Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ Visits

Now restored to 'as new' condition with the aid of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, you can discover the magic of the Theatre Organ at Howden le Wear as seen recently on BBC Look North. As well as listening to the spine-tingling sounds, you can find out how the master organ building craftsmen enabled a musician to produce these amazing sounds from an instrument made of wood and metal with no modern electronic amplification or tone generation. After you see and hear the organ, perhaps you will find out a little of how it played a major role in the 'Everyday History' of the mid-Twentieth Century and explore inside the two large organ 'chambers'* which are usually hidden from view and contain over 1,300 organ pipes, varying vastly in shape and in size (from a fraction of an inch to 16 feet long) and producing a huge variety of musical tone - plus - a whole percussion department (of real instruments played by the organ's electro-pneumatic action). Find out for yourself why the Wurlitzer really was 'Mighty' in sight AND in sound: designed as a true one-man orchestra in fact!
* Access to the organ chambers may be unsuited to those with limited mobility / wheelchairs due to restricted space, steps, etc.

Timings

Saturday 19 September:

1000-1700

Location & directions

New Victoria Centre, High Street, Howden Le Wear, Crook, County Durham, DL15 8EZ

Directions:

The New Victoria Centre is a former Methodist Church on the main A689 in the centre of Howden le Wear

Contact on day:

John Heslop

Telephone number:

+441388766805

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Most area are accessible for wheelchair users except inside the organ pipe chambers where space is limited and steps are involved

Additional information

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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