Me playing the beautiful 3 manual Binns, Fitton and Haley organ at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. Unusual for a church instrument, the organ features a percussion stop called a "Celesta" and so I chose the old childrens song "Oranges and lemons" to demonstrate this.
Me playing the Sixsmith organ at Wesley Methodist Church in Cadishead. The tune is Elvis Costello's "Mighty like a rose" - not the sort of thing normally played on a single manual instrument of just 5 speaking stops but I did this to prove that even the smallest of organs can be effective. I end the tune using the very delicate and beautiful Dulciana stop.
Giving the 2 manual Wadsworth organ at Patricroft Methodist Church in Salford the theatre organ treatment with "Windows of Paris". Ironically, right next door to the church is the Lancastrian theatre organ trust heritage centre which is home to a Wurlitzer organ (originally from the Trocadero cinema, Liverpool) as well as many other theatre organ bits and bobs.
Here I am at Monton Methodist Church playing the very upbeat worship song "Shine Jesus shine" on the 2 manual Norwich electronic organ. The organ has 2 external speaker units installed in the roof at the front of the church and I have added pictures of these at the very end of this video for interest.
Me playing the 2 manual Allen electronic organ which dates back to about 1978. Im playing the hymn "Jesus is Lord" and hve included a shot of the external speaker unit at the very end of this video.
James Bond on the church pipe organ! Me playing "From Russia with love" on the 2 manual Young & Sons pipe organ at Manchester Road Methodist Church in Swinton, Salford.
Me playing the old childrens tune "Polly put the kettle on" on the 2 manual Young & Sons pipe organ at Haughton Green Methodist Church in Denton, Manchester.
Me playing "Summer Nights" from Grease on the 3 manual 17 rank Wurlitzer organ installed at the New Victoria Centre in the village of Howden-le-Wear in County Durham. The organ was originally built in 1930 for the New Victoria cinema in Bradford. It is now lovingly cared for by the North East Theatre Organ Assocation (NETOA). The welcome I received here was perfect! For anyone who sees the keys moving on the grand piano be assured it is not a ghost doing a duet with me - I am playing the piano from the organ!
I've played several theatre organs built by Compton and Wurlitzer but never a Christie until today! Im playing "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" on the Christie theatre organ at the Social Welfare Hall in Harworth near Doncaster. The organ was originally built in 1934 for the Essoldo cinema in Durham and had 2 manuals and 7 ranks of pipes. It was installed here in the 1960s and had an extra manual and some extra ranks of pipes added. When playing a cinema organ my aim has always been to try and play as they did in your average 1930s surburban cinema. In otherwords - knock out the tune! The emphasis these days tends to be on "orchestral" styling etc.
