Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Organ offers musical trip to past

By Sandee Davies
Published January 15, 2007

PINELLAS PARK - Close your eyes and imagine a time when the only movie soundtrack was provided by a massive pipe organ.

On the third Tuesday of every month, members of the Central Florida Theater Organ Society take listeners back in time for a lunch- hour concert on the unique instrument that was a mainstay of theaters before "talkies."

The theater pipe organ creates the sounds of a full orchestra, including percussion instruments and a bevy of sound effects. The program features society members performing selections from 1930s classic theater pieces to semiclassical and more contemporary tunes.

In 1991, the Pinellas Park city auditorium became home to Opus 1968, the Mighty Wurlitzer. It was one of 2,238 built worldwide by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co. between 1911 and 1943. It was installed originally in Casino Theater in Scully Square, Boston, in 1928. When that theater was torn down, the organ found its way to St. Petersburg.

For years, the organ sat in a garage and fell into disrepair. The owner had donated it to First Baptist Church of Pinellas Park, but the congregation decided it was too costly to fix. They traded the instrument in for a smaller electronic organ.

Bill Shrive and Virginia Lawrence bought the instrument and donated it to the Organ Society with the understanding that it would be installed in a public place. Shrive then took on the task of rebuilding the once grand instrument.

For 20 years he has lovingly tended to pipe organs after learning how to tune and restore the sensitive instruments by the curator of the Tampa Theater's theater pipe organ.

"Theater pipe organs are affected by lots of things, such as dryness or high humidity and even dust and must be tuned constantly," Shrive said. "You can't buy these parts off the shelf. You have to find original parts or have them rebuilt, which is more costly."

Shrive had always held an affection for the Pinellas Park City auditorium. He attended dances there as a youth and thought it would be a perfect match for the vintage instrument.

If you go

Theater Pipe Organ Concert

When: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday

Where: Pinellas Park City Auditorium, 7690 59th St. N, Pinellas Park.

Details: Concertgoers are encouraged to enjoy their lunch while they listen. For more information, call 546-0564 or 541-0770.

[Last modified January 14, 2007, 21:41:39]