In his query about the "Biggest Concert Organs in the World"
(MMD 99.12.22) Wolfgang Brommer asked for details about the biggest
mechanical concert organs in the world.  Concerning the number of keys,
the organ of Mr. Barth in Bonn, Germany, with 127 keys, can have its
place in the Guinness Book of Records.  I have never come across an
organ with a greater number of keys.

The historic organ factories did not produce organs with so many keys.
From 1936 to 1948 the Decap Brothers in Antwerp built their famous
series of dance organs with 121 keys.  Mortier surpassed them in 1939,
when this firm produced one or two organs with 123 keys.  One such
instrument is described by Maarten van der Vlugt in "Het Pierement"
of January 2000.  However, this organ was converted to the 121-key
Decap scale in the 1960's.  It is now in a collection in the USA.

In the last decade some organ owners tried to win the competition in
having an organ with the most keys.  In 1990 an American customer had
Johnny Verbeeck from Belgium built a completely new organ with 125
keys, all keys having a function.  This instrument has 23 registers,
including a registered Fluete 8' on 18 separate keys.

Last month Johnny Verbeeck completed for another customer in the USA a
large 125-key Gaudin organ.  This originally was a 98-key instrument,
enlarged by Johnny Verbeeck to 125 keys, using the original 112-key
Gaudin scale with an addition of 12 real-size church bells.  This organ
has 'only' 22 registers, but as the scale includes 12 notes for bass,
12 for accompaniment, 32 for melody and 25 for counter-melody, I think
that the organ has a good chance to win the match in having the most
pipes -- although I haven't counted them all.  With its very large
facade, and the heavy metal bells which are attached in the top, this
organ even may have the greatest weight.

Computerized organs using the MIDI system don't have keys, but can
compete in the race for having a large number of functions.  Elbert
Pluer from Bussum, Holland, has recently built a 125-channel MIDI
concert organ, which will be installed on the cruise ship M.S. Zaandam.

I agree with Robbie that the power of a fairground organ comes mostly
from the quantity of pipes -- and their intonation!  Ruth and Gavioli
have produced organs with an enormous power, even with a limited number
of keys.  And have you ever heard the 57-key Hooghuys organ, owned by
the late Mr. Jan de Coninck from Belgium?  When you stood at the back
side of this organ, the Mixture and Piccolos really made you deaf after
listening to a few books.

Wishing you a quiet Christmas without too much noise.  ;)

Tom Meijer