Make a Joyful Noise....!

I've always loved music. It ranges from Gospel to county to folk to big band to classic - you name it. I have a problem with hard rock and rap but I suppose my age plays a role in that.


We used to have a radio at my mother and dad's house that had a great tone - especially bass. My mom used to make screechy noises supposedly imitating women vocalists of the forties and she would come stomping in and complain about the 'bumpety-bump-bump' sound of music at that time. But things change and so does music. I remember disagreeing with our eldest daughter about John Denver - she loved him and I hated him. Today I love his music. Figure that out of you can.




When I was in Holland in the Air Force I got to enjoy the 'straacht orgals' around the Hague. Later, I loved the ones they had on merry-go rounds - I remember sitting for long periods of time just listening to the one on a merry-go-round at a Denver amusement park. Doesn't take much to entertainment.




But my favorite of all was the huge pipe organ at the Paramount Music Palace in Indianapolis. It combined the organ from the San Francisco Paramount Theater with an organ that had been a part of Disney's empire. I'd sit watching for the console to rise out of the main floor and suddenly, and very loudly, the concert would begin. I loved it - I was captivated with the music and the versatility of the instrument. The had a couple of others across Indiana - one in Kokomo and another in Fort Wayne we would listen to -but we would end up going back to the Paramount for good music and delicious pizza.




Later these places fell on hard times and closed their doors. But the instrument
in the Paramount ended up in Florida ay a restaurant not far from where we lived.
We continued to enjoy the music there up to when we moved back north. Meanwhile, our church has a hybrid organ - part pipe and part electronic and I love it. too.



The other day I heard that the place in Florida had closed and that there was talk, and some hope, that the Paramount Music Palace here in Indy might reopen. If it does, watch for me - I may be the first one in line for the reopening. I still love music and the techician in me loves the complex technology of the giant Wurlitzer - and I never cease to be amazed at how much sound and beautiful music comes out of one machine played by one extremely talented performer. Making a joyful noise.