Radio City Music Hall

RE PeterApruzzese’s: “From what I understood, the organ always used to be amplified – the microphones were embedded in the outer edges of the chambers. Once when the interior was repainted, the microphones were painted over and ruined and then never used again. As of now, it’s difficult to hear the organ when there’s a large crowd.”

Denpiano would probably give us a definitive answer on this. IIRC, the amplification was only used for the percussions, such as the piano, glockenspiel, chimes, etc. Now, the house sound system is so loud, the organ is “softer” than what’s played through the system. As mentioned previously, there was a time that the loudest musical instrument in the theater was the organ. I agree, there is no reason to blast everyone’s ears off during the show.

It’s difficult to hear the organ when people in the audience don’t shut up when the organ starts before the show. They don’t realize the organ “Prelude” is part of the show. <SIGH> I ‘spose audiences aren’t what they once were. Also, it depends on where you are sitting in the theatre to hear the organ the best. I think Denpiano would agree with me that the center front of the third mezzanine is a great place to hear the entire organ as those seats are fairly adjacent to the organ chambers.

From what I understood, the organ always used to be amplified – the microphones were embedded in the outer edges of the chambers. Once when the interior was repainted, the microphones were painted over and ruined and then never used again. As of now, it’s difficult to hear the organ when there’s a large crowd.

Hello again.
Just came across this in moms Rockette collection: 8x10 photo and original press note for it that might interest some of you:

Associated Press Photo from New York City

“Chorines Help Load Scrap
Chorus girls snappily load scrap onto a truck at one of the theatres in Radio City in New York Oct 14. About 30,000 pounds of scrap metal were collected at the Theatre.
Associated Press Photo 10/14/42

The b&w photo is of the Rockettes handing items to a truck parked outside as a few onlookers stand on sidewalk watching.

Yes… It’s annoying that producers do not trust the natural acoustics of a theatrical space work their magic. This has long been a point of consternation with respect to the amplified presentation of most legitimate Broadway productions in recent years. Projection of one’s voice has become a lost art of sorts among current Broadway performers… Or perhaps “hidden art” is a more appropriate term since many capable singers are probably asked to tone it down and let the mic sell the number to those in the farthest reaches of the mezzanine.

Surely, the RCMH organ doesn’t require electronic amplification… does it?

To B0B,
I guess that most of the musicals in that golden year of ‘57 that played the Hall failed to make back their investment except maybe Pajama Game?
Considering that the Hall’s interior is one of New York’s great architectural triumphs and Leonidoff and Markert utilized the lighting of the arches to great wondrous effect I find it pretty amazing that I seem to be the only one bothered be the speakers in the auditorium. Nobody seems to realize it but especially for the Christmas show THEY ARE NOT NEEDED.
The Music Hall lasted for 50 years without them. Or are audiences today so disastrous that they need everthing blasted at them to make them notice something is happening on stage?
Why has not one architectural critic not taken note?

Ida Taylor,

You might be able to get a commerially recorded CD of the “Old Girl” of Christmas music. Look for CBS Special Products #A19990, titled The Organ PLays Music for A Merry Christmas. You might be able to find it with the seasonal Christmas CD’s amd cassettes. The CD features Dick Leibert at the RCMH Grande Organ and Reginald Dixon at the Tower Ballroom’s Wurlitzer in Blackpool, England. The Leibert numbers are classic Leibert, but the Dixon numbers are clearly Christmas music, set to dance rhythm, typical of Dixon and the Tower Ballroom.

Denpiano, we’ll keep our fingers crossed down here. It would be marvellous to have a current recording of the Old Girl. The last recording I have of her is a private recording by made in 1979 Ray Bohr, including his signature piece, The Song is Ended. I digitized Ray’s tape to CD so it won’t be lost.

It was sheer joy to find this page today. I had been listening to my 1958 RCA LP #LOP 1010 purchased at the Music Hall the year I was married. (I was born in 1936 on Long Island and lived there till my marriage in 1958 when we settled in Buffalo. Christmas in NY was my wedding gift to my wife.) For years the Music Hall had been the only place my parents allowed my sister and me to see movies. “If the Music Hall shows it, it must be OK.” They were OK, and impressive as well; unlike the modern mulptiplex theaters whose screens, relative to one’s distance from them are little more than big screen TV’s, the RCM screen defined “larger than life” no matter where you sat.

My love was the Grand Organ, with or without the orchestra. A low pedal rumbled the theater and our seats, and like a wizard from Oz, the magician of the keyboard appeared from behind the curtains at our left. Sometimes he introduced a film with a medley; sometimes it seemed as if he joined the soundtrack at beginning or end. I still remember the bouncing pedal of “Once in Love with Amy” as Ray Bolger came from the left of the screen along an English field dike. Too bad the film is lost to posterity. Nothing set moods for stage show or film like the Grand Organ.

The concert nature of the Grand Organ came through at the holidays, Christmas and Easter. It was superior to many church organs for religious music. And the pedal on Rubinstein’s “Kammennoi Ostrow” coupled with the orchestra as the altar of a large cathedral appeared in the Easter show was thrilling!

