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Comments:
(See the Photo Gallery below these comments)
August 2, 2007:
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It occurred to me that some older
(2003 to early 2005) info about my organ, me, and five or so
pieces I recorded is elsewhere on the I-net. Was put there a
bit more than 2 years ago, here is the link:
http://www.theatreorgans.com/walnuthill/jimreid.htm
It sort of completes, or rounds out
my total organ experience ever since I bought the Allen in 1979,
its "opening" recital, played by Tom Hazelton in our home, on
through my couple of years of lessons about 1960's era "Pop
Organ" music playing. Not really, as I now know, theatre organ
style, but certainly different from my previous years with
Bach, Buxtehude, etc.!!
August 1, 2007:
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I
determined that I wanted to learn the "horseshoe" sound of the
theatre organ. Somewhere I learned about William McMains'
volumes of "lessons"; he called them "Vintage Theatre Styles"
Introduction Book 1 and Instruction Book 2. Two following books
by him were "Console Up!" and "Pop Themes from the Classics".
Today these four volumes are available bound together in a
single spiral binding, reprinted from the original copy. These
can be ordered from:
Cyrus W. Roton
236 Primrose St.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
760-375-5592
He is/did order more copies from Hal Leonard Co. May be a month
or two before they are available again; you will have to contact
Cy to learn more.
I think that I should also alert
the folks to the existence of a Yahoo group; one called "theatre_organ_academy".
Perhaps some will want to join, who don't mind Yahoo groups that
is! It is not too active, but that is where Cy gathers up names
for the McMains material, and other matters of theatre playing
are discussed, from time to time.
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The pieces posted are each from the first Book 1 of Vintage
Styles. "Vilia" is only the third piece in the volume; its'
purpose is to introduce playing in the Block Chord style using
some finger substitution and what McMains called "Chord
Calisthenics". Ahead of each of the tunes in the volume, he
includes exercises and brief examples of the style using various
other tunes before launching you off into learning the new
piece. "Vilia" is preceded by the most simple tune in the book,
"Moonbeams" which is used to illustrate the "horseshoe" sound. The
next tune, "Sammy" is the first in the basic Block Chord primer
and does not use finger substitutions. Finger substituting
practice begins with the #3 piece, "Vilia". Note, the
importance in these pieces is to hold each note for the full
value, thus the need for substituting fingers at times!
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The next arrangement in the volume is one of these, "Mary's a
Grand Old Name". This comes along after several more pages of
instruction in adding rhythm to the block chords and how to use
second touch, if you are so fortunate to have keyboards with 2nd
touch contacts (I don't). Next Glissandos are introduced,
and these are featured throughout the "Mary's.....Name" piece.
You can easily hear my stumbling with them; tough to keep them
in rhythm and timing, I don't quite manage!! A couple more
pieces come next, which I have learned, but not recorded on one
of these new organs as yet, which continue the practice of
glissandos, and even glissando calisthenics!
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Next is McMains setting of "My Blushin' Rosie", piece #7. This
tune has you working more on everything which has come before,
plus it throws in "inner rhythm" within the block chords.
Interesting!
And that is as far as I have gotten in the book. I want to
get the several pieces I have learned in the McMains Vintage,
Bk. 1 really polished up well. For me, it has been essential to
learn some real basic theatre pipe organ stuff, and the McMains
Book 1, "Vintage Theatre Styles" was a must! I would urge
anyone, not into theatre style playing, and really interested,
to get in touch with Cy Roton and order those books from him.
This, of course, assuming you are a beginner in theatre organ
playing, as I am still!!
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Last couple years or so, I have learned to play the first seven
of the example pieces in Bk. 1 of the "Vintage" series:
"Moonbeams" on through "Mary's a Grand Old Name" and as far as
"My Blushin' Rosie". There are five more tunes McMains uses in
Bk. 1, but I am skipping them for now, though I must
eventfully learn his setting for "Aloha Oe" as I do live out
here in Hawaii (South side, near Poipu Beach, Island of Kauai).
I have picked out a number of new pieces I want to learn and,
yes I will have to play note-by- note from the printed
arrangements. I can't do as some of you do, play from only a
tune, or "fake book" score, just the melody line + chords. I
never gained the knowledge of chords, theory, and harmony,
though I intend to make such a part of my new practice
plans. So here are the new pieces, and where they are; I might
have Leo post from time to time what my progress might be.
1. In McMains book "Console UP", I have picked out a tune I
fiddled with some time ago but never finished: "In the Valley of
the Moon", pg. 18.
2. In Jesse Crawford Bk. 1, that I have (one of those listed as
good at the theatreorgans.com site, see:
http://www.theatreorgans.com/theatrestyle.htm )
The dozen or so books listed at that site can be purchased,
with a little effort and time. You must watch eBay for listed
organ music; even all four volumes, the original published
version of McMains' books, come up for sale from time to time.
Over two or three years, I have been able to "win" nearly all of
the TPO books listed, or just purchased them outright. Lyn
Larsen sells two books via his web site:
a.
http://www.lynlarsen.com/TOGems.htm
b.
http://www.lynlarsen.com/TOCollec.htm
And Walt Strony's "Secrets of Theatre Organ Registration"
can be purchased directly from him, again via his web site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~strony/id7.html
2. In Jesse Crawford Bk. 1, (one of those listed as good at the
theatreorgans.com site), Crawford's setting of "Ebb Tide", pg.
14. Appears to be not too difficult for me to attempt.
3. In Jesse Crawford Bk. 2., "As Time Goes By", pg. 46 made
famous I suppose in the film "Casablanca".
4. In anther TPO volume "Theatre Organ Greats, A Salute to
Radio City Music Hall", "It's a Most Unusual Day", pg. 56.
Just my romantic side needing stimulating, I guess. These
should keep me occupied until Halloween time, or so.
Would also have included Lyn Larsen's setting of "The Perfect
Song" (the theme song used by the Amos n' Andy radio show);
however, Lyn seems to believe that all the notes the left hand
is to play should be written down in the bass clef. But, he
proceeds to use that clef way up into the soprano clef heights!
Even way up to E above the C above middle C. That is just plain
weird, in my opinion; His entire score is filled with such
notation, and I certainly can't read (and I'll bet very few
others can either) bass clef notations scored chords and runs
that extend 11 notes above the bass clef lines way up into the
blank space between the two usual clefs above the pedal clef.
And Lyn gives no chord indications, so that "short cut" is not
available either to those who might be able to use them. But, I
bought his books, and will work on some of the pieces in time.
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