So I periodically glance at the forums here (and post from time to time), and I just happened to glance at this “Chicago” sub-forum out of the corner of my eye. What luck!
I’m a Canuck writing an M.A. Thesis on Hockey Organ music. As you may know, Chicago Stadium’s Barton organ was the first, the biggest, and the loudest organ to be used in professional sports. Right now I’m doing a chapter in my paper all about the construction of the Barton organ, and the way in which is situated in Chicago culture. I have some early tribune articles that I proquested, and an interview with Dan Barton where he extols the greatness of Al Melgard, the Blackhawks organist through all those dozens of years.
I don’t necessarily expect to find anything I can cite and include in my paper here (although I would certainly relish it), but I was wondering if any Chicago natives had any anecdotes about the old organ and its performances, or any interesting factoids I hadn’t come across. Heck, even just hearing people nostalgically re-hash about it would amuse me.
It’s rather fitting, IMO, that I should start this paper this year of all years, when they finally got the Stanley Cup monkey off their back! Discuss.
Great to hear that Al Melgard is the subject of a thesis! Having attended many Blackhawk games over the years at the Stadium, Al was kind of taken for granted as Hull, Mikita Esposito etc were the main reason for going there. Not only did we see great hockey, but we got to hear Al Melgard and that wonderful organ for free! Now what I wouldn’t give to just be in that building once again to hear him play that magnificent instrument and their public address announcer Havey Wittenberg just ramble on about anything! Makes me treasure the 7 record albums Al recorded on the Stadium organ all the more.
Happy to see someone bump my thread! Yes, he certainly factors a lot into my thesis, simply as being (along with New York’s Eddie Layton), one of the pioneers of the sports organ, which still sounds wholly alien and weird to anyone who doesn’t live in North America - why on Earth would you want an organ at a hockey or baseball game?
I lost part of this post; I can retype later. But here is a link to a Chicago hockey game that was simulcast to the American troops in the Gulf War. This link describes the “Roar” of the Chicago Stadium, and is what it meant by “Remember the Roar.” Chicago fans stood and cheered during the entire singing of the National Anthem, and that mighty Barton organ and Wayne Messmer’s voice would just make you break out in chills or cry, the energy was so alive and resonating!!!
There were Flags and Sparklers that didn’t happen in every game, but the Roar was still there. My folks were at this game, holding the sparklers.
National Anthem - Chicago Stadium - Wayne Messmer, vocalist; and the Barton Organ
I hope you haven’t finished your paper, because that tells the Chicago hockey experience. Chicago loves its hockey.
How were you able to obtain materials from the Tribune? I’m not used to researching this way, but more importantly, did you get to interview Dan Barton himself? I would gladly quote you as a source in my own work if you would be willing to email me the transcript of what Dan Barton said. I am trying to put a thumbnail-sketch biography of Dan Barton together, and I would greatly appreciate reading anything you have found or gotten from interview.
Al Melgard has to be the best organist in the history of the world.
Here is his stunning rendition of Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) on the Chicago Stadium Barton.
And Al Melgard’s signature ending to every hockey experience was to play a beautiful song called My Vision (not on YouTube yet). Melgard wrote the song. I learned it by ear and played it on my Allen organ. It was my father’s favorite song and mine also, and I played the organ at my father’s funeral, and played both Melgard’s version of Danny Boy and My Vision.
I forgot what else you said you were looking for, but I joined this forum so I could send these links and ask if you would let me have access to your Dan Barton interview or any facts about Dan Barton or the organ that you are willing to share. I sent a personal message, just indicating that my history that I’m writing are only regarding this Barton organ, and I would like to honor Dan Barton as the creator and enabler of what you heard in the above link.
I am still learning the technicalities of the organ, but as an organist myself, I can say with great certainty, that Al Melgard had the greatest influence on my music, just by listening to him, than my formal music education.
I hope you get this and we will be able to collaborate.
I am a long-time hockey fan and think Al Melgard was the best. Do you have all 7 albums? I only have 4. They were recorded from the original albums to CD, and the albums were subsequently lost. I was wondering if you could post the titles of all 7 albums so I could look for them. Thank you.
Wow, big bump! Couldn’t believe this thread came up when I logged in today!
I defended my thesis in June. Passed with distinction, was nominated for a senate medal.
TouchmeKnot, what exactly are you writing? Is this a book you’re working on? Would love to hear more details. I’m planning on writing a book all about hockey organs in the NHL based on my thesis materials, but it’s been put on the back burner while I start yet another university degree, much to the chagrin of my thesis supervisor, who thinks I should strive to publish right away.
I trust you’ve already read The Stadium, 1929–1994: The Official Commemorative History of the Chicago Stadium? That’s a pretty good starting ground for anecdotes about the organ. A lot of this information is in the public domain, you just have to know how to pull it up!
