1853 W.B.D. Simmons Organ - First Parish U.U. Church - Duxbury, Massachusetts

Brent Johnson, Edwin Swanborn and Matthew Bellocchio explore the 1853 W.B.D. Simmons organ of First Parish Church in Duxbury, Massachusetts as restored and enlarged by Andover Organ Company.
Specification of the Organ: pipeorgandatab...
First Parish Church, Unitarian: uudux.org
Andover Organ Company: www.andoverorg...
Become a sponsor of the Organ Media Foundation: organ.media/sup...
These videos are always best experienced with quality headphones.
Connect with the Organ Media Foundation:
Facebook: / organmedia
Twitter: / organmedia
Instagram: / organmediafoundation
Chat with us and other OMF fans on Telegram: t.me/organmedia

[@billraty14]

Beautiful sound. Beautiful look (faux cherry grain and gold leaf). What a treasure, including the organist. The last "dancing" 12/8 subject of the St Anne fugue is a real treat to hear.

[@bob94109]

Wonderful program! It's great that this fine organ has been preserved.

[@mikefitzpatrick1213]

You sir, have the patience of Job.

[@RichardJClark]

Fascinating and beautiful !

[@user-ru4lg9hs8o]

An excellent presentation as ever, showcasing in particular your unending patience and good manners. I do wish however that folk would not use the term "restoration", to describe what is effectively a rebuild, however well meant, with alterations which remove much of the originality of the instrument. The organ as it now stands is very good, with an overall 19th century sort of sound, but it is a rebuild, acknowledging contemporary requirements; to call it a "restoration" is pue gaslighting.

[@Tracygriffith-dz2ys]

What a beautiful case and sound

[@garygreen7552]

It's great to see a UU church with such a marvelous instrument. I hope that it is used often. I was musician at the First Universalist Parish of Pasadena. They have a 1920's Spencer that is need of overhaul and isn't used now. Another Pasadena UU church has a marvelous Bozeman, and they don't use it often. First Unitarian in Los Angeles had a Casavant that was damaged in an earthquake and never repaired. It was sold and there is now no organ. Thank you UU church in Duxbury. I believe that you treasure and enjoy hearing this great organ.

[@thebog11]

I'm going to update the OHS entries for these organs. Do you know if the Bozeman has been altered, and if it's in good condition?

[@garygreen7552]

@@thebog11 So far as I know the Bozeman is unaltered. I updated the information on the Spencer a few years ago, and conditions have only gotten worse with no work being done and it's not being played.

[@scottrowley79]

Beautiful video for a beautiful organ!

[@natepultorakmusic928]

Love the tubed off bass pipes on the ceiling of the swell at 38:38

[@OrganEnthusiast]

I was wondering if it was possible to go to Ames, Iowa to do an episode on the John Brombaugh Op. 29 German-baroque tracker organ at Iowa State's Martha-Ellen Tye Recital hall? Dobson has recently come by to maintain it but there are still a few quirks with it, such as the tremulant being disconnected (it makes an awful racket), the brustwerk hinges being a bit broken, and something wrong with the Regal.

[@OrganEnthusiast]

I'm sure Dr. Zach (Descendant of Jan Zach) would be delighted to be interviewed about this!

[@ronniesuarez5073]

'promo sm' 😩

[@samschaeffer8236]

Whoever does the subtitles needs to get educated in organ terminology. Atrocious.

[@jamesbrobst6668]

I suspect that they are automatically generated nowadays. "Diapason" gets some interesting reinterpretations, does it not?