Radio City Memories…

by Mark Forman on January 7, 2009

Today I was reminded of this NYC landmark place by this David Byrne post. Radio City Music Hall is a jewel among the other iconic elements of Rockefeller Center. it's name is larger than life. Don't remember how many times I saw movies and witnessed the amazing leggy Rockettes performances there. I do remember seeing a matinee of "The Sound of Music" there. It seems David is having the good fortune of possibly needing to add a second show there. What really resonated with me in this post was the fact that he was allowed to and is planning to use the huge Wurlitzer organ in the hall. That organ is one of those classic works of engineering, manufacturing and art in concert to produce massive beautiful sound on the scale of the cathedrals of Europe.

The Radio City Music Hall Wurlitzer was the leader in the order of four organs requested by Rockefeller Center and the largest to ever leave the organ factory in North Tonawanda, New York. The other instruments in the group being the four-manual for the Center Theatre, the three-manual to be installed in the Music Hall Broadcasting Studio, and the three-manual (with two consoles and automatic player) for the beautiful Rainbow Room.

The Music Hall organ was installed in just four week's time. During the latter part of 1932, last minute changes abounded in the organ installation process. Several alterations involved the chamber layouts along with a major downsizing of the relay room.

This 58-rank organ was built with two separate 73-note manual relays so that its two consoles could operate independently. (The relay room remained jam-packed until the day of the solid state installation.) Special permission was required to set pistons and make combination action repairs because two setter board combination machines were installed just off one of the Rockettes' dressing rooms. Full post is available here.

 

I recall David Byrne "playing a building" several months back. While this organ is not quite that grandiose I am sure it is quite more musical , manageable and no less impressive. That should be one awesome performance. Please check out the performance by Rick Wakeman of Yes (no stranger to pomp and circumstance) on this same organ.

In fact Lew Williams plays more extensively on this organ and video focuses more on the impressive console-even Captains Kirk and Picard would envy this one..

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