mid-1966 - Console in spotlight (Photograph by Thomas J. Mathiesen/Thomas J. Mathiesen)
mid-1966 - Console (Photograph by Thomas J. Mathiesen/Thomas J. Mathiesen)
Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2017-12-21 - Information from <i>Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. II</i> by David L. Junchen. (Pasadena: Showcase Publications, 1989)<br> Wurlitzer "Style 235 Special" - with Post Horn, Voix Celeste, and Krumet instead of Kinura<br> Factory date: August 24, 1927<br> November 1969: sold to Dennis Hedberg, Portland, Oregon. In 1973, parted out to Organ Grinder, Portland, Oregon. -Database Manager
2018-12-09 - Updated by Eric Schmiedeberg, listing conversations with this person as the source of the information: Glenn Shelley--Designer and Premier/House Organist--Oriental Theatre--Portland, OR. <br> <br>This instrument was debuted by Portland-area organist Glenn Shelley on December 31, 1927. It was the sixth of seven Wurlitzer instruments designed by Mr. Shelley. The organ was installed in two chambers which spoke through a short tone chute opening into the central dome of the theatre. According to Mr. Shelley (and others) the resulting time lag from this placement was considerable. Mr. Shelley told me that if he was required to rehearse with any acts onstage, he would only use the organ\'s Piano--which was installed in the orchestra pit. This kept everyone \"in time\" with each other. Dennis Hedberg would later attempt to overcome some of the time lag problem by lowering the key contacts and speeding up key-recovery rates. This worked to an extent, according to some of those who played the organ after these adjustments. Mr. Hedberg also raised all of the wind pressures of the organ in an attempt to make it more audible in the 500-seat area under the balcony. Some very interesting commentary on the Oriental instrument (and other Portland-area theatre organs) can be found in Mr. Hedberg\'s autobiography at atos.org. An interesting documentary about the Oriental can be found on You Tube which is entitled \"Before The Dark: Portland\'s Oriental Theatre\". Glenn Shelley supplies the background music on the Wurlitzer in this film. <br><br>Written and photographic documentation of the Oriental is fairly extensive. A trip to Wikipedia will open a whole world of such data--and links are cited to access even more-- on that site. -Database Manager
2019-01-04 - Updated by Eric Schmiedeberg, who gave this as the source of the information: Dennis Hedberg--The Oriental Wurlitzer--A Unique Installation!-- <br><br>http://theatreorganjournal.org/Archives/11-2010/hedberg1.html -Database Manager
2022-01-26 - The instrument had 3 manuals, as is noted elsewhere in the description and shown in the photographs, not 4 as in the stoplist. -Thomas J. Mathiesen
2022-04-02 - The large-scale 20-note "Tower Chimes" set from Wurlitzer Opus 140--State Theatre, San Francisco, CA was added to the organ ca. 1963. This addition is mentioned in Hedberg's article, but not the origin of, or proper name given by Wurlitzer, to the set. They would eventually find their way into the Organ Grinder Wurlitzer in Portland, of which the Oriental instrument was the nucleus. -Eric Schmiedeberg
