AUCKLAND'S HISTORIC WURLITZER PIPE ORGAN

AUCKLAND'S HISTORIC WURLITZER PIPE ORGAN

In October 1926, “Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra” Opus 1475 left the New York factory of the Rudolph Wurlitzer company, bound for the imposing Regent Theatre on Auckland's busy Queen Street. Like its 3000-odd siblings, it was intended to provide musical backing for the silent movies of the era, avoiding the expense of the small orchestras that had filled this role in many premium movie houses overseas.

Opus 1475 shipped as a Wurlitzer “Style F” theatre pipe organ with a 2/8 specification, meaning it had a console with two manuals (or keyboards) and included eight ranks of pipes, most voiced to imitate orchestral instruments. Although this was a modest specification compared with some of the larger models offered by Wurlitzer, it still required the installation of many hundreds of metal and wooden pipes, together with blowers, air trunking, pipe chests, magnets, electro-pneumatic relay, kilometres of wiring and the console that controlled it all.

Being a theatre pipe organ, Opus 1475 also contained “tuned” percussions (like Cathedral Chimes, Xylophone and Glockenspiel), a variety of drums, cymbals and other “untuned” percussions and a wide range of sound effects that could be used during a movie. The combination of imitative pipe ranks, percussions and a flexible tremulant system produced the lush orchestral sound that distinguishes “The Mighty Wurlitzer” from its more sombre cousin, the church or classical pipe organ.

Opus 1475 wasn't installed in time for the official opening of the Regent Theatre, so its first public airing was in February 1927, at the hands of star American theatre organist Eddie Horton. Ironically, it was just eight months later that The Jazz Singer (starring Al Jolson) debuted as the first of the “talkies” that would eventually spell the end of the theatre organ's original role. It wasn't the end of the Mighty Wurlitzer, however, for these versatile and powerful instruments had won the hearts of cinema audiences around the world and they continued to entertain before the show and during the intermission, the console sinking out of sight for the movie to begin.

At the Regent Theatre, sadly, use of the Wurlitzer declined rapidly in the 1930's and in 1944 it was offered for sale, having been silent for many years. It was purchased by the pupils and parents of Hutt Valley High School, where it was installed in the assembly hall, becoming an important part of the school's Music Department. In 1968 the organ was badly damaged in an historic storm that blew off part of the roof over the organ chambers and rendered the instrument unplayable.

Opus 1475 was put up for sale again and was eventually purchased by Auckland Wurlitzer enthusiast Les Stenersen. In 1978 Mr Stenersen and a team of volunteers brought the organ back to Auckland to be repaired and installed at the Hollywood Cinema in Avondale, Auckland, then owned by the late Mr Jan Grefstad.

A thorough repair and rebuild of the organ was undertaken under the direction of organ builder John Parker, with an additional four ranks of pipes being sourced to increase the specification to 2/12. The pipes and percussions were installed in three chambers behind the movie screen, with the console on a hydraulic lift to the left of the proscenium, so it could rise into view in true theatrical fashion. To the right of the proscenium, a Wurlitzer upright piano (formerly installed at the Cosy Theatre, Masterton) was mounted on a pedestal and connected to the Wurlitzer console so it could be played from both locations.

The Hollywood Cinema itself has a fascinating history, starting life in 1915 as the Avondale Town Hall. Even before this building, a previous construction on the same site was used for movie screenings, making it one of the earliest places to go to the movies in Auckland. It has survived many name changes and restorations without losing its historic charm, and was an ideal choice as the venue for bringing the sounds of the Mighty Wurlitzer back to Auckland.

In 1982 the restored Opus 1475 began its new life at the Hollywood, with an inaugural show featuring leading Australian theatre organists Tony Fenelon and Margaret Hall.

Many years of successful shows and silent movie screenings followed until, in 1993, the Wurlitzer Organ Trust of Auckland was formed to purchase the organ from Les Stenersen. A major upgrade followed, which saw additional ranks of pipes and more percussions added. In 1998 the original two-manual console was replaced with a three-manual console (from Wurlitzer Opus 1256, previously in Loews Theatre, Norfolk, Virginia), in order to control the extra pipework. The original Wurlitzer electro-pneumatic relay and combination systems were both replaced with solid state equivalents to increase the reliability and ease-of-maintenance of the organ, and to allow greater flexibility for performers.

Further expansion continued until 2007, when Opus 1475 reached its current 3/15 specification. Since then the organ has become a favourite both of enthusiastic show audiences and top international performing artists, who judge it to be an outstanding example of its type. It is certainly unique in New Zealand, being the only one of the three remaining playing Wurlitzers to be installed in a working cinema.

This 33-year history of music-making at the Hollywood may soon end, however. The owner of the Hollywood Cinema has asked the Wurlitzer Organ Trust to remove the organ by 30 September 2015, in preparation for sale of the property. This is a daunting task, as the organ has grown to comprise more than five tons of hardware, housed in several parts of the building. Failing the appearance of a buyer wishing to keep the Hollywood going as an entertainment venue, the Wurlitzer Organ Trust will need to carefully disassemble the organ's thousands of working parts for storage. A suitable, safe storage location must be found, and a new home located, where the Wurlitzer can be reinstalled.

You can help the Wurlitzer Organ Trust as it begins the enormous task of removing the organ and finding a new home where the Mighty Wurlitzer can play again. A donation form is enclosed so you can help preserve this historic organ for future generations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Wurlitzer Organ Trust of Auckland has received funding support from the Avondale Community Board (now the Whau Local Board), The Trusts Community Foundation, Foundation North and the Lion Foundation.

Should circumstances change and the Wurlitzer organ remain at the Hollywood, your donation may be used for the ongoing care and preservation of this historic and much-loved pipe organ.

You can check out our new page and donate here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/wurlitzerorganinstallation