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Criterion Theatre in 1920 |
Criterion (Vitagraph) Theatre
1514 Broadway at 44th Street
New York, N.Y. 10036
The first Criterion Theatre on Broadway was originally known as the Lyric, which opened in 1895 as part of Oscar Hammerstein's block-wide entertainment complex, the Olympia. The Lyric had about 1,700 seats and was decorated in the Louis XVI style. In 1898, Hammerstein was forced by his creditors to sell the Olympia complex at an auction in which the components were sold separately.
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Lyric Theatre in 1895 |
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Stage producer Charles Frohman took over the Lyric and renamed it the Criterion in honor of the famous playhouse in London's Piccadilly Circus. The ex-Lyric's seating capacity was substantially reduced to about 900 by removing many of the five boxes which flanked both sides of the stage. In 1914, the Vitagraph Company transformed the theatre into a "movie palace" and gave it the name of Vitagraph Theatre.
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Vitagraph Theatre in 1914 |
The Vitagraph opened on February 7, 1914, with the Vitagraph feature, "A Million Dollar Bid," and some Vitagraph short subjects. A Wurlitzer organ which could sound like a full orchestra provided the musical accompaniment. Although the Vitagraph Theatre proved successful, rival exhibitors were outraged by a producer-distributor operating its own theatre and began to boycott Vitagraph products.
In 1918, after continued pressure, Vitagraph chose not to renew its lease and withdrew from the theatre. At this time, the Vitagraph became known as the Criterion once again. In 1920, Paramount-Famous Players, which also ran the Rialto and Rivoli, took over the Criterion to showcase some of its most important releases, including "Beau Geste," "The Covered Wagon," and DeMille's first "Ten Commandments". The Criterion existed until its demolition in 1935, when the entire Olympia complex was razed to make way for new buildings which included a new Criterion Theatre. |
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Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 293 (1920)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 160
2 manuals, 6 ranks, 4 tuned percussion, 17 traps, piano console
This organ is dated March 19, 1920, destined for the Criterion Theatre, but
was later repossessed. In December 1925, the organ was sold to the Capitol
Theatre in Macon, Ga. In November 1975, the organ was installed in the Mack
Watson residence in Tucker, Ga., where it is believed to be extant. |
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Pedal – 32 notes
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16 |
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Bass |
8 |
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Flute |
16 |
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Bourdon |
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Bass Drum |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
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Kettle Drum |
8 |
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Cello |
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Cymbal |
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Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
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8 |
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Trumpet |
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Piano |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
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Mandolin |
8 |
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Salicional |
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Snare Drum |
8 |
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Viol Celeste (TC) |
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Tambourine |
8 |
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Flute |
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Castanets |
4 |
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Salicet |
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Chinese Block |
4 |
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Octave Celeste |
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4 |
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Flute |
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5 Adjustable Combination Pistons |
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Solo (Manual II) – 61 notes
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16 |
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Bourdon |
4 |
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Octave Celeste |
8 |
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Trumpet |
4 |
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Flute |
8 |
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Open Diapason |
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Cathedral Chimes |
8 |
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Salicional |
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Xylophone |
8 |
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Viol Celeste (TC) |
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Glockenspiel |
8 |
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Flute |
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8 |
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Vox Humana |
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5 Adjustable Combination Pistons |
4 |
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Salicet |
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General
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One Balanced Expression Pedal |
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General Tremulant |
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Vox Humana Tremulant |
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Effects (operated by pistons)
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Sleigh Bells |
Fire Gong |
Train |
Horse Hoofs |
Siren |
Fire Gong [re-it] |
Bird |
Triangle |
Steamboat Whistle |
Auto Horn |
Surf |
Tom-Tom |
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Door Bell (push button) |
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Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, N.Y. – Opus 33 (1914)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 6 Special
3 manuals, 13 ranks, 6 tuned percussion, 4 traps, curved console
This organ, originally built as Wurlitzer's Op. 4, was shipped in 1912 to the Century Theatre in New York, but was later repossessed. In 1914, the organ was enlarged by the addition of a 32' Diaphone and a 16' Tuba, and sold for $21,270 to the Criterion Theatre as Wurlitzer's Op. 33. |
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Pedal – 32 notes
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32 |
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Diaphone |
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Second Touch |
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16 |
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Tuba |
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Bass Drum |
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16 |
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Ophicleide |
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Kettle Drum |
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16 |
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Clarinet |
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Crash Cymbal |
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16 |
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Horn |
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16 |
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Diaphone |
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Pizzicato Touch |
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8 |
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Tuba Horn |
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16 |
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Ophicleide |
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8 |
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Horn Diapason |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
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6 Adjustable Comb. Toe Pistons |
8 |
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Cello |
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8 |
