Organ matters - Organs matter!

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The available information to hand indicates that the original Wurlitzer was not identical. Apparently, Dixon (after receiving complaints from dancers that they were unable to hear the organ) re-designed the instrument, which was subsequently rebuilt. It appears that there were some additions made at this time.

In any case, if the organs were identical, why bother to transfer it six years after it was first built?
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Dixon transferred to the Empress Ballroom after the Fire, THIS organ contained 10 ranks from the ORIGINAL Tower organ which was enlarged and re-built with a new console to 13 ranks and installed in the Empress Ballroom in 1935 as the new TOWER organ went in. The two organs were IDENTICAL from 1935, even having the couplers changed at the same time. The Tower Organ later had the Vox removed and a Solo String (Gamba from the Opera House Wurlitzer) and Tuba Mrabalis (also fromt he Opera House) added.

After the Fire, Dixon transferred to the Empress Ballroom on the IDENTICAL 3/13 Wurlitzer (10 ranks of which came from the Tower 2/10). During the War, Dixon also made many appearances back at the Tower, he didn't leave the UK!

The Tower Ballroom's original capacity was around 7000, according to a broadcast by Nigel Ogden some time ago. Again, I can check with the company archivist.

If needbe, it may be possible to delve into the company archives (YES I DO have access) to see what the numbers were!

If the assumption that different people did not go into the Ballroom each night, then that also has to be taken into consideration for ALL organ concerts, broadcasts and LP's or whatever as the same people may be attending, listening and buying, eg Thalben Ball at Birmingham. I'm pretty sure more people will have heard the Tower organ Live than Birmingham Town Hall!

The Tower Wurlitzer has been played to MILLIONS of people accross the globe. Dixon was even getting requests from India! For years the ballroom was packed nightly for dancing and Dixon gave concerts on Sunday afternoons, often THREE different concerts when wet, not to mention Watson Holmes, Horace Finch etc that were drafted in to play on other wet afternoons to give Dixon a break. Over 3000 a time would hear the organ live.

We then move on to well over 1000 broadcasts, (only??!!!! PAH!!!!) several hundred 78's (I have yet to check how many) LP's, EP's etc, most of which were on the Tower Organ(s) which sold in their hundreds of thousands accross the globe!

It is still heard almost daily to this day, not to the crowds it once was, but it is still notching up first time visitors. Many of todays theatre organists are interested in the organ through hearing the Tower Wurlitzer in the hand of whoever it may have been at the Time. I Know I am one of these.

I do, however, agree there are other organs (and the thread is technically about the instrument, not the organist) which have been heard by countless Millions, but I don't think quite on the scale of the Tower Organ. Are all the classical and church organs heard DAILY for 13 hours (as the Tower organ was from April to September 1977 - 2009) and then a considerable amount of daytime and evening sessions from 1935 - 1977 including concerts (potentially 16 or more concerts) and dance sessions (potentially 14+ a week) then the broadcasts weekly for say20 odd weeks of the year?? Since 2009, it is still heard for some 30 hours weekly by anyone dancing or even just going to get to the top of the Tower!

It is inspirational to me as it is the first pipe organ I heard live. It's the one that made me want to play the organ for a job, which I now do full time playing for dancing most days and nights of the week. The history of the organ, the people that have heard it, danced to it and enjoyed it since 1935 (and the 2/10 before it from 1929-34), the organists that have appeared there, it all makes it inspirational to me. The sound of the organ as you hear it or dance to it and yes, I have been fortunate to play it LIVE for dancing on several occasions, and to me there is NOTHING on earth that compares to it. People will disagree, of course, it's down to opinion!

Ok, off the soapbox!!

Cameron Lloyd.

Quote from: comptonplus on July 23, 2011, 12:24:02 AM
Other countries in Europe seem more willing to embrace other types of music than we do here in the UK! If it doesn't blast your brains out for the vast majority of youngsters and some well into theit 40's and 50's, forget it!

Back to the Howard Goodall bit, I was still at School when that was on and I remember mentioning it to quite a few friends who to the mick, I wonder if they would watch it now, however?

Indeed - times do change. Look at Helen Mirren....

Not sure I like how admin seem to be able to add into my posts making it liik at first glance that I typed it, I refer to the Helen Mirren bit!

Quote from: comptonplus on July 23, 2011, 12:24:02 AM
Other countries in Europe seem more willing to embrace other types of music than we do here in the UK! If it doesn't blast your brains out for the vast majority of youngsters and some well into theit 40's and 50's, forget it!

Back to the Howard Goodall bit, I was still at School when that was on and I remember mentioning it to quite a few friends who to the mick, I wonder if they would watch it now, however?

