Rodeo March (+midi)

Last week I had the great pleasure of performing on the ex Ritz Stockport organ at Pollokshaws, Scotland. This presented a unique opportunity to play a piece composed by the original designer of this organ, Harold Ramsay.

Ramsay was born in the UK (Yarmouth) in 1901 and moved to Canada with his family as a child. As an adult he returned to the UK and became Musical Director of the Union Cinema chain. Long after the Talkies had silenced the theatre organ in the US, the UK were still commissioning organs with a very distinct voice - small and powerful instruments to fill big theatres. The organ from Stockport represents the pinnacle of this era with a big saxophone and the unique French Trumpet rank.

The Paramount 450 has ranks sampled from these very Ramsay instruments and it is a delight to play this composition from his touring review "Radio Rodeo" again. This tune was later adopted as the theme tune by the Calgary Stampede.