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The Paramount Center for the Performing Arts in Bristol, Tennessee, was the setting for the May 2 meeting of the Piedmont Chapter, when our featured performer at the Wurlitzer was Clark Wilson, from the Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa, Arizona. Clark is well known as a tonal consultant and finisher of both classical and theatre pipe organs in addition to his prowess at the keyboards. Opening with the "Television March" by British composer Eric Coates, Clark presented a wide ranging and varied program including pieces by Burton Lane, Ray Noble with a swinging "Cherokee," Sigmund Romberg and Cole Porter. His inventive registrations let us hear the softer pastel voices of the organ, as well as moments when he showed us just how mighty a Wurlitzer can sound. Orchestral style playing is less frequently heard these days in theatre organ concerts as compared with the era of the 1920s and 30s when organ transcriptions were a staple of the programs of the leading organists of the day. Clark amply demonstrated his mastery of this art form by including in his program several transcriptions which fully utilized the tonal resources of the Wurlitzer, such as Richard Rodgers' "Victory at Sea" and part of the ballet music from "Sylvia" by Delibes, to name only two. Thanks to the long hours of work by Paramount crew chief Chet Rataski, ably assisted by Mac Abernethy and Buddy Boyd, the organ sounds better at
each hearing. Particulary noticeable was the improved reed ensemble, augmented by electronic Posthorn and Trumpet ranks.
Those who attended Tom Hazleton's October 23rd concert at the Bristol Paramount Center were treated to a dazzling demonstration of the countless tonal variations and styling flexibilities of a theatre organ in the hands of a master musician. Like Izaak Walton's "Compleat Angler," Tom is the complete organist. In his playing he combines the technique and dexterity of his classical organ training with the inventiveness and musicality of a veteran theatre organist. He clearly possesses an intuitive ability to recognize the "right" registrations for whatever piece he plays, and I was impressed by his lavish but tasteful use of the percussions, both tonal and atonal, throughout his recital. At different times I heard Glockenspiel, Chimes, Snare Drum, Sizzle Cymbal, Chinese Block, Castanets, Bass Drum and Crash Cymbal all adding their unique coloring to melody line and accompaniment. I believe that the percussions are an appealing feature of the theatre organ, differentiating as they do the unit organ from most classical instruments, and audiences are intrigued by them, although some organists seem hesitant to employ them except very sparingly. Tom also demonstrated some virtuoso pedalling technique, including double notes two octaves apart and even a Virgil Fox pedal glissando! Bringing up the console to the lively strains of It's De Lovely, Tom followed with a varied program which included a selection from My Fair Lady, Tiptoe Through the Tulips, which Tom solemnly explained was arranged by Tiny Tim, a burlesque house version of Making Whoopee, and a Duke Ellington Medley, with a fast moving Caravan. A "Girls' Names" selection started with Erno Rapee's Diane, and concluded with The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. In contrast to the standards and show tunes was a sensitively played How Great Thou Art and probably the most spectacular item on the program, a full organ rendition of Now Thank We All Our God, arranged by Virgil Fox, with blazing reeds announcing the melody against the contrapuntal embroidery in the right hand. An innovative feature of the concert was the inclusion of local vocalists Mark Lawson and Joy Nagy, whose vocal duets, including music from Phantom of the Opera, were much appreciated by the audience. Tom's organ accompaniments were themselves works of art, evidence that an accompaniment need not be dull and lifeless. Tom took the console down to God Bless America, with the audience joining enthusiastically in the last chorus. The Wurlitzer itself has been augmented over the last two years by digital sampling and MIDI, and I am indebted to Chet Rataski, crew chief at the Paramount, for the following details: Main: Piano 16-4 (Kurzwell Micro-Piano) |
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