121 Key Decap Dance Organ 'England's Pride' at St Albans Organ Museum

This large 121 Key Decap, built by Gebroeders Decap of Antwerp in 1939, was one of only about 20 built in that period.
The original name for this organ was 'Nethe', but when Mr. Hart purchased the organ, it was renamed 'England's Pride' by the Belgians to mark the organ's new home in St. Albans, England.
This organ has accordion and saxophone instruments on view and a full percussion section contained inside the organ together with over 600 organ pipes - it measures 7 metres wide; 4 metres high and 2 metres in depth.
With kind permission of the staff at St Albans Organ Museum, it was filmed here playing five books of music (help with titles gratefully received!):

1) 0:07 Twelfth Street Rag (Arr. Marcel Bartier)
2) 2:59 The Charleston Dancer / Le danseur de Charleston
3) 4:51 Are you Lonesome / Cœur blessé (Arr. Albert Decap)
4) 6:53 Dance of the Ties (Arr. Albert Decap)
5) 8:35 Tom Pillibi (France 1960 Eurovision Winner) (Arr. Albert Decap)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• decap
• 121
• keyframe
• key
• organ
• dansorgel
• dance
• belgian
• mortier
• pipes
• st
• albans
• museum
• accordion

[victoriaphibes]

Lovely video..thanks for posting. Does St. Alban's Museum ever intend to touch up the paint on the case of this lovely organ?

[nickn5nl]

@victoriaphibes Thanks for the comment. I believe this was not long ago fully restored, so I shouldn't think it is due for any work just yet, but I know they do look after the instruments quite well at St Albans.

[ANDREWLEONARDSMITH]

Yes! it is ME round the back playing the organ! this is my second home!am a video star at last!!!!

[nickn5nl]

@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH Glad you found the video, and thanks for your help on the day! I hope to be back there again before too much longer.

[petermackett37]

Twelfth Street Rag arranged by Marcel Bartier.

[nickn5nl]

@petermackett37 Thanks for that - it's a brilliant and imaginative arrangement like others of his.

[ceredigio]

@ANDREWLEONARDSMITH You let it 'bark' briefly at the end of 12th Street Rag...don't think you lifted the bridge on time! lol

[perleeman]

@pianolaunderground Interesting comment. Marcel Bartier originally arranged this piece around 1949 so it would definitely tie in with the era of the Pee Wee Hunt version! The book on England's Pride was supplied about ten years ago by Gebroeders Decap who have many patterns available for their organs.

[pianolaunderground]

very interesting 12th Street arrangement - it follows the Pee Wee Hunt comedy million-seller version of the 1940s including all the Pee Wee Hunt band solos!

[ceredigio]

Did the mute key fail at 2.54? lol

[ceredigio]

'This large 121 Key Decap, built by Gebroeders Decap of Antwerp in 1939, was one of only about 20 built in that period'

The 121 key Decap 'Marcel' at Thursford was built the year before

[MegaCapriccio]

Absolument sensationnel... captivant

je ne m'en lasse pas !