Evening star., 1926-02-21
MOVIE ORGANS AND ORCANISTS
BY FREDERIC ]. H4SkIN.

Twenty one centuries ago there lived
in Alexandria. Egypt d man named
ttesibius. lie was It musician. and
along with his musical ability he
possessed inventive genius. The re
suit was that he gave 10 the world
the instrument known as the organ.
IL was q simple affair of three reeds
which the performer held upon his
knees while he PLAYED upon II and his
audiences Al hest were small and not
exceptionally appreciative. There is
neither record nor tradition to the
effect that Ctesibius was regarded as
one of the foremost musicians of his
day. and il is improbable that he
ever made any money out Of his
talent or the instrument which he
invented.
However. Ctesibius started some
thing. That primitive affair Of three
reeds that cost almost nothing has
grown to be an immense instrument
Of innumerable pipes. keys. pedals,
and what not. that reproduces the
tone and effect Of almost every In
strurnent In great orchestra. and II
costs anywhere from s. 900 TO $3.50. 900
And the performer who plays the
modern organ thrills thousands in
his immediate presence every day and
night. and not infreQuently plays to
IL
the number Of people having radios.
That is what the motion pictures have
done for organs and organists. for IL
ia through the film theaterS that the
pipe organ has been developed almost
miraculously within the last decade
and its players have had their pro
fession expanded for them until 1t
has become one Of the most remunera-
tive in the musical world.
@k-t, h.,
throughout the country have installed
ma agnificent organs and a1ord con
slant and lucrative employment for
from two to three organists for each
theater. The day when the artist
who mastered the pipe organ was
limited in his opportunities for
engagements TO the compa ratfvely few
churches that boasted such instru-
ments, and an ccasional concert hall.
is long since past. A good organist
is never out Of position and the
top-notchers are rapidly acquiring
fame and fortune.
A Widely Known Performer.
Washington has one Of these per
formers with a nationwide reputa-
ton in the person of Otto F. Beck.
the musical director of one of the
citys largest motion picture theaters,
who has done concert work through
out the East and Middle West, and
who now broadcasts program
three times a week and has become
known to radio fans everywhere. MIR.
| Beck started his career with the
movies in Montreal. Later he played
at the Rialto in New York. the first
broadway theater to install a pipe
| organ. and was also in Atlantic City
f1, haf i.,o tn oh
ington.
Although he himself was fortunate
enough to have the opportunity to
study under one of the greatest or
ganists, the late Hope.Jones, MIR.
Beck says that musical talent and
technique are only half the require
ments for success in his profession.
The motion picture orga mist must
| possess that gift or art known as
showma nship.>
'"rhe orsanst who hopes to make
a name for himself must possess this
quality" saws Mr.. Beck. He must
realize that he is just as much per
former as the actor on the screen or
stage. He may be skilled and YER
satile, he may he conscientious and
| Industrious. but he will never attain
real success II he Is not Snowman.
With a different set Of methods he
must SELF the motion picture he Is
| accompanying-put 1t over to the
audience-vAry much as the ballyheo
man sells the sideshow at circus. y
Every one remembers the days
when movies were accompanied by
Indifferent musicians. who merely
| made sounds to break the quiet ac-
centuated by the flicker of the films
and the shuttle of restless feet. Then
producers discovered that good
pia mist could play upon the emotions
of an audience almost as much as the
picture itself, and they began to re-
Quire their musicians to do more
than play tom-tom stuff for an In
dian scene, or 'Ifearts and Flowers
for bit Of pathos. The artist at the
piano thereupon found it necessary to
acquire a repertoire and to cultivate
the imagination that would enable him
to use that repertoire In Interpreting
the rapidly changing scenes and ac-
| ton on the screen.
The music must create the atmos-
phere for the drama to breathe in.
The fiat gray figures are there, and
| must be made to glow, to pulsate and
| to sound. Even an amateur would
not play a brisk march for a dying
| mother scene, Mr.. Beck points out.
but would he know that "hurries"
| and "agitatos" are not appropriate
for q prize fight scene, because men