The Organ

The pride of the Rialto Theatre is

its original Barton Grande Theatre

Pipe Organ.

The Golden Voiced Barton Grande Theatre

Pipe Organ, originally a four manual, twenty-

one rank instrument, began its musical career

at the opening of the Rialto Square Theatre on

May 24, 1926, with an all gold console.

Lovingly maintained since 1971 by the Joliet

Area Theatre Organ Enthusiasts, a major

renovation of the organ was begun in 1989. A

computerized relay was installed and chamber

layouts were changed to optimize the

acoustical properties of the pipework. The

revitalized Barton sang again on July 5, 1993.

It is currently a 27 rank instrument.

Recordings on this magnificent instrument

have been made by many of the world’s great

theatre organists.