Eastern Pipes

The Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society Celebrating 50 Years of Service in 2006

- April 2006 -

Pipe Organ Pops > EMCATOS < Silents in the House

EMCATOS – 2006 “GOING for the GOLD”

With So Much to Be Thankful for …

Well, we’re almost to the end of a very busy concert season. This may be the time to reflect on what the past year has brought to EMCATOS.

• Our public has enjoyed two great silent films and two great concerts. • We have made plans to install a video camera over the console so that our artist’s busy hands

and feet can be better seen and appreciated by the audience. (Plans are on hold until early next fall because of renovations to Knight Auditorium.) The camera will be installed for our regional convention.

• Our beloved Wurlitzer has been revoiced and regulated by Clark Wilson and John Struve with much help from Don Phipps, Dick Hill, Lawrie Rhoads, and Roger Austin. If you haven’t heard our “reborn” Wurlitzer you won’t believe the difference. It’s as if someone removed a wet blanket from the chamber openings. Our baby now sings!

• As of this writing we have two great Ron Rhode concerts to look forward to. • Plans are almost finalized for our second regional convention to be held next fall. (November

3,4,5, with an afterglow on November 6 in Portland, Maine. We trust that most, if not all of our members will register and attend.

• Phil Kelsall has been booked for a “Double-Header Weekend” in May of 2007 • If all goes well, our own John Cook will make a triumphant return to Babson for our “Young

Organist Concert” next January. Another cause for thanks and appreciation is the generosity of our members. Charlie Briggs generously sponsored Rich Lewis’ concert at Babson in January and will also sponsor Mark Herman’s appearance at our fiftieth birthday party to be held on Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 2:00 PM at Babson. The event will feature a full concert by Mark, one of theatre organ’s rising young stars, refreshments, birthday cake and the good fellowship that marks any EMCATOS event. Friends and relatives are invited. There is no admission charge but a snack for the refreshment table would be appreciated. We should all be thankful for the spirit and caring of all of our membership. Revoicing and regulating the Wurlitzer has been partially covered by the generosity of two members. Furthermore, one of our members will match any donations up to a thousand dollars. Your donations would be money well spent and they’re completely tax-deductible. Just contact me if you have any questions. Matching donations will help make sure that our Wurlitzer will sound good for years to come. We’re also looking for folks to help at the registration table for the regional convention. Just contact me (Bob) if you’d be available to help. Many of you will be contacted and asked to serve in the areas of interest indicated on your membership renewal forms. Hopefully, we’ll see all of you at one or both of the Ron Rhode concerts and the birthday party. If not, have a happy and healthy summer season. Be safe.

Bob Evans, President

> There will be no Social on May 7. < Instead, don’t miss the EMCATOS 50th Anniversary Birthday Party featuring the

artistry of Mark Herman at Babson on Sunday, May 14 at 2:00 PM!

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You’re Invited to a Birthday Party! EMCATOS

Is Celebrating Its 50th Birthday!

There’ll be a bunch of great refreshments and a chance to make new friends and renew old friendships. But more importantly, you’ll enjoy the chance to hear our newly voiced and regulated Wurlitzer, done by none other than Clark Wilson (Our Baby Has Been Reborn!),

in a full concert by rising theatre organ star, Mark Herman !

Admission is free; just bring yourselves (well, bringing a non-sweet munchie type snack might be nice…)

Sunday, May 14, 2006, 2:00 PM, Knight Auditorium, Babson College, Wellesley, MA

We hope to see all of you at this celebration of EMCATOS’ 50 years of service and preservation.

Mark Herman was born on August 25, 1987,

and currently lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has been studying the piano since he was seven years old and started classical organ lessons at age 12.

Mark’s first introduction to the theatre organ was when he was in fourth grade and was at the Embassy Theatre. This was made possible by Bob Goldstine and the local AGO’s “Room on the Organ Bench” program. He has been studying theatre organ with John Ferguson of Indianapolis for five years and piano with Christine Freeman at IPFW for the past six years.

In the summer of 2003, Mark was given the opportunity to play a cameo performance at the American Theatre Organ Society’s annual convention in Oakland, California. The following year, he won the ATOS Young Theatre Organist Competition in Milwaukee at the Riverside Theatre. Most recently, he performed a successful concert for the ATOS 50th Anniversary Convention in Pasadena, which took place earlier past July. Mark is also still involved heavily with the Embassy Theatre. He is one of the volunteer pianists and organists and serves on the Embassy Organ Committee and the Embassy Organ Crew.

