San Jose church star attraction is last tie to city’s silent film era

San Jose church star attraction is last tie to city’s silent film era

2 years ago
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https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/09/san-jose-church-celebrates-centennial-of-silent-movie-organ/

Franz Robert sits down at the century-old keyboard, kicks off his shoes and begins to play “Misty,” a 1950s jazz standard. The resulting sound is huge, filling up the main sanctuary at Grace Baptist Church in downtown San Jose, and spilling out into the lobby and adjoining area where health workers are providing COVID-19 vaccinations.

More impressive than the sound, however, is the instrument that’s creating it. One hundred years ago, this same Robert Morton organ – at the time, a state-of-the-art instrument – was serving up music and sound effects for silent film fans at San Jose’s Liberty Theatre some 10 blocks away.