Rochester’s RKO Palace 4/21 - Opus 1951 12/25/1928 Original specification by house organist Tom Grierson

The instrument known today as the RTOS-GRIERSON 4/23 Wurlitzer began life as a 4-manual, 21-rank Special, Opus 1951. It was shipped from North Tonawanda on September 12, 1928 to the new 2916-seat Keith-Albee Palace Theatre (later renamed RKO Palace) on Clinton Avenue North at Mortimer Street in Rochester, NY. It was premiered on Christmas Day of that year by Rochester organist Tom Grierson who is said to have participated significantly in the specification of the instrument. Over the years Wurlitzer historians have often commented that Tom’s British roots are strongly reflected in its design. While Opus1951 is often said to be similar to a Publix #1, there were a number of differences. Besides having one more rank in the solo chamber and a 15 hp blower, other significant variations include: Main chamber: • The Tuba horn (16 ´ - 4 ´) was not placed in the main, but in the solo chamber instead. • The Dulciana and Solo String I ranks were not included in this instrument. • A 15” wp Gamba (16 ´ - 4 ´), Violin (8 ´ - 4 ´) and Violin Celeste (8 ´ - 4 ´ tc) were included. • The Diaphonic Diapason (16 ´ - 8 ´) is 73 notes and has no 4 ´ octave. Solo Chamber: • There was no in the solo. • There is a Horn Diapason (8 ´) in the solo • The Tuba Mirabilis is extended to 16 ´ (wood) Bombarde. • Piano, Sleigh Bells, Vibraphone mechanism and second Xylophone were not included. Console: • No “master” swell pedal. • Had only 6 solo manual pistons but had “Suitable Bass” provided on the first three manuals. • Third manual is designated “Orchestral” instead of “Bombarde”. • Arrangement of stops divisions on stop-rails differs from normal Wurlitzer practice. (See attached stop-list). The organ is believed to have remained essentially ‘as built’ prior to its removal from the RKO Palace in 1965 and subsequent reinstallation at the Auditorium Theatre during 1966. Over the next 35 years two ranks -10” Vox Humana (8 ´) and 15” Post Horn (8 ´) along with two tuned percussions (Piano and Sleigh Bells) were added. Some minor specifi- cation changes were made to the stop layout and the combination system was somewhat enhanced. More recently a Z-tronics TM “Versaplex 109” Solid State Unification System and its companion “System 2000” TM Combination Action with full MIDI Record and Playback capability has replaced the original electro-pneumatic relay and combination setter systems which remain in storage ‘intact’ at the theatre. Along with the new control systems, judicious revisions to the stops specification have significantly enhanced ac- cess to the capabilities of the organ. The console does however remain pneumatic and the placement of the stops divi- sions on the horseshoe rails remain essentially as originally laid out by Tom Grierson in 1928. A new double row back- rail increased the number of stop tabs from the original 221 to 257. The console now has 60 manual pistons and 5 toe stud pistons with 64 available memory levels. A swing-out tray provides 14 reversible lighted push button ‘stops’for accessory and control functions. Other recent additions include a 16 ´ metal diaphone extension of the horn diapason rank and a second chrysoglott/vibraphone in the solo chamber. All original pipe ranks remain on their original chests. Today the RTOS-Grierson Wurlitzer is recognized as one of the finest functioning theatre pipe organs in a public venue. RTOS has worked diligently over the years to preserve Opus 1951 and is immensely proud of the reputation that the instrument has attained. The following pages present in detail the original specification as installed in 1928. Most Sincerely,

