Part III: The world’s loudest music without amplification from a non-musical instrument
This explanation about factory whistles appears in York County, Pa.’s, Dan Meckley’s booklet “Moon Centennial.” This is the same whistle with the sliding valve that blasts out Christmas carols at midnight on Christmas Day in York, Pa. A similar whistle is on display at the York County Agricultural and Industrial Museum. Also of interest: The world’s loudest music without amplification from a non-musical instrument and The world’s loudest music without amplification from a non-musical instrument – encore and All New York Wire whistle posts from the start..
The show will go on this year, the New York Wire factory whistle show, that is.
The annual rite of early Christmas morn, played by what is tagged as “the world’s loudest music without amplification from a non-musical instrument” has faced a couple of bumps this year… .
First, compressed air will replace the costly steam power that would have made the show unsustainable.
Secondly, whistlemaster Don Ryan, the man behind the music, was hospitalized recently. But he plans to be at rehearsal at 4 p.m. today and on the job for the actual concert, a slot he’s filled since 1955.
Meckley wrote a piece about the whistle in his booklet, available at the York County Heritage Trust library.
“On a calm night the eerie haunting sound is heard five miles away,” he wrote. “However, on occasion, residents at a distance of 10 to 12 miles have reported hearing the factory whistle.”
Also of interest:
To learn more about factory whistles, see Walter Ehrenfeld’s “York’s Factory Whistles,” at the York County Heritage Trust archives.
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