Artis Wodehouse: Liszt's Andante Maestoso on 1887 Mason & Hamlin Liszt foot-pump reed organ

Andante Maestoso was originally composed by Franz Liszt as a hymn for male choir with organ in 1863. The variant organ solo version was published later. The precise nature of Liszt's relationship to the Mason & Hamlin company awaits detailed scholarship. What is known is that the pedagogue and pianist William Mason was one of Liszt early American piano pupils. William's younger brother, Henry Mason (1831-1890), was a co-founder of the reed organ manufacturing company, Mason and Hamlin (later a manufacturer of pianos.) Video recording of this performance was made in the sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, Montclair NJ on 11/05/09 by Brian Jude and Alfredo Villela.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Artis Wodehouse
• Liszt
• Andante
• Maestoso
• 1887
• Mason
• Hamlin
• foot-pump
• reed
• organ
• Unitarian
• Universalist
• Congregation
• at
• Montclair
• NJ
• Brian Jude
• Alfredo Villela

[MrEric0576]

One of my favorite reed organ clips! Beautiful composition!

[gerardbedecarter]

Thanks for uploading this interesting and unknown [to me] piece by Franz Liszt.

[Offshoreorganbuilder]

Dear @albanybeardguy, of course my comments are my personal opinions and no more, just as your comments are yours and no more! (Isn't that what we are all writing here?) I have every sympathy with the reed-organ, and have spent over 30 years in rebuilding and restoring both reed & pipe organs,and therefore know all about their limitations, but with all the ingenuity which goes into them, I am still disappointed that they do not sound better balanced and more musical. That's just their nature.

[albanybeardguy]

@Offshoreorganbuilder

Such comments as "mediocre sound" and "disappointing" are to be taken as your personal opinions and no more. It's the sound of a reed organ- do you expect it to sound like a pipe organ?

[Offshoreorganbuilder]

Great playing, and a very unusual video. Thanks for the posting. It is unfortunate that, however good the player, the lack of attack of any kind of reed organ, and, most especially, the vile lack of balance and regulation of the individual notes across the compass, always results in a mediocre sound. We have rebuilt a number of reed organs and it is possible to render everything as new, and even in tune, but the musical results are disappointing. (Better than an electronic, though!)