The Mighty Wurlitzer: Music For Movie-Palace Organs

From 1910 up through the '30s, giant Wurlitzers made silent films not-so-silent. The attempt to recreate a full orchestra with just a giant movie palace organ (and only one musician) yielded, of course, quite different--and welcomed--results. The pipe organ's sound is now imbedded into our consciousness; the bells, whistles, and light classical tunes they emitted will always bring moviegoers feelings of nostalgia. But, as The Mighty Wurlitzer shows, there was a lot of artistry going on here: these organs were equipped to not only provide background tunes, but also embellish the movies they scored. Ann Leaf and Gaylord Carter each play a full-bodied repertoire of tunes on the disc, from Cole Porter to "The Phantom of the Opera." Detailed liner notes about the recorded organs (they are the stars here, after all) and their history are included. Pass the popcorn. --Jim Young