Congregational Church
Beer - South Devon - UK
The OLDEST Wurlitzer in the UK!
These details of the organ have been prepared using the original information kindly supplied by Exeter Organ Consultants.
This instrument is extremely interesting historically because it was the very first one of its kind to be imported from America into Great Britain.
It was installed circa 1925 at The Picture House in Walsall, Staffordshire and had already seen some service in another cinema in Cleveland, Ohio USA. The organ was therefore dated as being manufactured between 1915/1919, but it was never possible to obtain confirmation of this from Wurlitzer at Tonawanda as the factory closed down just after these notes were originally compiled.
The organ comprises a single divided windchest of modified Roosevelt type with the designation D-500.
There are six ranks of pipes on the windchest, disposed either side of centre in descending pitch order. This is to minimise robbing of wind from adjacent pipes. There is a separate division of the chest for the Vox Humana rank which operates at a lower wind pressure than the other ranks (10" WG): the main wind pressure being 12".
There are off chest windchests for the pedal Tibia 16' (bass flute), the bass octave of the Strings, Diapason bass and the 16' Diaphones (bass Trumpet/Horn).
There are separate tremulants for the main and Vox Humana chests.
Unfortunately the percussion and toy counter division was removed and "lost" when the organ was installed in this church, since it was not considered necessary for church purposes. While this is understandable it was of course a short-sighted policy for such a historic instrument, and was also very sad.
Before the instrument was bought by the church it had been in a private residence, Dormston House Sedgely, Staffordshire after its removal from the cinema. It became available when that owner decided it was not big enough for his home needs!
It was installed in the church by the Sweetland Organ Company of Bath who evidently made a few mistakes when connecting up the thousands of wires, so that to some extent it has never been entirely satisfactory as the church records clearly show.
Over the years it has provided good service for accompaniment of church services, and many eminent organists visited regularly to see and play the organ. It is still also much visited by organ enthusiasts holidaying locally, and also by many residents of the West Midlands who knew it when it was in its original home.
In 1987 the organ had fallen into a state of disrepair, and although it received regular attention this had been inadequate and the church considered scrapping the instrument, faced with very large estimates for placing it in full working order.
In that year members of the Cinema Organ Society visited to play and, on discovering the situation, two members of COS offered look at the instrument to assess what needed to be done.
Although not an official COS project the two members who ran an organ consultancy, Exeter Organ Consultants, agreed to take on the task of necessary repairs and tuning on a purely voluntary and part-time basis.
Unfortunately it was soon discovered that there were more problems than was originally anticipated, therefore much more major work was required.
In 1988 a small team of local volunteers, under the guidance of Exeter Organ Consultants, removed all the pipes from the organ chamber upstairs to gain access to the action. Like most organs of this type there is very little room in the chamber for working but, after removal of the pipes, it became possible to overhaul the windchests which were found to be in remarkable condition but contained seventy years accumulation of dirt and dust!
Re-leathering, repairs and re-felting was done as necessary with some magnets being replaced and bellows being re-leathered etc. Only when the pipes were being re-installed was it discovered by accident that some of the original wiring had been connected incorrectly. That problem had also been complicated by several well-meaning organ builders and others over the years who had had a go at solving the problems, without success of course!
Exeter Organ Consultants were still trying to correct the wiring faults, and some of the damage done by others in their attempts to repair what they had perceived as the faults, when this short history was orginally written. The damage was mainly in the relay, which is almost inaccessible. This was another obvious installation error.
Anyone reading the details above would be inclined to think that the organ is in a rather parlous state,
but this is fortunately not the case in the musical sense.
From a player's point of view the instrument is in exceptionally good condition, apart from a few annoying squeaks and cyphers! It is the hidden inner workings which now demand much attention.
The Church is very conscious of the fact that it owns a musical ancient monument, so it is naturally keen to restore the Wurlitzer to its original condition and to preserve it for the generations to come.
