The theatre organ and the silent movie ...

As mentioned, the theatre organ used to be used for silent films. It was an experience to watch a flashing black and white film of Laurel and Hardy or Buster Keaton with the organ as accompaniment. How did that go?

"Oh dear, what's happening now? What's Stan Laurel doing? Dangerous!" (exciting music)
Suddenly a car comes along. "Oink Oink" (the organist presses a special organ button that makes you hear a real car horn)

"WATCH OUT!!!" A train hits a house ... (the organist puts his entire arm on the keyboard of the organ) ... "WOOMMMMM"
Luckily, everything is fine with Stan Laurel (and cheerful music sounds from the organ again).

Everyone burst out laughing. It was very entertaining and it still is!
Why still? Yes, because it is still being done. In addition to the great concerts, a silent movie is also regularly accompanied on the theatre organ.
And that remains fun!

Something about the technique ...

The console, the often beautifully designed construction behind which the organist sits to perform is the most visible part of a theatre organ. To the eye, this console looks the same as a large electronic organ with multiple keyboards, a full pedal and many buttons. However, no sound comes from the console itself; all instruments and effects that are set up in the organ chamber(s) are electrically controlled from the console via a long cable.

The impressive or, on the contrary, subdued and atmospheric organ sounds are provided by traditional organ pipes. There are easily around 900 different organ pipes in the organ chamber(s), although much larger instruments with thousands of organ pipes have also been built. There are many different types of organ pipes, each with its own sound character. Combining these results in countless sound possibilities.

In addition to the organ pipes, other instruments can also be controlled from the console. Think, for example, of a xylophone (wood) or a chime (metallophone or "sounding bells"). Above each sound bar, an air bellows with a hammer is mounted. When a key is pressed on the console, an electromagnetic valve and a clever pneumatic mechanism allow air under pressure into the bellows. This causes the air bellows to fill with air very quickly, causing the hammer to strike the sound bar and produce the tone. Tubular bells, a vibraphone or even a real piano can also be operated from the console in the same way.

In addition, numerous sound effects are often built in (to accompany the silent film), such as a car horn, birds, various percussion instruments, a siren, a steam whistle, horse hooves, wind noise or even the sound of falling rain. These effects are also operated from the console using, for example, foot pistons, push buttons or from the accompaniment keyboard.

The organ chambers with all the organ pipes and other instruments, in fact form a closed cabinet. In order to be able to influence the loudness of the sounds, the organ chambers are equipped with large wooden slats, which can be opened more or less with the volume pedals on the console. This makes a loud or soft sound possible, with all gradations in between. The wooden slats are called shutters.

An essential component, responsible for all control functions between the console and the instruments in organ chambers, is the relay. In its traditional form, this relay consists of a complicated system of many hundreds of multiple electro-pneumatic switching functions (one for each key, register switch, push button, etc.) with no less complicated wiring in between in the form of beautifully finished bundles. In many cases, this original form has been replaced by a more modern ‘solid state’ (electronic) solution.

All the organ pipes and instruments in the organ chambers require a lot of air (organ wind).

This is generated by a large electric wind machine (blower) which is usually located in a separate room because of the sound.

Before the organ can be played, this wind machine must first be started.

The air is transported to the organ chambers through a large tube (wind channel), where it is distributed over the wind chests with the organ pipes and the other instruments.

The preservation of these instruments

You will understand that these old, but also complicated instruments need a lot of attention and love. Regular playing also always benefits the condition of the organ. Moreover, this ensures that minor defects are quickly discovered and can be repaired.

Most theatre organs in the Netherlands are maintained by the Dutch Organ Federation. It is an association, a volunteer organisation with active members, but fortunately also with a large number of financially supporting members. Because the association does not receive any subsidies and the maintenance of theatre organs is a costly affair, members and donors are essential for the continued existence of the association and thus the theatre organs in the Netherlands.

The theatre organ today ...

The theatre organs can be used for all kinds of events::

• concerts (concerts are regularly given by - often English organists)
• accompaniment of silent films
• open console days (come and play this mighty organ yourself)
• organist days (various Dutch organists give mini concerts)
• dance evenings, birthdays
• and much more ....

Many older people may still remember what a 'night out' it was with such a theatre organ. Perhaps you still remember the famous Dutch organist Cor Steyn? (known from the comic entertainer Dorus/Tom Manders with his 'Twee Motten'). Cor also often played the theatre organs, for example in the Amsterdam Tuschinski, but mostly in the City theatre on the Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen near the Leidseplein.

Fortunately, younger audiences are now becoming familiar with the theatre organ again and are impressed by the orchestral sounds. Especially when they are standing in such an organ room, surrounded by the organ pipes, and the organ is being played; you feel the wind blowing against you and the overwhelming sound quickly makes you put your hands over your ears.