Playlist

The Empress Wurlitzer

YouTube Music • 3.2K views • 3 hr 15 min

A Selection of old recordings made on the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer. This organ started off as a 2/10, and was originally installed in Blackpools Tower Ballroom, and was the instrument that the world famous organist Reginald Dixon began to develop his "blackpool" style on. In 1935 the 2/10 was removed from the Tower Ballroom, as it wasnt suitable for playing for dancing. It was moved a few hundred yards up the road to the Empress Ballroom in 1935, and was enlarged to become a 3/13 (identical in specification to the current 1935 Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer). Horace Finch was appointed as organist, and he developed his unique way of playing the Empress Wurlitzer, which can be heard in this selection of videos. The Empress Wurlitzer was removed from the Empress Ballroom in 1969/1970 and was moved to the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester, UK, for use as the BBC's third broadcasting organ. It remained there until 1988, when it was removed and, sadly broken up for parts for use on the Worthing Wurlitzer. Fortunately the console has survived and is in our care, as well as the main Tibia Clausa. We are currently in the process of re-installing a theatre organ to the Empress Ballroom, in the original organ chambers. This playlist is intended to give us a taste of what the Wurlitzer organ was like, and give us a taste of whats to come when the new organ is installed.

Music from "Merrie England" - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

7:26

There's a New World - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

2:35

Bird Songs at Eventide - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

2:51

Tico Tico - Horace Finch at the Empress Wurlitzer.

2:34

The Orient Express - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ.

2:03

The Music of "Oklahoma" - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

6:03

Theatre Organ - Finch Favourites Part II

10:49

Horace Finch - A Moonlight Medley

8:48

Horace Finch at the Empress Wurlitzer

8:42

Theatre Organ - The Blackpool Express - Get Goin`

3:44

Rustle of Spring - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

3:18

Horace Finch at the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer - Dancing Through the Years

5:07

Reginald Dixon Plays Paul Anka, Vaughan & Gracie – 1957 Rock ’n’ Roll Medley

6:00

Jessie Matthews Selection

4:16

Warsaw Concerto/The World Outside

1:41

It's Only a Paper Moon - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ.

1:25

The Whistling Sergeant Major - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

1:40

Horace Finch - The Windmill Samba

1:46

Easter Parade Selection - Theatre Organ

4:00

Theatre Organ - Rickshaw Ride

1:53

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

3:12

Limehouse Blues - Horace Finch at the Theatre Organ

2:08

Horace Finch - Twilight in Turkey - Raymond Scott

2:07

Four Irish Contrasts - Horace Finch

3:55

Horace Finch at the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer - Volume 16

39:42

Horace Finch Plays Music from "The Arcadians" on the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer, Blackpool

6:03

Horace Finch Plays 1930s Film Favourites – Theatre Organ Broadcast from Blackpool

5:44

Roaring Twenties Organ Medley – Horace Finch at the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer, Blackpool

5:37

Horace Finch Plays Sidney Bechet’s "Petite Fleur" on the Empress Ballroom Wurlitzer

2:06

Reginald Dixon at the theatre organ - Live Broadcast from the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool 1957 II

13:30

Horace Finch’s Stunning 1937 Coronation Organ Broadcast from Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom

23:54

The Empress Wurlitzer · Neo Music