Mlsstl, you are giving clues to where you live... I can give hints as to where i grew up - the 5000-odd pipe organ I 'tickled the ivories' (actually, the ebonies) on when I was in high school (I pretended to take lessons, but it was really more of me trying to learn how to play Max Reger's Introduction and Passacaglia, which 20-odd years after I first heard it, is still my favorite organ piece) was replaced in 2005, much to my chagrin (great, great mechanical Rieger organ with about 100 ranks, and 70 stops on four manuals and a pedal (including a 32ft wooden flue pipe if I remember correctly)). It was replaced with another Rieger, with more advanced technology (makes it much easier to maintain), and apparently was designed very specifically for the space. The organist, however, is still the same as when I was in high school and is, from everything I hear, is one of the best out there.
Listening to the big wooden pipes from close up gives you an idea of what real bass power means, and a big pipe organ with lots of variety in stops is a joy to discover. I miss that now as I live in a place without many pipe organs.
Listening to the big wooden pipes from close up gives you an idea of what real bass power means, and a big pipe organ with lots of variety in stops is a joy to discover. I miss that now as I live in a place without many pipe organs.