ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
From: David Billmire, July 2006
The Emery Wurli originally from the Albee in Cincinnati a 260 special 3-19
with second tibia and vox, open diapason and Tuba mirabilis was removed from
the Emery about 4 or 5 years ago when the theatre was closed and building
was renovated. While the theater is still there it is in total disrepair.
Attempts have been made to install in a local college which fell through
when the economy relapsed a few years ago.
Recently we have been trying to
put it in a local arts center. We have the strange situation of having
found an "angel" who will fund the restoration, but are having trouble
finding a place to put it. We should know shortly about our recent attempt.
The organ has been respeced back to more its original size plus an added
classical division.
From: Tim Jones, July 2007
I just found out today that the Wurlitzer formerly installed in the Albee Theatre and
Emery Theatre will be installed in the Cincinnati Music Hall Ballroom.
After eight years of uncertainty, let's hope that all goes well!
BTW, the organ will be enlarged to 31 ranks, restored by Ron Wehmeier, and should premiere on Christmas Eve 2009.
From: David Billmire, July 2007
At it's peak in the Emery theatre the organ had about 29 ranks and included a number of questionable additions.
All these additions with the exception of the posthorn will be removed (back to 3-19 + posthorn)
I believe a set of Wurlitzer Salicionals and a Wurlitzer solo string (celeste) will be added (3/23).
The "classical division (8 ranks)" was added at the request of the performing arts folks to allow the organ to
play with the chamber orchestra and other classical efforts if necessary.
The "unique" winding and tremulant set up which was responsible for a lot of the criticism of the organ
will be put back to Wurlitzer standards (with appropriate additional regulators as necessary).
The orginal relay is in very poor shape. It ran the last 25 years on static pressure on the mistaken
belief that "it would be faster".
Multiple contacts are broken, switches corrod ed etc. The organ spec was changed to accommodate the new
additions, but was not modernized. With the shape of the relay, the need to modernize the specification, the need for a
record-play back system and for a flexible combination system like it or not a Rickman relay was specified.
The console because of its location will have to movable again we don't have an easy choice.
So tonally we are trying to return it to its Wurlizer roots with the exception of the classical
division--which was the price of admission.