Article Contributed on: 9/14/2007 10:17:45 PM
Ingrid Gardner, who realized her dream of playing the Paramount Theatre's historic Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ last year, returned to the console to offer more drama and fun on Aug. 19 as organist of the Rocky Mountain Theatre Organ Society's "So You Want To Play The Paramount" concert.
Ingrid began her performance with the romantic
Bésame Mucho, which she arranged for the organ. It was written in 1940 by
Consuelo Velasquez before her 16th birthday. Its author was inspired by an aria of a Spanish opera by
Enrique Granados. For her second piece Ingrid performed
The World Is Waiting for fhe Sunrise by
Ernest Seitz, written in 1919 with organ arrangement by
Reginald Foort.
Son
Rick, not one to shy from peculiar history, also took the stage at the Paramount to accompany Ingrid on an unusual instrument. For her last piece Ingrid reprised last year's finale of
Rubber Duckie, accompanied by Rick on rubber duckies, also known as a newly invented (but not quite patentable) instrument called the Duckelodeon. The song is
Ernie's famed
Sesame Street hit written by
Jeffrey Moss in 1970.
The Mighty Wurlitzer, installed when the Paramount was built in 1930, is one of only two remaining of its kind, The other one is at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Originally designed for silent movies, it features twin consoles which rise from beneath the stage. On it one can play more than 1,600 pipes overhead and more making many varied sounds which set mood, setting and effect for movies from spooky to wistful, as well as percussion and special effects including a train whistle, chirping bird, horses' hooves and pounding surf.
The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society
www.rmcatos.org sponsors occasional concerts on the Paramount's Mighty Wurlitzer, which are quite a treat for those who have yet to hear this wonderful instrument.
Members of the Organ Society will reprise their popular "Pipes and Stripes" concert free to the public at 2 p.m. on Feb. 10 next year featuring the Mighty Wurlitzer and the 101st Army Band.
Disclaimer: The RMCATOS neither sponsors nor endorses the encore performance by Tropical Storm Ingrid now playing in the Atlantic, although the author promises she will try to do her best to behave herself.
Richard Gardener is a Golden historian.