To do this will cost several thousand pounds, so the Church held a most successful fundraising day on Saturday 7th June 2008. I was glad to be able to support the Church's efforts by performing a series of well attended concerts on the organ during the day
The organ was in a wonderful frame of mind for the concerts. It was almost as though the beast had been awoken from slumber by being called on to fulfill its original function. Perhaps part of the problem is its lack of being played in theatre style regularly? Who knows?
I have only received positive feedback so far with no criticisms, which is encouraging and is also good for my aging ego!
Many members of theatre organ clubs and groups were most helpful with coverage. I really appreciate that, and thank everyone concerned.
Representatives from Reading, Rye and Christchurch came along, so I hope there will be some positive feedback from them which will permeate throughout the organ world. My performance is not the issue: it is the organ itself which is what I am trying to promote.
We are now keen on the idea of setting up FOB (Friends of Beerwurly) similar to that which has already been done by Friends of Rye Wurlitzer, which by coincidence supports exactly the same model of organ.
These are still early days and there is also much more to be done, so we are naturally very keen to hear any suggestions on how to proceed.
We would be glad to hear from anyone who is interested in joining FOB, or would like to help or advise in any other way.
Please contact either Cynthia (Church Secretary) on (+44)01297 21824, or myself (Michael Cull) on (+44)01823 461094.
Your help and support will be invaluable and will also be greatly appreciated.
In the meantime we will be "earbashing" influential members of the local community and local media.
Berlin Melody.
Heino Gaze (1908 - 1967) was a German composer and lyricist.
The son of a lawyer he studied law in the 1920's/1930's and, following graduation, subsidised his income by playing piano in bars.
After the war he moved to Berlin and in 1945 took over as musical director in Berlin cabaret clubs. He also worked as house composer in some of these by writing Revues.
Since then he worked as a freelance composer/arranger, and wrote much music for films.hit. His popularity owes his many hit tunes, which he composed and arranged. In addition, he has numerous films for the music written, in addition, many of his hits sung in other films.
Jean Martyn plays the OLDEST Wurlitzer in UK!
During the 2008 February Lyme Bay Keyboard Experience Weekend an informal visit was made to the nearby village of Beer, Devon on 9th February to see and hear the oldest Wurlitzer pipe organ in the UK installed at the Beer Congregational Church. The organ was played by Elizabeth Harrison, Chris Powell, Matthew Bason, Ian Griffin and Jean Martyn who said she was particularly pleased to play the instrument that was previously installed at the Picture House at Walsall - the town where she went to school.
The players, and guests who went along with them, were made very welcome by the Church officials who provided tea and biscuits in the adjoining vestry.
It was installed circa 1925 at The Picture House in Walsall, Staffordshire and had already seen some service in another cinema in Cleveland, Ohio USA. The organ was therefore dated as being manufactured between 1915/1919, but it was never possible to obtain confirmation of this from Wurlitzer at Tonawanda as the factory closed down just after these notes were originally compiled.
The organ comprises a single divided windchest of modified Roosevelt type with the designation D-500.
There are six ranks of pipes on the windchest, disposed either side of centre in descending pitch order. This is to minimise robbing of wind from adjacent pipes. There is a separate division of the chest for the Vox Humana rank which operates at a lower wind pressure than the other ranks (10" WG): the main wind pressure being 12".
There are off chest windchests for the pedal Tibia 16' (bass flute), the bass octave of the Strings, Diapason bass and the 16' Diaphones (bass Trumpet/Horn). There are separate tremulants for the main and Vox Humana chests.
Unfortunately the percussion and toy counter division was removed and "lost" when the organ was installed in this church, since it was not considered necessary for church purposes. While this is understandable it was of course a short-sighted policy for such a historic instrument, and was also very sad.Before the instrument was bought by the church it had been in a private residence, Dormston House Sedgely, Staffordshire after its removal from the cinema. It became available when that owner decided it was not big enough for his home needs!
