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Take a moment to enjoy the powerful and intriguing sounds os the Robert-Morton. These MP3s are actual recordings made at the Kansas
City MO Music Hall. Look for the Silver Lining From his CD "Music. Music,
Music" this is Ron Rhode
The 1,500 pound white and gold-leafed four manual keyboard console boasts 321 stop tablets and 28 separate pipe voices that are completely unified, making the organ's versatility well beyond that of the traditional classical instrument. The organ's components, weighing nearly 40,000 pounds, are housed in two large chambers located 15 feet above the side walls of the theater just ahead of the stage. These solo and main organ divisions contain more than 2,100 pipes that when played combine into a sound unique in complexity, and can satisfy the most critical listener. Pipes ranging in size from two 32 foot synthetic, down to one foot, combine to create a range and fullness of sound that rivals that of a symphony orchestra. The 4/28 Robert Morton Theatre Pipe Organ weighs in at more than 24 tons including more than 2100 pipes, a 25 horsepower Spencer turbine high pressure blower, Uniflex Digital Control Computer operating system for the organ and console combination actions, and a completely refurbished four-manual, 321 stop controlled console with two swell shoes, crescendo pedal, 72 piston/toe studs and two video monitors for software control and command alteration. The organ has a stop-action "fail-safe" feature, which prevents accidental overheating of on/off stop action magnets in the console and two (main and solo division) 70 amp Astron power supplies. Why is it called the 4/28? The Robert Morton has 4 keyboards and 28 ranks of speaking pipes. The Kansas City Theatre pipe organ was built by the Robert-Morton Organ Company of Van Nuys, CA. A company second only to the celebrated and respected firm of Wurlitzer. These organs were built when movie theaters were like palaces, and none were complete without some form of theater pipe organ. These organs varied in size, from a few sets or ranks of pipes to large instruments with several dozen ranks. Typically, an average theater pipe organ would contain about 10 to 15 ranks of pipes; each rank consisting of 61 to 97 pipes each. |
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