Methuen Memorial Music Hall
Encyclopedia
Methuen Memorial Music Hall, initially named Serlo Organ Hall, was built by Edward Francis Searles
to house "The Great Organ", a very large pipe organ
that had been built for the Boston Music Hall
. It was completed in 1909, and stands at 192 Broadway in Methuen
, Massachusetts
.
, arriving in the US from Europe in March 1863, with installation completed in November 1863. It was at the time believed to be the largest pipe organ in the United States, with 5,474 pipes and 84 registers.
The organ case was made by the Herter Brothers
of New York from American Black Walnut, based on a case design by Hammatt Billings
. The display pipes were manufactured from burnished English tin.
In 1881, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
was founded and the Boston Music Hall was their first home. The orchestra required a lot of space for the performers, and the organ was removed to storage in 1884 and then sold for $5,000 to William O. Grover. Grover probably intended to donate the organ to the New England Conservatory of Music, but after his death in (circa 1897), it was auctioned to settle his estate. Searles purchased it at auction for $1,500 and began construction of a music hall in Methuen.
, an architect he frequently hired for various projects, to design a concert hall for the organ to be located on property he owned adjoining the Spicket River
. Probably no other building of this size has been built solely to house a pipe organ.
The exterior is brick in an Anglo-Dutch style, with an Italianate campanile
and a gable with baroque volute
s. The walls are over three feet thick with interior air gaps, making the building quite soundproof.
The hall is designed in a similar fashion to a church, having a cross shaped floorplan; a long central aisle ends at a stage in front of the pipe organ; including the organ, the hall is approximately one hundred feet long. Another aisle runs across the front of the stage area and out to the sides; this is seventy feet wide.
In the terminology of Christian
church architecture, the nave
is forty feet wide while the transepts extend to seventy feet, and the pipe organ is in the chancel
.
There is a vaulted ceiling
sixty-five feet high. Beneath the vault is an entablature
whose cornice
hides indirect lighting which illuminates and reflects off of the ceiling. There is also a catwalk
. The total enclosed volume is over 300000 cubic feet (8,495.1 m³), which gives a reverberation time of 4 seconds when the hall is empty.
The interior is designed in an English baroque
style. It draws particularly from Christopher Wren
's design for Church of Saint Stephan, Walbrook
in London
. The lower ten feet of wall surface are finished with dark oak
paneling. The walls above that are plaster
with brocade panels which in addition to their decorative appearance are placed to absorb excess reverberation
. The floors are marble
in an alternating color scheme of reddish-brown and gray.
It then passed to Searles' secretary, Arthur Thomas Walker, as residuary legatee. Walker died in 1927, leaving the hall to his niece, Ina Cecil McEachran of Detroit.
In 1930, part of the property including the hall was purchased by Lillian Wightman Andrew (1982-1961), wife of local banker Francis Martin Andrew (1880–1967). In 1931, the hall was purchased by noted organbuilder Ernest M. Skinner
Under Skinner's ownership, there were public choral and organ performances which included works by Brahms, Bach, and Handel, with recitals by organists including Marcel Dupre
and E. Power Biggs
. In 1936, Skinner incorporated an organ building company on the property, "Ernest M. Skinner and Son Company" using the Methuen Organ Company factory building which stood near the music hall.
This business initially prospered, building several notable pipe organs including the one for the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Interestingly, the National Cathedral was designed by Henry Vaughan, who designed the music hall. The Second World War caused the failure of the company, and in August 1942 the company assets, including the music hall, were transferred to trustees (Arthur T. Wasserman and Matthew Brown) as protection from creditors.
In 1943, a court decree allowed the Essex Savings Bank of Lawrence to sell the property in order to pay mortgages held by the Andrews and Skinner's son, Richmond H. Skinner. In June 1943, a fire destroyed the organ factory building but the music hall was largely undamaged. In July, the mortgage sale was completed, with Essex Savings Bank buying the property at auction for $55,000.
In May 1946, eight local residents founded a charitable organization to buy and maintain the music hall, operating it as a cultural center.
s and other private functions. As a wedding venue, it offers the unusual characteristic of looking like a traditional church while having no religious symbolism or affiliation.
Edward Francis Searles
Edward Francis Searles was an interior and architectural designer.-Biography:Searles was born on July 4, 1841, in Methuen, Massachusetts, USA to Jesse Gould Searles and Sarah Searles...
to house "The Great Organ", a very large pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
that had been built for the Boston Music Hall
Boston Music Hall
The Boston Music Hall was a concert hall located on Winter Street in Boston, Massachusetts, with an additional entrance on Hamilton Place.One of oldest continuously operating theaters in the United States, it was built in 1852 and was the original home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The hall...
. It was completed in 1909, and stands at 192 Broadway in Methuen
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
The Organ
"The Great Organ" was built by Walcker OrgelbauWalcker Orgelbau
Walcker Orgelbau of Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is a builder of pipe organs. It was founded in Cannstatt, a suburb of Stuttgart in 1780 by Johann Eberhard Walcker...
, arriving in the US from Europe in March 1863, with installation completed in November 1863. It was at the time believed to be the largest pipe organ in the United States, with 5,474 pipes and 84 registers.
