The Inner West Council initiative to use our town halls as creative spaces is the latest to incorporate the buildings into the social life of their communities. Our town halls have been part of our artistic and musical life from their creation.
The Marrickville Town Hall featured a concert in aid of the Cottage Hospital just two days after its official opening in February 1922. Dances and concerts were regularly held there, still are, and now look to continue into the future.
One of the best kept secrets of the Marrickville Town Hall is that it houses a Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. In the world of pipe organ players and fans it is considered one of the best theatre organs of its type and size anywhere in the world.
Image: https://www.tosa.net.au
The pipe organ has been special since its creation. It was the first of its kind in Australia and was built in Tonawanda, New York in 1924. It was known as a Wurlitzer Hope-Jones Unit Orchestra organ because its metal and wood pipes can imitate the sound of strings, woodwind, and brass. Real percussion such as drums, cymbals, marimba, and the xylophone are played by way of pneumatic (air) pressure and all are played from its console. It can even include the sound of sleigh bells and bird whistles.
At a total cost £10,000 it was installed in the new Prince Edward Theatre on the corner of Castlereagh and Elizabeth streets. The installation was a difficult task and actually delayed the theatre’s opening until Saturday 22 November 1924.
Everyones -Incorporating Australian Variety and Show World, October 8, 1924, Page 26 Trove
The opening night was a major event with a screening of the just-released Cecil B. de Mille epic ‘The Ten Commandments’. Sydney was the ninth city in the world to see this film. An orchestra within a ‘pit’ that could be raised and lowered, led by Will Prior who had led the orchestra at Grauman’s Metropolitan Theatre in Los Angeles, accompanied the film. This Grauman’s theatre is now demolished.
The pipe organ had been installed under the supervision of Eddie Horton from the Californian Theatre in San Francisco. Horton also played a selection of numbers on the organ in a special set during the evening.
Image: The University of Oklahoma website
Until the advent of ‘talkies’ the organ provided improvised accompaniment to the various silent movies on show. But after, it was used as entertainment during the interval, and before and after screenings.
In 1944, Noreen Hennessy was employed by the theatre to carry out this role and for the next 19 years she made it her own. It has been reported that, all told, she played to an estimated 2.5 million people who often attended the theatre just to hear her play the Wurlitzer. These performances were also broadcast on the ABC, Radio Australia and the Macquarie network; a number of recordings still exist.
Image: The ABC Weekly, Vol 16 No 15, (10 April 1954). Trove
The Prince Edward closed in 1965 and was scheduled for demolition. Noreen Hennessy played a farewell concert and a special private concert for members of the recently formed Theatre Organ Society of Australia (TOSA). The future of the Wurlitzer had been uncertain until a group of enthusiasts founded the Theatre Organ Society of Australia (NSW) and purchased it.
But where to put it? Luckily, they found a friend in Marrickville mayor James (Jim) Carr. Marrickville Council agreed to the organ being placed in the Marrickville Town Hall and three years of restoration work followed. Since this time other councils have followed Marrickville’s lead and installed pipe organs in community buildings.
On 27 November 1968 the newly restored pipe organ was played for the first time in its new setting. Noreen Hennessy had been intending to play again but could not make the event. Early on it looked like the organ’s complexity might lead to delays – as in 1924 – but the show must go on and about 1,200 people attended the concert. All proceeds went to the Children’s Medical Research Foundation.
You may well have been in the Marrickville Town Hall and are wondering where this organ might be; you have never seen it there. All 827 pipes and other wiring and machinery are hidden behind grilles on either side of the main stage. The largest pipe is almost 5 metres long and the smallest is no bigger than a pencil.
Image: Theatre Organ Society of Australia
The console sits on a raised dais which is at stage height. The dais is kept stage right and the console is protected by a timber case when not being used. It can be simply rolled out onto the front of stage to be played. This occurs regularly at events organised by TOSA showcasing famed players from Australia and around the world.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the Wurlitzer and the 56th year it has been in the town hall; 16 years longer than it resided and played in the Prince Edward Theatre.
The Theatre Society of Australia (NSW) is running a number of concerts as part of its ‘Prince Edward Wurlitzer Centenary Concert Series’. The second in the series is on Sunday 7 July from 2-4 pm. See full details below.
ABOUT
Chris McPhee has thrilled audiences with his stylish organ playing at many venues and celebrates over 35 years of performing on the famous Wurlitzer at the heritage-listed Capri Theatre, Adelaide. He has released seven commercial recordings and his music is broadcast extensively, not only on local radio, but all around the globe. He is a solo artist of great renown but he has also performed alongside some of the all-time greats of Australian entertainment.
DATE : Sunday 7 July 2024 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
LOCATION: Marrickville Town Hall – Cabaret layout, 303 Marrickville Rd, Marrickville
COST: Afternoon tea is included in the ticket price.
Non-Members $50
Pensioners and Seniors $40
Students $15
Children (Accompanied by an adult) FREE
Marrickville Heritage Society 