Euclid Beach Park had two large band organs for its carousels, both
were 87-key band organs built by the North Tonawanda Musical Instrument
Works. One had a duplex roll frame and the other had a single roll
frame; both had identical facades which looked like enlarged versions
of the Style 188. A smaller 46-key Artizan was later purchased by the
park for the Rocket Ship ride.
The park had two carousels: one was a four-abreast deluxe Philadelphia
Toboggan ride, the other was a unique flying pony ride which looked
like a tipped carousel with suspended horses. There was also a third
carousel-like ride, called a "Pryor and Church Racing Derby", which is
now at Cedar Point Amusement Park. To my knowledge, this ride never
had an organ on it.
After the flying pony ride left the park, its North Tonawanda was moved
to the Kiddie Ride area and was later put into storage. A number of
years ago, I located this organ and sold it into the Sanfilippo
collection where it is on display with a rare Dentzel facade. The
North Tonawanda that was in the carousel was later purchased by Alex
Jordan of the "House on the Rock", and was subsequently acquired by
John Daniel who had it fully restored. The small Artizan 46-key organ
still survives in the Cleveland area.
The 87-key North Tonawanda organs are fabulous band organs indeed!
They have a full, deep, and powerful sound. They have hundreds of
pipes. The roll they play is not to be confused with the later 87-key
B.A.B. conversion roll.
The 87-key North Tonawanda rolls (later called Style E Artizan Rolls)
had a broad note range. The scale featured 8 bass notes, 21 trumpet
notes, 18 melody notes, and a separate piccolo section. The rolls were
orchestrated to operate bell ringers, a director, as well as orchestra
bells. North Tonawanda, Artizan, Wurlitzer, and B.A.B. all made rolls
for this scale. Unfortunately, only four North Tonawanda organs
survive that play this roll, including the two Euclid Beach Organs.
Fortunately many different rolls for this scale survive. The music
found on these rolls is some the best ever arranged for American band
organs. The music found on these rolls really takes you back to the
golden age of the American Amusement Park.
The rolls featured great arrangements of concert waltzes like Wedding
of the Winds, Skater's Waltz, and great marches like Entry of the
Gladiators, National Emblem March, World Progress March, as well as
many popular hits of the 1920's such as Melancholy Baby, When It's
Springtime in the Rockies, No No Nora, Five Foot Two, Baby Face,
Shakin' the Blues Away, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Brown Eyes
Why are you Blue?, Stein Song, Way Down Yonder in New Orleans, and
many more!
You will have the opportunity to see and listen to the Sanfilippo
Euclid Beach organ if you attend the upcoming April MBSI Mid-Am Chapter
Meeting in Chicago which will also feature the large Krughoff collection.
Tim Trager
Trager@idt.net
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