Cafesjian's Carousel WurliTzer 153 Band Organ: The High School Cadets

[DonaldFranklin67]

I rode the carousel(Philadelphia Tobaggan Co. #85) at what used to be Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA, last summer. That carousel has a Wurlitzer 153 band organ, which was painted with scenes of Boston Harbor, etc. That one doesn''t have the swell shade in front,like Cafesjian's does.

[tregnier279]

@DonaldFranklin67 Honestly, I've heard very few band organ's in general, but in recordings I've heard (very many), the organs with swell shutters and those without don't sound much different, i.e., the organ's with shutters still have very little variation in volume/expression, as far as I can tell.

[DonaldFranklin67]

@tregnier279 I mentioned this, being that I'm into the theater organ, as these and other pipe organs have swell shades to control the volume coming from the pipes, as I see from your description, that this band organ has the swell shade in front. The front on the Model 153 band organ on the carousel (PTC #85) at Paragon Park was open, so the pipes, xylophone, etc.were visible.

[tregnier279]

@DonaldFranklin67 As a theatre organist and having an interest in band organs, I thin kth essential difference between swell shutters on a large pipe organ is that the shutters represent the only opening to an otherwise closed swell-box. On a band organ, the back is usually not closed and the sound therefore leaves through the back, rendering the swells in front relatively useless. That has always been what I've noticed to be the case but for all I know it could be absolutely wrong.

[whoisthisguy724]

@tregnier279 On a carousel like Kennyood's, I've noticed a big difference in expression when the shutters close, especially in songs like "Christmas in Killarney" (which i have a recording of)

[tregnier279]

@whoisthisguy724 I guess it your mileage may vary, depending on the instrument and its home.

[GAVIOLITOM]

A sweet sounding organ, very well restored.!

Tom.

[Marveline64]

Magnificent!