SUNDERLAND THEATRE ORGAN PRESERVATION SOCIETY
The next concert at Ryhope Community Centre features
David Warner
at the console on Sunday 7th September at 2.30pm.
David was born in Bedfordshire in 1960 and started playing the piano at the age of nine. he became interested in the theatre organ after a family holiday to Blackpool which included a visit to hear the famous Tower Ballroom "Wulitzer". David is heavily involved with the Cinema Organ Society and is a popular organist on the circuit, playing concerts the length and breadth of the country from his present home base of Milton Keynes.
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| David Warner |
Organ News...
Sunday 6th July with Dr. Kevin Morgan.
Our July concert featured Dr. Kevin Morgan at the console who performed a wonderful selection of music, including among many pieces, traditional favourites, popular "Disney" tunes, a tribute to Vienna, and a familiar Spanish selection, including a rousing finale with "Spanish Gypsy Dance".
Musical entertainment on the "Compton Organ" really doesn't get any better than this. Thanks to Kevin for a splendid, and most memorable musical afternoon.
National Heritage Open Weekend in September.
The Society will make the Mighty Compton Organ available for viewing, listening, and behind the scenes tours as part of the countrywide heritage weekend. The Ryhope Community Association hall which houses the organ, will be open from 11 am until 4 pm on Sunday 14th September 2014, and will feature in the North East brochure of heritage attractions to visit.
The October concert will feature Howard Beaumont at the console on Sunday 26th October 2014 at 2.30 pm. Howard has played the organ in its original Odeon Cinema setting and several times at Ryhope Community Association hall. This year marks his 27th season at the Scarborough Spa complex where he plays in the sun court on selected days each week, from July to September. We look forward to his return visit to Ryhope and his own unique style of organ playing, a concert not to be missed.
Musical entertainment on the "Compton Organ" really doesn't get any better than this. Thanks to Kevin for a splendid, and most memorable musical afternoon.
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| Kevin...always a pleasure to listen to. |
Sunderland Theatre Organ Preservation Society in attendance at N.E.T.O.A. Howden-le-Wear open day.
Bank Holiday Monday 25th August 2014.
The Society is to attend the grand open day at the North East Theatre Organ Association's, New Victoria Centre in Howden-le-Wear (Crook), Co Durham DL15 8EZ on Bank Holiday Monday 25th August 2014 from 10 am until 5 pm. It is of course the home of their magnificent Wurlitzer pipe organ, which will be played throughout the day. We will be taking along our Compton "organ history" display boards, and it will be an opportunity to talk to their visitors about another organ not so very far away. For 38 years the Wurlitzer entertained the patrons at the New Victoria Theatre in the city of Bradford. The organ was first played in its present venue in 1986 and has entertained many thousands of visitors. This open day provides a marvelous opportunity to see and hear this very special musical instrument. Admission is FREE and all are welcome!
details http://www.netoa.org.uk.
facebook North East Theatre Organ association.
The Society will make the Mighty Compton Organ available for viewing, listening, and behind the scenes tours as part of the countrywide heritage weekend. The Ryhope Community Association hall which houses the organ, will be open from 11 am until 4 pm on Sunday 14th September 2014, and will feature in the North East brochure of heritage attractions to visit.
October Concert.
The October concert will feature Howard Beaumont at the console on Sunday 26th October 2014 at 2.30 pm. Howard has played the organ in its original Odeon Cinema setting and several times at Ryhope Community Association hall. This year marks his 27th season at the Scarborough Spa complex where he plays in the sun court on selected days each week, from July to September. We look forward to his return visit to Ryhope and his own unique style of organ playing, a concert not to be missed.
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| Howard in the Spa Sun court. |
Introducing the President of the Sunderland Theatre Organ Preservation Society.
The president of the Society is Joe Marsh who is a well known organist on the circuit and an expert on pipe organ construction and maintenance. Joe was taught piano from an early age and this followed with an interest in the church organ. At the same time he was gaining much experience in the technical aspects of organ building and tonal design when he and his father returned the Compton pipe organ in the Odeon/Black's Regal Cinema in Byker to prime condition. He was resident organist at this venue from 1963 until 1969. Joe appeared regularly at the Odeon/Paramount and Essoldo in Newcastle upon Tyne and the Odeon Gateshead from the late 60's until the mid 70's. He has given concerts all over the British Isles and at a number of venues in the USA. With recordings to his credit and many broadcasts on Radio 2's "Organist Entertains" Joe even finds time to compose as well. Now retired from his profession as a Chartered Accountant, he can devote more time to the various aspects of his musical interest.
