The 3/17 Barton Theater Pipe Organ at Beggars Pizza Lansing

3524 Ridge Rd, Lansing, IL 60438


These are pictures and information on the 3-manual, 17-rank Barton theater organ at Beggars in Lansing. Originally the Lans Theater, the location opened as Pipes and Pizza in 1983, and primarily featured Dave Wickerham as organist. It closed in 1990 and was eventually purchased by Beggars Pizza in 1995 and reopened (I had been there in 1988 and 1989 when it was under the original ownership). Over time the existing hybrid Barton theater organ has been repaired, restored and enhanced, and currently Glenn Tallar has been organist since 2002. A unique feature of this organ is red LED lights on the external instruments, that light up for each note being played. The console and most of the organ was originally from the Oriental Theater in Milwaukee. More information can be found in an interview with Glenn here.

Click here for a full set of pictures

Click here for a performance video

Here's a few of the pictures I took:

Full view
Main view, console in center and swell shades on sides above Solo (left) and Main (right) pipe chambers. Toy counters are visible on each side, along with a grand piano on the left that is playable from the console.

Console
3-manual Barton console, with drum machine on music rack

Instruments
Instruments on left side. Xylophone on top, lower 2 are the Chrysoglott and Chrysoglott Celeste

Instruments
Chrysoglott being played

Left side
Bass drum and crash cymbol on the left

Right toy counter
Toy counter in front of main chamber

Pipes in right (main) chamber
Pipes in main (right) chamber

Marimbas
Marimba banks with boat whistle underneath

Marimbas
Marimbas lit up (right side of room), with tuned sleigh bells above

Marimbas
Right side again, glockenspiel on left with slide whistle underneath

Chimes
Exterior chimes (Chimes Exposed stop) being played. An interior set of chimes (Chimes Enclosed stop) can be seen in the rear of the Solo (left) chamber, but is not currently working.

Lighting controls
Lighting controls to the left of the console; in addition to the chaser lights around the chambers, controls a mirror disco ball in the center of the room, strobe lights in the chambers, and a bubble machine that is on the left toy counter.

Left percussion
Left toy counter

Other view
Other view, during a Catoe concert

Other view

Other view
Train whistle

Left details
Organ details on the left side (click picture and click next to "Full Size" to see details)

Right details
Organ details on the right side (click picture and click next to "Full Size" to see details)


Main chamber:
Main Tibia Clausa
Bourdon
Open Diapason
Clarinet
Diaphone (Tuba)
Tuba
Tuba Diapason
Violin
Main Vox Humana
Flute
Quintadena

Solo chamber:
Solo Tibia Clausa
Cello
Viol D'Orchestra
Kinura
Post Horn
Saxophone
Trumpet
Solo Vox

Percussion and other instruments:
Xylophone (left)
Chrysoglott (left)
Chrysoglott Celeste (left)
Glockenspiel (right)
Tuned sleigh bells (right)
Marimba (right)
Exposed Chimes (center top)
Enclosed Chimes (in Solo chamber, not working)
Piano (front left)
Canary Chorus (on right toy counter)

Toe studs (left):
Fire bell
Ooga horn (right)
Police siren (left)
Police whistle
Boat whistle
Bird whistle (right of whistle)
Bird whistle 2 (on right counter)
Train whistle (under turned bird)

Toe studs (right):
Acme whistle
Crash cymbal
(blank)
Wood block
Slide whistle
Horse hooves

Upper:
Roll/crash all down
Snare roll/base drum bottom

Effects:
Train Whistle (controlled by left expression pedal)
Bubble machine (left toy counter)
Chamber strobe lights
Mirror ball (dining room ceiling center)
Per-note red percussion lights
Chaser lights


Page and photos by Ryan Thoryk - email is ryan@thoryk.com