3/15 Wurlitzer - Dendy Cinema

Dendy Cinema

Chapter

Australia Felix

Organ

Specification: 
3/15
Manufacturer: 

Location

26 Church Street
Brighton, Victoria
+61 3 97891455

In 1924 a 3/15 Opus 637 Style 260 Wurlitzer was installed in the “Capitol” (Theatre Magnificent) in Swanston Street, Melbourne. This was the largest organ to be installed in Australia at that time, the first with 32’ pipes and was also the first to be on a lift. It was opened in November of that year by Horace Weber.

In the early 1960’s plans were afoot for the Capitol theatre to be re-invented. The stalls (orchestra) seats area were destined to become an arcade and only the circle was to remain as a cinema. The organ had ceased regular use by 1958 and by that time the console had been painted white over the original mahogany and moved from its stage position off the lift to a floor level position in front of and to the left of the stage. In 1963 it was sold to the fledgling Theatre Organ Society of Australia – Victorian Division.

An agreement was reached with Bert Ward, owner of the suburban Dendy Theatre, in Church Street, Brighton and the organ was re-installed in this cinema with the console – restored to its original mahogany casing, on a lift to the left of the stage. The opening occurred in 1968 with a concert featuring Horace Weber who had opened it originally at the Capitol in 1924 – and George Blackmore from the U.K.

For the next decade the “Dendy” organ (Eliza) was an extremely popular attraction and was in near constant use. The house organist for many years was David Johnston.

In 1982 the organ ceased playing as the Dendy Theatre was to be turned into a “cinema complex” with a shopping arcade.

In 1988 the organ was re-opened in Cinema One of the newly built “Brighton Village Twin”. The organ chambers are located on the stage, containing the same fifteen ranks of pipes as in the Dendy (and Capitol), with the console now on the right, not on a lift, but sliding out from the wall. The re-opening concert featured Tony Fenelon assisted by David Johnston and John Atwell.

Stop List: 

Wurlitzer - Style 260

3 Manuals - 15 Ranks - 7 Tuned Percussions - 14 Traps - Curved Console - As installed at the Dendy Theatre Brighton, Melbourne Australia

Trumpet 8' 61 pipes

Tuba Horn 16' 85 pipes

Diaphonic Diapason 32' 97 pipes

Tibia Clausa 16' 85 pipes

Clarinet 8' 61 pipes

Orchestral Oboe 8' 61 pipes

Kinura 8' 61 pipes

Saxophone 8' 61 pipes

String 8' 61 pipes

Viol d'Orchestre 8' 85 pipes

Viol Celeste 8' 73 pipes

Concert Flute 16' 97 pipes

Vox Humana 8' 61 pipes

Oboe Horn 8' 61 pipes

Quintadena 8' 61 pipes

Piano 85 notes

Marimba 49 notes

Cathedral Chimes 25 notes

Xylophone 37 notes

Glockenspiel 37 notes

Sleigh Bells 25 notes

Chrysoglott 49 notes

PEDAL

32' Diaphone

16' Ophicleide

16' Diaphone

16' Tibia Clausa

16' Bourdon

8' Tuba Horn

8' Octave

8' Tibia Clausa

8' Clarinet

8' Saxophone

8' String

8' Cello

8' Flute

4' Flute

16' Piano

Bass Drum

Kettle Drum/Cymbal Roll

Snare Drum

Crash Cymbal

Cymbal

Great to Pedal

Solo to Pedal

Pedal Second Touch

32' Diaphone

16' Ophicleide - Pizzicato

1st & 2nd Touch Traps Switch

5 Combination Toe Pistons

ACCOMPANIMENT

16' Contra Viol (TC)

16' Bourdon

16' Vox Humana (TC)

8' Tuba Horn

8' Diaphonic Diapason

8' Tibia Clausa

8' Clarinet

8' Saxophone

8' Viol d'Orchestre

8' Viol Celeste

8' String

8' Oboe Horn

8' Quintadena

8' Flute

8' Vox Humana

4' Octave

4' Piccolo

4' Viol

4' Octave Celeste

4' Flute

4' Vox Humana

2 2/3' Twelfth

2' Piccolo

8' Piano

4' Piano

Mandolin

Harp

Chrysoglott

Snare Drum

Tambourine

Castanets

Chinese Block

Tom Tom

Solo to Accompaniment

Accomp Second Touch

8' Tuba Horn

8' Tibia Clausa

Cathedral Chimes

Sleigh Bells

Xylophone

Triangle

Solo to Accompaniment

Solo to Accompaniment - Pizzicato

10 Double Touch Adjustable Combination Pistons

GREAT

16' Ophicleide

16' Trumpet (TC)

16' Tibia Clausa

16' Clarinet (TC)

16' Saxophone (TC)

16' Contra Viol (TC)

16' Bourdon

8' Trumpet

8' Tuba Horn

8' Diaphonic Diapason

8' Tibia Clausa

8' Clarinet

8' Orchestral Oboe

8' Kinura

8' Saxophone

8' Viol d'Orchestre

8' Viol Celeste

8' String

8' Flute

8' Vox Humana

4' Clarion

4' Piccolo

4' Viol

4' Octave Celeste

4' Flute

2 2/3' Twelfth (tibia)

2 2/3' Twelfth (flute)

2' Fifteenth

2' Piccolo (tibia)

2' Piccolo (flute)

1 3/5' Tierce (flute)

16' Piano

8' Piano

4' Piano

Marimba (re-it)

Harp

Cathedral Chimes

Xylophone

Glockenspiel

Orchestra Bells (re-it)

Sleigh Bells

Chrysoglott

Sub Octave Coupler

Octave Coupler

Solo to Great

Great Second Touch

16' Ophicleide

8' Tibia Clausa

Octave

Solo to Great

Solo to Great - Pizzicato

10 Double Touch Adjustable Combination Pistons

SOLO

16' Tibia Clausa

16' Diaphone

16' Ophicleide

8' Trumpet

8' Tuba Horn

8' Diaphonic Diapason

8' Tibia Clausa

8' Clarinet

8' Orchestral Oboe

8' Kinura

8' Saxophone

8' String

8' Oboe Horn

8' Quintadena

4' Clarion

4' Piccolo

Cathedral Chimes

Xylophone

Glockenspiel

Ochestral Bells (re-it)

10 Double Touch Adjustable Combination Pistons

TREMULANTS (5)

Main

Solo

Vox Humana

Tibia Clausa

Tuba - Diaphone

GENERAL

Two Expression Pedals with Indicating Keys

One Balanced Crescendo Pedal

Thunder Pedal (Diaphone) - Piano Pedal

Thunder Pedal (Reed) - Piano Pedal

One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal

- 1st Touch, Full Stops (wind)

- 2nd Touch, Everything

One Double Touch Sforzando Pedal - Piano Pedal

- 1st Touch, Snare Drum

- 2nd Touch, Bass Drum and Cymbal

CHEEK BUTTONS

Auto Horn

Steamboat Whistle

Two Birds, One in each Expression Box

Fire Gong

Horse Hoofs

Notes on Organ Use: 
Organ before films, Saturday evenings.
Organ
VENUE
MAP