The organ case was made by the Herter Brothers
Herter Brothers
The firm of Herter Brothers, New York, , founded by Gustave and Christian Herter , begun as an upholstery warehouse, became one of the first firms of furniture makers and interior decorators in the United States after the Civil War...
of New York from American Black Walnut, based on a case design by Hammatt Billings
Hammatt Billings
Charles Howland Hammatt Billings was an artist and architect from Boston, Massachusetts.Among his works are the original illustrations for Uncle Tom's Cabin ,...
. The display pipes were manufactured from burnished English tin.
In 1881, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
was founded and the Boston Music Hall was their first home. The orchestra required a lot of space for the performers, and the organ was removed to storage in 1884 and then sold for $5,000 to William O. Grover. Grover probably intended to donate the organ to the New England Conservatory of Music, but after his death in (circa 1897), it was auctioned to settle his estate. Searles purchased it at auction for $1,500 and began construction of a music hall in Methuen.
Architecture
In 1899, Searles hired noted church architect Henry VaughanHenry Vaughan (Architect)
Henry Vaughan , a prolific and talented church architect, came to America to bring the English Gothic style to the American branch of the Anglican Communion . He was an apprentice under George Frederick Bodley and went on to great success popularizing the Gothic Revival style.-Life:Vaughan was...
, an architect he frequently hired for various projects, to design a concert hall for the organ to be located on property he owned adjoining the Spicket River
Spicket River
The Spicket River is a river located in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the United States. It is a tributary of the Merrimack River, part of the Gulf of Maine watershed. It is sometimes spelled "Spickett"....
. Probably no other building of this size has been built solely to house a pipe organ.
The exterior is brick in an Anglo-Dutch style, with an Italianate campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
and a gable with baroque volute
Volute
A volute is a spiral scroll-like ornament that forms the basis of the Ionic order, found in the capital of the Ionic column. It was later incorporated into Corinthian order and Composite column capitals...
s. The walls are over three feet thick with interior air gaps, making the building quite soundproof.
The hall is designed in a similar fashion to a church, having a cross shaped floorplan; a long central aisle ends at a stage in front of the pipe organ; including the organ, the hall is approximately one hundred feet long. Another aisle runs across the front of the stage area and out to the sides; this is seventy feet wide.
In the terminology of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
church architecture, the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is forty feet wide while the transepts extend to seventy feet, and the pipe organ is in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
.
There is a vaulted ceiling
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
sixty-five feet high. Beneath the vault is an entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
whose cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
hides indirect lighting which illuminates and reflects off of the ceiling. There is also a catwalk
Catwalk (theater)
A catwalk is an elevated service platform from which many of the technical functions of a theater, such as lighting and sound, may be manipulated.- Function :...
. The total enclosed volume is over 300000 cubic feet (8,495.1 m³), which gives a reverberation time of 4 seconds when the hall is empty.
The interior is designed in an English baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style. It draws particularly from Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
's design for Church of Saint Stephan, Walbrook
St Stephen Walbrook
St Stephen, Walbrook is a small church in the City of London, part of the Church of England's Diocese of London. It is located in Walbrook, next to the Mansion House, and near to Bank and Monument Underground stations.-History:In the second century A.D...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The lower ten feet of wall surface are finished with dark oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
paneling. The walls above that are plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
with brocade panels which in addition to their decorative appearance are placed to absorb excess reverberation
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
. The floors are marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
in an alternating color scheme of reddish-brown and gray.
History
After the hall's completion, it was used privately by Searles until his death in 1920.It then passed to Searles' secretary, Arthur Thomas Walker, as residuary legatee. Walker died in 1927, leaving the hall to his niece, Ina Cecil McEachran of Detroit.
In 1930, part of the property including the hall was purchased by Lillian Wightman Andrew (1982-1961), wife of local banker Francis Martin Andrew (1880–1967). In 1931, the hall was purchased by noted organbuilder Ernest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner was one of the most successful American organ builders of the early 20th century.-Early years:...
Under Skinner's ownership, there were public choral and organ performances which included works by Brahms, Bach, and Handel, with recitals by organists including Marcel Dupre
Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
and E. Power Biggs
E. Power Biggs
Edward George Power Biggs , more familiarly known as E. Power Biggs, was a British-born American concert organist and recording artist.-Biography:...
. In 1936, Skinner incorporated an organ building company on the property, "Ernest M. Skinner and Son Company" using the Methuen Organ Company factory building which stood near the music hall.
This business initially prospered, building several notable pipe organs including the one for the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Interestingly, the National Cathedral was designed by Henry Vaughan, who designed the music hall. The Second World War caused the failure of the company, and in August 1942 the company assets, including the music hall, were transferred to trustees (Arthur T. Wasserman and Matthew Brown) as protection from creditors.
In 1943, a court decree allowed the Essex Savings Bank of Lawrence to sell the property in order to pay mortgages held by the Andrews and Skinner's son, Richmond H. Skinner. In June 1943, a fire destroyed the organ factory building but the music hall was largely undamaged. In July, the mortgage sale was completed, with Essex Savings Bank buying the property at auction for $55,000.
In May 1946, eight local residents founded a charitable organization to buy and maintain the music hall, operating it as a cultural center.
Current Usage
The Music Hall currently hosts numerous concerts and recitals and sometimes provides practice time for student organists. Most events occur in spring and summer, when there are up to three events a week. The hall is frequently rented for weddingWedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s and other private functions. As a wedding venue, it offers the unusual characteristic of looking like a traditional church while having no religious symbolism or affiliation.