The organ is in Las Vegas, but the pipes had to be rebuilt as there was a fire where it was stored. Fortunately, the beautiful console was in a trailer next to the building and did not get destroyed. The new owner is Phil Maloof (you can Google on him). I knew he had the Chicago Stadium Barton, and a second smaller Barton. Last night I learned from a theatre organ admirer that Phil Maloof has a 3rd Barton. Imagine the possibilities.
I have to say I miss that big organ. I went to Hawks game since I was a kid and the organ was just part of the total experience.
Well, congratulations on doing so well on your thesis. I’m actually an engineer who does military work for Combatant Commanders, or did for the last 20 years; and I’m currently laid up with an injury. I found some clips of
music from the Chicago Stadium on YouTube, and started writing to a guy that is a professional and accomplished pipe organist, that was Melgard’s student. I just hung on the edge of my seat as his story unfolded and he talked about Melgard. He had a script of his biography that he shared with me. As I read it, I could just feel how the history of the Barton organ, the biography of Al Melgard, and how many people it affected could be woven into his story and just the whole Chicago Stadium experience.
The more I looked and talked to people, I decided that I could get enough information to maybe write an “oral history” or something similar, weaving the stories of the organist and the organ together. There are bits and pieces all over, but Dan Barton is the one guy I can’t get to that I would have loved to interview, particularly on how he set about desgning the organ. As I said before, I am both an engineer and a musician, but the PURE SCOPE of designing a mighty organ like the Chicago Stadium Barton in the 1920’s was just a spectacular feat. I’d like to know what he was thinking as he went about designing that organ, and what would be needed. I’d like his own musical background from childhood on to when he started designing organs. I have found a few tidbits on different websites, but I would love to read your interview notes on him.
I’m mostly free-forming the book; being an engineer means I generally think outside the box. In fact, I don’t have a “box.” Oddly enough, my template is the book Seabiscuit, a story about a race horse. The author did an absolutely marvelous job of weaving together the unfolding stories of the horse, the jockey and the owner. The book is far better than the movie, and she really did background research. That is kind of what I have in mind. I was at the Stadium and heard Melgard in person, so I know where he ended up. I just have to go backward to the building of the organ, really I’d like to go back even further into Dan Barton’s personal bio and how he came to design such a magnificent instrument. And I still have to learn who Melgard studied under, because his talent was incomparable. It just can’t be coincidence that Melgard ended up at that organ.
I’m glad to see that Al Melgard made Wikipedia, his music is INCREDIBLE. I had a formal education on the organ, mine is an Allen organ. But my biggest influence on the style I play comes from Al Melgard. If I could play at his caliber, and I am above-average in my playing, but not that high–you’d think it was Melgard because I memorized all the naunces that Melgard put in the music, like Danny Boy. I’m currently writing to two of Melgard’s students, that are giving me email notes as they have time, describing their experiences. They have been extremely generous with their time and information.
If I knew how to put clips on YouTube, I would put his song My Vision out there. I don’t know all the copyright details or how to get that one clip off CD. There’s a few other really REALLY good Melgard songs. You won’t be the same after you’ve heard his version of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling on the Barton. I think that Barton was the BEST ORGAN with the BEST PURITY OF SOUND ever built. It was just terrible that they tore down our old stadium, which Chicago fans LOVED their stadium and their organ–as well as their hockey. My book would sort of be a tribute to Dan Barton, Al Melgard, and as detailed a history as I could get about the organ.
You asked for some color about the hockey music. I remember as a child, the beer came in big cups, and as we left the Stadium at the end of the game, the beautiful strains of My Vision would be floating out over the ice, and you could hear the echo of people “popping the beer cups” by stepping on them just so. It would make a loud POW noise that echoed through the Stadium, and I hear the beer cups popping in my mind while I listen to his music.
I have only a brief outline for a book. I’m not sure how I’m going to weave the tale together, but it focuses on Al Melgard, the Barton organ, and Dan Barton. And some personal interviews of how it affected people in their music and philosophy of writing music, playing music, and Melgard’s fans and how MUCH they loved the music.
Did you like that video of the National Anthem at the Hawks game? It would make me cry when the music of the Barton just resonated inside me, and Wayne Messmer just BELTED OUT the National Anthem without any hesitation or loss of power in his voice, and the crowed revved him up by cheering through the entire song! It was SO EXCITING and ELECTRIFYING to feel the energy of all those people and the organ. I didn’t realize how unique the experience was, as I started going to Hawks games around 6 years old. Just at the end of Melgard’s years. My parents have been going since 1953. I just can’t believe how fortunate I was to be in the Stadium, with its oustanding accoustics, the mighty Barton organ, and Wayne Messmer (the vocalist) all in one place at one time. That was after Melgard years.
