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tions from the classical repertoire, a - fied by the fact that he was appointed simple hymn, or a frivolous Hit Parade assistant organist at St. Peter's Cathe­ pop, over the years Horace Weber has dral when aged 12. His father overcame presented them with an innate musician­ the difficulty of adequate practice by ship and virtuosity of performance which arranging with the South Australian seldom fall short of perfection. Education Department for Horace to Father Started His Training attend school in the afternoon only. So one week he would practice all the His musical training was thorough, in morning on the organ at the cathedral - a the best classical tradition. A cathedral big three-manual Bishop from London, organist whilst still in his teens, his and go to school in the afternoon, and entry co the theatre organ world came at then the next week he would practice a time when he was already acknow­ piano in the morning, and go to school in ledged as a ocilliant organist and the afternoon. musician. Although tra1010g for a musical Over the years, whilst playing in career, Horace had all a boy's natural theatres, his approach to the instruments instincts for sport and outdoor activity. at his command has always been that he One of his boyhood friends, R. S. Thomp­ is playing an organ, not a box-of whistles son, now a prominent Adelaide business­ and kitchen utensils.' The result has been man, recently recalled how Horace was basically sound organ music, developed "always keen to kick a football, but in the way that can only be accomplished naturally did not play in matches because by true organists. of the risk to his fingers . But he would Adelaide-born Horace Weber, the son join us at practice, and always wore of a piano mechanic who was himself a gloves even when 'marking' (the high fine organist, started his musical career leap for the ball to grasp it whilst in as a choir boy at St. Peter's Anglican flight which is one of the characteristics Cathedral in that city at the age of seven of Australian football) the !:all to have a and a half, and later won the coveted kick." silver medal for the "best all-round boy." Horace has a vivid memory of how he J-lis father started teaching Horace the first learnt that he was to become the piano when he was aged nine, and acting cathedral organist, when only Horace Weber at opening of Melbourne's Capitol Theatre, November, 1924, Con­ allowed him glimpses of organ playing on aged 12. "The organist and choirmaster, Horace Weber shown as he plc:iys final recital on Capitol WurliTzer last February 5th. sole then was highly polished rosewood. a cabinet organ. He remembers the first Mr. John Dunn, was going to England for time he played an organ with full scale a trip, and was to be away 11 months. He by Eric Wicks sole left the theatre after the show the pedals; it was at St. Luke's Church, simply said to me, 'I'm getting Mr. night before. Adelaide, where his father was organist. Arthur Otto in to do the choir, and you Although he developed into a magnifi­ Hindley Street. I knew him very well - a On Wednesday evening, February 5, After the final National Anthem, the Weber's amazing progress is exempli- will do the organ.' That's all he said. cent pianist, and still is, his brilliance very fine theatre pianist, but he didn't 1964, the world-famous Capitol Theatre, audience almost to a man remained But it was a very fine experience. I as an organist brought increasing de­ know an organ from a harmonium. He was Melbourne, Auscralia, screened its last standing whilst a record was played, the think that it hit me along musically more mands for his services as a recitalist, appointed under a two-year contract to film programme, "Guns of Darkness," concealed ceiling lighting for the last than any experience I had. You just had first at various churches around Ade­ play that organ. Well, the organ was with Leslie Caron and David Niven. The time blending and changing through end­ to do the work." laide, and then his first big recital at the opened, and Will held that position for Capitol, work of American architectural less patterns of soft color, the two Passing the senior organ examination Adelaide City Hall when aged 16. about five weeks. Then they closed the genius Walter Burley Griffin, the designer magnificent crystal candelabra burning of the Royal Academy of Music when The following year, he was appointed organ up, and had it all done up again. of Canberra, raced by many authorities as brightly, and theatre manager Ron Jenkin­ aged 14, Weber then started piano studies from 15 applicants to the post of organist "One Friday night Mr. Drake came to the world's most perfect cinema, had son and his staff stood to attention at at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, and choirmaster at St. John's Cathedral, see me at the church during choir prac­ succumbed to the big guns of competition the front of the stalls, facing the audi­ Adelaide, under the head piano teacher, Napier, New Zealand, where, during his tice. I knew old Mr. Drake, although not from television, drive-ins, and 1000-seat ence, in their last tribute to a fine Russian-born Bryceson Treharn, with a four years' stay, he gave over 100 very well - he had been a great big tall long-run houses. The next day, for the theatre. career as a concert pianist in view. recitals, apart from services. ex-bookie. first time in almost 40 years, the theatre In the centre of the front row of the It was here that he had the opportunity "Anyway, he wandered into the which had opened in a blaze of glory on lounge stood an erect grey-haired figure, to go to America. "I had a choice of church during choir practice and walked Saturday, November 8, 1924, with "The head slightly bowed, listening to the going to America - everything was straight up to me and said, 'You're Ten Commandments," a 20-piece orches­ memory-evoking strains of "Look for the right or getting married," says Weber, aren't you?', and I said 'That's tra, and a magnificent 3m / 15r WurliTzer, Silver Lining," played on the Capitol Horace. "Well, got married. And I'm right,!Mr. Drake.' If I hadn't known him I would be in darkness. WurliTzer. It was Horace Weber, the not sorry." would have thought he was a policeman, For most of the audience that attended featured organise at the opening of the the way he spoke. 