The stupendous polychrome console of the Atlanta Fox’s Moller Organ—the color scheme of its stop tablets goes in for non-conformist green as well as the traditional amber, red, white and black—is a sight that has made more than one organist feel like bursting into I’ve Got a Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulders.  It has served well a long list of eminent organists, most of whom became Atlanta institutions during their residency at the Fox.  Following Iris Vining Wilkins came Al Evans, Eddie Ford, Homer Knowles, Don Mathis, Stanleigh Mallotte—these are only a few—and Atlanta’s own Graham Jackson. Then later on: Dennis James, Simon Gledhill, Richard Hills, Virgil Fox, Lee Irwin, Robert Irvin, Jay Mitchell, Walt Winn, John Seng, Lyn Larsen and the Fox’s current Organist in Residence, Larry Douglas Embury.

But none of his predecessors had been so warmly received or became as universally popular as Bob Van Camp. In “real life” Bob was Senior Announcer and Musical Director of WSB Radio—and was the cheery, early-morning Voice of the South for more than twenty years.  He was born in Scranton, Pa.; his years at WSB brought out the Ashley Wilkes in his well-known speaking voice.  He studied organ while at Duke University with Bill Dalton and later with the famous Lew White in New York. When he first came to Atlanta and WSB, following a career with the Air Force during World War II, the big Moller organ in the Fox was a sleeping giant, almost unplayable through idleness. Several attempts at restoration of the once glorious instrument were made, but none succeeded until Joe Patten, an Atlantan who loves the Fox Theatre and its “Mighty Mo” (as the Moller is affectionately called), headed a systematic restoration program in 1963.

The Great Organ is indisputably one of the crowning glories of the M.P. Moller organ Company, its proud builders.  Listed as their Opus 5566, it was one of the last theatre organs the Hagerstown firm constructed.  At the time of its construction it was the largest theatre organ ever created and with no less than 376 stop tabs controlling all manner of unification and trick chromatic couplers, the most complete instrument ever turned out by any theatre organ builder.  Included in its 42 ranks, most of which are on 15 inches of wind pressure, is a separate division, the Ethereal Organ of 11 ranks, which is on 6 inches and provides the majestic liturgical effects heard on Bob Van Camp’s saucy Winchester Cathedral.  Thirty-two foot diaphones and an authentic locomotive bell were added later.

The Van Camp selections speak for themselves.  All are fresh, original, and thrillingly played.  Listeners might cock their ears especially for such things as two big post horns splitting the wind on the last sixteen bars of Spanish Flea; the lush tibias and sparkling glockenspiel accents on Baubles, Bangles, and Beads; the “Golden Phantom” piano as it romps through Georgy Girl, thunders through the concert version of Deep Purple and performs brilliant solo passages in Rhapsody in Blue; and the overall, indescribably rich sound of the Moller on Strangers in the Night and the lovely Chapel in the Moonlight.

This recording, the first ever to be made on the Great Moller Organ of the Atlanta Fox, celebrated the fourth anniversary of Bob Van Camp’s first rise to glory with the giant console, playing Alley Cat on Thanksgiving Day, 1963.  It also signalized an event of particular significance to Atlanta—the return of Gone With The Wind to theatre screens around the world.  The first selection you will hear Bob play is Max Steiner’s immortal title music and Tara Theme from the great film.

The Atlanta Fox Theatre is owned and operated by Atlanta Landmarks Inc., a Georgia non-profit corporation, contributions to which are deductible to the extent provided by law.

This Compact Disk presentation of Here With The Wind has been digitally re-mastered from the original Concert Recording session tapes.

Original Jacket Notes:  Ben M Hall      Original Concert Recording Engineer:  Joe Patten