John Philip Sousa: Washington Post (Bill Coale, organist)

[organworker777]

is the symbol and drum built into the organ, or is it someone playing it behind you?

[wmcoale]

@organworker777 The cymbal and bass drum are stops on the organ (Allen GW-319).

[bewareofwil]

some reason i could see an organist at a baseball game get a wild hair and bust out with this tune. it made me laugh. awesome job though.

[oxbird1980]

Splendid!!

[wmcoale]

@oxbird1980 Thanks so much...I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[thinggybob]

brilliant sound mate, well played make me feel like I am at the sea side where the ice cream!

[CatoWhereAreYou]

You mean to say to me that you aren't already an organist???

[wmcoale]

Yes, it's played from what's left of my memory. :-)

[MusTheBunneh]

Do you actually play this by heart? :o

[isomolle]

This is music that we cannot hear live in Finland, because there are no such organs here. I really appreciate your playing.

[wmcoale]

@isomolle Thank you so much for your kind comments!

[kasha1932]

AMAZING! Thanks so much for these marches, especially JPSousa ones! This organ reminds me of the great Theater Organs that we of my generation could hear in the theater before the main show came on. This was in the days when we also saw a Vaudeville Show before the movie was shown. I got a lot for my 10 cents! Thanks you for including these wonderful pieces played by such talented musicians!!

[wmcoale]

@kasha1932 Thank you very much for your kind words. As a former band director, I have a love of marches!

I moved to northern California a year ago, and have been able to play some amazing theatre pipe organs around the San Francisco Bay area...what fun! I'm glad you're enjoying my playing. All Best, Bill

[kasha1932]

@wmcoale Well, all best to you, Mr. Coale! Too bad you're way up there in N. CA. or I'd just drop in to hear you in person. Yes...what kind of organ is that you're playing for The Washington Post? Seems to have quite a different sound completely.

[wmcoale]

@kasha1932 Most of my YouTube videos were recorded on my home organ, an Allen GW (George Wright) 319, which is part of their Renaissance line of digital instruments. The voices on this particular model were sampled from George Wright's studio organ. Walt Strony did the voicing, and it's a joy to play! In some of the later recordings, you'll see an additional row of buttons just below the music rack...I added a "Digital Toy Counter" providing extra sound effects, like those on theatre organs.

[278371]

For someone who claims not be a "real organist", You have a REMARKABLE TALENT!! I particularly enjoy the light, bouncy approach you bring to this wonderful piece of music. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[wmcoale]

@278371 Thanks, kindly! I hope to post an improved version soon that includes the counter melody in the last strain.

[XxLadyGaga23xX]

this is tha song i performed in tha parade its great , btw yhu dun amasing!(=

[mfortee]

Wow... not bad at all.

[jlneis]

I don't know if you have ever heard of Leon Berry but he was a good friend of ours and we have all of his records he made, he recorded this song many times and I would say he would be very proud the way you played this. The timing was a little off but outside of that a very good job !

[StuartLou]

Leon Berry? I think that was one of my first organ recordings. THE BEAST in the BASEMENT. Loved it.

[ixcuincle]

Well done, sir.

[ignazkoller]

You ARE a REAL organist... :-)

[ebach1]

:very nice :)

[AllenJBlodgettJrmota]

Can you please be Appleton Area School District's superintendent...we need an organ in one of our schools, and perhaps you could be that persuade us to do get one!

[steinwaygrande1]

Best version of the Washington Post I have ever heard on the theatre organ ! Magnificent Bill .

[oldies5161]

What Mistakes??  I have a damn good ear and didnt hear any!!!

[1krazyluis]

exelente,es un organista muy agil coordinado la interpretacion de esta cancion en organo es muy buena

[eldonstrombert]

Great playing! is that an Allen T321Q Etc Quantum organ?

[wmcoale]

@eldonstrombert It's an Allen GW-319 Renaissance (one generation prior to Quantum). Thanks!

[falaqdad15]

"..someday I would like to become a REAL organist!" Good sir, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?

You are one damn good, REAL organist.

[wmcoale]

@falaqdad15 Thanks for your kind words!  I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[YourAmishDaddy]

Man, I wished I wasn't a nerd. I'd love to make music like this to annoy the piss out of my neighbors and drown out all the rap.

[freaksrkool15101]

wow! just wow!

