A Visit to Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Methuen

This is the first post in a list of posts that I am planning to do for my Boston visit. Hopefully I would try to cover and post as much photos I can. This post is about my visit to a small town called Methuen which is close to the town of Waltham where I was staying. The entire credit (of course excluding that of photographs) of this visit and details that I have put in this post goes to Mr. Vikrant Gogri without whom this visit would have not been possible. In fact without whom my entire Boston visit would have been an utter boredom and just official work. It was Vikrant who told me about this place and a special musical event that he was planning to attend in the evening. As it was a musical event I happily agreed and then we started our drive from Waltham to Methuen.

Below is the click of majestic  piano (if I may call it in simple words and as Vikrant described it to me initially). This majestic piano is called as “The Great Organ” and you can get the entire details regarding it from following official site.

The Methuen Memorial Music Hall with 'The Great Organ'

Just so that you don’t end up making the same mistake that I did when I first saw it, the reason I called it majestic is because of its structure. The organ is not just the table with keys kept on the center stage but it also consists of the celestial metal pipes that you see in the click. When the musician operates keys on the so called piano, air is blown through those metal pipes and then sound is produces. Now you know what I am talking about. It is just amazing to listen to those notes.

Once you enter the musical hall you could still get the glimpse of old architecture that decorates the entire premises. Below are few clicks depicting the same.

Hall Ceiling

Hall Ceiling

On both side of the wall we could see carvings of Edward F. Searles who purchased the Great Organ and built this hall for it.

Edward F. Searles

Nice wooden carvings can be seen all over the stage and around the musical organ.

Wooden Carving

Wooden Carving

Wooden Carving

Below are the clicks that allow us to take a closer look at the key board of the instrument. Yet another stunning fact about the Great Organ is while playing the musician not only operates the keyboard but also have to manage the numerous paddles that are located below the keyboard. So it is the combination of hand and leg movement which produces the music.

Keyboard with Paddles

Keyboard with Paddles

And here is the man of the day Mr. Vikrant Gogri.

Finally the stone plate in front of the hall.

Stone Plate

To actually admire the beauty of this instrument one should hear it. No modern instrument can produce the kind of soothing music that this instrument produces. Once again thanks to Mr. Vikrant Gogri for allowing me to accompany him for this memorable event.