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MMD > Archives > December 2009 > 2009.12.25 > 03Prev  Next


Roll-playing Theater Organs
By Tom DeLay

With a little bit of research, I found the source of the comment
I made about 'piano console' style Wurlitzer organs also using Concert
PianOrchestra rolls -- the late Dave Junchen in his Vol. 3 Wurlitzer
opus produced by ATOS.  On page 294, Vol. 3:

 "Instruments with piano consoles were the ones most frequently fitted
  with players.  Early models used Concert PianOrchestra Rolls; most
  later styles played 88-note and/or 98-note Concert Organ rolls.
  These rolls and their players are quite scarce today.  Despite sales
  of several hundred [a bit over 500 -- tld] the instruments suffered
  an enormous attrition rate after the advent of talking pictures.
  Churches, ordinarily a good market for discarded theatre instruments,
  found the piano consoles unattractive.  As a result, fewer of them
  survive than might be anticipated from original production figures."

It must also be remembered that Dave Junchen passed away nearly 20 years
ago and subsequent research may well have turned up further information.

Tom DeLay
Salinas, California


(Message sent Sat 26 Dec 2009, 00:11:00 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Organs, Roll-playing, Theater

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