Hohman plays Mulet in Methuen Organ Concert

Frederick Hohman plays Tu es Petra (Thou Art the Rock) from the Byzantine Sketches of Henri Mulet upon the Great Organ of Methuen Memorial Music Hall, in Methuen Massachusetts USA. This is an excerpt from a concert given on 29 September 1996. The complete 30-minute program is one episode from the Midnight Pipes tv series. The DVD product of this is item # MP 9021 DVD, and may be acquired from many sources, including http://www.zarex.com/bin .

Frederick Hohman also has a CD from Methuen on the PRO ORGANO label, entitled "Forever Methuen." Details may be accessed by entering "7066" in the Search Box at http://www.zarex.com/bin .

Methuen Memorial Music Hall is operated and maintained by a not-for-profit corporation. Music events occur at the hall year-round, but especially well-known are the summer series of Organ Concerts on Wednesday evenings. This video is from one of the rarer, Sunday afternoon organ concerts.

There is a history and an interesting story behind the organ at Methuen. Originally a Walcker organ from Germany from the mid-19th-century, it was first installed as the organ at Boston Music Hall, and it was the first concert hall organ in the United States. In the early 20th-century this hall was constructed in what was then a rural suburb of Boston, and the organ was relocated and housed at Methuen Memorial Music Hall ever since. The organ was updated and enlarged by Aeolian-Skinner, and in recent years, additional updates and fine maintenance make it function today as a fully modern concert pipe organ. As you will see from the video, the organ at Methuen has one of the most impressive organ cases in the world, and the decorative appointments of the hall interior are noteworthy. For more details on the organ and hall, contact: http://www.mmmh.org .

Frederick Hohman is returning to Methuen in September, 2008 to play another organ concert. Hohman's website is: http://www.frederickhohman.net

Category:

Music

Tags:

• organ
• classical
• concert
• Methuen
• Hohman
• Mulet
• Tu
• es
• Petra
• Thou
• Art
• the
• Rock
• Midnight
• Pipes

[ladykool]

Excellent work. I really admire organists...you guys are talented!

[redletterchurch]

There are a few pipe organ and acoustical environment combinations in this world that are especially spectacular...and Methuen is one of them. I always feel like I am weightless and soaring when I listen to this organ! The superb performance didn't hurt either! Thank-you!

[Rhodanium]

Wonderful organ and talented organist. Nice piece too.

[acoustics101]

This is one really great showpiece!! It blew me away the first time I heard it live back in the late 1970s. It takes a great organ and organist to effectively pull it off. To do it some justice, plug a good set of headphones into your computer and crank up the volume or run the computer's audio through a good stereo system.

[Alexmg123]

Excellent. Crisp and clean. Very enjoyable

[JohannusFan]

I just love that organ! It looks and sounds simply grand. Well done with this performance. Side note: why was this console chosen over the more period draw-knob ones?

[altpapapi]

An overwhelming performance on a really spectacular instrument. The reeds in this organ have such wonderful sonority, something lacking in many of today's fine instruments. I have heard this played faster, by Gillian Weir I think, but certainly the hall in which this organ is located lends itself quite nicely to this ever so slightly slower tempo. Perfection!

[FromHolbergsTime]

A fine instrument lovingly preserved, still making sublime music in an appropriately glorious hall. This performance is an inspired one, and the Mulet piece is full of majestic fireworks. I still have the 1977 direct-to-disc recording on the Telarc label of Michael Murray performing at the console of this great organ. Murray's version of Benedetto Marcello's "Psalm 19" captures succinctly all of the power and nobility emanating from over 6,000 pipes. This all began in Ludwigsburg in 1857!

[lustful2]

love this organ really gutsy sound. the reeds are fab not too brash but with enough weight . Can't really play this piece yet really tricky cadenzas on last page u play it very well.

[midnightpipes]

Thanks for writing. Since this video was made (about 1996) I believe I've found a much better hair stylist. (Referencing your earlier comment.) I also appear to have less hair to take care of today as I did in 1996. Cheers! - FH

[codeman2008]

I can't believe I said that. I take that back. I now have enormous respect for Mr. Hohman.

[xxRacheyXBearxx]

haha i live

in that city!