What a woman! How many times has Grand Central had concerts?
Well, if I ran into someone who looked this good it would sure stop me in my tracks!
http://carlysimonalbumcovers.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-secrets-1972.html
Greatest album cover, EVER! Oh baby....
The organ could be one relocated from a closed French church, closed as I read because of a declining Catholic population, in part due to lower-than-replacement birthrate and in part to immigration. Some of thse disused organs are extremely high qualitiy and deserve preservation. The builder, Cavaille Coll.
David's got a very good point. I don't know about what's done now, but back in the glory days Grand Central used to hold choir concerts during Christmas time. I don't know if there was musical accompaniment or if they sang a capella, but a strong booming organ would be a great accessory, then and now.
With one affirmative vote, I will contact the NYCity AGO about the idea.
Obvioiusly, it could not come out of the Metro North budget, and we are talking about a million dollars considering transportation costs and insallation costs, with lots of labor involved, even if the organ itself was donated. If the organ was new, the new material (console, pipes, chests, action, casework, blower, etc.) would possibly be aboug 25%-40% of the total cost.
But it would bring exposure to thsi important axpect of music to lots of people who might not be regular church-goers.
The iconic Cinciannti Union Station, now mostly an art museum, but still hosting the Amtrak Caridnal, has a fine Ernest M. Skinner pipe organ and has regular choral concerts.
You know David, there's a restored movie theater here in Richmond called the Byrd Theater, it's a "movie palace" that dates from the 1920's and still has it's "Mighty Wurlitzer" organ, fully functional, that they play during film festivals.
To say it's impressive is putting it mildly. The whole building shakes when it's being played!
A few years back the Byrd showed the 1928 film "Wings." A silent film, the background music was supplied by the Wurlitzer, and let me tell you it was a two-hour tour de force by the organist! The man got a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.
Yep, best album cover ever! There is a theatre here that shows silent films every month with a live piano accompaniment. "The General" never looked or sounded so good!
I just love "The General," ol' Buster at his best!
But I will tell you my skin crawls when that old 4-4-0 goes over the burning bridge and lands in the river. OK, it was the 1920's, and it was due to be scrapped anyway, so who cared, but what wouldn't we give to have it around now?
It's kind of like watching old aviation films and seeing them wreck old Jennies, Thomas-Morses, the occasional SPAD, and so on. I'm sure car guys feel the same way watching vintage autos being wrecked in those old movies.
At least it went out in a blaze of glory.
In the silent era - was there a musical score that was distributed with the film or was it left to the muscians interpertation of what they were seeing on screen?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Firelock76A few years back the Byrd showed the 1928 film "Wings." A silent film, the background music was supplied by the Wurlitzer, and let me tell you it was a two-hour tour de force by the organist! The man got a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.
We have a theater the next town over from the 1910s. Closed in the 90s, but a thater group is trying to revive it somewhat. Even had its original seats until the end (they were ripped out, along with the organ when it closed for good, unfortunately).
After they stopped showing hollywood movies, they had a special one day thing where they showed an early talkie, then a silent movie complete with organ player. That's something everyone should experience at least once.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
BaltACD In the silent era - was there a musical score that was distributed with the film or was it left to the muscians interpertation of what they were seeing on screen?
Got together with Lady Firestorm on this, and to our knowledge yes, there were scores distributed. Many of the scores have been lost over the years, so when someone like TCM shows a classic silent movie it's usually accompanied by a new score.
When we saw "Wings" it was the exception, the organist had the original score from 1928.
I'll just drop this here:
Amazing! An early 20th Century synthesizer!
They don't have to worry about electronics breaking down on that thing.
Hey, we've been talking about Carly, how's about a selection from that 1995 GCT concert? Sorry, the video's a bit murky but the sound's pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voHgJKnxpYc
Wow! Wow again! Maybe don't have to worry about an electronic malfunction but there are a zillion mechanical things that could go haywire. I want that thing at my funeral!!!
I think when you get to the pearly gates that is exactly how you are greeted.
Woo! He's like a one-man City Slicker. Spike Jones would be proud!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUDMMind1uA&t=43s
At last count I hve been only able to find three public performances at NYC Grand Central Concourse in its 100+ years history. Compare that to the the Great Hall at Chicago Union Station where something is going on on a regular basis......I would love to have Friday Concerts in Grand Central every week too chill out instead of heading straight for the dive bar.
zugmann I'll just drop this here:
Firelock76 Well, if I ran into someone who looked this good it would sure stop me in my tracks! http://carlysimonalbumcovers.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-secrets-1972.html Greatest album cover, EVER! Oh baby....
Hmm, thread's going quiet.
How's about a little vintage Carly accompanied by her sister Lucy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgmKcbLJVxg
Pure magic!
And I like David's idea of an organ installation in Grand Central Terminal. Imagine the walls being rattled by something like this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mAP9cNkeWw
It would be awe-inspiring!
Simon the father was the founder of Simon and Shulster and has a lot of power-
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