Open console, 11 March 2006.

    We had a nice turnout to our open console on Saturday, 11 March 2006.   We had local organists (Harold Clementz and David Gell), others from the south: Phil Mc Kinley (Port Hueneme), Lynne Bishop (LA), an Bob Cook (LA), and Don Springer from the Chicago area.

    The Great Theatre Pipe Organ of the Arlington lived up to its reputation of being easy to play and having a lush sound.  Three loose contact blocks in the accompaniment manual had been recently re-glued by George Ferrand so that problem was gone, and the organ worked flawlessly.



Phil McKinley and David Gell at the Great Theatre Pipe Organ of the Arlington during open console.



 Don Springer in Main Chamber 1.  George Ferrand looks on from the junction between Main Chambers I and II. 
The second octave of the Morton Tuba Mirabalis is behind Don, the Krumet is in front of him. 
One part of the Tibia Clausa (wooden pipes) is near George.


  After a chamber tour, Don Springer played the organ for about 15 minutes and commented on its lush sound.  He said having long shallow chambers allows the pipe nuances to project well into the theatre.  He also complimented us in a later email saying:

"The Arlington Theatre is certainly a beautiful setting for your wonderful Robert Morton organ.  The installation is absolutely magnificent, and the sound is wonderful.  It is very reassuring to see an instrument so well installed, preserved, and cared for.  It is people like you who will make it possible for future generations to know what a theatre pipe organ was actually intended to sound like.  You have done far more than to simply install a theatre pipe organ, you have carefully preserved the sound and personality that the builder intended.  I know that if the people who actually built your instrument, could hear it now, they would consider it to be one of the very finest surviving examples of their work."

    Don is an Information Systems Director and programmer analyst who periodically comes to Santa Barbara.  Hopefully, he will again have time to play the Great Theatre Pipe Organ of the Arlington.  If we get advance notice, and Don is willing, the date of his playing will be posted here.

    Don Springer hails from the Chicago area and played intermissions at the Hinsdale Theatre.  Don also played theatre pipe organ accompaniment with the Long Grove Village Tavern Jazz Band at the Hinsdale Theatre in a three hour 'last concert and silent movie' on 17 October 1999.   The Hinsdale Theatre closed on 31 October 1999 to become an Old Navy store, and the organ was moved to storage.   Hinsdale is located 21 miles west of Chicago (see: http://www.villageofhinsdale.org/).

    Over the many months before the Hinsdale organ was removed, Don recorded selections to make a CD called "Intermission Interlude".   This CD is available from Owl Cinema Organ Guild, 29 E. First Street, Hinsdale, Ill owlcinema@aol.com.  Some excerpts from both the CD and the last concert featuring the Long Grove Village Tavern Jazz Band with theatre pipe organ accompaniment may be heard here.