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Organ Music
#300812 04/08/10 03:37 AM
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HAY Offline OP
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I know there's been a few board members who like Organ Music... you have to see this.

Ripley's Video

luraycaverns.com


The Stalacpipe Organ

STALACPIPE ORGAN

Located in the Cathedral is the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the world's largest musical instrument. Stalactites covering 3 1/2 acres of the surrounding caverns produce tones of symphonic quality when electronically tapped by rubber-tipped mallets. This one-of-a-kind instrument was conceived by Mr. Leland W. Sprinkle of Springfield, Virginia, a mathematician and electronics scientist at the Pentagon.

After visiting the caverns with his son and experiencing the organ-like sounds of a stalactite being tapped, Mr. Sprinkle submitted a complex plan for a stalactite-tapping instrument. It took 36 years of frustrating research, design and experimentation to bring his dream to its present state of perfection. Three years alone were spent searching the vast chambers of the caverns to select and carefully sand stalactites to precisely match the musical scale. Only two stalactites were found to be in tune naturally.

The four-keyboard console of The Great Stalacpipe Organ was constructed by the Klann Organ Supply Company of Waynesboro, Virginia, to meet the peculiar needs of this subterranean installation. Then the organ was connected to various stalactites with over five miles of wiring.

Today, the organ, featured on Ripley's Believe It or Not, plays a variety of songs, many chosen for their range and deep, resonate tones. Visitors stand enthralled as haunting melody and chords reverberate throught the vaulted ceilings. The songs, which are played by an automated system, change seasonally. The organ can also be played manually from the console, as Leland Sprinkle did for many years.


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Re: Organ Music
HAY #300821 04/08/10 04:20 AM
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axiomite
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36 years.

Now that's dedication!

I'd like to hear it in person, the stalactites.

Last edited by St_PatGuy; 04/08/10 04:20 AM.

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"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
Re: Organ Music
HAY #300835 04/08/10 05:57 AM
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I guess I don't have the world's largest organ like I keep telling everyone.

Re: Organ Music
CV #300864 04/08/10 01:02 PM
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axiomite
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Have you tried hitting it with a rubber mallet?


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"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
Re: Organ Music
St_PatGuy #300865 04/08/10 01:06 PM
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I've tried using it as one. Does that count?

Re: Organ Music
CV #300866 04/08/10 01:09 PM
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axiomite
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Depends on your target?


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"Nothin' up my sleeve. . ." --Bullwinkle J. Moose
Re: Organ Music
HAY #300872 04/08/10 01:53 PM
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I've been to Luray Caverns twice and have heard the organ in action, once with my brother (adamp88) who also took pictures.. It is pretty amazing.

http://web.me.com/adamp88/Site/Luray_Caverns.html

The organ is featured in the 12th and 13th picture.

Re: Organ Music
St_PatGuy #300881 04/08/10 02:51 PM
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axiomite
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 Originally Posted By: St_PatGuy
Have you tried hitting it with a rubber mallet?


Speaking of snappy comebacks, I once overheard in a men's washroom....

"What's that noise?"

"A real man doesn't shake, he bangs it against the side of the urinal."


True story, though I can't vouch for what the noise really was.


With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.

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