1860 E. & G. G. Hook organ (Op. 288, 47-ranks), Saint John’s R.C. Church, Bangor, Maine.

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.

On this week’s Pipedreams program, we’ll visit the far northeastern United States to listen to some historic organs in Maine. We’ll hear instruments from Lewiston, Newcastle, Augusta, and Bangor, where at Saint John’s Roman Catholic Church a superb 140-year-old instrument by the famous Hook Brothers of Boston still stirs the soul. Plus, we’ll stop by Merrill Auditorium at Portland’s City Hall where the recently renovated 1912 Kotzschmar Organ, America’s first municipal pipe organ, entertains thousands visitors each year. Ray Cornils, the Kotzschmar organist, shares some insights and spreads the word about special summer events keeping popular interest in the pipe organ alive throughout the state. From up north and down east, our music’s from the state of Maine. It’s The Maine Thing this week on Pipedreams.

…a celebration of one of the foremost and most prolific of 19th century organ building firms in the United States, E. & G. G. Hook.

…we highlight a few of the famous pipe organs for which the summer season usually is particularly active.

A New Year’s survey of recent releases of organ music on compact disc.

portraits of four historic instruments, in Portland and Bangor, Maine; Ocean Grove, New Jersey; and Round Lake, New York, famous for their summer concert schedules.

A trio of historic instruments, a contemporary piece for two to play, and a centenary bouquet for a past master of melody.