ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
From: Scott F. Foppiano, June 2008
I grew up on that WurliTzer and my writing here is based on first hand experience I had playing it in the Summer of 2004, but THIS Wurlitzer was the first theatre pipe organ that I ever saw and heard. I grew up playing that organ.
As of Summer 2004 it is/was in VERY SAD condition. Dead notes everywhere, it doesn't sound like it's been
tuned in 25 years, the trems and winding are off,
there is (still) no combination action. An ancient
solid state system was installed in the mid 1980's, the console completely gutted
of course at the time, and now even it (the combination action) doesn't work.
I know that John Hiltonsmith has/had
been "maintaining" it for many years, as was he the Saenger in New Orleans, long
after the days of my friend the late Bill Oberg and Marlin Mackley before him.
(I shall not go beyond the word "maintaining" as I wrote above, and to be honest- what I saw and heard does not even deserve that title sadly).
It was through Vincent Astor in 1978 and then Bill that
I was allowed to go in and discover the wonderful world of theatre pipe organ.
In fact my 8th grade yearbook has a photo of me at that console as I won the "Most Musical" award that year.
Other Hall of Fame winners' photos were also taken in and around the Orpheum that day thanks to Vincent letting us in and allowing us to wander around for the perfect Kodak Moment spots.
Had I stayed in Memphis, I had begun the steps of forming a "Bluff City" chapter of the ATOS, with the hopes of restoring and getting that organ not only in proper playing condition, but also getting the theatre management behind it as well and getting it USED more.
The organ is only used for the summer movie series now apparently - and then for only 10 minutes or something ridiculous like that. When I subbed for John that evening in 2004 I said I would play it but for no less than 30 minutes as it NEEDED to be seen and heard!
When they restored the Orpheum years ago (and a GORGEOUS restoration it is - I still say the Memphis Orpheum is perhaps the most beautiful remaining original movie palace in the US today, no doubt at least in the top 5) they expanded the stage, opened up the shops on either side of the then rather restricted "grand" lobby space and this and that to make $$$ for the theatre. The theatre itsels is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS in every single respect- it IS something to see and walk through - it's incredible!
They (whoever) did a decent cosmetic job on the console, I wouldn't exactly call it Carlton Smith quality, and they put the console on a band-cart type of platform so that it could be wheeled on and off its original Peter Clark lift- which is still there. They put a beautiful glass music rack in the original frame and had "WurliTzer" etched into it British style, in a crescent. It looks VERY nice. It even still has its original Howard Wonder Organ Seat, repadded and re-fringed, the same one used by Milton Slosser when he played there in alternation with the St. Louis Ambassador. It, too, sits very well and looks great.
BUT - to play it and hear this historic and very important organ is another story all together. Getting the theatre behind it (read: Mr. Pat Halloran, who DID save the theatre from the wrecking ball in the late 70's) will probably take an act of congress and a Papal dispensation. Of course, it makes noise- therefore it's fine. Could a concert or a GOOD overture be musically and artistically played on it? Absolutely not. When I played my one and only overture there in Summer 2004 I walked out afterward in great despair because it has slipped SO badly. The last time I played it previous to that was in high school in the mid 80's and it ALL worked, in fact it ROARED in that house. Rapp and Rapp really knew how to build theatres with good acoustics and where the organs' sound egress was at its maximum potential. This theatre is no exception and is, in fact, a sister to the Riverside (formerly Orpheum) in Milwaukee though much more ornate. It is nothing short of a grand opera house in every respect!
See: www.orpheum-memphis.com
A gorgeous theatre and a very nice website, but I do not recall one word about the organ, or anything beyond maybe a sentence.
I can't say anymore than this as I have not been back. I did vow to myself that night that I would not return to play it until at least some tuning and regulation work had been done. It was that bad, and that sad actually. The other REALLY STUPID thing that was done was that the pit access to the console is now no more. One has to climb down into it from main floor level on very temporary-looking wooden slats, fashioned into a crude ladder type of arrangement, that have been nailed to the extreme left corner of the pit by the console. Also, there is a 16' Open Wood Diapason rank somewhere in there that was INTENDED to be hooked up decades ago. If anything, the 12-pipe extension of the Tibia for the Pedal, an English Horn rank and expanded unification would really make that organ cook. Even if totally RESTORED to its original spec and condition (pistons and all) it would still be one hell of a good organ, not to mention an EXTREMELY IMPORTANT historical reference instrument of how they truly were "back then." Yes, i'ts ALL there and it's ALL intact thank God- even the glass-encased relays are still there on the left side in the lower chamber.
WHAT'S THIS? You ask........well, the Orpheum was originally supposed to have a 4-manual Publix, 20 or 21 ranks, but I had always HEARD that it was supposed to be a deluxe 21-ranker. The four chambers ARE there as planned, but only two were used as it was shipped so late and talkies were already eminent and, of course, budgetary restraints. But the Orpheum was always a deluxe and very important house- especially because of its port location on the Mississippi River and its proximity to other big cities with such theatres.
Obviously- though the organ is there, it's nothing more than a nostalgic fixture right now. Very sad considering what it could be.
Interestingly- THIS is the organ that was delivered and the crates places in the stage in reverse order. The console is in the left side of the pit (stage right), with the Solo above it instead of on the right as is traditional. The Main chamber instead is on the house right side. But in the room and especially in the balcony, it absolutely roars for 13 ranks in a 2500 seat house! The only change that I know of, and it has been this way since the very first time I saw and played it in 1978, is that the Solo to Great coupler has been changed into a Great 4' super coupler. And it IS useful, especially on "the big stuff." The organ truly does sound much beigger than it is.
I just hope that one day someone somewhere gets to management, gets funding to properly get the combination action going and get that organ up and playing as it should be.
Having grown up there and having such a love for that theatre and its organ in my heart, I would do whatever I could to benefit and help that cause- believe me!