The film, starring and direct by Buster Keaton, moved at the pace of life in 1928 New York. It was not as primitive as you would think for a silent, black and white production. It was funny, fast moving, with a completely understandable story line. Keaton was an amazing actor, the equivalent of Jackie Chan today. Most people would get seriously hurt if they attempted his stunts.
Turnout was good at around 300 people. This is the vast main sanctuary of the church, and with the E. M. Skinner Organ piping music at both ends of the room, the movie was hardly silent. Again Peter Krasinski played it masterfully.
After the movie I spoke with Peter, and a few of the people who put the show together. An interesting fact about the organ, it was rewired a few years ago using a system very similar to the DCC system I described here. In essence the organ keys now operate a digital interface. So it works 99% of the time instead of needing work 99% of the time.
Correction - read comments below.
The next cool thing happening in Holyoke is the triple billed - Irish Contemporary Dance called 'Irish Cream'. It'll be performed at the War Memorial on Mar 20th, 7:00 - 8:30 PM. Admission $18-. This isn't river dance. It's throughly modern, and straight from Dublin.
3 comments:
Oh man that slipped my mind!I so wanted to see that film to! Dang it I missed out on something good.
Thanks for the comment about the Mt Tom photos.
I was very pleased to see this positive review posted about last evening's production, and ever happier to meet R. vanDog at the organ after the show. I'd like to add a correction / clarification, however, to the commentary posted about the pipe organ, under the film's description. The main organ in the United Congregational Church, Holyoke, is E. M. Skinner's (Boston, Mass.) Opus 322 of 1921, 4 manuals, 6 divisions, 70 ranks of pipes. It remains in original condition of mechanism, pipework, voicing, and operation, after years of on-going restoration and maintenance work by our Firm in Northampton. In 1985, our phase work for this Church included the restoration of the 4-manual console, pictured with Peter. While some "rewiring" was part of that project, neither the console nor this pipe organ have been fully rewired with any replacement, solid-state, electronic operating relay nor combination action. This respect for original construction, and that preservation of the unique historical value of this particular instrument have since been a challenge to every visiting recitalist = this organ lacks modern accessories for the players. I will not belabor in this small space all of the arguments and balances of values that went into the preservation decisions for our work to date, but the bottom line is that this organ does NOT have any supportive system of the DCC type mentioned in this review. Nonetheless, the organ remains fully workable, reliable, and amazing at the hands of performers like Peter Krasinski and others. Coincidentally, there is a strong cross-over of interests between pipe organ builders (and some organists) and railroad subjects: there are some modelers in our organ ranks, plus others interested in larger scales (live steam and rare mileage runs, etc.). I myself have been a long-standing member of the Amherst Railway Society - sometimes attending the shows - but not being a modeler myself. Thanks again for the great coverage of a particularly successful event.
Bill Czelusniak
Messrs. Czelusniak et Dugal, Inc.
Organbuilders, Northampton, Mass.
Wow! Thank You for that correction Bill. I really appreciate you taking the time to clarify my mis-conception.
I also received an email from Gary Smith - Pipe organ tech / tuner for C&D Inc. He says:
"The system you speak about is made by Solid State Logic Organ systems of England. That system was installed in the CHAPEL organ, also a Skinner as you know. I believe the date was 1992 when that went in, and was one of only a FEW organs to have used the THEN brand new system."
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