I've been to Music Hall for many shows and never new there was an organ there. Amazing. I'll have to pay more attention to it. (It's only an hour's drive from where I live)
I know what it's like to tune an instrument of this magnitude. I helped to restore and install a 3/18 Wurlitzer in a performing arts center. Oh - I get to play it, too 🙂 It's FUN!
What an amazing instrument, well demonstrated by an accomplished organ master. Well done to all participating in keeping a bit of history alive. Thank you!
There was a guy in Rhode Island who had a Robert-Morton 2/6 theatre organ in his home and eventually expanded to 3/11 using ranks from Wurlitzer, Kimball and various other sources.
What a beautiful sounding instrument. Morton is a new name to me so really pleased that such a fine piece of work served as my introduction! Definitely a cast of "pipes and chests crammed everywhere"... having said that, a luxuriously spacious installation compared to that at the BBC Radio Theatre in London where Compton installed a 4/33 organ in chambers measuring 40ft wide, 30ft high but only 6ft deep! Perplexed by all the unfilled holes in various chests plus many pipes lying unused... is this because of failures in the chests? Whatever, a brilliant video and again made incredibly interesting by Brent's narration. Thank you for posting.
Usually for what I know if a pipe is out of place is because a valve is stuck open and so it would play continuously as the organ was on.... not even turning off the stop would solve it
Robert-Morton was what had been the Murray Harris / Los Angeles Art Organ Company, which built what became the Wanamaker Organ. They had a few British organ-builders on their staff, particularly ex-Norman & Beard men who had worked with Robert Hope-Jones so understood his tonal and electrical concepts, and thus were able to break Wurlitzer's monopoly and patents!
Have you been out to Santa Barbara, CA to see the 1920-something Wonder Morton in the Santa Barbara Performing Arts Centre (AKA the Arlington Theatre) yet? It was originally in the Loews' Jersey City Theatre. I think it started out as a IV/22 and has had several ranks added over the years.
My brother and I went to Loews Jersey City and seen the original Wonder Morton before it was sold and moved to CA. My brother played it for a tune or two. I don't know how much of it was working at the time but it wasn't very loud to my ear. Now they have obtained another Wonder Morton that is from what I have heard in playing condition. I saw the original organ two times, once when it was in a private residence and it was extremely loud and the second time it was being re-leathered awaiting installation.. The console just came back from someone who rebuilt it.
Just totally fabulous, thank you so much, so interesting and amazing! Love all your work Brett, please keep it up and keep going!!!! Cheers. Adrian in Bermuda ❤️❤️❤️
As a tech and someone who has played and repaired a few organs in his life, I'm so curious how they built such a machine in 1926. It's not like they had transistors and chips. Hmm... I wonder if there's a "repair" video on this thing or one like it from that time period... hmmmm
He didn’t explicitly say in the video, but IMO it was implied that they either are using them now for their electronic bass extensions, or at least plan to.
I’d be interested in hearing more examples of a saxophone stop on an organ. I have to admit I was more expecting the sound of the saxophone stop to be more akin to the sound of the posthorn.
Sad to see that the Post Horn has no tremulant on what is a nice sounding instrument. Was that original that it didn't have a tremulant or a later decision?
@@buttersrow426 not in my experience. For the majority of original instruments I've played and worked on, the Post Horn/English Horn has been available with or without tremulant. It's usually a later modification - particularly in the US - where the Post Horn/English Horn is no longer available on trem. Originally it would have shared a tremulant with the Tuba, for instance. To me, it's vital that they should be available on trem.
@@karlrovey because the Post Horn/English Horn should not stick out over the ensemble. On a full ensemble it should still blend in with the overall sound. By having it on trem, it will blend in. By having it off trem it will stick out like a sore thumb. It depends on the sound you are after, but it should be available on trem.
Theatre organs pretty much never use fan tremulants, because they don’t give a deep enough effect. Instead, the effect is done by pulsing the wind pressure.
@@OrganMusicYT to be fair, I can detect a few tuning infelicities and dead notes in this video. This organ could use some TLC, although I'm sure it's receiving it! The water damage in the Solo chamber obviously won't have helped and they're still repairing that...
Wonderful playing, wonderful instrument, and what a beautiful building!
beautiful instrument and great demonstration
Nice to hear a different take on the Theater organ style from a company that wasnt Wurlizter
I enjoy seeing the theater organ content. Hope more are in the future!
I've been to Music Hall for many shows and never new there was an organ there. Amazing. I'll have to pay more attention to it. (It's only an hour's drive from where I live)
I know what it's like to tune an instrument of this magnitude. I helped to restore and install a 3/18 Wurlitzer in a performing arts center. Oh - I get to play it, too 🙂 It's FUN!
What an amazing instrument, well demonstrated by an accomplished organ master. Well done to all participating in keeping a bit of history alive. Thank you!