[wmcoale]

@freaksrkool15101 Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!! :-)

[GaerLlwyd]

Bill, I could swear I was back at the Maine State Fair in Bangor back in 1952 or 53, riding the carousel. The march played on your fine instrument so closely mimics what came out of what must've been some kind of calliope hooked to the merry-go-round mechanism. Well done!

[wmcoale]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Wurlitzer made many of the "band organs" that supplied music for carousels. They were literally small pipe organs, often with a few tuned and untuned percussion instruments included, and were located in the center (non-moving) portion of the carousel.

[Trees742]

he is just playing a recording jk jk

[wmcoale]

I'll take that as a big compliment :-)

[wmcoale]

@Trees742 LOL! The recording wouldn't have had the mistakes LOL!!!

[pabobfin]

Fun, Thanks

[wmcoale]

Thanks...glad you enjoyed it!

[Pageboy72]

Am I at a ball game?

[wmcoale]

No...but maybe a parade! ;-)

[Legostarwars675]

if you're not a real organist, I would be amazed to see what a real organist is! fun little piece, I don't play the organ at all but I liked it.

[wmcoale]

Thanks kindly!

[Lindajo1955]

this is soooo cool...I love it.

[wmcoale]

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!

[FinalFreek]

how did you get that durm and cymbal sounf out of an organ?!

[wmcoale]

Theatre organs (originally designed to accompany silent movies) typically had both tuned and non-tuned percussions. My Allen's non-tuned percussions include snare drum, bass drum, Persian cymbal, wood block, cowbell, castanets, high-hat cymbal, tom-tom, brush cymbal, tap cymbal, and tambourine. They are available on the pedal and accompaniment manual. Tuned percussions include piano, wood harp, marimba, glockenspiel, celeste/chrysoglott, vibraphone, and chimes...

[wmcoale]

...In a theatre pipe organ, all of these would consist of the actual instruments, playable from the organ console, using electro-pneumatic actions.

[gab21113]

Tempo swings or not, this is definitely a wonderful piece of music and a delight to hear. Well done, sir. More Sousa, please!

[eccentricorgan]

love it!

[kenanjabr]

Wow...you suck...JK!!!

You're awesome!! :D

You got in every note!

[heupiedupey]

Wonderful. You are teriffic.

[OahuLargeScaleTrains]

You are a "Real" Organist. If someone tells you that you're not a real organist, it's because they are jealous.

[Sabatinitennis]

This sounds a tad like Liberty Bell!!

[FinalFreek]

@Sabatinitennis becuase the composer (sousa) wrote both tunes.

[389Alessandro]

Very good

from Italy - Rome

[JAKOBVDP]

hahaha nice!!!

[Lindajo1955]

I love this

[Supergungun]

You're good.

[pyton174]

Well played sir.

[heavyvoxes]

"... become a REAL organist..."?? You have a talent many people would envy!! Theater organists are a rare breed today. Thank you... for sharing your talent!

[octavebasse8]

And how many do you know that play with this kind of creativity and enthusiasm?

[ticaille59]

It rocks!

[frankdrives]

FABULOUS!

[absentmindedprof]

Outstanding! I'm sure that JPS himself would enjoy your rendition of his march.

[Raymondo30837]

Great. I bet the "Washington grays" would also sound great on your fine organ. prompt lol

[wmcoale]

Thank you all for your very kind comments!

I'm so very glad that you're enjoying my videos!

--Bill

[dlohoh978]

You are awesome. Best organ player I know!

[jessedowns]

Bill, are you kidding?! Your playing is fantastic! It made me smile all six times that I watched it.  Super job!

[iwema93]

nothing better than bill coale ORGAN-izing sousa! sorry for the corny joke!

[danielsiskandfriends]

I think even with marches, musician's interpretation rules over what is traditionally played. With my group, we change it up and in my humble opinion, it ends up sounding good. This goes for tempo, dynamics, articulation, whatever you like to change up.

[lorraineindependante]

PERFECT!!!

[koasterkav]

Excellent use of the pipe organ sounds on the march. Like the comment before, at times you are playing TOO FAST! A march has a very stady pace. My favorite march by the way. I have band organ recordings done by Wurlitzer arraingments. The WPM was done very well. Good work. You definately have the talent. Great organ too!

[keanerulz25]

damn thats good

[manabozho]

Very enjoyable, Mr Coale. Congratulations for providing youtube with a definitive organ version of this classic. A very "large" presentation of the March.

