranks, including the famous tuba celeste, which was actually comprised of 3 post horn ranks.

Of course it's gone now....of course....One thing after the other. This country and everything it used to be is gone now!

It had a 100hp moter..it moved the air in c Chicago staidum..when it was turned on..u could feel it. Loud as as it was it was never played with the swell shades fully open..if u were luck half opened when played..u could see a light on ..in the swell boxs..all 4 divs..of pipes..50 or so ranks..some pipes 32 ft.to a size of a pencil.

I've managed to put together a track listing of timestamps. Please help me to fill in the blanks or add missing timestamps. 0:10 - I've been working on the railroad 1:38 - God Bless America 3:11 - Skater's waltz 6:04 - Secret Love 7:49 - Satin Doll 10:11 - Battle hymn of the Republic 12:42 - Take me out to the ballgame 13:20 - Mickey Mouse Club March 15:02 - The trolley song

I sort of grew up in Chicago Stadium, home of the Blackhawks and a massive Barton Organ, which was said to have been as loud as 100 marching bands and had many gimmick sounds like police sirens. Al Melgard was the organist from 1930-1974, and I believe he was the guy who invented the idea of playing humorous song selections to comment on things that happened during pro sports events. For example, if a hockey fight broke out on the ice, Al would play "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". In the 1950s he began playing "Three Blind Mice" to greet the referees before the start of each game, until he was ordered to stop by NHL president Clarence Campbell.

The clarinets generally blend in with the ensemble. They're likely used in on the great (second manual from the bottom), but can't be heard as they are overpowered by everything else. The orchestral bells are what you are hearing on the fourth keyboard, along with the xylophones.

What I would give to have 18 minutes to play on that organ...

I am only 18 and was born the year after this beautiful place was torn down. I wish that I could have seen at least one game there. I enjoy listening to this organ while doing some homework. Albert, I read somewhere that Dollar bill didn't want to move it because of giant insurance costs.

they are really amazing instruments!! i want to hear you play the barton organ at our theatre this summer! :)

I too have attended many hockey games over many seasons. Let me tell you about the organ. There was a boxing match at the Stadium. After a fight, the crowd did not like the decision. The fans started to fight and riot. Chairs were being thrown about. Al Melgard opened up the organ and started to play a rousing march. Windows and light bulbs started to break in the Stadium. The riot stopped. Next day, Al went to the front office and got a lifetime contract to play the organ.

This man is bad ass!

Bravo à l organiste de Chicago Stadiume je suis de Quebec du Canada ont vous aimes Chers amis peuples Américains

wow.. this is the shit!! amazing!!! I just love this sound..

Its was nice when still playing..i miss it.but its the past..they knew they could of moved it..across the street..for a cost wirtz had the money to do it..it was part of chicago sports..and hockey..ice shows etc..u could feel it in your seat..when melgard played it..the placed vibrated..u could hear it played 2 blocks away walking down west Madison st...in the parking lots..those were the days..in chicago history....lost..

Probably the best organ in a hockey stadium today is the five-manual Walker in Amalie Arena in Tampa (home of the Lightning.) I don't know how many "ranks" it has (it's digital), but it has a lovely sound.

Sometimes I wished I could’ve seen a game in that building

Fantastic playing Mr Moelmann1

that is also the orchestral bells with the xylophones. The organ had 4 of each, and notice that at 17:08, they are quieter than when used on the fourth manual. Likely, he has all of them on there, but only turns on 1 or 2 of each at 17:08.

Sorry, just realized, if you look at the right jamb of stops, the second to top row is almost all switched on. that row corresponds to the fifth-from-bottom manual, which has the loud ensemble at 4:17. That means it is not just an ensemble of brass stops, but of virtually all 51 ranks.

"Whenever you see a situation you cannot understand, look for the financial interest."

I heard the barton cosole is for sale again in Vagas..the owner passed away..it could be tied into the allen organ at the u.c. would some let mr.wirts know hawks owner. Bring it back to chicago..

I want to take the trip. Just to play that Organ. largest organ built. love the sound

please post more of these videos if you have them! AWESOME

Jack Moelmann Visits Angel's Heaven

In 1994 my brother and I visited and saw a Blackhawks game. My sole motivation was to hear the organ and the horn after a Blackhawks goal. Two months later they started tearing down the old stadium.

So sad that they would get rid of such an amazing instrument like this. What an un-real piece of equipment. I would have gladly taken it to my house.

Super excellent with very good interesting video

Not much on this organ was "soft", really. But some were pretty soft out in the room. The Tibia Plena was a lovely sound on the instrument, and worked well in the large acoustics of the stadium.

IF ONLY HAD KEITH EMERSON (OF EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER) GOT HIS FINGERS ON THIS MACHINE...........

The mighty Barton speak again

From what I googled the console was the only thing to survive as the pipes and the rest were destroyed in a fire where those parts were stored.

How many ranks did this organ possess? Is the console (now installed at the Phil Maloof Residence) playing a similar organ these days, or is it hooked up to something smaller?

I would’ve love to hear Jack Moelmann play “The Hockey Theme” (Hockey Night In Canada) just one more time.

Wow I wonder if there was ever a list of all the pipes used? If so it might be possible although rather expensive to make the pipes again. Even if one had the capability and money to make new pipes the organ still wouldn't sound exactly the same unless the stadium were rebuilt as well.

The first tune is called "I've been working on the Railroad." I hope this helps you.

I have a copy of that laying around somewhere on the computer here. A very unusual spec for an organ, but I thought it was a very nice instrument. I believe there are some recorded interviews with Dan that included him discussing the Stadium organ, but I do not have a copy of them unfortunately. If I happen to come across one I will certainly let you know!

This piece of music. I can see the Blackhawks in a line brawl with the Flyers.

Aw hello ,a big kiss from the netherlands ,best regards from fam kreidler😊

personnely i think it is the holy grail of organs...it is powerful.and sounds mean.... and heavy...

If anyone knows of a vid of an all-encompassing Chicago Stadium tour-like vid, let me know. This will do for now as I prep for the playoffs tonight. Go Hawks!

...And memories will be remembered! :) let's go hawks!

This was the best best sports venue in Ameriacan history!!! Nothing comes close. It is a shame that most of this contry does not recognize this!

Pretty happy that I was able to go to the Chicago Stadium many times. Sure I’m a bit sad it’s gone, but the reason I’m sad is because of the way sports are nowadays. The athletes are over paid and the owners are billionaires of our dime.

Love the sound at 4:50. I wonder what the loud brass stop is at 4:17? it's very powerful.

It's interesting. I never seem to hear on this organ the 2-rank clarinets, the orchestra bells, and the percussions (excluding the wind and thunder effects and the castenets/tambourine).

Sounds pretty decent on my Realistic STA-85 amp. (with bass boosted via the loudness control) and listening from two Technics SB-CR77 speakers!. The amps they make nowadays do not have the loudness controls and therefor one is unable to boost the bass (sad).

This organ was also heard during Michael Jordan's early years in the NBA.