ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

From: Walter Strony, June. 1999

Opus 2171 originally in the Paramount Theatre, Glen Falls NY is currently the basis for a larger instrument in the Vince and Pat Aveni Residence in Cleveland OH.

From: Doug, November 1999

The Balabon 1-a I rebuilt was about like this:

Tuba Horn 16 - 4 15"wp
Open Diapason 16 - 4 10"wp
Solo Tibia Clausa 8 - 2 15" wp (we revoiced it on 12" - sounds better) -
This deserves a little more description...it was obviously (we think) a very late tibia and was pretty hard sounding - after a LOT of voicing work, reregulation (about 4 different times) we finally got a nice, sweet tibia. We eventually replaced the 20x30 regulator with a much larger one, increased the feed windline to 8" and experimented with weights, springs, etc till the cows came home (well, sorta) - but it sounds very nice now
Clarinet 8' 10wp
Orch Oboe 8' 10"
Kinura 8' 10"
Salicional 8 - 4 10"wp
Violin (not d' orchestra) 8 - 2 10"
Violin Cel (not d' orchestra) 8 - 4 10" was factory voiced a bit softer, but same pipes
Concert Flute 16' - 2' 10"
Vox Humana 8' 6"

The usual toy counter, traps, etc... nothing out of the ordinary.. all were originally on 12" as were the shades and the console.

Tuned Sleigh Bells 25 n - 12" (now on 10")
Glock - 37n 12" (is now on 10")
Xylo - 37n 12" (now on 10")
Wood Harp - Marimba 49n starting at ten c... 12"
Chrysoglott - virbraharp (Yes - it had a vibraharp - sounds gorgeous! - especially since we rebuilt it and replaced the original air motor with a solid state system) 12"
No piano

Now, having said all that... I have heard from fairly experienced theatre organ buffs that some of these very late organs had pieces parts "thrown" into them from the shelves - parts that may have been laying around for some years. The suggestion was that the clarinet and tuba, for instance, may have been VERY olld (like maybe WWI vintage!) That may be true, but I think some of the odd pieces of this organ were due to the fact that the depression was roaring on, orders for organs in the US were just about dead, and they found ways to cut corners. Don't have any proof - just a hunch.

I believe this organ was the THIRD to last to be installed in a theatre in the U.S. The next two went to RCMH. The shipment date was late December, 1931.

This organ had (has) primarly-less chests that when properly regulated work just fine, but one needs to watch the adjustments. It makes a big difference in the chest responsiveness.

A few interesting tidbits...

1) The offset 8' tibia had three chests - two 5 note chests, and one 4-note chest for a total of 14 offset rather than the usual 12.

2) The marimba resonators were painted black rather than nickel plated

3) the clarinet and tuba resonators from 8' up were the rolled linen lead rather than hoyt metal. The clarinet needed a lot of voicing work to get it to sound like a clarinet.. the rest of the organ was pretty stock stuff

4) the console (like all Balabons) has that rather wide horseshoe curve to it - allows more stops to be put on it for sure! It's a French Style - needed professional refinishing and I had to completely rewire, new contacts, leather, new backboard, added pistons, etc etc.

The original console is now long gone to an individual in Michigan, I believe... and the original organ is still completely intact (except for the 4' tuba clarion - sorry), but is now surrounded by 29 other ranks (soon to be 48 more ranks - yes, I said 48 MORE!) and more percussions and a new replica 4m Wurlitzer console (copied from the NY Brooklyn Paramount - now LIU by Ken Crome) If you are interested, you can visit a web site (that includes the original console all dressed up) that shows it off at:

http://theatreorgans.com/ohio/cleveland/440/console1.htm

Doug

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