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Pipe organs are made with at least one set of pipes, and at least one keyboard. Sound is produced when pressurized air passes through the pipes.
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A musician that plays the pipe organ is referred to as an organist.
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Pipe organ pipes are made of metal or wood and the longer the pipe the lower the pitch.
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Pipes made of metal are usually made of a mixture of metals called an 'alloy'. Common metals in the alloy include lead and tin, although some are made of silver, and brass.
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The sound volume and timbre that is produced in the pipes is controlled by the amount of air supplied to the pipe and the pipe's construction.
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Reed pipes in a pipe organ produce sound via the reed beating - similar to other wind instruments like saxophones or clarinets.
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Pipes can only play one note.
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Pipes are arranged into ranks - which means they are grouped together to enable similarly shaped pipes (and those made of similar materials) can be played together.
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Flue pipes in a pipe organ produce sound when air is forced through a fipple - similar to a wind instrument such as a recorder.
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In order for a pipe organ to work the organist must use both hands and feet to create sound.
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The pipes of a pipe organ are lined up in rows and can occupy a very large amount of space. The organ case that holds the pipes can be as large as a room.
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Some organs have several keyboards - and it is not uncommon for large organs to have five. Keyboards are referred to as 'manuals'.
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The lower manual is referred to as the 'Great' and the highest manual is referred to as the 'Swell'.
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The foot pedals are arranged like a keyboard. Organists must learn to play the foot pedals without looking down.
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During the silent film era pipe organs were commonly found in theatres to accompany the film.
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Very large organs were built in Britain's gothic cathedrals in the Middle Ages.
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The oldest pipe organ in existence today is believed to be the one in Sion, Switzerland, at the Basilica of Valere, built in 1390.
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The largest church pipe organ in the world is located in Los Angeles at the First Congressional Church. The largest church organ in Europe is in Germany's Passau Cathedral.
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