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Flute |
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Great to Pedal |
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Solo Octave to Pedal |
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Accompaniment (Manual I) –- 61 notes
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16 |
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Contra Viol (TC) |
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Second Touch |
16 |
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Tuba Horn |
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8 |
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Tuba Horn |
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8 |
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Horn Diapason |
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Cathedral Chimes |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
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Sleigh Bells |
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8 |
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Viol d'Orchestre |
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Xylophone |
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8 |
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Viol Celeste |
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Triangle |
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8 |
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Flute |
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Solo to Accompaniment |
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8 |
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Vox Humana |
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4 |
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Viol |
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Pizzicato Touch |
4 |
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Octave Celeste |
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8 |
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Flute |
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4 |
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Flute |
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Solo to Accompaniment |
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2 2/3 |
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Twelfth |
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2 |
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Piccolo |
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5 Adjustable Combination Pistons |
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Great (Manual II) –- 61 notes
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16 |
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Tuba |
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2 |
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Fifteenth |
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16 |
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Ophicleide |
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2 |
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Piccolo |
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16 |
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Clarinet |
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1 3/5 |
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Tierce |
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16 |
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Contre Viol (TC) |
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16 |
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Vox Humana (TC) |
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8 |
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Tuba Horn |
85 |
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8 |
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Horn Diapason |
85 |
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8 |
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Clarinet |
61 |
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Saucer Bells [re-it] |
25 notes |
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8 |
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Viol d'Orchestre |
73 |
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Solo Octave |
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8 |
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Viol Celeste |
73 |
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8 |
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Flute |
85 |
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Second Touch |
8 |
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Vox Humana |
61 |
16 |
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Ophicleide |
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4 |
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Clarion |
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Solo to Great |
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4 |
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Octave |
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4 |
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Viol |
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Pizzicato Touch |
4 |
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Octave Celeste |
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Solo to Great |
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4 |
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Flute |
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2 2/3 |
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Twelfth |
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5 Adjustable Comb. Pistons |
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[Double touch] |
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Solo (Manual III) – 37 notes (3 octaves from Tenor C up)
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8 |
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Tibia Clausa |
49 |
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Cathedral Chimes |
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8 |
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Trumpet |
49 |
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Sleigh Bells |
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8 |
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Orchestral Oboe |
49 |
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Xylophone |
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8 |
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Kinura |
49 |
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Saucer Bells |
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8 |
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Oboe Horn |
61 |
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Glockenspiel |
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8 |
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Celestina |
61 |
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6 Adjustable Combination Pistons |
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General
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Two Tremulants |
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Two Balanced Expression Pedals |
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Two Indicating and Controlling Keys for Expression Pedal |
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Thunder Pedal (Reed) – Piano Pedal |
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Thunder Pedal (Diaphone) – Piano Pedal |
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Re-Iterator for Strings |
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Re-Iterator for Solo |
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One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal
• 1st Touch: Full Organ (wind)
• 2nd Touch: Everything |
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One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal
• 1st Touch: Snare Drum
• 2nd Touch: Bass Drum & Cymbals |
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Sources:
Cinema Treasures web site: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/16481
Junchen, David L., comp. and ed. by Jeff Weiler. The WurliTzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History. Chicago: The American Theatre Organ Society, 2005.
Kaufmann, Preston J. Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. 3. Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1995.
Illustrations:
Cinema Treasures web site. |
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