Ballroom Quicksteps - The NEW Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer theatre organ, Blackpool.
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- At the new Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer Theatre organ, Blackpool, organist Cameron Lloyd plays a selection of music for a ballroom Quickstep: - Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Gal?); Somebody Stole My Gal; When Your Smiling; Let's Face the Music and Dance.
Filmed live on Saturday the 8th of September 2018.
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#theatreorgan #pipeorgan #organmusic #organ #keyboard #piano #synth #ballroomdance #ballroom #dancing #music #blackpool
Oh God listen to those acoustics and the organ. The Hairs on my neck have stood to attention. Superb
Just like hearing an orchestra, and imagining cartoons marching and dancing together
I have just been reading many of the comments and replies with great interest. I find the techniques used on these amazing instruments astonishing!I have always loved organs, (violinist myself), both the traditional ones going right back to Bach`s time and beyond, and the lovely theatre organs, sadly, of which, so many of both types have been lost over the years, as the buildings have been destroyed with the changing of taste and land being wanted for more corporate use!! I also find the whole mechanical, pneumatic and electrical systems incorporated in these instruments very mind blowing - what a challenge to build such multi functioning systems in organs with thousands of pipes and being used in different combinations. The thought of scrapping, destroying or vandalising these instruments which cost fortunes to make and assemble, renders one speechless!!
I think it`s so nice to see organs in different guises being designed and therefore used for different events. As much as I love and appreciate hearing all the classical composers works - I also really love hearing the theatre organs playing the dance tunes of the twenties and thirties - and seeing the good people - who have come for a refreshing night out at the ballroom, really enjoying the music and dancing. - it really makes you feel that this is how it ought to be!
I used to have a couple of records, (can`t lay my hands on them at present}, of bands and orchestras too, with a theatre organ accompanying - probably late 1920s - early 30s. I have to say that I enjoyed Strauss`s "Tales From The Vienna Woods" and "The Skater`s Waltz", with the Grand Commodore Theatre Organ accompanying the full orchestra, more than the composer`s original score.. Too bad for the purists - but perfect for me! Thanks for wading through all this.
Wow Bev, that is some comment and I agree with the sentiments that you express. Michael Parkinson
Quintessential British theater organ style. Well done.
I love to hear these big old organs play!
ENIG! NORWAY
Bravo Cameron !! C'est très beau le nouveau Wurlitzer de l'Empress Ballroom! une réusite total ! Bravo encore!!
Very nice sound dont think you can beat the sound of Wurlitzer.
I Salute You Cameron Lloyd a superb organist
Super excellent with very good interesting videos
I was at this concert and the sound was simply amazing,,,,
i love this so much
Fabulous
Super excellent
Lovely Horace Finch sounds there, brilliant.
Brilliant
I think this comes VERY close to doing what Robert Hope-Jones had in mind when he coined the phrase "Unit Orchestra!"
That is of course the idea behind the theatre organ, originally to accompany silent films, but it didn't really take off in the UK till after the advent of sound. It has found a home in accompanying dancing, it's the ideal instrument to convey a rhythm to dancers and fill a large space at the same time.
@@OrganMusicYT I got that impression from UA-cam videos of spots in England where there is dancing - often they seem to use a Wurlitzer for the music, and the way they play it is amazing. That large an instrument, that can fill the whole hall, is breathtaking. I can see why it wold motivate people to get up on their feet!
Very nice music great, it would have been nice to see Cameron as well as hear him at this famous location
Gordon Exmouth
The donation of a second professional HD camcorder, or gopro camera is more than welcome!
Cameron you're super talented, glad to know you as a friend
Nice one Cameron. Exact rhythm, great selection; a performance of the highest order, and that rolling acoustic!! As for the console, well we all know who was responsible for desecrating it; really an unforgivable act of vandalism considering the heritage.
Great
Fabulous!
Beautiful!!!!!
Love it!
Me too!
Super excellent with very good interesting video
Delightful
Everyone skate!
They would crash into the dancers.
There's an old roller rink in my area that dates from the 1930's and is still in business. The organist is a spray 90+ year old lady!
Great stuff to hear again a Wurlitzer for dancing in the Empress Ballroom -like Old Times!! When will the pistons be working ?
Glad you enjoyed it! The pistons do all work, just the organist didn't feel the need to use them.
F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S !!!!
I read with interest the comments on the Empress Wurlitzer/Compton hybrid organ. The pipe work is Wurlitzer? The Console obviously Compton! Is this still a 3/13 installation?as per the original that was converted from the 2/10 Tower Wurlitzer upon the new Tower organs arrival!
Will the new/old Wurlitzer console be in its original place as this one looks like its on the balcony Somewhere?
It was such a shame that the installation wasn't saved at the time as this was a very fine organ and its been said Reg Dixon loved to record it ,and played it alot after the distruction of the 1956 fire of the Tower Ballroom and its Wurlitzer organ console! Thankfully the pipe organ itself was saved or we may have had a different listening experience today?
Off the top of my head, I think it's at present, 3/13. The majority of the pipe work is Wurlitzer, with some Kilgen and Compton pipework, and new ranks made by Booths in Leeds. It is the aim that the original console will be restored and be connected to the organ, whether it will ever be placed on a stage or not is completely dependent on a new stage being built. There has been no permanent stage in the ballroom for some decades.
