Hello Dolly - Chris Lawton at Stockport Town Hall
- 13 years ago
Me playing the Wurlitzer organ at Stockport town hall.
The organ here was built in 1930 by the famous Wurlitzer company for the Paramount cinema in Manchester. Like most cinemas in the 1970s, the Paramount (now called Odeon) was converted into a multiplex cinema and the organ was removed by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust in 1973. A new home was found at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester and the organ was opened here in 1977. In 1996 the Free Trade Hall was closed and the organ removed again by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust. Its present home at Stockport town hall was found and the organ was opened here in 1999 following a full restoration which included replacing the original relays with a computerised system.
For my first video im playing 'Hello Dolly'. I am very out of practice where playing the theatre organ is concerned but it was a wonderful experience to be playing one of these magnificent music machines again!
The organ here was built in 1930 by the famous Wurlitzer company for the Paramount cinema in Manchester. Like most cinemas in the 1970s, the Paramount (now called Odeon) was converted into a multiplex cinema and the organ was removed by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust in 1973. A new home was found at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester and the organ was opened here in 1977. In 1996 the Free Trade Hall was closed and the organ removed again by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust. Its present home at Stockport town hall was found and the organ was opened here in 1999 following a full restoration which included replacing the original relays with a computerised system.
For my first video im playing 'Hello Dolly'. I am very out of practice where playing the theatre organ is concerned but it was a wonderful experience to be playing one of these magnificent music machines again!