•••••••••••••• • • THE • • LIFE • • AND • • TIMES • • OF • • ~aylnrh • I • • • Qlartrr • • • •••••••••••••• • by Lloyd E. Klos

Editor's N ote: In October 1966, an in ­ a flute pipe; some drums and little bells, terview, conducted by ATOE 'r D on Wa l­ and there was a roll mechanism. I played lace, uias aired on th e "Pipes on Parade" we'd put some music to it. We'd get a program of Los A ngeles radio station, the feature picture, then the rolls would KPF K, and f eatured prominent organist, come on and play the comedy and the cue sheet which would give some idea Gaylord Carter. ATOE mem ber, Jim serial. of the type of music. Of course, you Rayton taped th e program as it came "I remember the first solo I played on knew if you'd get a Spanish picture, over th e air, and sent a copy to Th eatre you'd play Spanish music, or an Oriental Organ f eature writer, Lloyd E. Klos , the thing. They said, 'Carter, you should who considered th e show so interestingly play a solo.' So, I got out one of the picture, that kind of thing . There were informat ive that he believed it should overtures ( I believe it was the Light always some little cue sheets which came be shared by th e ATOE m embership, Cavalry Overtur e), and played this in a along with the print which told the mu­ and transcribed th e program fr om th e sician what t0 do. tape, th en transposed it into this feature . little spotlight on this funny-looking lit­ Incidentally, Klos has known Gaylord tle piano keyboard . The manager of the "The cue sheet would give a few bars Carter since 1945, ·when both served in theater finally sprang for a 4-rank Robert of suggested music so that you'd get the th e Al eutians. Thi s will be discussed Morron organ . For playing the piano, I idea of what was involved. Ir would say, mo re full y later. had been getting $16 a week for seven probably, 'screening', which meant when "I was playing organ when I was going days, and when the organ was installed, the picture hit the screen. Then it would to high school in Wichita, Kan .," Career he raised my salary to $25 a week, which call for a fanfare. Then it said, 'Opening began . "My dad had a conservatory of seemed to me to be a perfectly mon­ titles,' and during this maybe one of the music, and was organist and choral di­ strous amount of money in 1923! themes was used . Then it would say, rector in the Episcopal Church there, so "This was when I played such things 'Scene: Boy and girl in boat,' and it I grew in an atmosphere of considerable as chase music. The same people were would indicate a Barcarolle type of music around the house. I finally sneaked chasing in the movie who are chasing in music. Then, 'Boat tips over- agitation into the organ loft one day, started fid­ the late-late-late TV show today. Either music,' and they'd indicate maybe Agi­ dling around a little bit , and pretty soon the good guys were after the bad guys, tato No. 3, by a composer by the name I was invited to play for Sunday School. or the other way around . But, the music of Cimino, who seems to have written Even in those days, when I was 14, I is the same, and it's the kind of thing hundreds of agitatos. Then it would say, used to stare playing what I considered you still hear. 'Children frolicking in the park,' and pretty wild popular music, and one time "When I started at UCLA (I was in you'd have some happy music, and they'd the rector came in and said, 'Look - the Class of 1928), I got a job in the Se­ give you from four t0 six bars. So, a you 've got t0 stop playing that high­ ville Theater in Inglewood , playing there page in a cue sheet is just a whole series falutin' music in here in this church. Ir's nights and going to college in the day­ of suggested types of music with a few not right!' time. This was a nice little theater where bars indicated and the running time of "In 1922, I came to Los Angeles, and the management was interested in good the scene, say 50 seconds, 2½ minutes while finishing high school, got a job in music for the pictures. They had an Estey or 3 ½ minutes. I'd go over these things the little Sunshine Theater down on organ of about six ranks of pipes, and and make some little marks, and then South Park at 54th Street. Ir had what we'd play a different picture, I recall, about the second time I'd play the pic­ they called a Y-0 , or a WurliTzer or­ every two days. ture, I'd know pretty well where I was chestra . This was a piano keyboard with "In those days, we'd have cue sheets; going .· two little sets of pipes, a string pipe and we wouldn 't see the picture first before (Continu ed on Page 36)

