I have listened to quite a bit of both Wurlitzer and B.A.B. band organ
music over the years, including a fair amount of B.A.B. book music.
The thing that annoys me about B.A.B. music is the amount of sloppy
transitions that occur. Whether this happened at the arranging table,
at the perforator, or perhaps in later years as the masters became
worn, I don't know. I'm not even considering what kind of organ is
playing the music. I've heard several large organs that have been
converted to play B.A.B. rolls, as well as some that play books using
B.A.B. books. The overall result is the same, at least to me: sloppy
transitions and LOUD!
Some of the Wurlitzer arrangers seemed have a grasp on what the
instruments could do, even dealing with the Style 150's limited scale.
The arrangements were technically good from a theory/counterpoint
view, but I agree that some could be a little bit more "musical."
But as a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) says, "Hey, it's
only a band organ."
Personally, I prefer the Wurlitzer sound. It's what I grew up with,
what I was trained on, and it's what a carousel organ is supposed to
sound like.
Bruce R. Pier
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