# great organ

> the most important keyboard of an organ, which carries the most powerful games

**Wikidata**: [Q2595587](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2595587)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/great-organ

## Summary
The great organ is the primary and most important keyboard of a pipe organ, specifically designed to carry the instrument's most powerful games. It serves as a central organ manual and division, acting as the foundational component of the instrument's manual layout.

## Key Facts
- **Classification:** Instance of an organ manual and a division.
- **Relationship:** A constituent part of a pipe organ.
- **Subclass:** Categorized under the broader class of organ.
- **Alias:** Commonly identified by the abbreviation "HW."
- **Primary Function:** Recognized as the most important keyboard on the organ.
- **Technical Specification:** Carries the most powerful games (ranks/stops) of the instrument.
- **Interface:** Defined as an organ manual, which is a musical keyboard played with the hands.
- **Reference IDs:** Identified in the Google Knowledge Graph as /g/122w60b7 and in Encyclopædia Britannica Online under the ID art/Great-Organ.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the great organ?
A: The great organ is the most important keyboard of a pipe organ. It is a manual played with the hands that carries the most powerful games of the instrument.

### Q: What does the alias "HW" refer to in organ music?
A: "HW" is a standard alias for the great organ. It is used to identify this specific division and manual within the structure and notation of a pipe organ.

### Q: How does the great organ differ from other organ manuals?
A: While all organ manuals are keyboards played with the hands, the great organ is distinguished as the most important one. It is specifically characterized by housing the most powerful games compared to other divisions.

## Why It Matters
The great organ is the central pillar of the pipe organ's sonic and physical architecture. As the "most important keyboard," it provides the primary interface for the organist to access the instrument's core sound. Its significance is defined by its ability to carry the "most powerful games," which allows the organ to achieve the volume and presence necessary for major musical works. 

In the field of organology, the great organ is recognized both as a physical manual and a structural division. This dual role makes it the anchor for the instrument's other divisions. Its importance is reflected in its documentation across multiple languages and major academic resources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica. By housing the most potent ranks of pipes, the great organ defines the fundamental character and strength of the pipe organ, making it the most critical component for both construction and performance.

## Notable For
- **Primary Importance:** Distinguished as the most significant manual among the various keyboards of a pipe organ.
- **Acoustic Power:** Specifically designed to carry the most powerful games available on the instrument.
- **Standardized Alias:** Widely recognized in technical specifications and musical documentation by the alias "HW."
- **Dual Identity:** Functions as both a physical organ manual (played with hands) and a structural division of the pipe organ.

## Body

### Classification and Definition
The great organ is a fundamental component of the pipe organ. It is classified as an **organ manual**, which is a musical keyboard played with the hands, and as a **division**, representing a specific section of the instrument's internal works. It is a subclass of the broader "organ" category.

### Technical Role
The defining characteristic of the great organ is its capacity to carry the most powerful games. This technical role establishes it as the most important keyboard for the performer. In various technical and musical contexts, it is frequently referred to by the alias **HW**.

### Academic and Global Recognition
The great organ is a globally recognized entity in musicology, with sitelinks in multiple languages including German (de), French (fr), West Frisian (fy), Hungarian (hu), Dutch (nl), and Swedish (sv). It is formally documented in major knowledge repositories:
*   **Encyclopædia Britannica:** Listed under the ID art/Great-Organ.
*   **Google Knowledge Graph:** Identified by the ID /g/122w60b7.
*   **Wikidata:** Described as the most important keyboard of an organ carrying the most powerful games.