Mark is currently a senior at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne. In addition to playing the organ, he is an avid pianist and loves to compose original music. Mark feels special gratitude towards his wonderful parents, Ron and Andrea, who have supported him from the beginning.

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A Letter from Stu Hinchliffe to Bob Evans and EMCATOS January 12, 2006

Dear Bob,

You might call it “slow response time.” After you’ve been reacting to unexpected surprises for close to ninety years, your “reaction time” has a way of slowing down. Now and then a discreet reminder from one’s more sensitive wife-mate can serve to revive one’s dormant thoughtfulness and sense of gratitude.

I had been entirely unsuspecting when Rita and I arrived at the Shanklin Music Hall on December 4. I could never have imagined that one of the most memorable events of my long life had been set in motion for me by several of my theatre organ friends. It would never have entered my mind that Stan and I had been chosen to join the special group whose only previous members had been two of the most respected and fondly regarded gentlemen this chapter has ever been privileged to know and work with.

For once, I found myself totally at a loss for words. I will treasure this honor for as long as I may live, even while being somewhat embarrassed by it all. I’m not really certain just how many of my friends may have been involved in this presentation, but the warmth I sensed from some of those around me led me to feel that I owe quite a few “thank-yous.” Perhaps if this note were to appear in our recently “re-born” PIPES it might help to convey my sincere gratitude to those kind and wonderful folks.

I had been pleased to find that I would share this occasion with one of my oldest (!) fellow member and worker friends - - Stan Garniss. Most of all, the fact that Stan and I had been chosen to sit on the same bench with the likes of Clayt Stone and Bob Herterich is, in itself, a wonderfully high point in both our lives. We are truly grateful!

Stu

From Eastern Pipes, December 1975 (Stu Hinchliffe, Editor) Christmas Week with the Babson Wurlitzer

Dec. 22 – 23 – 24 – 25 6:30 PM WGBH-FM 89.7 on the dial Len Beyersdorfer, organist.

From Eastern Pipes, January 1978 (Stu Hinchliffe, Editor; J. Paul Chavanne, Assoc. Editor; William Carpenter, Publisher)

THE SOUNDS OF TWO THEATRE ORGANS by Bob Legon

As a local organist who has played and listened to many theatre organs for 22 years, you become aware of the differences between each theatre organ and its overall sound and playing qualities. In the case of Babson versus Stoneham, we have Wurlitzer in two of three different moods; early, late, and special models.

The early Wurlitzers, which would include our Babson organ, Mr. Shanklin’s, and portions of the Stoneham organ, are characterized by much emphasis on orchestral colors, particularly in reeds and strings. The tibia; while a solo stop, does not predominate the ensemble. The late Wurlitzers, including the New York Paramount 4/36, the Met Boston 4/26, the Savoy 3/20, the Boston Paramount 3/14, and the late Ray Hart's ex Nyack Wurlitzer, are characterized by much greater emphasis of the tibia in much larger scales and

greater presence of upper structure – 2-2/3', 2', etc. Also a tendency for lushness is more evident. All of this is not saying one organ is better or worse than another. Mr. Shanklin's and Ray Hart's organs are examples of almost the same size Wurlitzer, yet the difference is only in Wurlitzer's approach to the two periods of major tonal thinking; 1921 to 1926, and 1926 to 1930, in that order. The third area for Wurlitzer is its special models or standard specs to which additions were made at the request of organist or theatre. Our Loew's State-Babson Wurlitzer is a stock special in that it starts as a standard Style 235 model with 3 manuals/11 ranks, such as the Springfield Paramount. Then two more ranks were added to make it 3/13. The Salem Paramount was listed as a Balaban Special, which was really a Style 260, 3 manuals/15 ranks. The standard 260 came with a 32' diaphone. The Balaban didn't. The Balabans were simply stock specifications, which were complemented. with full

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couplers 16' and 4' on the Great manual and all voicing patterned after the New York Paramount 4/36 sound. Not the same size, but rather the same results.

Our Babson 3/13 represents Wurlitzer uninfluenced by Crawford in its original specification. Proof is that 16' tabs were not originally available on its tibia. Tibia 16' and 8' and 4' is the most basic Crawford combination.