Typed specification Source: from Theatre Organ (magazine), Summer 1964, courtesy Lew Williams Date not recorded
Portland, Oregon
Oriental Theatre
The Rudoph Wurlitzer Co. Opus 1710 1927 "235 Special" 3 manuals, 13 ranks
Specification in 1964
_________________________________________________________________________________________
MAIN CHAMBER SOLO CHAMBER
16' Diaphonic Diapason 85 pipes 8' English Post Horn 61 pipes
8' Clarinet 61 pipes 16' Harmonic Tuba 85 pipes
8' Viol d'Orchestre 85 pipes 8' Tibia Clausa 73 pipes
8' Viol Celeste 73 pipes 8' Orchestral Oboe 61 pipes
8' Salicional 73 pipes 8' Krumet 61 pipes
8' Voix Celeste 61 pipes 16' Piano 85 notes
16' Concert Flute 97 pipes Marimba / Harp 49 notes
8' Vox Humana 61 pipes Cathedral Chimes 25 notes
Chrysoglott 49 notes Xylophone 37 notes
Glockenspiel 37 notes
Sleigh Bells 25 notes
PEDAL GREAT
16' Tuba Profunda 16' Tuba Profunda
16' Diaphone 16' Diaphone
16' Bourdon 16' Tibia Clausa (TC)
8' English Post Horn 16' Bourdon
8' Harmonic Tuba 16' Contra Viol (TC)
8' Diaphonic Diapason 8' English Post Horn
8' Tibia Clausa 8' Harmonic Tuba
8' Clarinet 8' Diaphonic Diapason
8' Cello 8' Tibia Clausa
8' Flute 8' Clarinet
4' Octave 8' Orchestral Oboe
16' Piano 8' Krumet
Bass Drum 8' Viol d'Orchestre
Kettle Drum 8' Viol Celeste
Crash Cymbal 8' Salicional
Cymbal 8' Voix Celeste (TC)
8' Great to Pedal 8' Flute
8' Vox Humana
PEDAL 2nd TOUCH 4' Harmonic Clarion
16' Piano 4' Octave
Bass Drum 4' Piccolo
Kettle Drum 4' Viol
Crash Cymbal 4' Octave Celeste
Cymbal 4' Salicet
Triangle 4' Voix Celeste
4' Flute
ACCOMPANIMENT 2 2/3' Twelfth
16' Contra Viol (TC) 2' Fifteenth
16' Tibia Clausa (TC) 2' Piccolo
16' Bourdon 1 3/5' Tierce
16' Vox Humana (TC) 16' Piano
8' English Post Horn 8' Piano
8' Harmonic Tuba 4' Piano
8' Diaphonic Diapason Marimba (re-it)
8' Tibia Clausa Harp
8' Clarinet Cathedral Chimes
8' Orchestral Oboe Sleigh Bells
8' Krumet Xylophone
8' Viol d'Orchestre Glockenspiel
8' Viol Celeste Orchestral Bells (re-it)
8' Salicional Chrysoglott
8' Voix Celeste (TC) 16' Sub Octave
8' Flute 4' Octave
8' Vox Humana 8' Solo to Great
4' Piccolo
4' Viol GREAT 2nd TOUCH
4' Octave Celeste 16' Tuba Profunda
4' Salicet 8' Tibia Clausa
4' Voix Celeste 8' Solo to Great
4' Flute
4' Vox Humana SOLO
2 2/3' Twelfth 16' Tuba Profunda
2' Piccolo 16' Tibia Clausa (TC)
8' Piano 8' English Post Horn
4' Piano 8' Harmonic Tuba
Marimba (re-it) 8' Diaphonic Diapason
Harp 8' Tibia Clausa
Chrysoglott 8' Clarinet
Snare Drum 8' Orchestral Oboe
Tambourine 8' Krumet
Castanets 8' Viol d'Orchestre
Chinese Block 8' Viol Celeste
Temple Block 8' Flute
Cymbal 4' Harmonic Clarion
Finger Cymbals 4' Piccolo
Cathedral Chimes
ACCOMPANIMENT 2nd TOUCH Marimba (re-it)
8' English Post Horn Harp
8' Harmonic Tuba Xylophone
8' Tibia Clausa Glockenspiel
8' Clarinet Orchestral Bells
16' Piano
8' Piano EFFECTS (by pistons)
4' Piano Door Bell
Sleigh Bells Surf
Cathedral Chimes Horse Hoofs
Triangle Boat Whistle
8' Solo to Accomp. Fire Gong
Klaxon Horn
TREMULANTS Ah-Ooga Horn
Tibia Bird Whistle
Tuba
Vox ADJUSTABLE COMBINATIONS
Main Pedal - 3 toe studs
Solo Accompaniment - 10
Great - 10
EXPRESSION Solo - 6
Balanced Shoe - Main
Balanced Shoe - Solo
Crescendo
[Received from Steven E. Lawson 2017-12-21]
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