Compton Melotones and Electrostatic Organs

FORUM CINEMA, SOUTHAMPTON

Job number A300 installed at the Forum Cinema in Southampton was opened

on 22nd June, 1935 by Reginald Porter-Brown. The organ was the very first

to be installed in a public cinema featuring a melotone unit. The 10 ranks

of pipes were also complemented with the solo cello thus making this a very

unique instrument. The specification read:

PEDAL
Acoustic Bass 32'
Tuba Bass 16'
Diaphone 16'
Tibia Bass 16'
Tuba 8'
Octave 8'
Tibia 8'
Clarinet 8'
Cello 8'
Bass Flute 8'
Tibia 4'
Bass Drum Tap F
Bass Drum Tap P
Bass Drum Roll
Snare Drum
Cymbal Tap
Cymbal Crash
Triangle
Traps to 2nd Touch
Accompaniment to Pedal
Great to Pedal
Solo to Pedal

ACCOMPANIMENT
Bourdon 16'
Contra Viola TC 16'
Vox Humana TC 16'
Tuba 8'
Diapason 8'
Tibia 8'
Vox Humana 8'
Muted Trumpet 8'
Clarinet 8'
Cello 8'
Violin 8'
Violin Celeste 8'
Flute 8'
Tibia 4'
Vox Humana 4'
Viola 4'
Violin 4'
Violin Celeste 4'
Flute 4'
Twelfth 2-2/3'
Flautino 2'
Marimba 8'
Vibraphone 4'
Snare Drum
Tom-Tom
Chinese Block
Tambourine
Castanets
Sleigh Bells
Sand Block
Solo to Accomp
Traps to 2nd Touch

ACCOMPANIMENT 2nd TOUCH
Tuba 8'
Tibia 8'
Solo to Accompaniment

GREAT
Contra Tuba 16'
Diaphone 16'
Contra Tibia 16'
Contra Viola TC 16'
Tuba 8'
Diapason 8'
Tibia 8'
Vox Humana 8'
Muted Trumpet 8'
Clarinet 8'
Cello 8'
Violin 8'
Violin Celeste 8'
Flute 8'
Clarion 4'
Octave 4'
Tibia 4'
Viola 4'
Violin 4'
Violin Celeste 4'
Fifteenth 2'
Xylophone 4'
Glockenspiel 4'
Orchestra Bells 4'
Marimba 8'
Vibraphone 4'
Solo to Great
Accomp Traps to Great

GREAT 2nd TOUCH
Solo to Great

SOLO
Contra Tuba 16'
Contra Tibia 16'
Contra Viola TC 16'
Tuba 8'
Diapason 8'
Tibia 8'
Vox Humana 8'
Muted Trumpet 8'
Clarinet 8'
Cello 8'
Violin 8'
Violin Celeste 8'
Clarion 4'
Tibia 4'
Viola 4'
Tibia Twelfth 2-2/3'
Twelfth 2-2/3'
Ocarina 2'
Flautino 2'
Tierce 1-3/5'
Quartane II
Xylophone 4'
Glockenspiel 4'
Orchestra Bells 4'
Vibraphone 4'
Sub Octave
Octave

Solo Cello
1
2
3
4
Melophone 8'
Melophone 4'
Melophone Twelfth 2-2/3'
Super Melo 2'
Krumhorn 8'
Cor Anglais 8'
Chimes
Carillon
Echo Control
Glide
Vibrato

Amplifier Off

TREMULANTS
Tibia
Tuba-Trumpet
Vox Humana-Clarinet
Diapason-Flute-Violin-Celeste

VENTILS
Tibia Treble
Vox Humana-Clarinet
CC Tibia-Trumpet-CC Tuba
Diap Treble-Flute-String
CCC Tibia-CCC Tuba-Xylophone-Glockenspiel
Diapason Bass-Traps

CONSOLE SURROUND
Lights Off
Automatic
Red
Blue
Green
Amber
Orange
Sky Blue
Turquoise
Mauve

STOPKEY EFFECTS
Surf
Aeroplane

TOE PISTON EFFECTS

Syren
Auto
Fire Bell
Engine
Bird Whistle 1
Steamboat
Bird Whistle 2
Cymbal Crash
Triangle
Snare Drum Roll-Grand Crash
Cymbal Roll
Drum Roll

ACCESSORIES
8 double touch thumb pistons to Accompaniment
8 double touch thumb pistons to Great
8 double touch thumb pistons to Solo
2 thumb pistons to Solo Cello Tuning: Sharp/Flat
4 toe pistons to Pedal
Operator toe piston
Setter toe piston
Pedals to Manual Pistons 2nd Touch 1
Pedals to Manual Pistons 2nd Touch 2
Pedals to Manual Pistons 2nd Touch 3
Pedals to Manual Pistons 2nd Touch 4
2 balanced expression pedals with indicators
1 balanced crescendo pedal with indicator
Voltmeter

The organ suffered serious damage during the blitz on Southampton in 1940 which resulted in the removal of the solo cello. In 1971 the organ was removed from the cinema to a private residence. For a time the melotone remained temporarily in the chamber after the removal and the discs used in the restoration of the melotone at Southampton Guildhall. The organs present location is at a private residence in Beccles where a piano has been added.