Our organ lacked this in its former design. It also shows its pre-1926 sound by less brilliance in its upper structure, particularly the tibia top. Much emphasis is placed on the orchestral voices rather than just the tibia. The additions, if done correctly. should complement this but won't be able to hide the early Wurlitzer quality. This is because the later Wurlitzers used larger scales in their pipe diameters. In other words, our Wurlitzer seems to be more like the Chicago Wurlitzer in its pre-1926 sound.

The Stoneham organ is a very special Wurlitzer indeed. The overall ensemble is very different from most Wurlitzers because it was designed to behave as an E.M. Skinner

organ. According to Stan Cahoon, this was because the late Frank Cronin wasn't partial to Wurlitzers. When this organ was redesigned, Cronin directed Wurlitzer to come as close to Skinner as they could. The result is this organ's ability to behave even as a good liturgical organ. This was because Frank was a true symphonic style theatre organist and proved that traditional organ tone as opposed to theatre tone could be made just as listenable. Proof is in the WNAC Skinner 4/36 that followed the Wurlitzer. This is the true difference between the Babson and Stoneham Wurlitzers, that our Babson organ is Wurlitzer in its early period as a true "theatre" organ, and the Stoneham is a Wurlitzer intended to sound like a Skinner. The Stoneham organ, by the way, was brought up to the tonal sound it had at WNAC by the late Izzy Gilman and Stan Cahoon. In playing the two organs, we have 2 manuals /14 ranks at Stoneham, and 3 manuals/13 ranks at Babson. In a way, you have to work harder with two manuals and this really challenges the organist. You use the combination action to make up for the extra manual, as well as second touch. Town

Hall has somewhat better reverberation due to hard surfaces. Knight auditorium could have this with different ceiling treatmen. Stoneham's sound is much further away from the console at center. Not so at Babson. The organist, when in raised position, has the advantage of front row center placement. Plus the chambers are in effect free standing since stage and back wall act as a giant megaphone and mixing area. Any harshness can be overcome by good regulation and proper tremulant adjustments. In the best installations, center console placement is best for proper response to the organist. At Stoneham we also have all couplers 16' and 4' working. This greatly "brings out" the full ensemble, as the stop tabs themselves cannot completely do. When our Babson Wurlitzer's 16' and 4' couplers on the Great manual are finally activated you will hear a dramatic difference in the ensemble of 13 ranks. This was done at Lakeview Church and made the entire organ leap out of the chambers due to the massive upper brilliance. This is the best way to alter an existing organ without adding or changing one rank of pipes. Of course, anything that is intelligently added will certainly benefit by this valuable addition. Whether you have 2 or 5 manuals or 5 or 50 ranks doesn't matter; it's how you can best use them to make music better: There's even a science of listening to the various theatre organs. When I attend a concert I always try to sit away from the loudest stop. Examples: At Stoneham the post horn is in the left chamber, so I sit on the right about 10 rows back from the front. This is so I can get a good balance to my ears. At Babson, I sit on the left about 5 or 10 rows back because the right chamber is the louder of the two. Where I sit is not according to availability, but to sound balance. In Radio City Music Hall I sit absolutely center, 15 rows back, due to the great distance of the chambers. Many people sit in the balcony at Stoneham or in theatres as only true theatre organ lovers do. If you sit right in front of the post horn, hold on to your hat! All of this may seem unimportant, but it is very necessary if one is to hear all the tones clearly. It also applies to pipe placement, and home organs too. If you move one inch you will change the overall effect of the sound you hear. In the same way, if you move your home organ console one inch the same will happen. In a self-contained home organ, have a space of about 5 inches between the back and a flat wall. It is preferable that it be placed at an uneven angle to a corner. Pipe organs use the whole room as their sounding board. #####

This is a current (2006) advertisement!

FOR SALE- Conn organ, two manual plus keyboard. Best offer over $100.00.

Call Vanessa Hodge at 978-369-8051.

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~ EMCATOS CLOSING CHORD ~

MIGELL, Bruce — of Newton, January 21, 2006. Beloved husband of Alice E.(Anderson) Migell. Devoted father of Andrew Migell and his Wife Dr. Kai Sun of Waltham, Keith Migell of Watertown, Brian Migell and his wife Lucy of Newton and Jacqueline Migell of CA. Loving grandfather of Regina Migell, Dear brother of the late Dorothy Jacobson. Services at Trinity Episcopal Church, 11 Homer St., Newton Centre on Saturday, January, 28 at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours in the Mt. Auburn Chapel of the Giragosian Funeral Home, 576 Mt. Auburn St., WATERTOWN on Friday 4-8 p.m. Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Mass. Humane Society, 319 Longwood Ave., Ste. 5, Boston, MA 02115 or Nemours Partnership for Children's Health, 252 Chapman Rd., Suite 100, Newark, DE 19702. Interment Newton Cemetery, Newton. Owner and President of Atlantic Battery Co. of Watertown, Sgt., Ancient & Honorable Artillery Co. of Mass., Mass. Charitable Mechanics Assoc., 1st Corps of Cadets, North Medford Track Club, BAA, Trustee of Watertown Savings Bank, and former member of the Watertown Rotary Club.

