In general, in the 1920s, organs were to be found in churches, concert halls and theatres. They were used for religious purposes, collaborations with orchestras or simply for entertainment. These types of organs were not surprisingly referred to as church organs, concert organs, and theatre organs. When it comes to the size and the disposition of these instruments, the church organ and the concert organ are closely related. The big difference is in the places where the organs were used, as a concert organ is usually adapted to fit a specific concert hall and differs from a church organ not so much in sound as it does in appearance. The theatre organ is unlike both the concert organ and the church organ in that it was originally developed to accompany silent films. British organ builder Robert Hope-Jones (pictured) was mainly responsible for the creation of this instrument; he desired to make an organ which came as close to the sound of a whole orchestra with a single instrument as possible. In an advertisement accompanying the Hope-Jones’s theatre organ, it was written that “the instrument played by one person is destined to replace old-fashioned orchestras in hotels and theatres everywhere” (Doesburg, 2013, p. 17). 


Around 1920 the theatre organ started to be frequently used in the Netherlands, as an instrument providing music to accompany films, and also for entertainment before and after films and during breaks in between films. In those days, rhythmic music was very popular and “hot jazz” was especially valued. Many theatre organs, like the Pierre Palla Organ, therefore also had many percussion elements installed (Doesburg, 1996, p. 18). The theatre organ was not seen as an instrument for serious musicking. The music had to be well-known to the audience; when classical music was played, it had to be rewritten to fit the instrument. When the silent film era ended, the theatre organ and the organists made the switch to radio.


Figures show that in 1928 around 900 musicians were working in Dutch cinemas, a number which decreased significantly over the next few years. In 1930, 600 were left, while in 1933 this number had even further decreased into the dozens (K. Dibbets & F. van der Maden, 1986, p. 262). Radio meanwhile, had thrived following the division of broadcasting time despite the fact that there was a worldwide economic depression going on. Radio at that time “offered a relatively cheap means of information and entertainment” (Lacey, 2002, p. 24). In the Netherlands, like in America and the UK, radio boomed. Statistics show that about 140,000 people listened to Dutch radio in 1930, while a year later this figure had already risen to 430,000 (Wijfjes, 1994, p. 45). The organ and its players turned to radio. The reason why the broadcasting companies were very eager to engage the theatre organists was that the theatre organ as an instrument was both popular and it only required one musician to play the instrument, making it a cheap way to fill broadcasting time, much less expensive compared to having to hire an entire orchestra (interview Den Dikken).


References


  • Dibbets, K. & Van Der Maden, F. (1986). Geschiedenis van de Nederlandse Film en Bioscoop tot 1940.     Weesp: Het Wereldvenster.
  • Doesburg, C.L. (1996). Orgels bij de omroep in Nederland. Naarden: Strengholt. 
  • Doesburg, C.L. (2013). “De Geschiedenis van het Pierre Palla Concertorgel.” In: Plan tot restauratie  van het rijksmonument Pierre Palla Concertorgel en herbouw in het muziekcentrum van de    omroep in Hilversum. Pp. 6-65.
  • Lacey, K. (2002). Radio in the Great Depression: Promotional Culture, Public Service, and Propaganda. In: Hilmes M. & Loviglio, J. (Eds.). Radio Reader:   Essays in the Cultural History of Radio. New York: Routledge. Pp. 21-40.
  • Wijfjes, H. (1994). Omroep in Nederland: Vijfenzeventig jaar medium en maatschappij, 1919-1994. Zwolle: Waanders.


 

The History Of The Theatre Organ on Dutch Radio
  • If you are interestend in the history of the construction of the Pierre Palla Organ, click here. 
  • If you are more interested in finding out about today’s theatre organ culture in the Netherlands, click here.