Mighty Wurlitzer organ at Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, New York City HD

[djf7]

This recording came over quite nice compared to others in terms of picking up the bass. I was here this past christmas and I ran up to the 3rd mezzanine just to hear the opening. It truly has to be heard live, like any other pipe organ to hear (and feel) the rich and diverse sounds. Case in point is at the 0:29 mark, where the organist hits low D on the pedal and the seismographic rumbling it produces.

[ziggyboi1995]

What song are they playing?

[MeinnameistDreck]

Would be nice if the people around the camera would shut the hell up...

[flyurway]

@MeinnameistDreck No kidding! You have this huge instrument playing with both consoles going and everyone is yacking away like they're at some playground as if oblivious to what they're there for. What is the matter with people? Why are they even there if all they want to do is shoot the shit? Am I missing something?

[jwb1077]

There are many young theater organists coming along and being trained in University organ programs. Some in their early 20's are touring internationally. The national American Theater Organ Society sponsors introductory opportunities for young musicians at camps every year and scholarships. It will not be the musicians that are a dying breed. Maybe just people that don't know the facts.

[jwb1077]

There is one other dual console originally installed Wurlitzer, a 4/20, at the Paramount theater downtown Denver, Colorado. It is kept in perfect condition by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Theater Organ Society. Still played by the house organist from the 1940's, Bob Castle. Come hear it!

[bardavonboy]

One of the consoles is not a slave. Both consoles can play completely independent of each other. The left (51st St.) console has more tabs for MIDI, but otherwise, both organs can be registered and played independently.

[StuartLou]

Yep- growing up i would go just to hear the organ which was played between shows when people were coming and going. Those days it was Dick Leibert plus.. and they played songs you'd want to listen to. Today- God knows what they're playing and who cares. IT'S OVER. Got it? IT'S OVER. uncle louie

[TheOrganiston9th]

@StuartLou No, it is NOT over... listen to the grand and brilliant organ fare offered here. With all the talking and noise and all, even in this short and noisy clip one still appreciates the beautiful use of chord structures ad interesting progressions... a style of music known ONLY on the organ - and STILL IS TODAY!

[RatDaddy3]

Have you noticed,that yhey may not be New Yorkers talking in background,They also talk during a Half-Time at the football,while the Band is Playing,there are rude people all over.

[4freespeech]

Notice the Lance Armstrong "divided cheek" long-distance organ stool to keep the organist's "permanent vertical smile" well ventilated during a heated performance.

[JonasClark]

@4freespeech That's called a Howard Seat. Organists tend to either love or loathe them.

[chem100]

I wish they'd get rid of the various detritus and general crap (yes,I know it's for lighting and sound) around the Music Hall auditorium, so that the room can be appreciated for what it is. The "extra stuff" takes away so much from that amazing and soaring space. The organ sounds good, although I have no idea what they're playing.

[DickLiebert]

Quiet Please!!  Have some respect for the Mightyest of WurliTzer Organs!!

[HarborGuy]

As usual New Yorkers are being rude........by talking during a performance.

[howiea]

Please notice that the house lights are up. The organ music is played during seating and it is customary for people to speak before the show starts. The only rude comment is yours, for it represents the small minded, provincial attitude of someone who has taken something completely out of context to turn it into an opportunity to bash New Yorkers.

[bigappleplayer92]

@HarborGuy as usual, ignorance is bliss. More than half of the crowd there is from out of state. Get over yourself

[flyurway]

Why is everyone yakking their mouths off through the entire thing? Is that what they do in NYC or something? 2 consoles going and no one seems to care...why are they even there?

[bmhall100]

@Organette the organ was always muffled and never got out properly.

[chem100]

@bmhall100 I agree with you. The shape of the room is largely to blame, although for sheer theatrical presentation, nothing beats it. I've heard there are "sound tunnels" from some of the chambers to the auditorium--not an ideal arrangement. I am fairly sure that it was amplified electronically in the 1970s. Perhaps that's in order once again...

