If Peter Allen was correct when he and Carole Bayer Sager wrote Everything Old Is New Again, then this concert on a one-of-a-kind 5,000 piped Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ fits the bill. The Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar is presenting two concerts with soloist Nicholas Renkosik on September 20th and 21st that will showcase this unique instrument.
Theatre organs were originally used to play music for silent movies. Each theatre would have a performer who would, either on his own accord, or vis-á-vis instructions from the studios, play live as the films were screened.
This particular organ was designed by Robert Hope-Jones. The press releases said he designed it as a “one man orchestra.” That’s precisely what an instrument of this size can accomplish.
On the program for these two concerts is the following:
The Piccolino, It’s DeLovely, My Silent Love, Rain, a Duke Ellington medley, Dengozo (an Argentinian tango), Our Love Is Here to Stay, I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy, a Gershwin medley, This Nearly Was Mine and In a Persian Market.
Amongst the unique items found in the Music Room at The Nethercutt Collection are nickelodeons, a variety of music boxes, bird boxes and other automated mechanical instruments.
But the star attraction is the Wulitzer. So if you’ve ever wanted to hear one of these very rare instruments be played and get a sense of what early cinema days might have been like, this concert is for you.
Oh…and it’s free (up to four tickets per household.) For tickets you need to make a reservation at 818-364-6464. (That’s how old-school this is…the internet won’t help you book this one!)
There are four more scheduled concerts between now and the rest of the year. The link in the first paragraph will take you to the schedule.
Photo courtesy of The Nethercutt Collection.