Liberty Theatre - 3/20 Wurlitzer, 3 Manual "Special"
Wurlitzer, opus #42, 1914, 3 manuals, 16 ranks + 4 ranks echo
This very early Wurlitzer (installed July, 1914) also has an unusual specification. Other
3-manual Wurlitzers of this vintage tended to have a straight 6-rank Solo division, perhaps
with a short keyboard running from tenor C for 37 notes; these were the styles 6 and 35.
Here, all three main chambers were above the proscenium, with the bottom of the 32' Diaphone
located behind the side grills.
Seattle, Washington
1st & Pike
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Rank Pedal Accomp Great Solo
16 Tuba Mirabilis 16 8 16t 8t 16 8 4 8
16 Tuba Horn 16 8 16 8 4
32 Diaphonic Diapason 32 16 8 16 8
16 Tibia Clausa 16 8 8t 16 8 4
8 String (Gambe) II 8 16t 8t 16 8
16 Diaphonic String 16 8 16 8 8t 16 8
16 Clarinet 16 8 8 16 8
8 Orchestral Oboe 8
8 Oboe Horn 8 8
8 Viol d'Orchestre (II) 8 4 8 4
8 Flute 8 8 4 8 4 3 2
8 Krumet 8 16 8
8 Kinura 8 4 8 4
8 Vox Humana 8 8
Echo division
8 Trumpet 8
8 String (Viole) II 8
8 Vox Humana 8
Piano P P P
Harp H H
Chrysoglott C B
Glockenspiel / Bells Gt G G/B
Xylophone Xt X X
Cathedral Chimes Ct C
Accomp to ... 4
Great to ... 8 4
Solo to ... 8 8
Echo to ... 8
Chambers: Main, Foundation, Tuba, Percussion
Tremulants: General, Vox Humana, Foundation
(Note: 3 = 2-2/3'; "t" = second touch)
It is probable that the Tuba chamber contained only the Tuba Mirabilis, as in the Isis
theatre in Denver. The other 13 ranks were divided between the Main and Foundation
chambers, but the precise allocation is not clear. The 3 Echo stops were of course in
their own chamber and they could be coupled only to the Great manual, not to the Pedal as
for most Wurlitzer Echo divisions.
The "Diaphonic String" was what was later called the "Diaphonic Horn" (or
"Horn Diapason"). The 4' Kinura was very unusual. The Great had
"Sforzando" touch for the Tuba and Foundation chambers, which, when
activated, opened the swell shades a couple of stages but closed them back
when a key was struck. (The resulting time delay in closing those few
shades provided the sforzando.)
The console contained 3 full-compass manuals and a single stoprail on the
horseshoe. The backrail also had a single row of tabs. This may have been
one of the largest single-stoprail Wurlitzer consoles.
Stop matrix and interpretive text, courtesy Larry Chace. Stoplist data from "Theatre Organ" September 1994.
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