If you'd like a suggestion--practice with a metronome, and slow it down 'til you can play the thorniest passages comfortably. Then click it up a very little at a time over multiple practices It seems you take small liberties w/ tempo, which undermine an otherwise cool performance. It's a march, so tempo rules...

[wmcoale]

It has two, actually...one available on the normal stopkeys, and another via the MIDI controller in the right hand drawer of the console.

[Aaronorganist19]

Does your allen have a piano on it

[Kaysakado]

I'd like to point out that this appears first in the Google Search for this song.

Nice work.

[wmcoale]

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

I'm still practicing!!! :-)

[bestminstrel]

You stated in your info. box that someday you would like to be a real organist, my friend you ARE a real organist it sounds great! I like the registrations too, everything about it sounds just fantastic!

[JGDFGK]

That's true...

[AzeroII]

Very nice esecution

[Lindajo1955]

absolutly fantastic

[wmcoale]

Thank you so very much!

[garyowen4ever]

bravissimo!

[colomaman6292]

your playing is really great, and the allen sounds spectacular. a friend in chicago has the same organ, sure doesn't sound like yours, of course he doesn't play as well as you do, keep up the good work.

[wmcoale]

Thanks so much!

My Allen GW-319 was voiced by Walt Strony, and I'm very pleased with his work...now if I could just get it to filter out my wrong notes! :-)

[onegreeneye]

nice

[3463jan]

mooi from holland

[wmcoale]

bedankt!

==Bill

[beachlover133]

That was amazing!! =] I loved it!

[Romeo162004]

i loved it was that an allen digital theater organ or a pipe it sounded great

[wmcoale]

Thanks! Yes, it's my Allen GW-319 digital theatre organ with 8 speaker cabinets in my music room at home. Glad you enjoyed it!

[oldsauroraman1]

Excellent job and timed perfectly. This March is intended to be played just as you have done it! I've heard Sousa recordings and this goes just as it should. Thank you for posting!

[wmcoale]

Thanks so much!

Sousa marches and ragtime often get played too quickly...it's so tempting! ;-)

It's amazing what a huge difference just a few beats per minute make in the overall effect. Thanks for listening!!! --Bill

[edonmusic]

Nice job Bill. Most folks, even the ones with organs like this at home, couldn't hold a candle to your timing alone. I know a guy who paid &70,000 for a Lowrey. He has zero timing but still makes fun of others. Sometimes you need to take negative comments with a grain of salt.

[wmcoale]

Thanks very much for the kind words. This was one of my first videos, and I was VERY nervous, and just glad to get through the piece!! I don't mind the negative comments...I use the adage "consider the source" and let it go...and out of more than 14,000 views of this particular video, almost all comments were positive :-) Thanks again! --Bill

[RoadRunner6677]

sounds like something u would hear at a ball game

awesome job :)

[dratini75]

it is damn cool 1st time heard it on organ!

[wmcoale]

Domo arigato!

[alajbo]

Very competent. Cleanly played at a sensible tempo. Well done.

[barelytame2]

Bill, Great job! I can appreciate your talent, organist since 1956 but I don't hold a candle on marches on a great pipe organ.

[wmcoale]

Thank you so much for your kind comment. I'm playing on my Allen GW-319 digital theatre organ that I have at home. It's an amazing instrument, so it helps me look good LOL. If I only had more time to practice!!

[erikhavenaar]

lol

[ultimatehineswardfan]

you may want to watch your tempo. it sped up a bit. but other than that, this was a very nice piece. good work.

[wmcoale]

You're right...nerves got to me a bit with the recording going... :-)

[ultimatehineswardfan]

yeah just fix that and you did a great job!

[cltman4u]

Bill. I could listen to you all day long. Fantastic. !!!!!!!!!

[whittle38]

Hello, Great piece of music played with real passion. Love ur music more please.

[iluvu123]

omfg you're awesome :]

[Gillyyorkie]

Thanks for posting . real organ ROCKS!

[Gillyyorkie]

Bill is a fine Hope he keeps them coming.

[PatristicEchoes]

That was jammin'!

[virginiaorganbuilder]

A 'real' organist? I wish I could play like YOU!

[learjet4]

I love it =)

[uhohlookwhoshere]

I feel like you sped up a tad. Otherwise its amazing. I love the digital sound. Pipe organs are more solemn and for cathedrals. Digital sounds more 'happy' like a merry-go-round style; you are by no means playing a solemn song, it's supposed to sound cheery.

