Of interest to many people is the
unique Compton Theatre Organ, this organ being built by the John Compton Organ
Company to the specification of Mr. Burns. The organ was featured at the
opening with Harold Betts at the console. Mr. Betts, from Bournemouth was billed
as "five feet of melody", and his signature tune was "Rhapsody
in Blue". The organ was of six units, seven ranks, namely, Tibia,
Diapason, Flute, Strings x 2, Tromba and Krumet and was installed under the
stage in two chambers. The console was placed at the left of the orchestra pit
on a lift, enabling the organ to be taken down below pit level and up to stage
level. The Davenport Compton was one of only two or three having the Tromba
rank. The Compton was also equipped with an electrostatic Melotone unit.
This
electronic means of tone generation enhanced the organ by simulating such
effects as Chimes and Carillon. The Melotone unit was housed in the blower room
with the sound being emitted via horn speakers in front of the organ shutters.
Over the years featured organists included Ronald Curtis, Victor Emerson, Joyce
Alldred, Charles Brown and Michael Holmes. Joyce Alldred was one of the longest
resident organists, from 1966 to 1983, a total of seventeen years. In addition
to featured spots the Compton has been used in concert by
many international
and national organists and has been recorded on disc by Ron Curtis and Joyce
Alldred. It has also been broadcast by BBC's Radio 2 "The Organist
Entertains". Prior to its removal by The Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust
in 1999, who saved it at the eleventh hour, a CD entitled "That's
All" was produced by the Trust featuring organists that had some
association with the Davenport Compton.
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SPECIFICATION