Post Convention Organ Crawl
The three stops on the Organ Trail in Post Convention Organ Crawl consist of three marvelous organs about as different from each other as you can get. They are:
1) the large three-manual 1912 Hutchings organ (Opus 1637) at First Church of Christ Scientist near Brown
2) The 5/21 Wurlitzer organ at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
3) The 2 manual Angerstein & Associates organ (1985, Opus 9) at Phillips Memorial Baptist in Cranston.
Here's just a bit more about each site to whet your appetite and entice you to sign up for this exciting tour.
The First Church of Christ Scientist is an attractive beaux arts building with a crossgable plan and tall central dome completed in 1913. The design by Hoppin & Field was modeled after the Christian Science Mother Church in Boston. Peter Krasinski is the organist in residence. One block away from the church is Prospect Terrace Park, which offers a stunning view of the city below. This small park was a favorite haunt of horror fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft, who lived nearby.
The 5/21 Wurlitzer organ from the Marbro Theatre in Chicago, fortunately removed in the early 60s before the movie palace was razed, was installed in the Providence Performing Arts Center in 1982, where it is still used today. The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and plays a vital role in the City's ongoing renaissance. The Grand Lobby and Arcade were painstakingly restored to their 1928 splendor in 1998. It is now a world-class facility hosting first-class Broadway touring shows, plays, contemporary acts, concerts, and much more. Originally from Chicago's Marbro Theatre, the Providence Performing Arts Center's Wurlitzer organ was built in 1927 and is one of only three of its type ever built. Patrick Aiken is on the staff of those who perform on this beauty. He is also the Choirmaster & Organist at Central Congregational in Providence.
The Angerstein & Associates installation (1985, Opus 9) at Phillips Memorial has 2 manuals, 24 stops and 25 ranks. It has slider chests mechanical key action and mechanical stop action. Additionally this French Romantic organ after Cavaille-Coll has Ventil levers for reeds and upperwork on each manual and pedal. Dr. Martha Sobaje is the Minister of Music and Education at Phillips
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