New York Times Square Paramount Theatre Wurlitzer Console Replacement by Balcolm & Vaughan, Seattle
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2022
- After the original console for the New York Times Square Wurlitzer was destroyed by arson, a new console was built by Seattle organ builders, Balcolm and Vaughan, to be installed at Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center in Wichita.
Filmed and narrated by Russ Evans
(The narration was recorded while showing the film footage to a group of people in a retirement home. As the film rolled along, Russ did his best to narrate. There were three or four former B&V employees in the group and they added bits of info as they viewed the film. Both the film and the audio recording went to Bob Zat who put it all together.)
My father and I visited Balcolm and Vaughn prior to construction of the new console for the Wichita Wurlitzer. My father was a QC Inspector for Boeing, on loan to Seattle from Wichita and asked to answer the question, "Can they build the new console"? Yes. Proof is in their outstanding product
Russ Evans, Jeff Snyder, and Bob Zat, thank you for creating and uploading a very rare sneak peek from the past!
What a fantastic piece of work.
Thank you so much for sharing.
What a fantastic piece of history, so glad you filmed it.
Great historical record. Thanks for your work and dedication.
A truly marvellous film of a unique project. I am in awe of the skills which the construction team demonstrated in recreating such a beautiful console. And to think that for a while at least the Wurlitzer factory was dispatching an organ a day (although obviously not all of that size). An almost unbelievable achievement. Presumably the original organs would have used traditional lead tubing for the internal pneumatics? Incredibly complex instruments. Congratulations to all those involved. Peter A (London, UK).
This should be required viewing for anyone who ever touches an organ console!
I saw that he new console when it was nearly completed. Later, I had the privilege of playing it.
You wouldn't be able to find such superb craftsmen today, would you ?!
This is fabulous. Thanks so much.
Extraordinary! Thank you.
Excellent and most enjoyable!
What an amazing project. I'm surprised there wasn't a connector for the pedalboard. Maybe connectors big enough didn't exist in those days.
That was Fantastic! I wonder how it is working after all these years?
It should be noted that the New York Paramount 4/36 Wurlitzer is not a Fox Special. It is Opus 1458, shipped September 1926. It was considered by many to be Wurlitzer’s most successful installation. William Fox ordered four copies of this instrument, and they were given the title “Fox Special”. All were shipped from Wurlitzer during the last half of 1928; Detroit Fox Op. 1894 (6/28), Brooklyn Fox Op. 1904 (7/28), St. Louis Fox Op. 1997 (11/28), and lastly, the San Francisco Fox Op. 2012 (12/28). All had four manuals and 36 ranks except the Brooklyn Fox. An 8-ft Flute Celeste was added to make it 37 ranks.
Thanks for the update regarding the NY Paramount being the model for the F)X SPECIALS.
Russ
The added Flute Celeste in the Brooklyn organ is just a rumor.
I would have said Blackpool Tower Ballroom's Wurlitzer is the company's most successful installation. Is there any other Wurlitzer that has been played every day (with the exception of maintenance days and rebuilds) since the day it was installed in its original venue?
Not sucessful in terms of longevity, but in the quality of the installation and the superb acoustics of the Paramount Theatre. The shallow chamber design made for fantastic clarity of all the ranks. Jesse Crawford played it many years, and said the installation would be very difficult to improve upon. It is tragic the theater was stripped out of the building to make room for more offices.
@@88THUMBS I think Jesse Crawford said that about a number of Wurlitzers... he was hardly going to say they a Wurlitzer installation was bad because he was so highly associated with the company. However, yes it is generally agreed by many that it was one of their more successful installations on those terms.
Great video . Questions:
When is the instrument expected to move?
Why is it moving?
Where will it go next?
This Wurli was played by Theater Organ Titans- Crawford & Wright, not to mention Larsen who teamed with Telarc to make some pioneering CDs on it. Sad commentary that it seems TOs are forced to lead a nomadic life, never really at home permanently and thus living a major part of the time as a parts collection in a warehouse. Someone please sample this beastie before it’s moved again!
This was filmed in the early 70s. When the organ went to Wichita, the console minus the pedalboard was destroyed by fire before the organ was installed. Balcom and Vaughan in Seattle built the replacement console. It was sent to Wichita from Seattle where it has been playing since 1972. This month there will be a 50th anniversary celebration.
So was it an exact replica? I see they kept it pneumatic, but no spec changes, second touch on the bottom 3 manuals instead of just on Accomp, etc?
Outstanding video of some hard and tedious work. Great Job.
I don’t see how they do such great work with what appears to be poor lighting.