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MMD > Archives > April 1999 > 1999.04.20 > 06Prev  Next


Mortier "Taj Mahal" Organ
By Tom Grace

Hello MMDers --  In response to Robbie's question about recordings
of the Taj Mahal: American International Galleries had the instrument
at their Irvine CA showroom on loan form its owner, Q. David Bowers,
and produced an LP in 1978 called The Taj Mahal in Concert.  It had
16 tunes on it listed as follows:

SIDE 1: Tennessee Waltz, Dixie, Mazurka, Wooden Heart, Beer Barrel
Polka, Que Sera, My Wild Irish Rose, When The Saints Go Marching In

SIDE 2: Cuckoo Waltz, Puppet On a String, Wonderful Copenhagen, Why
Don't My Dreams Come True, Yellow Rose Of Texas, Why Did I Kiss That
Girl, So What's New, Boogie Woogie

The Taj Mahal, a 101-key instrument with 700 pipes and many percus-
sions, was completed in 1924 for St. Jeans Palace in Antwerp Belgium.
It was then sold to The Agora Dance Hall in Ledeberg, Belgium, where
it played until 1952.  The hall was boarded up and the organ almost
forgotten.  Leonard Grymonprez learned of the Taj Mahal in 1960's and
purchased it, it was then sold to Q. David Bowers in the mid- 1970's.

The recording was done by Corky Griffin, and is the only recording
ever commercially produced that I know of.  You can still run across
a copy now and then if you keep a sharp hunters eye, in the local used
record shops.

Most of the music books were punched by Arthur Prinsen, the initial
pneumatic restoration was done by Ron Cappel, and Terry Hathaway did
the electrical and casework.

I heard the Taj Mahal many, many times in person, and I must say
that its sound was very impressive along with all its lighting effects.
It was nearly 26 feet wide by 20 feet tall, with full size statues in
the facade.

Thomas Grace


(Message sent Tue 20 Apr 1999, 08:30:29 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Mahal, Mortier, Organ, Taj

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