The "Society" at Sunderland Heritage and History Fair
To promote the concerts and work of the Organ Society, we attended the Sunderland Heritage and History Fair on Saturday 7th June. The event was very successful with 1100 visitors through the doors, and many stopped to look at our display featuring the Sunderland Compton Organ History, accompanied by recorded organ music. It is hoped that the interest generated will encourage more folk to come along on concert days.
To promote the concerts and work of the Organ Society, we attended the Sunderland Heritage and History Fair on Saturday 7th June. The event was very successful with 1100 visitors through the doors, and many stopped to look at our display featuring the Sunderland Compton Organ History, accompanied by recorded organ music. It is hoped that the interest generated will encourage more folk to come along on concert days.
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| Committee members with the organ display. |
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| The organ history display and the superb model of the Compton. |
John Compton lived here!
The (London) Ealing Civic Society placed a plaque remembering John Compton organ builder 1876 to 1957, living in this property from 1930 until his death in 1957.
The (London) Ealing Civic Society placed a plaque remembering John Compton organ builder 1876 to 1957, living in this property from 1930 until his death in 1957.
Keeping the organ in tune!
The organ is now 82 years old and needs a lot of attention to keep it playable. Fortunately there are a few members who have to knowledge and experience to maintain and repair the organ. Some of the bigger jobs sometimes need professional help, and of course that does not come cheap! It is a complex arrangement between playing a key on the console and the pipe sounding in the chambers. Electrical and mechanical links between the key boards and the valves which open to let the air up the pipes degrade over time, and the reliability of the organ is affected. The picture below shows Peter making adjustments (tweaking) on the effects part of the organ including mechanically operated percussion instruments. The pipes are voiced in an orchestral way and the ensemble creates a "one man orchestra" able to provide a unique variety of sounds.
Members afternoons.
The second and fourth Sundays in the month are members afternoons when there is the opportunity to listen to or play the Mighty Compton Organ. It is a pleasant occasion, and a chance to chat about the instrument over a cup of tea. The Society has some fine players among its members, some of which play the church organ or have entertained in workman's clubs.
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| David entertains on a Sunday afternoon. |
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| Peter puts the organ through its paces. |
From the organ archives...
The famous Blackpool Tower organist of some 40 years was Reg. Dixon MBE who played the Sunderland Odeon Compton for concerts in 1975 and 1977. The photo below shows him giving a TV interview as part of his farewell tour of the country when he played notable organs such was his great popularity.
The famous Blackpool Tower organist of some 40 years was Reg. Dixon MBE who played the Sunderland Odeon Compton for concerts in 1975 and 1977. The photo below shows him giving a TV interview as part of his farewell tour of the country when he played notable organs such was his great popularity.
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| Reg. Dixon at the console. |
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| Frank and his warm interviewing style. |
Of course Reg was most well remembered for his 40 year residency at the famous Blackpool Tower ballroom Wurlitzer (1930-1970) and the picture below reminds us of that splendid era.
The Odeon and former home of the organ was a splendid example of a cinema in the "Art Deco" style. The grand foyer as you walked in from Holmeside was quite imposing, with a feel of visiting somewhere special. Mirrored walls gave the illusion of spaciousness, and it is fair to say "they don't build them like that anymore".
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| Art-Deco at its best. |
This photo was taken at the time of imminent closure of the building as a cinema, and before the conversion by the "Top Rank Organisation" to bingo. It boasted three screens and three choices of entertainment but sadly "cinema going" was in serious decline in the early eighties.
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| A prominent feature in the cultural life of Sunderland. |
The Sunderland Theatre Organ Preservation Society saved the organ from what would have inevitably been the scrap heap. This photo shows the organ console making its escape through a cinema side door. It was maneuvered on a large trolley to this platform before the difficult task of loading to a lorry.
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| Organ departure through a side door. |
This photo shows the team associated with saving, and removing the Compton Organ from the cinema in 1982. It was a tremendous task, the console was literally just the tip of the iceberg, the unseen components in the chambers, of ranks of pipes, effects, wind system and all the electrical work had to be carefully recorded so it could all go back together again.
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| The Mighty Compton saved from scrap. |
The organ removal team in 1982 including Edwin Robinson, Eddie Snowdon, Albert Humphries, Alfie Palfreyman, Hugh Cornforth, David Robertson, David Wilson and John Dean. What an amazing job they did!
Come along and listen to, or play the organ, second and fourth Sunday afternoons in the month from 1.30 until about 4pm. Confirmed dates... 13th and 27th July and 10th August 2014.
Concert details for venues throughout the country can be found on http://www.organrecitals.com
posted by Neville
email ryhopecomptonorgan@gmail.com