[BayAreaBiker2001]

A few theaters have pipe organs. The Stanford Theater is one example. An increasing number of churches have digital organs, as pipe organs are too expensive and bulky, especially organs with 32-ft stops.

[briguymeister]

Where I go to church, we have a digital/pipe combination organ. I was reading the stop list for the organ we have at my church, and I saw the number 32 next to some of the stops.

[briguymeister]

My comment is a reply to BayAreaBiker2001

[AshburnStadium]

Pipe organs are also for department stores!

I'd like to see Bill one day play the Wanamaker Organ at the Macy's (formerly the flagship of the John Wanamaker department store chain) in my hometown of Philadelphia.

It is currently the largest operational pipe organ in the world with nearly 28,500 pipes, played by six manuals.

[accousticdecay]

I play a classic Allen organ for Sunday worship and I have the same thrill of digital sound that is real. You are very good and should not sell yourself short. This song is my favorite patriotic piece and you do a masterful job. 5 stars!

[stretchipress]

Waow - Nice!

[someonespadre]

Ah yes, my favorite Sousa piece. Way better than Stars and Stripes forever which is overplayed anyway.

Cool organ version and at the right tempo too!

[123956bigballa]

wow my band is going to play this song for compitishon and that helped me

[flyurway]

Way too cool! I'm really a big fan of classic organ but I can listen to theatre organ like this all day long and still not get bored. Keep the vids coming!

[Snollie666]

Very enjoyable! This instrument and the organist really do Mr Sousa's piece justice.

[jaydelotte]

BRAVO!!!!!

[sayspepe]

wow!!!

you're amazing, and so is that Allen... I have an allen myself, from 1963... you can see it in the allen organ museum online, its the one jackie Gleason used! but the tremulants dont work, but I still think its wonderful! can i make a request? the flight of the valkyries or the phantom of the opera? dont worry, you may play them in any key you like, it'll still sound amazing...and yes, YOU ARE A REAL THEATER ORGANIST!!

[darraghk1989]

is there a sousa march called "thunderstorm or thundermarch" or sumthin like that i cant remember wat it goes like lol

[threephase69]

Its called "The Thunderer". One of the best he wrote along with this one. I hope this helped.

[wurlitzer153duplex]

Nope, it's definitely "Washington Post." "The Thunderer" is the one featuring bar length trills in the first theme.

[threephase69]

I was replying to another comment and it didn't attach to the one I was replying to.

[GemOrganLady]

You are very much a REAL organist! BRAVO!!!

[albertaviking]

Awsome! I love the Sousa marches....

[EliaMarius]

Beautiful!!!!!thank you!

[wmcoale]

Thank you very much! I'll order a copy of the waltz and get busy :-)

[ragtimelady]

Keep 'em comin'! You do a fine job with those great old tunes. As you can tell from my handle, I'd like to hear some more ragtime. :-) I'm a fan of those marches, too. Here's a request... I'd love to hear what you'd do with James P. Johnson's incredible waltz song, "Eccentricity." I think you'd have fun with that.

[Brandotuomikoski]

I love the brown Sharps! very original!

[wmcoale]

Thanks! I'm the second owner of this Allen, but in addition to looking cool, the custom-ordered walnut sharps seem easier to play...they're not as slippery as traditional sharps.

[wmcoale]

Thanks to all for your kind comments!

I wish I had more time to practice, but having a YouTube audience is a great incentive for me to find the time. Let me know if there are any specific tunes you'd like me to work on, and I'll do my best to woodshed them!

[slowdog294]

This is one fine sounding Allen. The GW319 is an excellent machine. Nice registrations and superb playing. 5 stars! Bravo!

The Bone Doctor

Walnut Hill Productions

Ridgecrest, California

[Branchporter]

Your Allen digital thing does a great job at pretending to be a real organ. But you do a fantastic job at pretending to be (as you say) a "real organist"!

I would even say you're not just a real organist - you're a really good organist!

[wrighty205]

Five stars, this is awesome! = ) Thanks for posting it, and pleeeease keep them videos coming.

[steverabb]

I love Sousa marches on the organ! Excellent!

[m4dan]

Wow you fooled me too. Keep posting!

[9828htfer]

Fantastic! You could have fooled me into thinking you were a "REAL" organist!! Keep posting! :D