5 theatre organ I bombarde LETTERS,contd. CLOSING CHORD played for vaudeville shows at the Palo­ (Continued from Page 4) mar Theatre until 1944 when he took Best of luck in the future. John E. Mitchell, 65, known through­ over the orchestra at the Showbox Yours sincerely out the Pittsburgh area by the phrase Theatre. JOHN B. POTTER "Johnny Mitchell at the organ!" died on Reed was president of Local 76, AFM, b August 22, shortly after a cancer oper­ from 1944 to 1954, and served several 3 Page Street ation, in a Pittsburgh hospital. Mitchell's terms on its board of directors. He was Madison, N. J. 07940 career started in 1918 when he started president of the Northwest Conference September 9, 1967 playing for silent movies at 16 in the of Musicians from 1946 to 1952, and My Dear Miss Lake, Loew's Lyceum Theatre in Picsburgh. was its secretary- treasurer from 19 5 3 un­ I'd like to say that it was a terrible In 1921 he moved on to the Victor til 1962. shame that you, one of the greatest or­ Theatre in McKeesport, then joined the He is survived by his wife and two ganists of our time, could not give one Clark chain which operated the Regent sons, Eugene A. Reed of Seattle, and of your very distinguished ( for one rea­ and Liberty Theatres in East Liberty, Cape. Charles C. Reed of New York. son or another) performances at the re­ Penna. Leo Palucki of Erie recalls hear­ cent Detroit ATOE convention. You ing Mitchell at the Warner House when were the hit (POW) of the banquet at it f irsc opened. He opened at the Enright DELAWARE VALLEY Portland last year, and I know several in Pittsburgh in 1929, but by then (Continued from Page 4) people who were very disappointed to "talkies" had doomed silent movies so the organ installation technicians indi­ hear that you got left home in Squalor he changed to broadcasting with a daily cated that something was amiss. A call Hollow. "Footlights and Stardust" program from I have conferred with a pipe organ to the factory at Hagerstown, Maryland, owning friend of mine concerning the confirmed that there had indeed been a possibility of an addition to your 3/ 9 mixup; chis was the "Met" organ missent T. 0. which I designed for you last March. to the Sedgewick Theatre. The "Met" He agrees that the perfect addition to Moller was practically a twin of the 4-43 make it a 3/ 10 should be a VOX IN­ organ in the Fox, Atlanta, Georgia, the HUMAN A. This can be used in solo "Big Mo." Some fast reshipping resulted work with the Tibia Martha rank with and finally ·the 19-ranker arrived at the accompaniment, of course, on the VDB's! Sedgewick. I hope this meets with your satisfaction. In the spring of 1928 the theatre Hope you give another concert soon. opened with the largest theatre organ in Sincerely yours the Germantown area. This was opus ERIC ZELIFF 5230. Among the professional organists the Enright. In recent years he did club chat were to play chis Moller was Leon­ P.S.: When do I gee my record? work and teaching. A friend, Vincent b b b ard MacClain-demonscrator, designer Volpe, says, "Mitchell was a demanding and soloist. Dear Sirs: teacher, but his students loved him. And Being a theatre pipe organ buff, as Once again, 39 years later, was organ­ he was always ready to go along with us ise MacClain to present a lifetime of well as a fellow ATOE member, I am ( ATOEers) to play the Leona Theatre curious to know how many of our mem­ tunes flowing from his fingers, and Kimball over in Homestead. We in the chose Moller pipes responded. bership was fortunate enough to catch Pittsburgh district are going to miss the color TV show, titled "Across the Leonard MacClain-che master of the him. " He was planning a record release console-the teacher and the friend. Seven Seas" (Face and Place), which fea­ to be played on the Leona organ, accord­ tured in the opening segment an all too ing to Jay E. Smith. brief series of shots of Leon Berry's two­ Mitchell played at the Pittsburgh THE LIFE AND TIMES OF manual Wurlitzer pipe organ in his Civic Arena right up to the day of his home at Norridge, Ill. I accidentally admittance to the hospital for the oper­ ~aylnrh. illartrr tuned the program in for want of watch­ ation. He is survived by his widow, (Continued from Page 5) ing something other than a rerun and Marie; a son, John, and a daughter, Mrs. the caption in the TV guide stated mere­ Joanne Dunn. He was a member of AFM DURING THIS TIME, we were play- ly, "World's Greatest 'Do - It -Yourself' and A TOE. A story about his musical ing Harold Lloyd pictures. He would Organ Builder." I am glad it featured career appeared in the April 1967 issue make about two pictures a year, and one an artist from our Chicago area as I have of THEATRE 0RGAN-BOMBARDE. evening, one