In the final analysis, an arrangement must match the performance
capabilities of the individual organ on which it is to be played.
An arranger can not safely assume that all organs playing the same
scale will all be able to play the same arrangement properly.

The reason a particular organ fails to perform may be that the
arranger has included "too many notes," that the organ was built with
too many ranks or an insufficient wind supply or overly wide mouths,
or it may be that the owner has failed to perform required maintenance,
or over-expanded the organ.

It isn't just a problem with big organs.  A 20-note arrangement
which plays properly on a small Raffin organ, might not be suitable
for a John Smith Busker organ because of the differences in valving,
or a large Raffin if too many stops are pulled.  It may work on a
MIDI-controlled organ because the crank may be turned faster without
changing the performance tempo.

Similarly, Wurlitzer 165 scale organs are not all created equal, or
maintained equally.  Matthew asked "If twentieth century arrangements
don't exhibit the problem, how was it avoided?"

I would suggest that the Wurlitzer factory arrangers knew what worked
on factory built instruments, and if an organ failed to play a new
roll, the company suggested that it be returned for service at the
owner's expense!  And that other builders had similar practices.

John Ravert found that his Carl Frei 99-key scale DeWitte would not
play some books properly which were okay on organs actually built by
Frei.  He added a blower to the bellows, and "the trumpets sounded!"
(Actually the trombone voice was stealing the air!)

Modern technology offers some potential alternatives to a major
rebuild.  Again, MIDI can separate the Tempo from the bellows drive
speed.

By the way, Dutch street organ arrangements include a lot of staccato
chords.  This limits air requirements while simultaneously allowing big
chords.  (It also lessened the work of "the girls" who had to do the
punching of the books.)  That fix isn't too hard when arranging in MIDI,
but will not work once a roll is punched.

Robbie's suggestion that turning off a rank in an under-performing
organ may be good medicine.  Just a bit of Scotch tape on the right
hole...  Using MIDI control simplifies problem solving even more.

"How does an arranger know when the demands of his arrangement exceed
the capacity of the model of organ he is arranging for?"

Experience!  And us 21st Century amateurs gotta' keep learning as
organs continue to evolve.  Some of us are also pushing the boundaries
by arranging tunes less than a decade old.  This can push percussion
response in addition to air supplies.

I would say that it is the responsibility of the arranger to satisfy
his clients.  That may involve accepting returns from owners who do not
do proper maintenance.  The builder can not be expected to anticipate
when or how arrangers may push the limits of a scale.

In the final analysis, the arranger has to be familiar with the
individual target organ to be sure of success.  This is difficult in
trying to supply rolls or books for a "family" sharing a scale.

Wally Venable
Wallace.Venable@mail.wvu.edu.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]