I don’t have the book you referred to, so I will trot over to Amazon and see if I can get it. I have most of what I need to write the story as I was there at the Stadium myself for many years and I have a brick from the Stadium when it was torn down; it in a place of honor on my fireplace hearth. So I need the earlier background of Melgard and Dan Barton. I would have been so honored to interview Dan Barton myself. I’m looking for two things that maybe you have. One is Dan Barton’s background in learning music and in his thought process of designing organs. And then I need Melgard’s early background on who he studied under and who influenced his own magnificent talent. I hope you might be able to help me with those areas.
I’m willing to share my hockey experiences with the organ if you are looking for more. You are probably a lot more disciplined about your research than I am. I’m free-forming, mostly just as a tribute to Melgard and the Barton organ and the designer of the organ. I write well, and I have done an extraordinary amount of technical writing. I just gather my facts and one day it all clicks into place! Let’s keep talking, ok?
Phil Maloof owns a basketball team, too!!! I’ve seen the videos of his car collection and his organ collection. That man must be one of the richest men in the world. Have you contacted him, doing your research? I’d like to introduce myself; and if I can overcome a disability I now have, I’d like to travel to his mansion and play the big Barton one time. As a tribute to Al Melgard, and to my parents who loved Melgard music and introduced me to it and bought me an organ of my own. My organ is over 75 years old. I would have preferred to play it in the Stadium–just two songs is all I want. Danny Boy and My Vision. Melgard wrote My Vision. I would even take the opportunity to just play one song, My Vision.
No, I can’t say that I have talked to him; frankly, I didn’t get to do as much in depth analysis as I would have liked. My end product was largely theoretical, with me offering educated guesses (as we musicologists often like to do) as to why we ever put an organ in the stadium, and how its role changed in the face of prerecorded electronic music.
Did you talk to Frank Pellico? He’s the current Hawks organist and a really swell guy. We got to talk a few times on the phone, and I know he’s Al Melgard’s most famous student, by far.
I am so sorry. I went back to my original post and found I didn’t put the correct link for Al Melgard. I had to go get if off a different computer, as it is hard to find.
If you’ve never heard Melgard, prepare yourself to just sit back and enjoy; he is simply magnificent. And that is true throughout his other music.
Melgard at the Chicago Stadium Barton
Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)
This time I will test the link. If you haven’t heard the caliber of Melgard music before, I think you can now understand why I want to write something a sort of a tribute and oral history. There is NOTHING like Melgard. And I don’t think I’ve heard or played a better organ (I never got to play that Barton–yet!!!).
I sent you a PM yesterday, Antonio107; it is mostly what I wrote here, but I acknowledged the Montreal Canadiens. No hockey discussion is complete without mentioning Montreal.
I was thinking as I listened to the other link I sent you that I might need to weave Wayne Messmer in. He sang at ball games, too, but nothing in the world was like the Chicago Stadium (the old one). Hope you enjoy this link. This has to be the top-class hockey organ ever built.
I am no longer in Chicago, so I have not talked to Pellico (I have his CD Fire and Ice) but would certainly like an introduction to Frank Pellico if you would be willing to do so. I can talk by phone, but cannot travel as I’m presently disabled. I could write up a little more formal write-up on my background for an introduction. I would absolutely love to talk to him about the Barton and what it was like to play it.
There is a story somewhere that they did bicycle races at the Chicago stadium, and they lasted for hours, and I think that is when they decided they needed the organ. I don’t recall where I read that. It is somewhere out on youtube or somewhere on the Internet. What I’ve found on Dan Barton was the he traveled with Ringling Brothers circus, and some other bands. And that prompted the ornate carving on the organ console. I just saw a Barton that they are restoring in Dixon, and it is only 3 manuals but stilll has that ornate carving. And it said that Dan Barton started out providing sounds for the orchestra pit at silent movies, which generally morphed into the theatre organs. I’d be interested in hearing a thumbnail sketch on your paper about the Chicago organ/organists, and if you had a picture of Dan Barton that woud make my day. I have pictures of Melgard that my Dad saved from the GOAL hockey magazines , and a Melgard student I’m writing to sent me a couple of pictures. I really want to know the mindsets of these great men, and how do we transfer that love for sports and theatre organs to the youth of today to keep those organs running.
That is why I’m uncertain about how I’m going to write my book. I want it to be a book that appeals to more than Chicago Stadium fans, and theatre organ fans. You just don’t hear my young people say, oh, I play a 6-manual theatre organ. All they play is their IPod (grin). I think if handled delicately enough, I could write a book that would interest more than the limited community, and draw someone into studying organ. They are so much less expensive than they used to be.
