Circus
Day at last! What excitement and anticipation spread throughout the
town! A trip in the early hours to the railroad yards to watch the
unloading of the wagons, animals, etc., and then the rumbling
caravan's long trek to the Circus grounds. If you were lucky, you
got a job hauling water to the thirsty elephants although it seemed
as if the trips to the water tap to fill the buckets would never
end. At last you were given a pass for the performance. The first
thing you did was walk slowly through the Menagerie tent to look at
the strange and intriguing animals. Most of these you had seen only
in books. What a thrill! Next, the CIRCUS CALLIOPE(CALYOPE) was
playing, warning the town that the Circus performance would soon
begin and the people began scurrying to the grounds.
Taking a seat, you hoped you would be able to see every bit of the
fascinating acts. The great music began with a heraldic sound and
the Ringmaster announced the Grand Entry. Prancing horses, lumbering
pachyderms, bouncing clowns, lovely ladies, and handsome men paraded
around the tent. A tremor of excitement goes through your body - the
Circus is beginning! The mighty music from the CIRCUS CALYOPE
continues and changes pace with the various acts - moving marches,
lively gallops, beautiful ballads, and wonderful waltzes. Only too
soon the tremendous Circus was over.
Long after the Circus has gone its way, passages of familiar tunes
come back with a haunting tilt or strain to nudge the memory of a
marvelous day at the Circus. Brought back are the smell of the hot
popcorn, the feel of gooey candy apples, the distinctive odor of the
Menagerie and tanbark, the menacing crack of the whip, the
Ringmaster's spiel, and the waves of happy laughter rippling
throughout the tent, along with the oh's and ah's heard during some
spectacular aerial act.
This wonderful CIRCUS CALLIOPE (CALYOPE) is a Wurlitzer Caliola with
44 wood pipes and is ideal for Circuses as it has a beautiful tone
and remarkable volume. It plays from a paper roll or may be played
manually from the keyboard on the back, creating beautiful musical
effects. This machine was made in 1928 and uses the regular 65-note
Wurtitzer roll. Operated by a 1/2 h.p. motor.
Specifications: Height to top of scroll, 5 feet 4 inches; height
without scroll, 4 feet 8 inches. Width, 3 feet 7 1/2 inches; depth,
2 feet 10 inches. Weight, 435 tbs. with coun tershaft and drive
wheel. 44-note keyboard for hand playing. 44 pipes.
Paul Eakins obtained the machine from the estate of a Showman and
immediately restored it to its now brilliant state in both
appearance and sound. The case is a bright red and the fine gold
scrolls are hand-carved. The front screen depicts a colorful
Flamenco dancer scene. The raised panel on the lower front has a
peaceful take and mountain scene.
For five and one-half months the CIRCUS CALLIOPE (CALYOPE) was on
location at the New York World's Fair at the Ringling Museum of the
Circus. Along with another calliope belonging to Eakins, it was
shown and furnished the music for an hour-long spectacular on
"PT Barnum and the Circus" on NBC-TV. The "Circus
Reminiscence" exhibition at the famous Hallmark Gallery on 5th
Avenue played the music of this CIRCUS CALLIOPE (CALYOPE) during the
entire show from March 2 to April 29, 1966 via tape, adding to the
nostalgic realism. Millions heard and saw this striking machine on
both the "Today" Show and the "Tonight" Show on
NBC-TV. Among other triumphant appearances was a 10-day
participation in a special exhibition at Madison Square Garden;
being featured on ABC-TV and NBC-TV News Specials; and shown at the
great Midsouth Fair in Memphis, Tennessee.
* COLONEL BOGEY * THAT OLD GANG OF MINE *
WHEN YOU & I WERE YOUNG, MAGGIE * BEER BARREL POLKA *
SMILES * I’M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES * AMERICAN PEP
SONG * SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK * TAKE ME OUT TO THE
BALLGAME * THE MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE * DARDANELLA *
CALIFORNIA, HERE I COME * THE JOLLY COBBLER* MARGIE * DOWN BY THE OLD MILL STREAM * HERE
COMES THE SHOW BOAT * PUT ON YOUR OLD GREY BONNET * THEY
CUT DOWN THE OLD PINE TREE * HOME ON THE RANGE * IN THE
GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME * WAITING FOR THE ROBERT E. LEE *
BILLBOARD MARCH * MY SWEETHEART'S THE MAN IN THE MOON *
12th STREET RAG * DRIFTING TONIGHT IN DREAMLAND * LET ME CALL
YOU SWEETHEART * JINGLE BELLS/ INTRO. AULD LANG SYNE * JOLLY
COPPERSMITH
Listen
to samples.... 
"12th
STREET RAG"
"CALIFORNIA,
HERE I COME"
"THE
MAN ON THE FLYING TRAPEZE"
"HOME
ON THE RANGE"
<
|
|
