ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

From: Jon Ortloff, December 2005

The Strand Theatre in Plattsburgh, NY has been purchased by the North Country Cultural Center for the Arts with the intent to turn it into a performing arts center. Fundraising is well on its way, with approx. 2.5 million already raised out of a need 5-6. The director of the center asked me two years ago to find a theatre organ to install in the (very small) existing chambers.

The organ is Wurlitzer opus 970, a Style F three manual, with several additions. It is in a private residence in Massachussets, and has been dontated to the project. Because of the structure of the organization, funds for the organ restoration will have to be raised separately. A style 260 (modified, and with no 32, certainly) had been installed previously in the theatre by Dick Weber - a Readers Digest recording was released on the organ. When the Webers moved from Plattsburgh, the theatre was sold, and the organ moved to Georgia with them. It was then parted out.

The fundraising for the organ project is just getting underway, with the movie being the first major project. From: Jon Ortloff, June 2006

The Strand's restoration is already under restoration, with much of the interior gutted of all non-original features. We now have to take out a bunch of asbestos, and can then begin restorative work to the 1000-seat auditorium.

As for the organ, as I think I've mentioned on the list before, it is a Wurlitzer F special, 3/8, Opus 970. It is currently in the home of Leonard Johnson in Hingham, MA. On monday (19/6/06), and volunteer crew is driving to Hingham to dissemble and pack the organ, returning to Plattsburgh by the end of the week, when the organ will go into storage, and the restoration will begin.

The theatre is nowhere near ready to have an organ put in, so clearly installation will have to wait until the major work in the theatre is done. We have been working closely with the architect on the job to assure allowance for all organ mechanism - a great opportunity to get the job done correctly from the beginning.

 

Wurlitzer Opus 970, 1924          
Style F Special - 3/8            
             
Great   Becomes Additions   Ranks Pipes  
16 Ophicleide       16´ Tuba 85  
16 Bass       16´ Diapason 85  
16 Bourdon 16 Tibia     16´ Flute 97  
8 Tuba Horn       8´ Tibia Clausa 73 Will be 85 with 2´ Extension, playable only from Z-Tronics relay
8 Open Diapason       8´ Clarinet 61  
8 Tibia Clausa       8´ Violin 73  
8 Clarinet       8´ Violin Celeste 61  
8 Violin       8´ Vox Humana 61  
8 Violin Celeste            
8 Flute       Pistons    
8 Vox Humana       Solo 6  
4 Clarion 5 1/3 Tibia     Great 10  
4 Octave       Accompaniment 10  
4 Tibia Clausa       Pedal 3  
4 Violin            
4 Violin Celeste       Effects    
4 Flute       Klaxon    
2 2/3 Twelfth (Flute) 2 2/3 Tibia     Fire Gong    
2    Fifteenth       Steamboat Whistle I'm not sure of these - they were removed,
2 Piccolo (Flute) 2 Tibia     Horse Hoofs   and no mention of the specific effects is
1 3/5 Tierce (Flute) 1 3/5 Tibia     Surf   anywhere on the organ (so far)
Xylophone       Bird    
Glockenspiel       Siren    
Chrysoglott       Door Bell    
Sleigh Bells            
Cathedral Chimes       Tremulants    
    Great Sub   Main    
    Great Super   Tuba    
        Tibia    
Great 2nd Touch       Vox    
16 Ophicleide            
8 Tibia Clausa       Piano Pedals    
8 Clarinet       Snare Roll/Bass, Cymbal Crash
        SFZ Wind/SFZ Everything  
Pedal              
16 Ophicleide       Balanced Pedals    
16 Bass       Main    
16 Bourdon       Solo    
8 Tuba Horn       Note - no crescendo  
8 Open Diapason            
8 Tibia Clausa            
8 Clarinet            
8 Cello            
8 Flute            
4 Flute            
Bass Drum            
Kettle Drum            
Cymbal            
Crash Cymbal            
             
             
Accompaniment            
16 Contra Viole (tc)            
16 Vox Humana (tc)            
8 Tuba Horn            
8 Open Diapason            
8 Tibia Clausa            
8 Clarinet            
8 Violin            
8 Violin Celeste            
8 Flute            
8 Vox Humana            
4 Piccolo            
4 Violin            
4 Violin Celeste            
4 Flute            
4 Vox Humana            
2 2/3 Twelfth (Flute)            
2 Flute            
Chrysoglott            
Snare Drum            
Tom Tom            
Castanets            
Tambourine            
Chinese Block            
             
Accompaniment Second Touch          
8 Tuba Horn            
8 Open Diapason            
8 Clarinet            
Cathedral Chimes            
Xylophone            
Triangle            
             
Solo              
16 Ophicleide            
8 Tuba Horn            
8 Open Diapason            
8 Tibia Clausa            
8 Clarinet   Small Solo -BOOO      
4 Clarion            
4 Piccolo            
Xylophone            
Glockenspiel            
Cathedral Chimes            

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