Russ Shaner RTOS 4/23 Crew Chief 1 RKO PALACE 4/21 WURLITZER OPUS 1951

· SYMBOL IN 1 ST COLUMN INDICATES RANKS LOCATED IN SOLO CHAMBER

ACCOMPANIMENT GREAT GREAT 2 nd TOUCH UPPER - LEFT LOWER - RIGHT BACKRAIL 16´ · 16´ BOMBARDE 16´ 16´ CONTRA VIOL (TC) · 16´ OPHICLEIDE 8´ CLAUSA (MAIN) 16´ VOX HUMANA (TC) 16´ DIAPHONE SOLO TO GREAT 8´ TUBA HORN · 16´ 8´ DIAPHONIC DIAPASON 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA (TC) CHAMBER DISPOSITION 16´ CLARINET (TC) 8´ HORN DIAPASON CMPS RANK NOTES 16´ SAXOPHONE (TC) 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA · MAIN (AUDIENCE LEFT) 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 16´ GAMBA 16-2 FLUTE / BOURDON 97 8´ CLARINET 16´ VOX HUMANA (TC) 8-2 VIOL D’ORCHESTRE 85 8´ SAXOPHONE 16´ BOURDON 8-4 VIOL D’ORCH CEL 73 8´ GAMBA · 8´ TUBA MIRABILIS 8-4 VIOLIN 73 8´ STRING · 8´ TRUMPET 8-4 VIOLIN CELESTE (TC) 61 8´ VIOL D´ORCHESTRE 8´ TUBA HORN 8 CLARINET 61 8´ VIOL CELESTE 8´ DIAPHONIC DIAPASON 8 VOX HUMANA 61 · 8´ HORN DIAPASON 8-2 TIBIA CLAUSA 73 8´ VIOLIN · 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 16-4 GAMBA 85 8´ VIOLIN CELESTE (TC) 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 16-8 DIAPHONIC DIAPASON 73 8´ OBOE HORN · 8´ ORCHESTRAL OBOE CHRYSOGLOTT 49 8´ QUINTADENA 8´ KINURA BIRD 8´ FLUTE 8´ CLARINET MAIN TREM 4´ VOX HUMANA · 8´ SAXOPHONE TIBIA CLAUSA TREM VOX HUMANA TREM 4´ GAMBETTE · 8´ GAMBA GAMBA/DIAPH TREM 4´ VIOL · 8´ STRING

4´ VIOL 8´ VIOL D´ORCHESTRE SOLO (AUDIENCE RIGHT) 8´ VIOL CELESTE 4´ VIOLIN 8 QUINTADENA 61 4´ VIOLIN CELESTE 8´ VIOLIN 8 HORN DIAPASON 61 4´ FLUTE 8´ VIOLIN CELESTE (TC) 8 SOLO STRING 61 4´ VOX HUMANA 8´ FLUTE 16-2 TIBIA CLAUSA 97 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (FLUTE) · 8´ VOX HUMANA (TC) 16-8 TUBA MIRAB. / BOMB. 73 2´ PICCOLO (FLUTE) UPPER - RIGHT 16-4 TUBA HORN / OPH. 85 MARIMBA 4´ CLARION 8 KINURA 61 8 OBOE HORN 61 HARP 4´ PICCOLO 4´ PICCOLO 8 ORCHESTRAL OBOE 61 CHRYSOGLOTT 4´ GAMBETTE 8 BRASS TRUMPET 61 8 BRASS SAXOPHONE 61 SNARE DRUM 4´ VIOL HARP/MARIMBA 49 TAMBOURINE 4´ VIOL CELESTE GLOCKENSPIEL/BELLS 37 CASTANETS 4´ VIOLIN XYLOPHONE 37 CHINESE BLOCK 4´ VIOLIN CELESTE CHIMES 25 4´ FLUTE TOM TOM TOY COUNTER/EFFECTS 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (TIBIA) SOLO TREM SAND BLOCK 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (TIBIA) TIBIA CLAUSA TREM SUB OCTAVE 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (FLUTE) TUBA HORN TREM UNISON OFF 2´ PICCOLO (TIBIA) TUBA MIR TREM OCTAVE 2´ PICCOLO (TIBIA) SOLO TO ACCOMP 2´ FIFTEENTH (VDO) # of Pipes in Main 742 2´ PICCOLO (FLUTE) # of Pipes in Solo 743 nd ACCOMP 2 TOUCH 1-3/5´ TIERCE (FLUTE) TOTAL # OF PIPES 1485 MARIMBA BACKRAIL HARP 8´ TUBA HORN CATHEDRAL CHIMES 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA BELLS (RE-IT) CATHEDRAL CHIMES XYLOPHONE XYLOPHONE GLOCKENSPIEL SUB OCTAVE TRIANGLE UNISON OFF SOLO TO ACCOMP OCTAVE SOLO TO GREAT

