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MMD > Archives > January 2019 > 2019.01.10 > 01Prev  Next


The Best Sounding Artizan Band Organ On Display
By Andrew Lardieri

Besides Wurlitzer band organs, I have vastly listened to other band
organ by other manufacturers in the United States.  This includes
manufacturers such as: Artizan, Stinson and North Tonowanda.
Mostly, this article focuses on the more rare band organs made
by the Artizan Factories of North Tonowanda, New York.

Before and after I joined AMICA, I've listened to a number of
Artizan band organs including the style X-A-1, style X-A-2,
style C, C-2, and style D.  And after vastly listening to each
style of Artizan band organ, my favorite Artizan organ has come
down to the style X-A-1 on public display at C. W. Parker
Carousel Museum in Leavenworth, Kansas.

This organ has been converted to play Wurlitzer 125 rolls and was
donated to the museum by Melissa Etheridge who raised the funds
necessary  to acquire the band organ.  The wood trumpets and
trombones on this organ produce such a sweet, harmonious sound
perfect to any band organ.  The crash cymbal on top of the bass drum
(typical to the style X-A-1) produces an incredibly robust crash
almost as loud as a Chinese tam-tam or gong.

The organ can be found in the center of the 1913 C. W. Parker
carousel in the museum, but only plays one tune and then gets
shut off as the carousel is slowing down, but still it is a
fantastic band organ in every way.  I've attached some YouTube
clips of the band organ playing a variety of tunes.

Beer Barrel Polka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9vomT-adyc 

Circus Life (excerpt):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXDJpi5406g 

Boots And Saddles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb72UlCWiHE 

Trink, Trink, Bruderlein Trink:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaRY049MOys 

We Wish You A Merry Christmas (arr. David Stumpf):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh75aLq2bR0 

Frosty The Snowman (arr. David Stumpf):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGruwCvEkuM 

Andrew Lardieri
Voorhees, New Jersey

 [ I hear only three bass notes, like these are Style 150 rolls.
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Thu 10 Jan 2019, 05:05:02 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Artizan, Band, Best, Display, Organ, Sounding

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