 |
|
|
|||||
|
|||||||
 |
|||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
|
[Home] [The Kimbitzer] |
|
|
||
|
The Walter Williams High School 3/15 Kimbitzer Theater Organ The Williams High School Theatre Organ is a hybrid Instrument that has had quite varied life. The original instrument started in the Strand Theater in Scranton, PA in 1916 as a 2/10 Kimball. The console was straight and it was not heavily unified. The pipework was voiced on 8" of water and consisted of the following ranks. Concert Flute 16' - 2' In the 1920's The o A Wurlitzer regulator and a rank of M&C Kinuras were swapped for some electronic organ parts and additional regulators and offsets were built.. A Deagan chrysoglott with a missing action was purchased and an action was designed and built. An M&C Xylophone and Glockenspiel were located and purchased. Space was at a premium so a relay had to be designed that could control the organ and take up as little space as possible. An hybrid relay was designed that used diodes instead of shorting bars and pneumatic switches similar to Link actions. The organ now had enough pieces to start construction but it abruptly ended when in 1970, the organ was moved to Raleigh, NC. The organ at that time consisted of: Concert Flute 8' - 2' Kimball
On arriving in Raleigh the organ was set up in a 2 car garage. It first played in January 1971 as a 3/11 with electronic 16' Bourdon, Diaphone Violone and Ophecleide .. In 1972 it was moved to a new location and was installed in its own building. Between 1972 and 1976, the electronic 16' Bourdon and Diaphone were replaced by a Wurlitzer Bourdon and Diaphone, the Solo chests were replaced with Wurlitzer chests and a Wurlitzer Tibia and Tuba from a Scheme 35 organ found in Goldsboro, NC. An M&C Trumpet was traded for the original Kimball Tuba. In 1978, the electronic 16' Ophecleide was replaced by a WurliTzer Ophecleide purchased from PTOS. A Wurlitzer Orchestral Oboe was also purchased at the same time and installed in the main. An Estey Quintadena was traded for some electronic gear from the 16' pedals. It was revoiced on 8" and installed in the main. In 1979, the last electronic 16', the Violone was replaced by 12 16' Gottrfried Violone pipes from the Williams High School Standaart classical organ. The console stop rail was expanded to its maximum. The couplers, tuned and untuned percusions were put on the back rail with the tremulants and 2nd touch tabs. In 1985, the organ was sold to Dr. Paul Abernethy of Burlington, NC. Dr. Abernethy donated the organ to the Walter Williams High School. The specification for the organ at that time was: Concert Flute 16' - 2' Wurlitzer/Kimball
In 1996, the organ became the property of the the Piedmont Theater Organ Society who installed it and maintains it. It resides in two of the four chambers that had originally housed a 4/63 Standaart concert organ. The auditorium seats 1200 and has very fine acoustical properties. There is room for a good deal of expansion but before that can happen, the console must be replaced with one large enough to control an instrument of its size. A double bolster 3 manual console shell has been purchased and work is in progress to prepare it for the task of controlling a 23 rank instrument. To help prepare for the expansion, and to allow the console to be stored when not in use. The hybrid relay of the organ has been replaced by a Uniflex 2000 Electronic Relay system. PTOS considers the organ as “A Work of Art in Progress”. The target for installing the new console is the fourth quarter of 2000. Chamber additions will begin after the new console is in place.
|
rgan was moved to The Binghamton Theatre in Binghamton, NY and a Clarinet was added. It remained in the Binghamton Theatre until the 1950's when it was moved to a barn
south of Binghamton. It was purchased in 1967 by Chet Rataski of Vestal, NY. The console, marimba action and chest work were heavily water damaged and were not
repairable. The items that were salvaged were the pipe work, marimba bars, blower (3hp Kinetic) and the swell shades. The Diapason was huge so it was traded to a
local organ technician for 2-Marr & Colton unit chests and an Austin Oboe Horn. Mr. Ed Link of Link Organ fame and a friend donated a 3 manual, single bolster
Wurlitzer console (picture at the left), the toy counter and chimes from the Binghamton Elks RJ8 WurliTzer. He also donated several Beeman unit chests and offsets from the Binghamton High Street Methodist Church.
|
|
|
[Home] [PTOS Contacts] [The Theatre Organ] [The Paramount] [Williams HS] [Abernethy Res.] [The Civic Center] [Carolina Theatre] [Organ Links] |
|
|