of his managers was in the all, or most, of Mr. Berry's albums as b b b audience at the Seville. Apparently, I well as hundreds of other pipe organ al­ Harry Reed of Seattle, 73, organisc­ was feeling pretty well that night, be­ bums, from Jesse Crawford down co the musician, long active in Pacific North­ cause I was just going co town on the most obscure artists. My only wish is west music circles, died in Miami Beach movie. He phoned the manager of one chat more exposure should be accorded August 7 after an illness of five weeks. of the big downtown theaters, and said, to the pipe organ to give the public a He became ill while attending the Na­ "There's a kid out here in the sticks more concise picture of the "World's tional Convention of the American Fed­ who's really kicking heck out of chis or­ Greatest Instrument." eration of Musicians in that Florida city. gan! You could probably use somebody Hoping you will find chis item of in­ He began his musical career at 14 as down there.' terest to our subscribers, I remain a church organist. Lacer, he was staff "They sent for me, I did an audition, Yours sincerely organise for Loew's Sc. James Theatre in and in 1926, I went into the Million Harry C. Miller Boston. He came to Seattle in 1921, and Dollar Theater at Third and Broadway, Box 336, R.R. #3 played the organ at cinemas there and in which was the leading presentation house Palatine, Illinois 60067 Everett. In 1931, Reed became assistant in Los Angeles. The pictures ran from a (Program data: Channel 9, July 23, program and musical director for radio month to two or three months, and we 1967-9:00 p.m.) station KJR. Leaving radio in 1937, he (Continued on Next Page) october 1967 36 prepared the scores well in advance. ald Coleman. I can't remember others. what actually is being labeled very often There was an orchestra, and the musical There were all sorts of films. is a similar thing, with maybe a slight director was Leo Forbstein, who later be­ "I didn't record any of the music in change in rhythm." came musical director at Warner Broth­ those days. The 'Ben Hur' score was pre­ ers' Studio. pared by a well-known musician in New T THIS point, Gaylord discussed "When I went into the Million Dol­ York. There was no original music in A styles of music played on types of lar, here was the setup: There was a con­ that particular score. It was a compila­ organs. cert orchestra of 3 5 men in the pit, Paul tion of , for example, Dvorak's 'New "Music is music, and organ-playing is Whiteman with about 30 men on the World Symphony' for the fighting scenes, organ-playing. It is perfectly possible to stage, and a great big score. I believe the and there were the 'Steppes of Central play classical style or popular style ( or first picture I played there starred Nor­ Asia' for the lonely sequences of the fort. theater style as it's sometimes known) ma Talmadge, though I don't remember There were three themes which were on practically any kind of instrument. the name of it. written for the picture by Dr. William You can take the most classical baroque "But here was a tremendous presenta­ Axt, who compiled the score. organ and play the blues on it, or play tion, and I, just a youngster from the "Many of the pictures had distinguished certain jazz styles. But, you can't get up outlands, came into this enormously musicians composing and compiling and really go on it in a jazz way. On a complicated atmosphere. I'd been there scores. Erno Rapee, for example, who good sized theater organ, which has dia­ about two weeks, was just petrified with was scoring pictures at that time in New pasons, tubas and trombones, you can the dynamic nature of it all, playing all York, wrote 'Diane' for 'Seventh Heaven' turn off the tremulants and play the Vi­ day, then practicing all night, when Paul which I played when I was working in dor Toccata so that it will sound just as Whiteman stopped me in the hall back­ Inglewood. It was a combination in those magnificent as on the finest classical stage and said, 'Carter, you've been do­ days of original and published music organ. ing a great job. I've been noticing what used in most of these scores. Now, of "It's really a frame of mind; it's a you're doing.' You had no idea what that course, everything is written for the pic­ point of view which you're using. If meant to a youngster just starting out! ture. There is practically no music which you're playing popular music, you're "This theater was one of the Publix is adapted from something else unless a thinking along those lines; if you're play­ Theaters, which was a national chain un­ piece is called for in the picture. ing classical