Houston Community College

Wurlitzer Opus 1501 is a 3 manual Theatre Organ with 16 ranks of pipes.The organ was shipped from the Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda, New York on November 8, 1926 and was installed and playing in the Metropolitan Theatre in Houston, Texas for its opening on December 25, 1926. At that time the organ was a 3 manual, 11 rank instrument, Style 235.

The organ remained in the Metropolitan Theatre until 1972 and was purchased by a local businessman who had it renovated and installed in his home until 1985.

The organ was then put in storage in Rochester, New York for 10 years and then put up for sale. A local dentist purchased it and donated it to the Houston Theatre Organ Society.

Member of the Houston Theatre Organ Society (HTOS) started installing the organ in the San Jacinto auditorium in April 1997. It was decided that for modern Theatre Organ repertoire that a trumpet and post horn and salicional celeste would be nice additions. Most of the organ was playing in December 1999.

The organ is now comprised of the following sets of pipes.

MAIN CHAMBER (Left side facing stage)

16′ Diaphonic Diapason 85 pipes (Metal Diaphone Basses)
16′ Bourdon/Concert Flute 97 pipes
8′ Viol d’Orchestra 85 pipes
8′ Viole Celeste 73 pipes
8′ Salicional 73 pipes
8′ Salicional Celeste 61 pipes (Wick’s replica 1973)
8′ Tibia Clausa 73 pipes (small scale)
8′ Clarinet 61 pipes
Chrysoglott 49 metal bars

Tambourine, Castanets, Chinese block, Steamboat Whistle, Cymbal, Bird Whistle, Fire Gong, Horses Hooves, Acme siren, Car Horn, Surf, Maracas

SOLO CHAMBER (Right side facing stage)
16′ Tuba Horn 85 pipes (15″ WP, Metal basses)
8′ Tibia Clausa 85 pipes (Solo Scale 15″ WP)
8′ Orchestral Oboe 61 pipes
8′ Kinura 61 pipes
8′ Vox Humana 61 pipes ( 6″ WP)
8′ English Horn 61 pipes (Trivo)
8′ French Trumpet 61 pipes (Gottfried)
8′ Solo String 73 pipes (Barton)

Glockenspiel 30 metal bars
Xylophone 37 wood bars
Marimba/ Harp 49 bars
Tuned Sleigh Bells 25 straps
Chimes 25 tubes

Bass Drum/Kettle drum

All pipework is on 10″ WP except as noted.

The organ uses a Uniflex Relay and combination action which allows record and playback.

Each pipe chamber has its own 7.5 HP Spencer Orgoblo

PEDAL 32 Pedal Keys
32′ Resultant
16′ Tuba Profunda
16′ Diaphone
16′ Tibia
16′ Bourdon
8′ English Posthorn
8′ Harmonic Tuba
8′ French Trumpet
8′ Diaphonic Diapason
8′ Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8′ Tibia Clausa (Main)
8′ Clarinet
8′ Cello (All strings)
8′ Flute
Acc to Pedal
Acc to Pedal Octave
Great to Pedal
Great to Pedal Octave
Solo to Pedal
Pedal Octave
MIDI on Pedal
Bass Drum
Kettle Drum
Crash Cymbal
Cymbals
16′ Tuba Pizzicato

6 toe pistons, used for Bird Whistle, Crash Cymbal, Fire Gong, Steamboat Whistle, Horses Hooves, and Siren

3 Expression Pedals; Main, Solo, and Crescendo

ACCOMPANIMEMT STOPS (Manual 1)
8′ English Post Horn
8′ Harmonic Tuba
8′ French Trumpet
8′ Diaphonic Diapason
8′ Tibia Clausa (Main)
8′ Clarinet
8′ Orchestral Oboe
8′ Kinura
8′ Solo String
8′ Viol d’Orchestra
8′ Viol Celeste
8′ Salicional
8′ Salicional Celeste
8′ Concert Flute
8′ Vox Humana
4′ Octave (Diapason)
4′ Piccolo (Main Tibia)
4′ Viol
4′ Viol Celeste
4′ Salicional
4′ Salicional Celeste
4′ Flute
4′ Vox Humana
2-2/3 Twelfth (Flute)
2′ Piccolo (Flute)