'I want to see you,' he Became A WurliTzer Man the final night it was a sentimental theatre, hearing again the music with said. I said, 'You can't, Mr. Drake, until occasion. Some had been present on the which he closed the organ at the final Instead of America, it was back to after practice.' 'Right, I'll meet you at opening night. Others had worked there recital on Sunday afternoon, November Australia, first to the North Adelaide the Grand Theatre at half-past nine,' he over the years. Many were patrons with a 17, 1963. Baptist Church, where he gave his two­ said. deep affection for the timeless quality of Horace Weber is a phenomenon in hundredth recital, and then he followed "I wandered around there, and there the theatre which had needed no moderni­ Australia's musical life. For over 60 the former city organist into the Flinders it was. He had me cornered to play this sation in four decades, its magnificently years his masterful playing of the king of Presbyterian Church, Adelaide, where he theatre organ. I'd never seen a theatre beautiful ceiling, and who remembered instruments in theatre, church, city hall stayed for three years, until the big organ in my life. I was used to the old the many exciting and happy hours they or cathedral has been heard throughout change - his introduction to the Wur­ cathedral work. It was a two-manual had spent there. The orchestra pit had the country. liTzer. Wurli Tzer Duplex, with an 88-note piano disappeared under a stage apron built Many enthusiastic lovers of organ "It happened this way," says Horace. keyboard at the bottom, and a 61-note into the theatre with the installation of a music will listen to recordings from Weber at Capitol in 1932. Console "They put an organ in the Grand Theatre, manual at the top. I told him I dido 't wide screen 10 years ago, and the Wur­ England, Europe or the United States, was given "wedding cake" treatment Gordon Hamilton, TOSA Division Adelaide, and the proprietor of the know anything about theatre playing. But li Tzer organ, bought by the Theatre and mentally compare what they hear when American Newell Alton came to President, during a midnight practice theatre, Mr. Drake, appointed a man he said, 'Go down and play something. Organ Society of Australia, Victorian with the standard set by Horace Weber. theatre with Conductor Jan Rubini in session. He was featured with Weber at named Will Parsons as organist. He And don't te 11 me you can't, because you Division, had been removed - the coo- Whether it be one of the great composi- 1929. final recital. played the piano at West's Pictures in can.' *Please turn page l 2 theatre organ Spring 164 1 3 A GREAT ORGANIST said he had been quite mistaken, and had made his statement to the students "So I went down and played two on what he had been told, without having things that were among his favorites, heard the WurliTzer. But he wouldn't although I didn't know it - the Soldier's accept the invitation to try it himself. Chorus from Faust, and he thought that In 1929 Weber left the Capitol for the was absolutely wonderful. Then I played Victory Theatre, Kogarah, New South the same old thing which I often played Wales (his place at the Capitol was taken at the Capitol - The Rosary - and he by American Newell Alton, who came thought that was wonderful, too. A few out with violinist-conductor Jan Rubini), days afterwards he saw me and told me and later he followed another American, that if I would sign a three-year contract Price Dunlevy, at the Sydney State he would give me 17 pounds 10 shillings 4m/21r WurliTzer, from which he broad­ (about 80 dollars) a week. cast daily for two years. He was then at "And of course I took that position! Eric Wicks, the Roxy, Paramatta (a three-manual You can imagine, a poor old church Theatre Organ Society of Australia, Christie) before returning to the Mel­ organist in 1919, what he would be Division, was a pupil of bourne Capitol in 1932 for two years. He getting, and a man comes along and says, Weber for three years beforn then transferred to Perth, West Australia, 'I'll give you f.17 /10/-a week, three year's ._Jommg the Australian Army during where he was featured at the Ambassa­ contract.' I said 'thank you very much.' " · the Second World War, which, he dors and Regent Theatres before return­ Those, of course, were the silent says, was probably a good thing for ing to Melbourne and the Capitol in 1938 film days. And Horace Weber says he those people who like to enjoy for another six years. thinks he learnt more playing theatre listening to theatre organs. He is His last theatre appointment was at organ for silent films than he did at the now editor of the Melbourne sub­ Melbourne's Regent and Plaza Theatres Conservatorium or in Cathedral work. _.':urban newspaper, East Yarra News. in 1948-49. The Plaza, with a 2m/13r "Playing picture organ in silent days you :} He likes to tell friends he is WurliTzer, is relow the Regent. The :::·:member of the "coolie labor" force had to play from all sorts of scores - original Regent, opened in 1929, was song copies, piano conductor's copies, :) helping the more expert destroyed by fire in 1945. During his all sorts of things. When you had to make !