| Hall Records on Historic Instruments |
| Jonathan Hall, whose performances on historic organs have been warmly received in many places, turned to his first instrument, the piano, in a recent project at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hall is no stranger to the Met; in December of 2004 he played his fifth recital on the 1830 Appleton organ, a magnificent instrument yet a very difficult one to approach effectively. Hall's uniquely appropriate choice of repertoire, sensitive keyboard and pedal technique, and gift for spoken commentary have made him a popular choice in this venue as in so many others. No less challenging--or rewarding--are the Museum's pianos. For this project, Hall performed on the 1792 Hoffman, a Viennese fortepiano; and the 1850's-era Steinway and Bechstein grands. In May and June, he took part in five recording sessions with leading instrumentalists as part of the Museum's audio-guide system. When brought online, these recordings will form a permanent part of the Museum's "soundtrack"--guiding visitors from around the world through the treasures of one of the world's premier musical instrument collections. In 1997, Hall was featured by the Chicago-Midwest Chapter of the Organ Historical Society in a recital on an 1880's vintage Steere and Turner organ on the South Side of Chicago. In 2004 he recorded a CD on an 1880 Odell, and gave a highly-acclaimed solo recital on an 1877 Jardine in Hoboken; a compact disc of the latter will appear in 2005. His performance at the 2002 national convention of the Organ Historical Society was given on a 1954 G. Donald Harrison Aeolian-Skinner, and received a standing ovation. |
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| At the Met, 2002. Photo by Dennis Meyer |