I believe most of us in the world of the theatre pipe organ have a very strong leaning toward “the real thing,” i.e. theatre PIPE organs, and with good reason. There is nothing quite like that sound. Especially if it’s a BIG theatre organ in a BIG room. We are blessed with two of the best down here in the South: Mighty Mo at the Atlanta Fox, and Big Bertha at the Alabama Theatre.
But over the past 25 years, some amazing technological advances have helped create some really outstanding digital theatre organs. The Allen Organ Company and Walker Technical produce outstanding examples of sounds via speakers instead of pipes that are wonderfully satisfying to play. And the new “sampled” instruments by Hauptwerk and others can also be quite good.
I’ve recorded both the Allen GW 4 and a great 4-manual Walker in the past, and while I certainly lean toward a preference for pipes, I have enjoyed playing some fine digital instruments, including a fine Allen at the Strand Theatre in Marietta, GA; and a Lyn Larsen model at the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta; and a chance to play at a few hockey games on that massive 5-manual Walker at the arena in downtown Tampa.
There are those who completely dismiss the digitals. And yet, those are often the organs people hear before they get to hear the “real thing,” and so I say, “God bless the digitals as they promote the music of the theatre organ to a new audience.”
This leads me to an upcoming Oct. 2nd concert date at the marvelous Bill Heard Theatre at RiverCenter in Columbus, GA. This magnificent 2200-seat house (google Bill Heard Theatre for a look), reminiscent of the “movie palace” style with amazing acoustics for a theatre opened in 2003, is the proud new home of an Allen GW 4.
I will have the great fortune to premiere this instrument in concert on October 2nd, and make a wonderful woman very happy. The organ was donated to our Atlanta Chapter of ATOS by Dr. Marie Jureit-Beamish, whose late husband Cal Jureit was a theatre organ mainstay in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. His beloved organ has found a fantastic new home, and indeed, God bless the digitals, and the donors, too, who now will introduce our art form to a new audience in southwest Georgia.
Thanks, too, to Norm Easterbrook, Executive Director of RiverCenter (which is three theatres under one roof!) as Norm is a big fan dating to his days running the Rylander Theatre in Americus, GA, and falling in love with its 3 manual Möller theatre organ.
It’s always fun to play “the opening, dedication” concerts, and this one will be fantastic.