It was installed in the church by the Sweetland Organ Company of Bath who evidently made a few mistakes when connecting up the thousands of wires, so that to some extent it has never been entirely satisfactory as the church records clearly show.
Over the years it has provided good service for accompaniment of church services, and many eminent organists visited regularly to see and play the organ. It is still also much visited by organ enthusiasts holidaying locally, and also by many residents of the West Midlands who knew it when it was in its original home.
In 1987 the organ had fallen into a state of disrepair, and although it received regular attention this had been inadequate and the church considered scrapping the instrument, faced with very large estimates for placing it in full working order.
In that year members of the Cinema Organ Society visited to play and, on discovering the situation, two members of COS offered look at the instrument to assess what needed to be done.
Although not an official COS project the two members who ran an organ consultancy, Exeter Organ Consultants, agreed to take on the task of necessary repairs and tuning on a purely voluntary and part-time basis. Unfortunately it was soon discovered that there were more problems than was originally anticipated, therefore much more major work was required.
In 1988 a small team of local volunteers, under the guidance of Exeter Organ Consultants, removed all the pipes from the organ chamber upstairs to gain access to the action. Like most organs of this type there is very little room in the chamber for working but, after removal of the pipes, it became possible to overhaul the windchests which were found to be in remarkable condition but contained seventy years accumulation of dirt and dust!
Re-leathering, repairs and re-felting was done as necessary with some magnets being replaced and bellows being re-leathered etc. Only when the pipes were being re-installed was it discovered by accident that some of the original wiring had been connected incorrectly. That problem had also been complicated by several well-meaning organ builders and others over the years who had had a go at solving the problems, without success of course!
Exeter Organ Consultants were still trying to correct the wiring faults, and some of the damage done by others in their attempts to repair what they had perceived as the faults, when this short history was orginally written. The damage was mainly in the relay, which is almost inaccessible. This was another obvious installation error.
Anyone reading the details above would be inclined to think that the organ is in a rather parlous state, but this is fortunately not the case in the musical sense.
From a player's point of view the instrument is in exceptionally good condition, apart from a few annoying squeaks and cyphers! It is the hidden inner workings which now demand much attention.
The Church is very conscious of the fact that it owns a musical ancient monument, so it is naturally keen to restore the Wurlitzer to its original condition and to preserve it for the generations to come.
To do this will cost several thousand pounds, so the Church held a most successful fundraising day on Saturday 7th June 2008. I was glad to be able to support the Church's efforts by performing a series of well attended concerts on the organ during the day
The organ was in a wonderful frame of mind for the concerts. It was almost as though the beast had been awoken from slumber by being called on to fulfill its original function. Perhaps part of the problem is its lack of being played in theatre style regularly? Who knows?
I have only received positive feedback so far with no criticisms, which is encouraging and is also good for my aging ego!
Many members of theatre organ clubs and groups were most helpful with coverage. I really appreciate that, and thank everyone concerned.
Representatives from Reading, Rye and Christchurch came along, so I hope there will be some positive feedback from them which will permeate throughout the organ world. My performance is not the issue: it is the organ itself which is what I am trying to promote.
We are now keen on the idea of setting up FOB (Friends of Beerwurly) similar to that which has already been done by Friends of Rye Wurlitzer, which by coincidence supports exactly the same model of organ.
These are still early days and there is also much more to be done, so we are naturally very keen to hear any suggestions on how to proceed.
We would be glad to hear from anyone who is interested in joining FOB, or would like to help or advise in any other way.
Please contact either Cynthia (Church Secretary) on (+44)01297 21824, or myself (Michael Cull) on (+44)01823 461094.
Your help and support will be invaluable and will also be greatly appreciated.
In the meantime we will be "earbashing" influential members of the local community and local media.
Berlin Melody. |
Jean Martyn plays the OLDEST Wurlitzer in UK!
|
