The 1958 analog Allen Organ at First Reformed United Church of Christ played its last First Friday concert on Friday.
Resident organist Larry Hershey often plays short, free concerts using the organ at the Lancaster city church during First Fridays. The 1958 organ will be removed next week to make way for the installation of a newly restored and enhanced pipe organ, which is planned to make its debut in the spring.
The swan-song concert’s program included selections like “Finale Jubilante” by Healey Willan, “‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime” by Denis Bedard, “Nimrod” from the Enigma Variations by Edward Elgar and “Funeral March” by Frederic Chopin. The program concluded with “Toccata” from Organ Symphony No. 5 by Charles Marie Widor.
First Reformed Church, located at 40 E. Orange St. in Lancaster, is the oldest church building in Lancaster County. For more information, visit firstreformedlancaster.com.
A woman flips the pages for Larry Hershey while he performed the last concert with the 1958 organ at First Reformed Church in Lancaster on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
A man explains how the organ works after Larry Hershey's last performance with the 1958 organ at First Reformed Church in Lancaster on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
A woman flips the pages for Larry Hershey while he performed the last concert with the 1958 organ at First Reformed Church in Lancaster on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
A man explains how the organ works after Larry Hershey's last performance with the 1958 organ at First Reformed Church in Lancaster on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024.
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