NOW AVAILABLE
Ohio Valley Chapter's First Inaugural Recording of Opus 1680 at Cincinnati's Historical Music Hall Ballroom
Click Here for ordering information
Click here for list of songs
Liner Notes from CD
It's been a privilege to make the inaugural recording on the former RKO Albee Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe organ in its new home. The acoustical setting of the Ballroom in Cincinnati Music Hall is perfect for an instrument of this caliber. The organ itself is a delight to play and the time I spent laying down the tracks for this recording was most enjoyable. I decided to try to represent music which was popular over a span of 50 years, from the 1920s to the 1970s. I knew these tunes would work well on the organ and demonstrate the wide variety of styles of music that can be performed on it. I also included one piece of classical music, Que Gelida Manina from La Boheme, to show that this Wurlitzer instrument is also capable of music of that genre.
My arrangements were mostly contrived as I was playing. I knew which registrations I wanted to feature on each song, so I let those be the guiding force behind my phrasing and articulation. This e ort would be for nothing if the project was not in the hands of a superior recording engineer. It was a pleasure to work with Chelsea VandeDrink in this area. Chelsea understands the wide range of dynamics involved with the pipe organ, as she regularly records the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for broadcast on our local classical radio station, WGUC. I couldn't have asked for anyone more qualified to do the audio mastering.
The organ - Opus 1680, is a true work of art. Originally installed in Cincinnati's RKO Albee Theatre in 1927, it was saved by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society and transplanted six blocks north to the Emery Theatre in 1968. The Albee closed in September 1974 and was torn down in 1977.
The Wurlitzer was housed in the Emery from 1968 until 1999, when it was removed out of necessity. The organ was in a severe state of deterioration by this time and would require a complete restoration before being installed in its new Music Hall home in 2009. This restoration was put into the capable hands of Ronald F. Wehmeier. Ron is a noted authority on Wurlitzer pipe organs and was involved with this instrument during the 1960's at the Albee Theatre. His complete redesign specified that it would be the 3 manual, 31 rank organ we find in the Ballroom today. It was originally a Style 260 Special of 3 manuals, 19 ranks.
This recording would not have been possible without the help and support of a number of people to whom I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation.
Many thanks to Joe Hollmann, President of the Ohio Valley Chapter of the
American Theatre Organ Society, for suggesting this project and graciously
asking me to make this inaugural recording; to Dr. David Billmire for his
nancial support and the many hours he spent researching various aspects of
making this recording; to Ken Aultz who was with me each day of recording,
making sure all of the music was properly saved in the playback system and
putting up with my requests to erase and start over when things didn't go as
planned; finally, to Ron Wehmeier who made sure the organ was in top form
for my recording sessions and especially seeing to the tuning of the Wurlitzer
as well as the Steinway grand piano for the day of the audio recording.
I hope everyone who hears this effort enjoys listening to it as much as I
enjoyed recording it!
Trent Sims - Organist
List of songs
along with detailed information of each song for those copyright geeks
Before The Parade Passes By
(wm) Lee Adams, Jerry Herman, Charles Strouse
Publisher: Edwin H. Morris & Co, Inc ASCAP
Basin Street Blues
(wm) Spencer Williams
Publisher: Edwin H. Morris & Co, Inc ASCAP
Without A Song
(wm) Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose, Vincent Youmans
Publishers: Anne Rachel Music Corp (c/o Warner/Chappell Music Inc),
LSQ Music Co. (c/o The Songwriters Guild of America),
WB Music Corp (c/o Warner/Chappell Music Inc) ASCAP
The Charleston
(wm) James P. Johnson, R. C. Mc Pherson
Publisher: Warner Bros Inc (Warner Bros Music Division, c/o Warner/Chappell Music Inc) ASCAP
Louise
(wm) Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting
Publisher: Sony ATV Harmony (c/o Vickie Arney) ASCAP
Che Gelida Manina (from La Boheme)
(wm) Giacomo Puccini
Publisher: No Publisher - Public Domain
On The Good Ship Lollipop
(wm) Sidney Clare, Richard A. Whiting
Publishers: Bourne Co, EMI April Music Inc (c/o EMI Music Publishing, Attn: Audrey Ashby) ASCAP
Selections from Showboat
(Selections include: Make Believe, You Are Love, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, Bill, Ol' Man River) (w) Oscar Hammerstein, II (m) Jerome Kern
Publishers: Polygram International Publishing Inc, Universal Polygram International Publishing Inc ASCAP
I Remember You
(w) Johnny Mercer (m) Victor Schertzinger
Publisher: Sony ATV Harmony (c/o Vickie Arney) ASCAP
The Happy Wanderer
(w) Antonia Ridge (m) Friedrich Wilhelm Moeller
Publisher: WB Music Corp (c/o Warner/Chappell Music Inc) ASCAP
You Belong To Me
(wm) Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, Redd Stewart
Publisher: Ridgeway MusicCo, Inc BMI
Slow Poke
(wm) Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, Redd Stewart
Publisher: Ridgeway Music Co, Inc BMI
Theme from Picnic
(w) Steve Allen (m) George W. Duning
Publishers: Meadowlane Music Inc (Attn: Jayne Meadows Allen), Shapiro Bernstein Film Division (c/o Shapiro Bernstein) ASCAP
Calcutta
(w) Lee J. Pockriss, Paul Vance (m) Hans Bradtke, Hermann Gaze
Publishers: Emily Music Corp (Attn: Lee J. Pockriss), Music Sales Corp, G. Pincus & Sons Music Corp ASCAP
Travelin' Man
(wm) Jerry Fuller
Publisher: Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music BMI
Little Arrows
(wm) Albert Hammond, Michael Hazlewood
Publisher: Songs of Universal Inc BMI
Poetry Man
(wm) Phoebe Ann Laub
Publisher: Almo Music Corp (Rondor Music International Inc)
Mac Arthur Park
(wm) Jimmy L. Webb
Publishers: Polygram International Publishing Inc, Universal Polygram International Publishing Inc.
Ordering Information
You can order our audio CD, Albee in the Ballroom
directly from PayPal. Select the Buy Now button below
Cost: $20 (including shipping) - Ohio residents pay additional 7% sales tax
(Sorry Ohioians, The Governor wants his cut too.)
You may also send a check or money order to:
Ohio Valley Chapter ATOS
1617 West Belmar Place
Cincinnati, Ohio 45224
Att: Albee in the Ballroom
Please make check out to "Ohio Valley Chapter - ATOS"
If you have any questions about this album, click here to send an e-mail message
Album Acknowledgments
Recording / Mastering Engineer: Chelsea VandeDrink
Organ Technician: Ronald F. Wehmeier
Production Assistant: Ken Aultz
Album Layout Design: Larry Klug
Final Mastering: The Corbett Studio - Cincinnati, Ohio
CD Manufacture: Disc Makers
Project Manager: Joseph L. Hollmann - President OVC-ATOS
This album was recorded at the historic Music Hall Ballroom in Cincinnati, Ohio in August 2011. The music performed by Trent Sims is copyrighted by the respective artists and owners of their content.