2 ORCHESTRAL SOLO PARTIAL - RIGHT LOWER - LEFT BACKRAIL · 16´ OPHICLEIDE 16´ BOMBARDE MAIN · 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA 16´ OPHICLEIDE SOLO 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA (TC) 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA TIBIA CLAUSA · 16´ SAXOPHONE (TC) 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA (TC) TIBIA CLAUSA 16´ GAMBA · 8´ TUBA MIRABILIS VOX HUMANA · 8´ TUBA MIRABILIS · 8´ TRUMPET · TUBA MIRABILIS 8´ TRUMPET · 8´ TUBA HORN · TUBA HORN · 8´ TUBA HORN 8´ DIAPHONIC DIAPASON GAMBA - DIAPHONE · 8´ HORN DIAPASON 8´ HORN DIAPASON · 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA · 8´ ORCHESTRAL OBOE 8´ ORCHESTRAL OBOE ACCESSORIES · 8´ KINURA · 8´ KINURA 8´ CLARINET (EFFECTS) 8´ CLARINET · 8´ SAXOPHONE SURF - LEFT ACC KEYCHEEK 8´ SAXOPHONE 8´ GAMBA DOOR BELL - RIGHT ACC KEYCHEEK LOWER - RIGHT 8´ STRING BASS DRUM/KETTLE DRUM ROLL 8´ GAMBA 8´ VIOLIN SNARE DRUM (ROLL/TOM TOM) 8´ STRING · 8´ OBOE HORN TAP CYMBAL 8´ VIOL D´ORCHESTRE · 8´ QUINTADENA CRASH CYMBAL 8´ VIOL CELESTE · 4´ CLARION TAMBOURINE · 4´ PICCOLO 8´ VIOLIN CASTANET 4´ PICCOLO 8´ VIOLIN CELESTE (TC) CHINESE BLOCK 4´ GAMBETTE 8´ FLUTE SAND BLOCK CATHEDRAL CHIMES 8´ VOX HUMANA TRIANGLE XYLOPHONE 4´ PICCOLO BIRD WHISTLE - MAIN - TOE STUD GLOCKENSPIEL 4´ PICCOLO BIRD WHISTLE - SOLO - TOE STUD BELLS 4´ GAMBETTE BOAT WHISTLE - TOE STUD 4´ VIOL FIRE GONG - TOE STUD 4´ OCTAVE CELESTE PEDAL HORSE HOOFS - TOE STUD 4´ VIOLIN PARTIAL - LEFT KLAXON - TOE STUD 4´ 4´ VIOLIN CELESTE 16´ BOMBARDE *SIREN - TOE STUD 4´ FLUTE 16´ OPHICLEIDE *SLEIGH BELL - TOE STUD 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (TIBIA) 16´ DIAPHONE *WHOOPEE (ACME) - TOE STUD 2-2/3´ TWELFTH (TIBIA) 16´ TIBIA CLAUSA * May have been added later 2´ PICCOLO (TIBIA) 16´ GAMBA 2´ PICCOLO (TIBIA) 16´ BOURDON Unable to determine the exact assignment of 2´ PICCOLO (FLUTE) 8´ TUBA MIRABILIS the nine traps toe studs. Wiring changes UPPER - RIGHT 8´ TUBA HORN made in the 1970s reassigned seven of them to be pedal combination toe studs. The two MARIMBA 8´ OCTAVE studs located to the right of the crescendo HARP 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA pedal became assignable to the effects CATHEDRAL CHIMES 8´ TIBIA CLAUSA through a patch box. BELLS (RE-IT) 8´ CLARINET XYLOPHONE 8´ SAXOPHONE GLOCKENSPIEL 8´ GAMBA ACCESSORY CONTROLS CHRYSOGLOTT 8´ STRING 36 MANUAL PISTONS 8´ CELLO SUB OCTAVE 3 TOE STUD PISTONS UNISON OFF 8´ FLUTE SUITABLE BASS - MANUALS 1 - 3 OCTAVE 4´ FLUTE 9 TOE STUDS FOR EFFECTS SOLO TO ORCH LOWER - LEFT 2 KEYCHEEK EFFECTS BUTTONS BASS DRUM 2-STAGE TRAPS PEDAL (SNARE DRUM nd KETTLE DRUM ROLL, BASS DRUM/CRASH CYMBAL) ORCH 2 TOUCH LEFT AND RIGHT THUNDER SNARE DRUM BACKRAIL 2 BALANCED SWELL PEDALS · CYMBAL (TAP) ADJUSTABLE CRESCENDO 16´ OPHICLEIDE · CYMBAL CRASH 2-STAGE SFZORANDO 8´ TRUMPET ACCOMP TO PEDAL PEDAL TRAPS 2-T (TOGGLE SWITCH) 8´ CLARINET GREAT TO PEDAL MAIN & SOLO SWELL INDICATORS ORCH TO PEDAL SOLO TO ORCH SOLO TO PEDAL

3 OPUS 1951 CONSOLE CONTROLS (Original Configuration)

1t SNARE ROLL 2t BASS DRUM/ CYMBAL SFORZANDO

TOE STUD LEFT PISTONS 1 - 3 THUNDER (Diaphone)

M S C A O R I L E N O S C

RIGHT THUNDER (Ophicleide)

TRAPS TOE STUDS 1 - 9

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