Wurlitzer CX Orchestrion

In the early 20th century, long before the age of digital electronics, mechanical musical instruments called "orchestrions" entertained people in soda fountains, restaurants, amusement parks and saloons. This 1918 Wurlitzer CX Orchestrion includes piano, pipes, bells, drums and the famous Automatic Roll Changer.

Jazz artist Pat Methenys Orchestrion Tour incorporates real musical instruments played automatically from a computer. Metheny conceived his project from his prior exposure to machines such as this Wurlitzer.

Reblitz Restorations Inc. completely restored this Wurlitzer for the Arnold Chase Collection in 2010. Watch the roll changer in action near the end of the video.

For more information, please visit
www.mechanicalmusicpress.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• AMICA
• MBSI
• nickelodeon
• coin
• operated
• player
• piano
• band
• organ
• automatic
• music
• mechanical
• honky
• tonk
• arcade
• bar
• room
• saloon
• Reblitz
• restorations
• Shine
• On
• Harvest
• Moon
• 65
• note
• APPR
• roll
• Pat
• Metheny
• tour

[DonaldFranklin67]

@laurenshammond I went up there a couple summers ago to Clark's Trading Post, with my girlfriend, Martha and her friend, Barbara. I saw and heard the CX orchestrion, and was delighted! I love automated musical instruments, band organs, etc. most of all theater organs. I told one of the staff they oughta put a plexiglass front on it, so visitors could see the roll mechanism working.

Here I go again, typing a comment from my iPhone again! The virtual keyboard is very touchy and a pain to type

[LaurensHammond]

Clark's Trading Post in Lincoln, NH has a CX in the main gift shop, along with many other units scattered throughout the park. LOVE 'EM. I'm the guy that discretely walks by the machines, drops in a quarter and walks away. Always was curious of the internals. Have some of their recordings of their collection on LP, asked if they'd do a CD version... but told they don't sell enough to warrant the cost of recording. We'll see.

[thrillscience]

That changer is fantastic! Thanks for making such a nice video. (I play my piano with my own 10 fingers, but I love this old technology.)

[evilkillerpenguin]

Is this the old skool version of a keyboard workstation

[whoisthisguy724]

Amazing... 'nuff said.

[JonasClark]

Also love the shots of the pneumatic switch changing between violin and flute. Excellent camera word!

[JonasClark]

It seems that, everywhere I go, every time I see any kind of automatic musical instrument - player piano, orchestrion, whatever - it's never in tune or well-maintained. The Welte at Disneyland merely sounds bad. Every single Ragtime Automated Music machine I've seen was in awful condition, and those aren't even antiques! But something like this...! Tuned, restored, playing a beautiful roll, it makes me happy. Where I live (Seattle) there's only one well-restored music machine to be heard...

[ChucklesKeys]

MARVELOUS!!!! And it's in TUNE!!!!

[ChucklesKeys]

MARVELOUS!!!!

[DewersGeorge]

Top that one Billy Gates, YAHOO!!!