music, you're thinking along der the supervision of Paramount Pic­ "There were entire books of mysteri­ those lines. tures. Sid Grauman, the former owner, ousos, agitatos, sweet music and sad mu­ "Of course, the organs should be de­ had given up the Million Dollar and the sic written for accompanying the silents. signed for the special kind of music, but Metropolitan ( the Paramount later) and I still have a musty library in a little it's perfectly possible to interplay types was running the Egyptian and the warehouse behind the garage at home, of music on different kinds of organs. In Chinese. just full of these things-agitatos, mys­ the early days when organs were first in­ "Two girls were my assistants, and tery themes, spooky music, happy tunes, stalled in theaters, there were no theater you can imagine their annoyance when I and all sorts of things. They went under organs per se; the kind which has the was brought in as supervising organist! what they called 'moods'." drums, the traps, the xylophones and One of them would come to work at 11 bells. Classical organs were installed in a.m. when the house opened. Then at 1 Gaylord explained that this was actu­ theaters. In the Capitol Theater in New p.m., I would come on and play about ally original mood music, so silent pic­ York, there was a great concert organ, 15 minutes. The orchestra would come tures pre-dated the present craze for and Dr. Mauro-Cottone, one of the lead­ in, play the overture, then the act, and mood music. "It was certainly along the ing classical organists in New York, was would go into about 10 minutes of the same line. It's a very interesting thing; featured in that theater for many years. the medium of presentation of entertain­ feature. I'd play the middle of the pic­ "I remember when I was just a ture, they'd come in for the last 10 min­ ment keeps changing-from silent movies to sound movies, to radio, to tele­ youngster in Wichita, there was an utes of the feature, then we'd do the Austin organ in the Palace Theater, and overture, which I played along with the vision, to the stage, to sports areas, etc. The setting and the type of entertain­ the organist was a concert musician by orchest_ra. Then would come the stage the name of P. Hans Flaff, who played show, the orchestra coming in for 10 ment change, but the music stays the same. 'A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody' is in strict concert style. It was later minutes again. I'd play till about 4: 30, ( I'm talking about the period of the followed by one of my assistants who'd still good for a sequence in any kind of medium. very early 1920's), that the need for an play till about 7, at which time, I'd come instrument in a theater which would back. We'd go through the routine again "The taste in music changes; the ap­ approximate orchestral sounds, was dis­ until the last feature at night, the orches­ preciation may be of a certain class. The covered, and mostly through the influ­ tra would play 10 minutes, and then I'd youngsters, say for instance, going for ence of Hope-Jones, we got orchestra finish it out, closing about 12 o'clock. So, rock n' roll. You had a jazz period, a sounds from organs in theaters, and it was from 1 p.m. till about midnight, boogie-woogie period, a pop period, a gradually the traps, drums, xylophones, with two hours off for supper. bop period and a rock n' roll period. bells, steamboat whistles and things "It was quite a bit of playing, but it But, for anybody to define exactly what were added to the consoles. It really was a wonderful experience working with these things are, and where one kind of started as classical organs in the theaters the orchestra in a big house. It was a music leaves off and another one starts, and gradually developed into something case of sinking or swimming in a hurry/ would be pretty difficult to do. I remem­ which was far closer to what was needed I had to work pretty hard to keep up ber listening one time to Richard Rodg­ in order to give orchestra quality . with it, but it was one of the most en­ ers. He said 'I couldn't tell you what the "I believe this was because theaters joyable experiences I ever had. difference is among boogie-woogie, rock had orchestras, and when the organ came "We played 'Ben Hur' for about three n' roll, and bop. I wouldn't have the on, they wanted it to sound as much like months. This was the original 'Ben Hur', slightest idea.' the orchestra as possible, so they design­ the silent version with Ramon Navarro. "I believe these are labels which are ed an instrument which would give that Then we played 'Beau Geste' with Ron- put on things for easy reference . But sound."