}'members dismantle theatre organs. period here Weber was again playing the your own pedal part from these it would Ambassadors' Perth organ, which had be quite hard, but when you came back to years later, in 1924, he was appointed been brought across to Melbourne, and ordinary organ music - three staves - it from 12 applicants as organist for the rebuilt from a 3m/15r to a 4m/19r by was quite simple." first full-scale WurliTzer in Australia at including some of the Hope-Jones Unit Here it must be mentioned that to the new Capitol Theatre. Orchestra originally in Hoyt's De Luxe, Horace Weber the pedal part, even for a It was the first WurliTzer in Australia . before being installed in the Regent to pop, is not just a rythmic bassy bump - with 16 , 8 and 4 Tibias , and cost the replace the original 4m / 21r WurliTze r it ' s a real pedal part , played with both then staggering sum of £15 ,000 (abou t lost in the fir e. feet , with the top end o f the pedal board 75,000 dollars}. Newspapers of the da y Since his retiremen t fro m regu lar gettin g almos t a s much work as the indicate that the opening of the theatr e theatr e work , he has bee n act i ve ly en­ lowe r. with "The Ten Commandments , " the gaged as organist and choirmaste r a t the The organist at the Grand was not on large orchestra under Sam White, the Armadale Baptist Church , Melbourne , and view to the public. The ronsole was stage "prologue , " and the magnificent gives many recitals there and at othe r raised about half-way up the theatre organ rising up from the pit whilst being churches. In recent years he has also wall facing the screen, and surrounded played by Horace Weber, was something been in demand as an electronic organ by a high curtain. "In summer I'd prob­ of a riot. demonstrator. ably play just in a singlet. In winter The program in those days opened (Editor's Note: Part two of Eric Wicks' I'd have my topcoat and everything on." with a "gazette," (type of newsreel-Ed.) excellent story discloses the tremendous Horace says the Grand WurliTzer was after which there would be the orchestral activity on the part of the Victorian a fine little organ of its kind - 11 or 12 overture, followed by the oolo organ Division of the Theatre Organ Society of ranks, with two flutes - a concert flute spot. Once, giving one of his "Trips Australia to prepare the Capitol WurliT­ and an ordinary Hohl flute, but no tibias. dirough the Organ," Horace announced to zer for the final Weber concert, the big He used to try and fit the picture, using the audience that he was going to do musical event, and final removal of the appropriate music, such things as Wag­ something different - play the piano with instrument by the Society. The article nerian opera, even Bach. "A lot of his feet. They thought it was a joke. wi II appear in the next issue of people don't think I play Karg-Elert. And He coupled the piano 16, 8 and 4 to the THEATRE ORGAN.} Max Reger. Karg-Elert was just compos­ pedal, and played the Bach G Major ing then for the harmonium, not the Fugue. They thought it was wonderful. organ. I used to play a lot of him, to fit Horace says there was nothing wonderful in with a dry picture. The picture was about it - just showmanship, that's all. MacClain, Cole dry, so I played dry music," says But there are few theatre organists who Horace. could do it with a work of that nature. Suffer Attacks "During the period I was there we Old timers remember the big contro­ Two famous organists have recently added a bass drum, snare drum, and two versy in the newspapers when the then suffered heart attacks and have been cymbals. They were the most vile things city organist of Melbourne, William ~cKie forced into semi-retirement until their you ever heard. They were terrible (now Sir William Mckie, organist at health improves. The two, ATOE's drums but the best we could buy in Westminster Abbey) told students during Leonard MacClain, who resides at Adelaide. My brother Victor put them in a lecture at Melbourne University Con­ Devault, Pa., and Buddy Cole, of North - he is a piano and organ mechanic. But servatorium of Music that the Capitol Hollywood, Calif., have both produced in those days they had no ~ay of workin,~ WurliTzer was only fit to use as drains. new recordings that are currently being them. The bass drum was JUSt a thump. When this was reported in the press, distributed throughout the United States. Horace Weber bounced right lack, and Both men are inactive and will be on the the argument was very heated. mend for several months. Eventually McKie came across from However, it was announced in Niagara Played First Big WurliTzer the town hall (it was only on the other Frontier Chapter's "Silent Newsreel," In 1922 Horace Weber was engaged to side of Swanston Street) to the Capitol official unit publication, that MacClain open the two-manual Hope- Jones Unit to hear Weber play the WurliTzer for him. sent word he plans to attend the 1964 Orchestra at Hoyt's De Luxe Theatre McKie was quite surprised, and admitted National ATOE Convention in New York (now the Esquire} in Melbourne. Two that the organ's tone was very fine. He next July. 14 theatre organ