Why did the organ sound so different Sunday?  

That sound was the sound of a theater organ.  Among the many sounds in our organ, there are a handful of theater organ stops - in particular, tibia stops, which is probably the most recognized signature sound of a theater organ that sets it apart from a church organ.  

           Tibia pipes

Theater organs are also designed to imitate the sound of an orchestra.  They have many ranks that imitate brass instruments, wind instruments, and even percussion instruments built into the organ.

They were created to provide accompaniment for silent movies, and also provided music for entertainment before and after movies and during intermission.  During the silent era, there were over 7000 organs in movie theaters in this country.  Today, only about 40 survive in their original settings.  Many of you have heard theater organs in ice and roller skating rinks or pizza parlors, which were some of the venues that purchased the organs from theaters after "talkies" came.  

Theater organs look quite different from church organs as well, with their horseshoe shape and highly ornate consoles.                                                  Wurlitzer, California Theater, Chicago

Wurlitzer, Paramount Theater, Brooklyn        Wurlitzer, Alabama Theater, Birmingham                            

                                                    
Then there is the biggest of all:          Midmer Losh, Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall

If you would like to hear a real theater organ in person, there is a Kilgen organ in the Majestic Theater in Dallas, a Wurlitzer at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, as well as number of organs in homes and other locations.
For information on theater organ performances, contact the North Texas Chapter of the American Theater Organ Society:   http://www.ntc-atos.org/cgi-bin/portal.pl
If you subscribe to Live365, there is an on-line radio broadcast from Dallas called Theater Organ Stars: http://www.live365.com/index.live
Some YouTube videos of great theater organists:
George Wright  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpw8Eq1oKlg
Ray Bohr  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ODKsn4q3xA&feature=related
For those of you who remember organs in skating rinks:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPG-ZHaDgYs
The organist who originally made me love the organ:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB4CAUWPOB0
And, of course, a silent movie with organ!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b59ugoN9h8U