Replicating the Rye Playland Gavioli Organ

Many years ago, I wrote an article about the need for a good organ
for the Rye Playland carousel.  Anyone can read the article that
I wrote at the time; go to
https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/200005/2000.05.27.06.html 

Since then, the organ has not been improved.  In recent years the organ
has not been playing.  On July 9, 2017, there was a fire in the cupola
of the building that houses the Rye Playland carousel.  Thankfully the
carousel did not sustain fire damage.  However it did sustain some
water damage.  Now the carousel will be closed for two years while it
undergoes restoration.

Now this rare golden opportunity has arrived when the Gavioli organ
that once played on the Rye Playland can be replicated.  I know of
a firm in England that can do this; the firm is A.C. Pilmer.  This
firm has worked on organs for many years and they have much experience
with band and fairground organs.  I think that it would be worthwhile
for the Rye Playland administration to seriously consider having the
Gavioli organ replicated.  This can be done and it should be done.

The organ could be set up to play B.A.B. 66-key paper rolls or 65-key
Gavioli books.  I would probably install a MIDI system so that the
organ could either play 65 key Gavioli book music or B.A.B. 66 key
paper roll music.  This way, there can be a historically accurate organ
on the Rye Playland carousel.

Jeff Alterman

 [ Other MMD articles about Rye Playland are indexed at
 [ https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/KWIC/P/playland.html 
 [ The park is located in Rye, New York, near the Connecticut border.
 [ Ref. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playland_(New_York)  -- Robbie