Enjoy hearing the music and the organ
There was a guy in Rhode Island who had a Robert-Morton 2/6 theatre organ in his home and eventually expanded to 3/11 using ranks from Wurlitzer, Kimball and various other sources.
What a great video!! Kudos to everyone who kept this gorgeous instrument alive.
I was an organ kid on the Solana Beach install ;)
What a beautiful sounding instrument. Morton is a new name to me so really pleased that such a fine piece of work served as my introduction! Definitely a cast of "pipes and chests crammed everywhere"... having said that, a luxuriously spacious installation compared to that at the BBC Radio Theatre in London where Compton installed a 4/33 organ in chambers measuring 40ft wide, 30ft high but only 6ft deep! Perplexed by all the unfilled holes in various chests plus many pipes lying unused... is this because of failures in the chests? Whatever, a brilliant video and again made incredibly interesting by Brent's narration. Thank you for posting.
Usually for what I know if a pipe is out of place is because a valve is stuck open and so it would play continuously as the organ was on.... not even turning off the stop would solve it
Robert-Morton was what had been the Murray Harris / Los Angeles Art Organ Company, which built what became the Wanamaker Organ. They had a few British organ-builders on their staff, particularly ex-Norman & Beard men who had worked with Robert Hope-Jones so understood his tonal and electrical concepts, and thus were able to break Wurlitzer's monopoly and patents!
Wonderfull 🎉😅❤+1 !!
Have you been out to Santa Barbara, CA to see the 1920-something Wonder Morton in the Santa Barbara Performing Arts Centre (AKA the Arlington Theatre) yet? It was originally in the Loews' Jersey City Theatre. I think it started out as a IV/22 and has had several ranks added over the years.
My brother and I went to Loews Jersey City and seen the original Wonder Morton before it was sold and moved to CA. My brother played it for a tune or two. I don't know how much of it was working at the time but it wasn't very loud to my ear. Now they have obtained another Wonder Morton that is from what I have heard in playing condition. I saw the original organ two times, once when it was in a private residence and it was extremely loud and the second time it was being re-leathered awaiting installation.. The console just came back from someone who rebuilt it.
Wonderful organ! How did the get all that equipment in those chambers? Someone had to have a good eye for how it would all go back together!
Just went through Kansas City a few hours ago
Love this . . . thank you!
Just totally fabulous, thank you so much, so interesting and amazing! Love all your work Brett, please keep it up and keep going!!!! Cheers. Adrian in Bermuda ❤️❤️❤️
Cool 1926 Robert Morton Organ. Fun video.
As a tech and someone who has played and repaired a few organs in his life, I'm so curious how they built such a machine in 1926.
It's not like they had transistors and chips.
Hmm... I wonder if there's a "repair" video on this thing or one like it from that time period... hmmmm
Nice sounding theater organ! When was the last time they had it tuned?
Wow!!
Years ago, I obtained a Morton DD-note Kinura pipe.
The Robert Morton factory was near where I live in Van Nuys Los Angeles. Now it's a car dealership (what else?)
U could use those CV subs for a ad on 32 open wood digital stop
He didn’t explicitly say in the video, but IMO it was implied that they either are using them now for their electronic bass extensions, or at least plan to.
I’d be interested in hearing more examples of a saxophone stop on an organ. I have to admit I was more expecting the sound of the saxophone stop to be more akin to the sound of the posthorn.
There's another example at 24:40 on this video: th-cam.com/video/kBQdaJr_kMs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=uLIFc5keVfFWt-IH&t=1479
Sad to see that the Post Horn has no tremulant on what is a nice sounding instrument. Was that original that it didn't have a tremulant or a later decision?
Post Horns usually aren't on trem on most organs
@@buttersrow426 not in my experience. For the majority of original instruments I've played and worked on, the Post Horn/English Horn has been available with or without tremulant. It's usually a later modification - particularly in the US - where the Post Horn/English Horn is no longer available on trem. Originally it would have shared a tremulant with the Tuba, for instance. To me, it's vital that they should be available on trem.
Why would anyone in their right mind want a posthorn on trems?
@@karlrovey because the Post Horn/English Horn should not stick out over the ensemble. On a full ensemble it should still blend in with the overall sound. By having it on trem, it will blend in. By having it off trem it will stick out like a sore thumb. It depends on the sound you are after, but it should be available on trem.
Is that a ‘fan’ tremolo?
Theatre organs pretty much never use fan tremulants, because they don’t give a deep enough effect. Instead, the effect is done by pulsing the wind pressure.
If it weren't for the use of the trems, the majority of theater organs would never sound in tune. An unfortunately typical and messy installation.
That's complete and utter rubbish. What are you on?
@@OrganMusicYT to be fair, I can detect a few tuning infelicities and dead notes in this video. This organ could use some TLC, although I'm sure it's receiving it! The water damage in the Solo chamber obviously won't have helped and they're still repairing that...