As for the Ballroom. I am surprised at all that the ballroom was saved. At a time when musical tastes were changing, society was changing too, to restore the room they did may have been a little on the stuffy side. However, it still made a pretty penny every year, I think Reg was still playing to 2 million every year in the Ballroom... now who did they come to see, Reg off the radio, or the Ballroom?
@OrganMusicYT
The song that some theatre organists play,i think, sums that question up nicely?
"What a perfect combination"
Ferry good
At 2:49 what is it called when you bounce on 2 keyboards I've seen it before but never knew what it was meant for.
It's normally referred to as "waterfalling". It was started off by Reg Dixon as a means to bring out the beat for dancers a busy room. These ballrooms could have up to 6000 people or more in them at a time, so you can imagine the noise in the room! These days it's still used for the same purpose, as well as for show/fun, but it can be pulled off to fantastic musical effect as well.
Wow, I never knew it was called that! It almost seems like it is hard to do especially while retaining a good beat. I've treid it before and I messed up on the chords and couldnt retian a good, strong beat. It must take some practice to master it! Thanks!
It's not hard to do, it's hard to do it right, and accurately though. Keep practicing it, remember to stay loose and not stiffen up whilst you do it.
@@OrganMusicYTThanks!
Will any events take place where we can listen to J.S Bach's organ works here at Blackpool Tower Ballroom? Or anything Baroque for that matter?
This is the Blackpool Empress Ballroom in the Winter Gardens, not the Tower Ballroom. As to the question, it's not always the case, but sometimes a little bit of Bach may be heard during a theatre organ concert. However, it would be highly unlikely to hear a full concert of Bach, or baroque compositions on a theatre organ. Whilst I'm personally not against it, most theatre organs will do it (the keys are all there...), they aren't strictly the best medium for it, just like church organs aren't the best medium for popular music and songs from stage and screen. I don't think it's wise to play against an instruments strengths, it never gives a pleasing result.
Compton console on a Wurlitzer?
Indeed! This is a temporary console whilst funds to restore and connect the original Wurlitzer console are raised.
@@OrganMusicYT How much has been raised to restore the console?
Daniel Murphy A Good question. Fundraising is at the hands of Blackpool Winter Gardens Trust, they are the custodians of the original console. Afaik they don't have specific fundraising targets as they raise money to be used in the building with regards to historic preservation etc. So, when the money is there and can be allocated for the console, it will see work carried out then.
@@OrganMusicYT Interesting!
Just what I was thinking
That organ is missing a bubble making machine.
Merry
Bmartins pointheeiio jean my sweet twin sister jean, s from sister joan.
That's not a Wurlitzer console - it looks far more like a Compton to me.
You are correct, it is a Compton console. It is on the organ as a temporary console until the original Wurlitzer console is restored and connected.
@@OrganMusicYT Hi there!! Thanks for that clarification. When is the Wurli console due to be completed? Presumably the original electro-pneumatic relays/piston actions have or are being replaced with something more modern? Kindest regards and best wishes, Peter A :)
@@wurlitzer895 The restoration is pending funding, when the money is there it will be done. The original relays are long gone, presumably ditched when the original wurlitzer was broken up for parts at Worthing. The internal console pneumatics will be restored, so it will still sound like a wurlitzer should! Pssstchunk!
@@OrganMusicYT Thanks again!! The piston action, when I used to play the organs in my local SE London Granada theatres, was an absolute delight - and the pneumatic 'phuttt' became to me a virtual trademark of the builder. Happy days, long since gone. Strangely enough, I found myself driving past the ex- Granada, Tooting in the early hours of yesterday morning (about 02.30) and gave it an affectionate wave. Lovely that it's still there. Kindest regards as always, Peter A :)
@@wurlitzer895 It's certainly a satisfying sound and action to play on.
Re. Tooting. It's somewhat a shame that it's still there in a way. It has been repeatedly flooded since it was restored and needs the work doing again. It would be better to move it above the stage rather than it being trapped under. Such a waste.
I do not understand why you lads use the 4 beat left hand, I have been playing T. O. here in the USA since the 1960's, we don't do that.
Think about what the organ is being used for and what your priorities would be as an organist when playing for that sort of event.
In the USA "nightclub organists" used the 4-beat LH, 2-beat bass, and called it "Chicago Style". It was rhythmic and (with good harmony) could sound jazzy, even lacking a 4-beat walking bassline, making it easier to adopt by converted pianists. Theatre Organs are generally not used for dance music in the USA, more for concertizing and creative arranging which I personally prefer to hear.
I personally like Blackpool style better, it's more energetic and makes you wanna tap your feet.
It's called the two-step rhythm. It's for dancing, not sitting and listening, or silent movie accompaniment. My first visit to a theater pipe organ was at the Organ Loft (now Edison Events) in Salt Lake City in 1964. The 36 rank Wurlitzer organist was playing dance music including foxtrot, waltz, rock, you-name-it, all accompanied by a drummer. The crowd was partying and dancing to the organ music. And it was not two-step. One of the few places remaining that succeeded at using a theater pipe organ for dancing and entertainment in the USA.
Here Johnny, I'll make it easy for you to understand... it's called DANCE MUSIC! and how this organist is playing is just perfect for dancing. .you moron!
Super excellent with very good interesting video