Tambourine
Castanets
Chinese Block
Accompaniment Octave
MIDI on Accompaniment
Solo to Accompaniment Pizzicato
Harp
Marimba
Chrysoglott
Snare Drum
Maracas

ACCOMPANIMENT SECOND TOUCH
8′ English Posthorn
8′ Harmonic Tuba
8′ Trumpet
8′ Diaphonic Diapason
8′ Clarinet Solo to Acc.
Xylophone
Cathedral Chimes
Triangle
Great Octave
MIDI

GREAT MANUAL (Manual 2), 61 Keys, 10 combination pistons
16′ English Posthorn (TC) 2-2/3 Tibia Twelfth (Solo)
16′ Tuba Profunda 2-2/3 Tibia Twelfth (Main)
16′ Diaphone 2-2/3 Twelfth (Flute)
16′ Tibia Clausa (Solo) 2′ Tibia Piccolo (Solo)
16′ Tibia Clausa (TC Main) 2′ Tibia Piccolo (Main)
16′ Orchestral Oboe (TC) 2′ Fifteenth (V’dO)
16′ Contra Viol (TC) 1-3/5′ Tibia Tierce
16′ Contra Salicional (TC) 1-3/5′ Flute Tierce
16′ Bourdon 1′ Fife (Tibia)
16′ Vox Humana (TC) Mixture IV
8′ English Posthorn Harp
8′ Harmonic Tuba Marimba
8′ Trumpet Master Xylophone
8′ Diaphonic Diapason Xylophone (re-it)
8′ Tibia Clausa (Solo) Glockenspiel
8′ Tibia Clausa (Main) Orchestral Bells
8′ Clarinet Cathedral Chimes
8′ Orchestral Oboe Tuned Sleigh Bells
8′ Kinura Chrysoglott
8′ Solo String Great Sub Octave
8′ Violes (2 rks) Great Unisons Off
8′ Salicionals (2 rks) Great Octave
8′ Concert Flute Solo to Great Pizzicato
8′ Vox Humana
5-1/3 Tibia Clausa
4′ Harmonic Clarion
4′ Clarion Trumpet
4′ Octave
4′ Piccolo (Solo Tibia)
4′ Piccolo (Main Tibia)
4′ Solo String
4′ Violes (2 rks)
4′ Salicionals (2 rks)
4′ Flute

GREAT SECOND TOUCH
16′ English Posthorn TC Solo to Great 2T
16′ Harmonic Tuba MIDI on Great 2T
8′ English Posthorn

SOLO MANUAL, 61 Keys, 6 combination Pistons
16′ English Post Horn (TC)
16′ Tuba Profunda
16′ Diaphone
16′ Tibia Clausa (Solo)
16′ Tibia Clausa (Main TC)
8′ English Posthorn
8′ Harmonic Tuba
8′ French Trumpet
8′ Diaphonic Diapason
8′ Tibia Clausa (Solo)
8′ Tibia Clausa (Main)
8′ Clarinet
8′ Orchestral Oboe
8′ Kinura
8′ String Ensemble V
8′ Vox Humana
5-1/3 Tibia Fifth
4′ Harmonic Clarion
4’Piccolo ( Solo Tibia)
4′ Piccolo (Main Tibia
4′ String Ensemble V
2-2/3′ Tibia Twelfth ( Solo)
2′ Piccolo ( Solo Tibia )
Marimba
Cathedral Chimes
Tuned Sleigh Bells
Xylophone
Glockenspiel
Chrysoglott
Solo Sub Octave
Solo Octave
MIDI on Solo

TREMULANTS AND OTHER CONTROLS

Clarinet/Diapason Tremulant Auditorium Shades On
Flute/String Tremulant Stage Shades On
Tibia Clausa Tremulants Alternate Expression
Harmonic Tuba Tremulant
Solo Tremulant
Vox Humana Tremulant