how well does a baldwin/wurlitzer theater organ work for baroque style music?

Question

im looking at a ht2 baldwin theater organ, or any other organ i can get off of craigslist.the main reason im getting one is for the full foot pedals and 2 manuals.theater organs and pipe organs are pretty much set up the same, but the tones are definetly diffrent.so i have no idea how a theater organ would work for baroque music.

Answer 1

Don't know how I missed this question until now.



First: traditional theater organs were pipe organs. The big differences are the number of "string" stops, repeating percussion, and things on the "toy counter" for special effects sounds. The other major difference is the "User Interface" with T.O.s using a horseshoe shaped console with stop tabs, whereas church and concert organs use consoles that has angled stop jams with drawknobs. Voicing of the instruments is completely different.



All that said, you'll find that baroque style organs will have few stops (sometimes just three or four) and a tracker action that will not feel anything like a T.O..



Now the conundrum. Pipe organs are very expensive new, or to relocate. Electronic organs from the 70s are free or cheap, but not convincing. A console that is close to AGO or BDO standard is great for practicing no matter what the shape of the console or the convincingness of the voices.



I've got a Yamaha E5AR sitting in my garage that I use to practice church hymns. (Someday it'll come inside when I can round up enough muscle to haul it up a flight of stairs.) Obviously it isn't a great sounding organ fitting somewhere between a drawbar (Hammond) type organ and a theater organ sans horseshoe console.



The ultimate goal for me will be to gut the console then rebuild it with a pair of 61 note "tracker touch" midi keyboards a reasonable computer and hauptwerk http://www.hauptwerk.com/ At the same time I'll update the amplifier and speaker arrays and add midi to the 25 note flat-and-radiating pedal board.



... but first more of the organ needs to fail.



Go ahead and get any of the consoles you like. Do get one that has two or more 61 note manuals, not one of those with offset 48 note manuals. Best of luck; enjoy the music.

Answer 2

Baroque style!!! Fun!!! Ok, so with Baroque style, the SHORTER the notes get, the more connected they are (for example, 4 sixteenth notes are more connected with each other than two quarter notes). The Baroque style is often very light and dance-like, so keep that in mind when you play. It may also help you to look up what some of there dances looked like-they were very formal, full of little frills and elegant! Also, Baroque music is hardly ever harsh. Additionally, don't make up any dynamics-follow exactly whats on the page. I know more about piano Baroque style than flute, so that's about as far as I'm willing to go before I say something wrong. I hope that you found this helpful!

Answer 3

Baldwin Organ Manual

Answer 4

also, have you looked at the price? They are usually REALLY expensive, and older electronic organs aren't to be trusted. You'll probably end up spending as much on the repairs as buying the thing, not to mention transporting it. Theatre organs also do not work well at all for baroque I'm sorry to say. If you ask a local organist for lessons, then they will be able to schedule in times for you to practice (hopefully on a decent pipe organ). Even if you don't want the lessons, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Answer 5

A theater organ would not work very well for baroque music. I would find a local church with a pipe organ and see if you can make arrangements for practicing there on a weekly basis, or whatever suits your needs.