The Wizard Compton Grand Opening Weekend was not only a huge success but demonstrated the skills and determination of enthusiasts bent on keeping the magic of theatre organs alive.
The Welsh Wizard, Byron Jones, invited the ideal organists to help bring his 'baby' back to life:
Doreen Chadwick, a circuit organist for the Granada Group, who had played this very organ in its original home, the Rialto Leytonstone; Michael Wooldridge, one of the country's best-known pipe organists – he had played this Compton during its life within St Mary's Church, Hornchurch; Gordon Haley, a great enthusiast and player, who had played such a great part in bringing the Wizard Compton back to its former glory and; Peter Hayward, long-time colleague and friend.
Byron opened the first night with a mixture of stirring music and lighter pieces to show the versatility of this beautiful instrument. Everything gleamed and the audience were thrilled by the view of parts of the organ working behind plate glass. In tribute to the organ's original function in accompanying black and white silent movies, Byron played along to an apt Charlie Chaplin feature 'The Rink' informing us that the Rialto had been adapted from an old ice rink.
The half-time refreshments were provided by the lovely ladies of Eden Grove Methodist Church plus a beautiful cake to commemorate the occasion, opportune as this was also the birthday of Byron's mother, Freda.

Byron's mother presented him with a celebration cake for the occasion and he marked her birthday with a beautiful bouquet

After the interval raffle the concert continued with the introduction of Gordon Haley at the console. An unfortunate, short failure of the electricity caused some hilarity but Gordon continued unabashed behind a half-open curtain once power was restored. During his second piece of music a rumbling sound indicated that all was not well and a sudden lack of wind power proved that there were problems with the blower. It later became evident that a serious seizure had occurred and that the organ would not be usable until repairs could be effected.

Melody bringing comfort and support to Byron, or just enjoying the limelight

Byron, a true professional, explained the problem to the audience and they were thrilled when he suggested continuing the evening with a black and white movie, accompanied by himself on the piano. Any disappointment at not hearing the remainder of Gordon Haley's programme was soon dispelled as the old movie began flickering on the screen with Byron providing the mood music from the floor of the hall. Gordon swapped roles to become engineer once more and the saga of the quickest rescue in organ history began.
As Byron remarked, the Gods were smiling down on both him and the organ when a member of the audience, Ben Snowden, came to the rescue with the offer of a replacement blower. During the night his blower was collected from Cardiff and brought back to Eden Grove, for installation in the morning ready for the afternoon concert at 2pm. The replacement was done with only seven minutes to spare, a small miracle maybe but also indicative of the intense enthusiasm and dedication to hard work by all.

5-phase replacement blower ready in the nick of time

The opening concert of the second day was expertly delivered by Doreen Chadwick without the luxury of a rehearsal. It soon became clear that the new blower did not provide as much wind as the original and that allowances had to be made for the difference. Doreen very quickly measured the temporary restraints of the Compton and enthralled with a slick and varied programme that culminated in a well-deserved standing ovation. ATOS President, Nelson Page, was guest of honour and led the applause, later praising Doreen for her quick response to the problem. After a short break Michael Wooldridge was introduced and explained that he would be playing a different programme to that already planned. It was obvious from the start that Michael's familiarity with pipe organs stood him in good stead and his new programme sparkled, giving the organ every opportunity to shine as well as the player. The audience appreciation was again demonstrated by an ovation and the afternoon ended in great excitement. Byron Jones made presentations of commemorative gifts to Doreen and Michael, with his sincere thanks for their outstanding performances.
Everybody then relaxed with a wonderful buffet supper, prepared by the ladies of Eden Grove, and the building buzzed with discussion about the magnificent work done by the engineers and friends to make this all possible.
The evening concert began with Peter Hayward, forsaking his usual piano duets with Byron and testing the organ to its limits with his exhilarating programme. It certainly made an impression on the audience. During the break, Byron made some more presentations to those friends responsible for helping him bring this fine instrument back to greatness. He also presented gifts to Nelson Page and other American friends for their kindness in contributing to the magic of the event.

ATOS President, Nelson Page, and his PA enjoying the show

The second half of the evening was, rightly, Byron's and he played his heart out with pride. He had every reason to be proud of this great achievement that had taken most of his spare time for the past four years. But, still he found time to share the limelight with organist Geoff Barker, a naturalised American originating from Lancashire. He played a couple of pieces that tested almost every instrument in the organ and delighted the audience. Byron closed the evening with some of his most familiar tributes to Uncle Sam and 'dear old Blighty', not forgetting his beloved Welsh Hills. The spontaneous standing ovation said it all, as Byron swept his hand across the stage in homage to the Wizard Compton.