[Bootboyrick]

I agree. They are a dying breed. Not like when Ray and Dick worked at the Music Hall. I worked their many many years on stage and loved what that organ could do especially the deep bellowing sounds that theatre organist don't do today.

rick

[Diapasonic]

So lamentable that no one in the audience seems to be paying the least attention.

[dianeRwells]

I hope the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ at Radio City Music Hall will be restored to its playable condition someday. When it's completely restored, the Hall will ring out with glorious sound , and the people will be thrilled by it. I also hope that there will be mini-concerts on that same instrument to entertain tourists who tour the Music Hall.

[manga12]

its not in as bad of shape as the midmir losh in boardwalk hall. the bigest, the loudest and most powerful theater organ in the entire world the next closest is the winaker in macy in philly, the organ is under appreciated today, and next to no one knows how to play it to the point of bringing it out. sure a synth can do lots of stuff but digital replecation is no replacement for the origional one man or woman orchestra.

[3dwurli]

@manga12 Midmer losh isnt a theatre organ! Its a civic organ.

[manga12]

Sigh, 3d We are talking about the style there is theater organ a symphonic organ, and then there is the classical organ much smaller more for clasical works and church stuff, not the one man bands that symphonic organs are.

[JonasClark]

@manga12 The Midmer-Losh isn't technically a theatre organ, though it does have some unified divisions, and some ranks associated with theatre organs such as the tibia clausa. Even the Kimball organ in the ballroom at Atlantic City is a classical-theatre hybrid. Notably (although it wasn't built as such) the designer had wanted Atlantic City's smaller console to be of the horseshoe theatre type, so as to convince the audience that it wasn't the "old kind of organ played in the old, boring way."

[manga12]

well its by far the largest single organ, and will do much the same stuff a theater organ will even if its not one in the strictest sense, the Midmer is the biggest and most powerful in terms of wind pressure. so what is the differance in a classic, a theater, and a civic organ fill me in please.

[dianeRwells]

The Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ at Radio City Music Hall must be restored to its playable condition someday. After it's fully restored, the Hall will ring out with glorious sound like never before! It will shake the building like the recent earhquake in Haiti!

[bmhall100]

Not the best of wurlitzers organs i have to say. It does need quite abit of work as far as i know, its in bad shape. Shame really, because it cud be very nice with some work!

[chem100]

Yes, it is wonderful. Thank you for posting. I remember it well. What's a shame are the people who feel the need to talk even more loudly as the organ is playing. Then again, it was the same 40 years ago. Perhaps people find the instrument threatening, so they feel the need to remain in control, so they talk over it? I don't know. I just wish they would shut up.

[Alleghenymike]

Yeah but who the hell can play theatre organs anymore??? Organs and organists are a dying breed sadly.

[chem100]

@Alleghenymike do a YouTube search for Jelani Eddington or Richard Hills or Ralph Ringstad. There are many others still playing these instruments today.

[comptonplus]

My full time job for the last 9 years over here in the UK! I'm not the best, but I make a living at it!

[dlanodsknib]

Thanks for posting! It's wonderful to see both the main AND the slave console in operation at the same time and photographed so clearly. This I think is the only dual consoled wurlitzer organ left I think.

[Organsk8er]

There are still a couple of dual console Wurlitzer installations left, the Denver Paramount theatre still has both of theirs, and, of course Radio City...These are the only two that are coming to mind, so they certainly are rare, indeed!

[SantaFe158]

@dlanodsknib Detroit Fox Theater?

[JonasClark]

@dlanodsknib Yup, as others noted, they're both masters. There are independent relays. This is the only theatre organ ever built with two independent consoles.

[roxymusicco]

Noise!

[38Hansen]

I have heard Leibert, Bohr, Miller and a host of others on this organ and this is simply awful....what the heck are they playing? It is enough to drive the patrons out of the theatre.

[organflick]

is this before the Christmas show??

[IainH124A]

It is before the Christmas Spectacular