Al. Ringling Theatre

136 Fourth Avenue
Baraboo, WI 53913

Builder: Barton Organ Company, 1928
Manuals: 3
Ranks: 9
Action: Electropneumatic

Notes: When the Al. Ringling Theatre was built in 1915 a Wurlitzer Hope-Jones theatre organ was installed. In 1928 alterations were made to the theatre interior that included replacing the seats with wider ones and eliminating the front seating row to facilitate increasing the size of the orchestra pit. Included in the alterations was the replacement of the Wurlitzer organ with a Barton organ. (What became of the original Wurlitzer is unknown.) The new organ was designed and built specifically for the Al. Ringling Theatre. Considering the speed at which the theatre was erected it's unlikely that the original organ underwent such planning. The Barton organ console is located in the left-hand side of the orchestra pit and it's colorful red and gold decoration is designed to match the theatre interior. The console is on a lift that can raise it (and the organist) up for prominent public view, almost to the height of the stage. When a movie or show was about to begin the organist would press a button to lower the organ down into the orchestra pit.
--Information and photo from Bryant Hazard of the theatre.

PIPE RANKS
Bordon 12
Tibia 73 A
Concert Flute 85 A
String 73 A
Tuba horn 73 A
Kunara 49 G
Orchestral Horn (Oboe) 61 G
Viola Cello (celeste) G
Clarinet 61 G
Vox Humana 61 G

A  Playable on all manuals and pedal
G  Playable on the Great manual only


PERCUSSIONS AND EFFECTS
Chrysoglot harp 49 notes
Chimes 12 notes
Xylophone 49 notes
Tambourine
Castanets
Wood block
Tom Tom
Snare drum
Bass drum
Bird whistle
Thunder

GREAT ORGAN
16' Bordon
16' Tibia tc
8' Concert Flute
8' Tibia
8' Orchestral Horn
8' Vox Humana
8' Clarinet
8' Tuba
8' Kinura
8' Synthetic Oboe
8' Viola d’Orchestra
8' Viola Cello
4' Flute
4' Tibia
4' Cornet
2-2/3' Nazard
2' Piccolo
1-3/5' Tierce
    Chrysoglot Harp
    Xylophone
    Gt to Gt 16, 4,
    Unison Off

ACCOMPANIMENT
16' Contra Viola tc
8' Concert Flute
8' Tibia
8' Tuba
8' String
4' Flute
4' Tibia
4' Cornet
4' Violin
1' Flautino
    Chrysoglot Harp
    Chimes
    Tambourine
    Castanets
    Wood Block
    Tom Tom
    Snare Drum
    Gt to Acc 16, 8, 4
    Acc to Acc 16, 4
    Unison Off

SECOND TOUCH
8' Tibia
8' Tuba

SOLO ORGAN
8' Flute
8' Tibia
8' Tuba
8' String
4' Tibia
4' Cornet
    Chimes
    Xylophone

PEDAL ORGAN
16 Subass
16 Open Diapason (resultant)
8 Flute
8 Tibia
8 Tuba
8 Cello
    Bass Drum
    Snare Drum
    Gt to Ped 8
    Acc to Ped 8


Notes: Extant in 1992.

www.TheaterOrgans.com
database, 2021. Blower serial #21966 (3-horse power).
 Bryant Hazard (theater staff) and from Richard C Greene.

When the Al. Ringling Theatre was built in 1915 a Wurlitzer/Hope-Jones theatre organ was installed.

The Wurlitzer console was located in the center of the orchestra pit and had a roll player.

In 1928 alterations were made to the theatre interior that included replacing the seats with wider ones and eliminating the front seating row to facilitate increasing the size of the orchestra pit.

Included in the alterations was the replacement of the Wurlitzer organ with a Barton organ. The new organ was designed and built specifically for the Al. Ringling Theatre. Considering the speed at which the theatre was erected it is unlikely that the original organ underwent such planning.

What became of the original Wurlitzer is unknown.

The (Barton) organ console is located in the left-hand side of the orchestra pit and its colorful red and gold decoration is designed to match the theatre interior. The console is on a lift that can raise it (and the organist) up for prominent public view, almost to the height of the stage. When a movie or show was about to begin the organist would press a button to lower the organ down into the orchestra pit. --Information and photo from Bryant Hazard of the theatre.