37 theatre organ I bombarde JNRESPONSE to the well-known fact way, which is now a parking lot. By this the popular songs of the day. All the that theater organists were looked time, sound pictures had come in, but publishers of popular songs would get down upon by classical organists, Gay­ we still played silent cartoons, newsreels out slides of their songs for promotional lord Carter had this to say: There were and organ solos for awhile. Then, I went purposes, and furnish them to the many more jobs available to theater or­ to the United Artists Theater down near theater organists, because they thought ganist~ than there were qualified, trained Nint~. and Broadway, where I played the theater was a good plug for their orgamsts. A lot of people who had been solos. music. playing pianos in theaters, switched to In answer to a question about Sid "'1:hen, some of the more energetic the organ, and little by little, they de­ Grauman, Gaylord replied: "When I pu~hshers would develop little presen­ veloped pedal technique and got known went to the Egyptian ( I believe I went tations around their tunes with certain as "left-foot organists." In other words there in 1934), §id Grauman had given ideas in which you'd use their things. they were just playing thump-thump~ up that one, too, as that was taken over Those o~ us who were doing theater thu1:1p-thump with the left foot, giving by Fox West Coast, and he was just presentations, would also come up with a krnd of bass effect and were never operating the Chinese. Later on, he gave little ideas. playing a pedal line or a bass line which that up. He sold these theaters, I under­ . "~hen we got the repeal of prohibi­ is what you have in classical organ liter­ stand, at perfectly enormous prices to tion rn 1933, I had the organ console ature. This is probably one of the rea­ theater chains. He developed them, set decked up like the counter in a beer hall sons they were looked down upon. up a certain fabulous atmosphere in the complete with a big bowl of pretzels. i "I also believe they were looked down theaters and then sold them to good ad­ came up, wearing an a pron, turned on and envied at the same time, because vantage. around, wiped off the console and said t~e theat~r organists were making pretty "At the Egyption, I was just the organ "What'll you have?" I played' the "Bee; big salaries, and the combination of in­ Barrel Polka" and things of that kind. eptitude in the pedal department and feature. This was in 1933-34 when there was considerable depression. The best When it was over, and the console going large salaries annoyed some of these down, I threw pretzels to the audience. people." seats in the house were 50c and the side seats were 25c. It was, however, a first­ "Another time, I had a rigged-up Getting back to his experiences, Gay­ run house. You could get in there for 25c, thermometer on the stage, and the loud­ l~rd continued. "At the last presenta­ see a beautiful picture, and (chuckle) hear er people would sing, the higher would tion we had at the Million Dollar be­ an organ solo by me, and remember I go the thermometer until when they fore it closed as a Publix house they in­ was getting $ 5 5 a week. It seemed like really were screaming at the end of the vited me to play a solo. The o;gan con­ an enormous amount of money then. presentation, the thermometer went clear sole in the Million Dollar was not on to. the top, a flash pot went off, and the "At about that time, I was invited to ~n ele~atUnited States with Amos n' Andy show, never an electronic. places, but to employ many organists. Harold Lloyd pictures and with a lot of "Of course, the boys went on to big­ There were 4 or 5 of us on the staff of ocher pictures; Douglas Fairbanks, for ger and better things. They had a half­ CBS at one time. instance, in "The Thief of Bagdad" and hour show once a week, and later on, "Some of the shows on radio with in "Mark of Zorro." were tremendous in TV. The show had which I was connected included "Holly­ "These are great silent movies which a marvelous life. They're wonderfully wood Hotel" with Ramond Paige ( later are