Indeed - times do change. Look at Helen Mirren....

Was sad tp hear of David's passing. He did a lot of excellent work with both Theatre and Church/Classical instruments over a great number of years. I will miss talking to him on organ subjects when he and Donald used to come to our venues.

Also, how do you know people didn't switch off their sets anymore than I know they did?? Just a thought. Maybe you have access to information I don't?

Talking to people, the Howard Goodall series seems to have stuck out in people's minds, also a This England programme and Behold the Mighty Wurlitzer which were aired in the 70's.

Howard Goodalls Organ Works covered ALL aspects, from the first organs to modern day, including theatre organs (he went to Blackpool Tower and also included information on Hope Jones). It did not conentrate on one person, one organ, one type of music, it covered the lot, and a very good set of programmes it was too!!

I personally think to catch a wider audience, the programme needs to concentrate on ALL aspects of the organ, Cinema/Theatre, Classical/Church.

My personal view, if it concentrates on just one or the other, it's missing out on a GREAT opportunity!

I'm a keen theatre organ fan, and to see it almost being 'dismissed' is a great shame, they are still pipe organs and have a lot to offer, be it in the Blackpool stytle or more orchestral (I am a fan of Blackpool, others may not be, down to your choice!) If you cover everything, then everyone will see some part of the organ scene which MAY appeal to them. If none of it does, well, they shouldn't have bnothered tuning in to see the programme!

If it is to be a TV Documentary, the man in the street will see Church/Classical organ and turn off immediately, but if you see a man in a white suit popping up out of the floor, I think it's more likely he will leave the TV on, even if for a split second to laugh at it! :-)

David Ingley lives in Kingswinford, about 7 miles from the City Centre on the Merry Hill shopping centre bus.

I'm not sure if Peter Morris still teaches, I will try to find out tomorrow, I'm playing for the dance in the Civic Hall!

Hi,

Phil Kelsall MBE will be playing the 'Wonder Wurlitzer' installed in the Opera House, Blackpool Winter Gardens on Wednesday 6th April at 2.00pm. All seats are £5.00, groups of 10 or more, £4.00.

Cheers,

Cameron.

Hi,

Just a link to our new website, showing the organs we look after and the events we organise!

Cheers,

Cameron.

http://tccoc.moonfruit.com/

P.S. Hope I did that right!

TODAY!!! Saturday 26th February at 2.00pm, doors open at 1.30pm.

David Ivory form the Cotton Museum (2/9 Wurlitzer) will be giving a Theatre Organ concert on the Civic Hall Wolverhampton 4/44 Compton Organ.

Seats are only £5!!! Come along and enjoy a couple of ours of light music!

Sounds OK off paper too!! ;)

Would the man in the street know the difference in sound? Hmmmm. I know this has been pondered for a long time by many, the missing 'notes'/pipes discussion.

If the organ does its job, unified or not, I dont think it's extraordinary really, just building people an organ that will do what they want it to do...ok, there were/are disasters! lol

Cheers,

Cameron.

Hi,

yes, I have listened to these, very interesting to hear that Christie, particulalry the rather good synthetic Clarinet!!

Cheers,

Cameron.

Hi,

I'm the organist at the Town Hall and there are no 'sythetic' stops on the organ, except for the Melotone, which we do not have. We have contemplated adding another Tibia on the Melotone stops.

Regards,

Cameron.

Hi,

I'm probably one of the few that played this little organ, shortly before we removed it.

The Tuba/Trumpet was actually, if i remember from the pipework, marked up Tromba. The Salicional was quite piercing! Flute and Diapason as you would expect. The Salicional, Flute and Tromba went down to 16ft. It filled the Church well (considering half the shutters didnt work!) and I would think it would be effective in its job. I am not a Chruch organist, however!!

The 16ft Bourdon was actually marked up for the Regal Guernsey, so this must have been added when Compton had it back at the factory before installation at Ibstock.

One other thing to note, in the absence of a weight, the Tremulant and a hymn book nailed to the top of it!!! ;D

Sadly, the organ was broken up for parts, nothing to do with me I hastily add!!!!!

I also play a much larger 'mixed' job at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton, a 40 rank Compton (all still there and un-altered since Compton left it in 1938, except the removal of the Melotone) with four ranks of theatre organ pipework added. There are about 15 unit chests on this job, the rest are as you would expect.

Did Wurlitzer make sythetic stops? I have never come accross any. I have, however, on Compton. Our own Compton from the Picture House Douglas on the Isle of Man has Synthetic Clarinets.

Regards,

Cameron Lloyd