As for pre-recorded electronic music, it can’t hold a candle to feeling the energy of the musician in person. I would feel cheated if I went to a hockey game and there wasn’t some kind of organ. I’m not sure I like Pellico’s wurtlizer, but Fire and Ice is a fabulous CD, kept right alongside Melgard. Pellico brought some up-to-date songs like Eye of the Tiger and several other popular tunes. I’ve heard him play My Vision, but don’t like the one missed chord he plays; maybe he thinks it personalizes it. I think it destroys the beauty in it. And he doesn’t play it with the sould that Melgard did.
I ordered the book Chicago Stadium 1929-whatever year it was. It was hard to get a copy and it cost $50. I hope it is worth it for the type of research I’m doing. It isn’t going to be here unti the end of October; heck, I figured I’d be finished with the book by then.
I’m still looking for data on Ban Barton. I have rearranged my data a little in my outline. Same topic, just weaving the story together diffirently.
You may wish to mention the work that Melgard did at political party national conventions. American conventions were a huge deal before nominations were determined in primaries, and in the era of train travel many conventions took place in the Chicago Stadium, with Melgard at the organ.
He’s best remembered for Happy Days are Here Again as Roosevelt was nominated in 1932, but played many other songs for many other contenders through the years. Songs and demonstrations were an important part of the spectacle in that bygone era.
Thank you Freddy. I did see mention in one place about the Happy Days are Here for a Democratic convention in the 1930’s, but your point about other conventions is great and would definitely help weave a more interesting story to more people. I just bought that book on Chicago Stadium history, and I’ll see what they have. If you have any other notes or thoughts on it, let me know. I am seeing Melgard from the Hawks point of view, but the Stadium was indeed used for other things. Thanks, and please post more if you have it.
It turns out there weren’t as many Conventions in the Stadium as I thought; starting in 1952 Chicago conventions were held in the Amphitheater because of–what else–television. The Stadium didn’t have enough adjacent floor space for TV equipment.
Still, there were the Dem conventions of 1932, 1940, and 1944, and the GOP in 1932 and 1944. The GOP conventions, because they weren’t contested and nominated candidates who lost, have attracted relatively little historical attention.
Not so with the Democratic conventions, all of which of course nominated Roosevelt. The book Happy Days are Here Again by Steve Neal, about the 1932 convention, includes a great picture of Melgard at the organ, and mentions him playing the title song as well as “Dixie” and “The Sidewalks of New York” for Garner and Al Smith respectively.
One thing I’d be curious to know myself is how the party felt about organ music. Music at conventions had traditionally been provided by bands. I wonder if this merited any newspaper commentary in the weeks leading up to the convention.
American Dreamer: A Life of Henry A. Wallace discusses the 1944 convention, at which Wallace was displaced by Truman as the VP nominee. (With the country at war and FDR near death, this was a hugely important moment in American history.) The book doesn’t mention Melgard by name, but discusses how “the convention organist” assisted a Wallace demonstration at a critical point by playing the “Iowa Corn Song”. (No joke, this was a Big Deal at the time.) According to authors Culver and Hyde Mayor Kelly, who opposed Wallace, dispatched a city worker with an ax “with orders to silence the organ by cutting its cables if necessary”! Fortunately the chairman restored order before this was necessary.
Thank you, Freddy. That was a lot of good information. I will look into the books you quoted from. I received that other Stadium comemorative book that I ordered based on antonio7’s suggestion, and didn’t find much of anything about Melgard or the organ. Yet they talked about rock stars at the Stadium. Who cares about that?
They do have a section on the political side of things, and I’ll go back and reread it. I can’t imagine anyone not choosing Melgard over a band, but they again I wasn’t there. I appreciate all the particulars you point out in your post, and will see if I can get the book the has the picture of Melgard.
Thank you for the political perspective, those events were important, too.
Freddy, I ordered the two books you recommended. I think they will help me get in the mindset of the time, as well as having references to Melgard. While I’ve lived with Melgard music all my life, and went to Hawks games until I was 29, the last one being in the DESPISED United Center, there is so much early history that I missed in the Stadium. I am very interested in it and will let you know if I find anything about the party feelings about organ music instead of bands.
Antonio, I ordered and received the book you recommended, also. It just doesn’t have the focus that I’m looking for. I’m looking for the background on Melgard and Dan Barton. I would still like to read your notes on your interview with Dan Barton or if you would share some thoughts about him, like how old he was when you interviewed him. I am only interested in the Chicago Stadium Barton, with the one exception of the other organs Dan Barton designed, as background knowledge in order to get insights into his musical knowledge. My work in no way conflicts or even overlaps with yours; I just want to honor Dan Barton as the creator of the organ that SO MANY people loved by telling his story.