packed with action and a lot of fine gentlemen, and it was a rewarding Musical Director of the Radio City excitement. It's not like bringing out old experience to be associated with them." Music Hall). Then I was on a program relics, looking at chem, and saying, 'My Gaylord stayed with the show until with David Brook, called "California goodness, we're glad that year has pass­ 1942, at which time he joined the Navy. Melodies." ed!' It's not that way at all. To a lot of The writer fondly treasurers his several "On several occasions, I substituted youngsters, this is a new experience in meetings with the jolly Lieutenant (JG) for a very distinguished organist, Paul film presentation, and with the interest in 1945 when both were stationed on Carson, piaying "One Man's Family" and of the musical score played on a big or­ the rock of Adak in the Aleutians. Cart- some of the other things which he did. gan, it's a pretty exciting thing.

39 theatre organ I bombarde "You may remember that last year, and there's all the enthusiasm; where HARMONICS/BARTON we had a series of silent movies at Occi­ were they when I was playing in the (Continued from Page 17) dental College. This was not Flicker Fin­ theater? There didn't seem to be any­ gers; it was a silent movie festival. We body paying attention to the organ in the chest is the foot in flue pipes. It is played the scores on a concert organ, those days. It was all taken for granted. a boot in metal reed pipes. The extreme doing theater effects on the most rigid ot The organ rose out of the pit, and we bottom which fits into the air hole in concert instruments, a great Skinner." played a little organ solo. If the folks the wind chest is the toe on all stops. liked ic, they gave you a big hand; if In reed pipes the shallot ( echalotte) they didn't they sure didn't give you a is also called a reed. The vibrating part NOTHER place where Gaylord big hand! There was never anybody you is the tongue. A Career is featured is the Los An­ could really depend upon to be enthusi­ Block refers to part of the mouth in geles Spores Arena. "The Spores Arena astic, regardless of what happened. a wood stop; its counterpart in a metal is one of the places where an electronic pipe is the languid. A block is also a organ has been installed to use before "But, it is enormously stimulating to metal part of a reed stop. It is at the and during sporting events. The organ me, having played the theater organs in top of the boot and holds up the reso­ at the Dodger Stadium is a big feature the old days, and now seeing this revival nator. The shallot is on its underside.* of the action down there, and also at the of interest in the organ, in the silent Tongue is the vibrating brass strip in new Aneheim Stadium where the An­ movies and in the little presentations a reed pipe, also the hardwood piece that gels are. At the Sports Arena, I was which we have. joins the upper lip to the front board in a octave of a wood open diapason. privileged to play for the Blades, the "We recently went to Cincinnati with 16' Lakers, boxing events, track events and a Douglas Fairbanks picture, and 3,000 *The parts listed are illustrated in the article, all sorts of Sf?Orting activities. "How to Ruin a Theatre Organ," in the people turned out to see this presenta­ August, 1967, issue of this publication. "There, y~u play, more or less, the tion and hear the organ. They were b b b kind of music which will heighten the enormously enthusiastic. It was a great A little understood element of a pipe action. People will come up to you and night in the theater, and I'm sure I was organ is the harmonic structure of the give you requests, and of course, all the having more fun than anybody there. pipe. Harmonics are present in some de­ kids want to hear the Batman theme "One of the greatest experiences in gree in every musical sound. In many and Beatle songs. During one of the the theater was to go to a place like sounds they are easily distinguishable, intervals of a hockey game, we play the Paramount downtown, where there while in others they are not so plain and selections from "My