Numerous times we traveled from Buffalo with our 4 kids to visit Grandma and Grandpa and have Christmas in New York. Three times the kids got to experience Radio City’s Christmas Show. Though I would like my 14 grandkids to have the experience of the Music Hall Christmas show, it is far beyond the scope of my retirement income and no great-grandparents are alive to house us to soften the expense.

I listen to my LP recording and I imagine the show. I think I can hear the organ in the Nativity, but that may be wishful thinking. In the Grand Organ section, I know it is the voice of the RCM Wurlizer. I purchased a Radio City Music Hall Christmas CD several years ago only to be disappointed. It was recorded in Europe; it lacked the organ, a full orchestra, and the acoustics of the RCM. A keyboard is a poor substitute for a great organ.

Thirty or so years ago HBO did a presentation of the Radio City Christmas show. Joel Grey was narrator and told how, though he was Jewish, he grew up loving this spectacular; his enthusiasm appeared in his narration. If a DVD of the show were available,it would have a market and a purpose. It would allow all of those who will never be able to afford the show to see it and hear it, or at least a shadow of it. It might even encourage others to make an effort to find the dollars to see it.

Also needed a CD set of the Grand Organ with some of the stage show music from the Christmas and Easter shows as well as some of medley arrangements used in the past. While a few RCM organ LP’s were made and I have most, a new digital recording of the restored intstument would sell. I have no idea where to promote these ideas, but I hope someone out there has the connections to get both going.

ldtaylor

Organized
Santa’s arrival is greated by the 32’s and Diaphone low “D” and also the beautiful Contrabass in the Great division 50th street side.
Concerning Ray Bohr, I’ve been told by RCB that Ray was quite a technician and helped Ron Sr. many times on repairs. Also,a little known item that much of the music was written in Key of “D” when the organ is included because the building acts as a soundboard for the low “D” Diaphone! Its really an amazing effect, like a tuning fork.

It is a real treat to find this forum in which to participate. I worked at the Music Hall for a year in 1979 after the conversion to an all-live format. In fact, the 1979 Christmas Show’s dubious distinction was that it did not feature a Rockette kick line. The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers was the only Rockette number in that year’s show.

It’s nice to see Robert Enders posting here. I met him on a few occasions and he is a lovely man as well as one of the best projectionists ever. In reference to an earlier post of his, the other organist in 1979 was David Messineo.

I saw the Christmas Show this week and share many of the concerns addressed by other posters. However, I will address them to the appropriate parties. I agree with Denpiano and I am thrilled that the Music Hall is still open and the Rockettes are still kicking. I also agree with Will Dunklin and I believe that one day there will be a showman (maybe one of us) with the foresight to restore some of the “showmanship” to Radio City. I don’t think it is there with the current management, although I am not “in their shoes.” I’d like to believe that they are doing the best they can.

I’m much more curious about another point. From the first time I went to Radio City in 1964, that place has been “under my skin.” I’ve heard many people say that “you never forget your first time at the Music Hall.” What is it about that place that affects us so? I’m actually spending a little time exploring my own answers to that question. I’d like to know what some of your thoughts are.

Vincent
Perhaps we were young and those first impressions stay with us, good or bad. Think about it, todays young people will probably be upset in the future if the “Idiot Speakers” are removed, “ Hey, wheres the speakers??”
Yes, the Leonidoff Nativity was Beautiful, thank God we were able to experience it! I won’t speculate as to why it was replaced and have heard some rediculus reasons by those who “know something”. The Music Hall is in business to make money, they are very effective at new ideas to do just that!

Organ-ized, Sorry for the givaway! just want our out of town friends to get the feel for the show, I hope they can come in and see it. The OLD GIRL is just great! In fine Tune..
CConnolly, yes the Bizarre voice over is still intact and yes the 70’s version was nicer in some ways. However, in this day I’m thrilled its still open and showing this performance as it is! Better it remains open and functioning, I’d love to see the old format too, ITS NOT GONNA HAPPEN..period . Remember, as long as people pay the price and fill the space, it will stay the same..

Does the show still have that bizarre and alienating voice over/scroll at the end of the Nativity? That element (among others) got my blood boiling when I saw the show last year. I had taken my 8 year old daughter to see it remember how amazing it was back in the 70s and frankly, I was appalled at how lame the show was in comparison. And it ain’t cheap.

Go back to last years posts here and you’ll see the discussion.

Vito, the High Def screen is used extensively during the new opening number and is quite effective! It is used as backdrop effects for the Rockettes during their new number. New music, new costumes, and even the steam curtain is used!!Snow flakes fall from “D"cove and dissipate before they hit the seats( Thats a new one). Santa enters the show via a large snowflake being lowered centerstage. The 3D ride in the beginning is still intact. By the way, as Santa is lowered, you can feel the organs big Diaphones shake the place up. The rest of the show is pretty much intact from years past except the effect of Santa leaving to deliver his packages is produced very nicely by the High Def screen.