REGINALD NEW - "NOLA" - COMPTON THEATRE ORGAN - BEAUFORT CINEMA WASHWOOD HEATH - 1931

REGINALD NEW plays a terrific arrangement of the Felix Arndt's
popular novelty number "NOLA" on the Compton Theatre Organ
of the Beaufort Cinema, Washwood Heath, Birmingham.
REGINALD NEW F.R.C.O was one of the best known Theatre Organists,
two of his residendences were the Beaumont and the Regal Beckenham.
New was born 1902 in Lewisham, Kent and died in Beckenham, Kent 1958.
He was a pioneer cinema organist playing for silent films.
New's first broadcast for the BBC was on the 28th November 1929,
in total he broadcast 468 times from the Beaufort before being transfered
to the Regal Kingston in 1933 where he gave 200 broadcasts from Kingston.
Reginald New used two Signature Tunes for broadcasting -
He opened with "Jolly Good Company" and closed with "Old Father Thames".
A Playlist of Reginald New videos is available on ComptonLodgeStudios channel.
Taken from Broadcast 78rpm record 783-A released in 1931.
Recording from the ComptonLodgeStudios Archive Collection.
Video uploaded by ComptonLodgeStudios, South Street, Ynyshir in the Rhondda.

[@mainaccount131]

Excellent

[@ComptonLodgeStudios]

Many Thanks Main Account, Reg. New was one of the best players and much respected by his peers.
Thanks for commenting, PAUL ComptonLodgeStudios in the Rhondda.

[@HD7100]

This is a tune I always liked and had fun playing it. Playing this tune in a huge theatre with a lot of reverb would make it easy to lose control. Not in this case though. Nice recording. Brilliant.

[@ComptonLodgeStudios]

Thank You HD7100 Glad you enjoyed this one, a Lovely Number, PAUL ComptonLodgeStudios in the Rhondda.

[@wurlitzer895]

What a brilliant performance by Reginald New! Thanks for this one, Paul. Have you heard Reginald Porter-Brown's version from Torquay? Quite different, but equally virtuosic. On a tangent, I've just 'googled' Reginald New and discovered he was a Lewisham boy, which surprised me. I seem to recall (probably a false memory), donkeys' years ago, on 'The Organist Entertains', that Robin Richmond referred to him as a 'cockney', so I imagined he was a BBB (Bow Bells Boy). It appears he was a choirboy, and later assistant organist, at St George's, Catford and later organist at Christ Church, Chislehurst - a church I do know. 'My' church is also in Catford, but there the similarity ends, I fear!! Sorry to constantly bore you with my irrelevant trivia!! Take care!! Pete A :) :) :)

[@ComptonLodgeStudios]

Thanks for your interest Pete. I always do a bit of research for my notes accompanying videos but I have found there are often conflicting details therein. You can only do your best and there is usually someone who knows the bit of trivia you are looking for!
Many Thanks as always for your informed comments, PAUL.

[@wurlitzer895]

@@ComptonLodgeStudios Paul, I do apologise to you; I had managed to miss opening and reading the comprehensive details you gave to this video, and have only now just done so. Unforgivable of me. I will be much more careful in the future. A contrite and embarrassed Peter A.

[@ComptonLodgeStudios]

@@wurlitzer895 Don't worry Peter I often make mistakes these days - Age Will Tell! - All the Best, PAUL.

[@ComptonLodgeStudios]

@@wurlitzer895 No need for apologies, PAUL 73 and ageing rapidly!