Dennis L. Shaw. . . of Westford, served in British Navy in WWII; 82

WESTFORD — Dennis L. Shaw, 82, of Westford, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2006 in Boston. He was the beloved husband of Jeannette (Devlin) Shaw, with whom he would have celebrated their 44th year of marriage on March 29.

He was born on May 22, 1923 in High Wycombe, England, a son of the late George H. and Constance M. (Smith) Shaw. He grew up in England, and served in the British Royal Navy during World War II.

He immigrated to the United States in 1968. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Shaw worked as an electrical engineer for several companies. In his leisure time, he loved to travel, play the organ, make clocks, Tiffany lamps, and was an avid model railroader. Besides his wife; he is survived by his daughter and her husband, Deborah and Michael Flynn of Tyngsboro; a son and his

wife, Lawrence and Anne Shaw of Bexhill-on-Sea, England; three grandchildren, Evan Flynn and Jordan Flynn of Tyngsboro and Joseph Shaw of Bexhill-on-Sea, England; and two brothers and their wives, Stephen and Barbara Shaw of Wales, and Victor and Sue Shaw of England.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Upcoming Events

Wednesday, April 12, 12:00 PM Providence Performing Arts Center, Wonders of the Wurlitzer Patrick Aiken

Wednesday, April 19, 12:00 PM Providence Performing Arts Center, Wonders of the Wurlitzer Linda & Jim Duncan

Wednesday, April 26, 12:00 PM Providence Performing Arts Center, Wonders of the Wurlitzer Jack Cook with vocalist

Saturday, April 29, 7:30 PM EMCATOS Concert: Pipe Organ Pops presents the phenomenal Ron Rhode at the Mighty EMCATOS Wurlitzer, Babson College.

Sunday,April 30, 2:30 PM EMCATOS Concert: Pipe Organ Pops presents the phenomenal Ron Rhode at the awesome Shanklin Music Hall Mighty Wurlitzer.

Monday, May 8, 12:00 PM Providence Performing Arts Center, Wonders of the Wurlitzer Len Beyersdorfer

Sunday, May 14, 2:00 PM EMCATOS 50th Birthday Party at Babson featuring Mark Herman

Monday, May 15, 12:00 PM Providence Performing Arts Center, Wonders of the Wurlitzer Bob Legon with silent movie.

Wednesday, May 24, 10:00 AM Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre, Woonsocket, RI Jack Cook – Patriotic music & songs in honor of our veterans

May 24 – May 30 ATOS National Convention 2006, Tampa, FL www.atosconvention.org

June 27 - July 1

Theatre Historical Society of America 2006 Boston Conclave and Theatre Tour

Contact Robert Stinson, 801-391-8381, mastbaum1929@hotmail.com, or visit www.historictheatres.org for more information.

November 3 – November 6 EMCATOS “Going for the Gold”

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“This’ll Make You Whistle”

The Incomparable

Ron Rhode at the Mighty Wurlitzers

Playing the Songs You Love at two entirely different Theatre Pipe Organ events!

(See Upcoming Events above.)

Notices Advance EMCATOS ticket sales are administered by Sally Evans. Please direct ticket orders and queries, including our

special group rates, to Pipe Organ Pops, 798 Old Warren Road, Swansea, MA 02777-4314, or send email to Tickets@EMCATOS.com, or call Sally at 508-674-0276.

The Eastern Pipes is published periodically by the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, Inc. (EMCATOS) for our members & friends;

Editors: Bob Evans & Len Beyersdorfer; Printing: Dave Hawkins; Distribution: Carolyn Wilcox. We invite you to send your own contributions to the Eastern Pipes (or our Web Site)

via email to WebMaster@EMCATOS.com, or via postal mail to EMCATOS, PO Box 356, Marlborough, MA 01752. And please visit us online at www.EMCATOS.com.