Fair Lady" and dur­ was the concert orchestra in the pit, the in some musical sounds they are so faint ing the other one, numbers from "Sound big stage show with the stage band, the they are not audible to the human ear. of Music". All of this just to keep some­ organ playing a solo, and maybe a car­ The human singing voice, especially so­ thing going while the action is not tak­ toon. There was a feeling that you were prano, is the richest in harmonics or ing place on the floor. really getting something for your money. overtones. In highly resonant, metallic musical instruments such as cymbals, bells "Though they demolished the the­ "Now, you have that feeling today, and triangles, they are very audible. Ori­ aters, got rid of the theater organs, and too. But it's not quite the same. It may ental gongs have a great number. Instru­ maybe knocked the organ to the ropes a be that people spread it out a little bit. ments with stretched strings played with bit, it certainly has rebounded. There's You go to the theater and see a great a bow, violins, violas, cellos and bass always a spot for good music, and I'm picture. You go to the Hollywood Bowl viols are rich in harmonics. Brass in­ very grateful that there's a revived in­ and hear a great orchestra. You go to a struments are high in harmonics. terest in organ-playing. I believe this is "Flicker Fingers" and hear a great the­ Harmonics are the result of the natu­ due to several things. ater organ." ral law of sound which is a part of acous­ "One, of course, is the invention and tics. They are musical acoustics. Har­ dissemination of the electronic instru­ monics reinforce the fundamental sound, ments. So many people have organs in JNCLOSING the interview, Don Wal- influence the intensity and quality of a their homes now, so many youngsters lace had tJ-iis to say: 'Tm quite sure, musical tone. They blend with the uni­ son tone and with each other to make a are havin~ the opportunity to learn to Gaylord, that probably we've whetted play the organ through free lessons single tone creating brilliance and rich­ which are given with the purchase of an the interests of a lot of people to see ness. organ, and later on, through study with and hear you play for the next "Flicker This is the definition of harmonics as a good teacher. When a person has an Fingers". You kr:iow, I think it's won­ published in the International Encyclo­ organ in his home, he's interested in or­ derful to be able to make a living, doing pedia of Music and Musicians: "Law of gans being played in other places. something you enjoy doing and having Harmonics-a sonorous body vibrates as a whole and at the same time vibrates "Then, of course, the organ records as much fun as obviously you have, from in each of its several fractions as ½, ½, which have been on the market, by dis­ it." ¼, 1/ 5, 1/ 6, 1/7, etc." The harmonic tinguished musicians such as George "You're absolutely right, Don. I re­ intervals of ½, ½, ¼, 1/ 5, 1/ 6, 1/ 7, Wright and many others, have given a member when I was graduated from etc., always appear in the same regular great impetus to the interest in organ. and orderly succession. The first harmon­ Lincoln High School in Los Angeles out "Then, the organization, the ATOE, ic of ½ has nearly the same volume as on North Broadway, the principal, Ethel the Association of Theater Organ Enth­ the prime tone but from that point the usiasts. This is a group of people who Percy Andress said at the time, 'I hope volume diminishes as the harmonics have revived interest in organs, just as that whatever it is which you do, which ascend. Harmonics decrease in strength the ancient automobile societies have in­ takes most of your time, will be the as they rise in pitch. The loudest instru­ ments have the highest harmonics. terested people in old, old automobiles. thing you enjoy most'. It certainly has If there were no harmonics a pipe "I've often wondered when I'm playing been that in my case, and I'm very grate­ organ would be a pretty dismal sounding for a group of people from the ATOE, ful." affair. There would only be the heavy, october 1967 40