Detroit Theater Organ Society - Our Organ Specifications

Detroit Theater Organ Society - Our Organ

The 4/34 Wurlitzer Theater Organ

On November 11, 1928, a Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, opus #1953, was premiered before a packed
house by famed organist Arthur Gutow at the Fisher Theater in Detroit. The featured piece he played that
night was “ Rainbow Rhapsody”.

Through the years, the organist most closely associated with the Fisher organ was Don Miller who
broadcast the instrument over radio station WJR as well as performing popular Friday night intermissions..

The organ is a four manual special 34 rank instrument and was the eighth largest organ that Wurlitzer ever
built. The Fisher brothers enjoyed light classical music and found pleasure occasionally playing the organ
in their church. Therefore this theater organ is a mix of theater and classical specifications so that the
brothers could find it easy to play should they desire. The stop rail layout is like no other, with the stop
tablets arranged by chamber rather than by voice. The opening night program stated, “The organ installed
in the Fisher Theater marks the first serious attempt to incorporate in one instrument, under control of one
console, the varied tonal elements necessary for both cinema and concert work.”

Opus #1953 is unique because it is largely untouched from the original design except for the chamber
layouts necessitated by two moves from its original home. The organ was originally installed in four
chambers at the Fisher Theater. In its present location, it is installed in six chambers. The Solo, Orchestral,
Main and Foundation chambers are located, from left to right respectively, on the original stage of the
Senate Theater.

The traps, percussions and a 32 note set of 16’ wood open diapasons are installed in the two original
chambers on either side of the theater. The 25hp Spencer turbine blower is installed in the basement
under the stage along with 13 tremulant motors. The original relay is still performing flawlessly and is
installed in a room off stage.

A new stage extension was constructed out into the auditorium to hold the huge four manual organ console
and the Wurlitzer grand piano, which is also playable from the console.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE DTOS WURLITZER – OPUS #1953

Left Percussion Chamber
Marimba – Harp
Xylophone, Re-it
Glockenspiel – Orchestra Bells
Chimes
Tuned Sleigh Bells
Traps Including
Surf                            Castanets                   Snare drum                 Crash Cymbal
Sand block                 Tambourine                Tom-Tom                    Steamboat Whistle
Police siren                Tap Cymbal                Base Kettle Drum        Bird Whistle

Solo Chamber
Tuba Mirabilis
English Post Horn
Open Diapason
Solo Tibia
Solo Vox Humana

Orchestral Chamber
Kinura
French Horn
Brass trumpet
Solo string I
Solo String II
Oboe Horn
Cor Anglais
Orchestral Oboe
Quintadena
Quintadena Celeste
Horn Diapason
Brass Saxophone

Main Chamber
Tuba Horn
Clarinet
Viol d Orchestra
Viol Celeste
Krumet
Salicional
Voix Celeste
Concert Flute
Vox Humana
Dulciana
Unda Maris

Foundation Chamber
Diaphonic Diapason
Tibia
Gamba
Gamba Celeste
Harmonic Flute

Right percussion Chamber
Wood Open Diapason
Chrysoglott-Vibraphone
Master Xylophone
4 ft. Chinese Gong
Bird Whistle

Here is a drawing of the stop
tab layout of the Wurlitzer.
You can click to enlarge it.
You can also right click the
enlarged version to save it,
and then view it in another
program even closer up.

Notes
49
37
37
25
25

Inches of Wind
12
12
12
12
12

Compass
16' - 4'
8'
8'
16' - 2'
8'

Notes
85
61
61
97
61

Inches of Wind
12
12
12
12
12