It’s the Maine Thing #0026
It’s an exciting discovery. On beyond the rock-bound coast, the lobsters and L.L. Bean, the state of Maine is a state of musicorgan music, specifically, as we reveal during a Down East tour with the Organ Historical Society of intriguing instruments from Saco to Stockton Springs. Thomas Murray plays the famous Kotzschmar organ at Portland’s City Hall, Marvin Mills explores a century-old Jardine organ in Yarmouth, Brian Jones plays a march in Turner Village, and Dana Robinson and Paul Tegels go the four-hand route on the 140-year-old Hook instrument at Saint John’s Church in Bangor. Join host Michael Barone for this idyllic trip through the highways and byways of Maine.
W.A. MOZART: Fantasia in f, K. 608 –Dana Robinson & Paul Tegels (1860 E. & G.G. Hook/St. John RCC, Bangor, ME) Saint John’s Organ Society CD-10197
GEORGE WHITEFIELD CHADWICK: Waltz Number 2. CHARLES W. ORE: Hymn, Lift high the cross –Rosalind Mohnsen (1854 E. & G.G. Hook/Westbrook UMC, Portland, ME)
JOHN STANLEY: Solo for German Flute –Bryan Dyker, flute; George Bozeman (1847 E. & G.G. Hook/Community Church, Stockton Springs, ME)
THOMAS ROBINSON: Aria –Susan Friesen (1850 Simmons/Second Baptist, Bowdoinham, ME)
LOUIS VIERNE: Scherzetto, from 24 Pieces in Free Style –Renea Waligora (1926 Skinner/High Street Congregational, Auburn, AL)
ROY PERRY: Christos Patterakis –Lorenz Maycher (1922 E.M. Skinner/Lewiston United Baptist, Lewiston, ME)
FREDERICK SCOTSON CLARK: Marche au Girondon –Brian Jones (1848 Erben/Turner Village Church, Turner, ME)
THÉODORE DUBOIS: Offertoire –Frances Norbert (1878 Ryder/Monmouth United, Monmouth, ME)
FELIX MENDELSSOHN: Sonata Number 5 in D, Opus 65 –Bruce Stevens (1893 Hook & Hastings/St. Dominic RCC, Portland, ME)
FLOR PEETERS: Toccata, from 60 Short Pieces –Rachelen Lien (1901 E.W. Lane/Unitarian-Universalist, Saco, ME)
SAMUEL B. WHITNEY: Toccata –Susan Armstrong-Ouellette (1883 Johnson/Saco UMC, ME)
SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Impromptu Number 1 –Marvin Mills (1893 Jardine & Son/Sacred Heart RCC, Yarmouth, ME)
ARTHUR FOOTE: Canzonetta, Opus 71, number 4 –Lenora McCroskey (1906 E.W. Lane/First Congregational, Searsport, ME)
EDWIN H. LEMARE: Toccata di Concerto, Opus 59 –Thomas Murray (1912 Austin/Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME) AFKA SK-515
PHOTO CREDITS: Photos by William Van Pelt and courtesy the Organ Historical Society
Unless otherwise identified, all performances were derived from a 4-CD set of Historic Organs of Maine, OHS92, recorded during a national convention of the Organ Historical Society. The next OHS gathering, in Boston in mid-August, invites your participation.
Specification for these organs may be found at the International Organ Foundation’s page, Pipe Organs in the State of Maine.
