A true man of the world, Navarro navigated the music scene as conductor, organist, composer, director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music – all while still serving his country of origin. This is the third part of an ongoing series. Rafael Navarro: Musician and Revolutionary First Reformed stepped up its game with the hiring of Rafael Navarro in May of 1893. A news item at […]
As the congregation eagerly anticipated moving into a grand, new building, the 1891 Easter service was held in our upper hall, with the sanctuary still under construction. This is the second part of an ongoing series (read Part 1 here). The first mention of an organist that I found for our church was in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which named H. C. Meserole, a local, […]
The week leading to Easter is full of richly meaningful events at Old First. RSVP to help the organizers get a sense of attendance, or use the link to share with friends. All events take place at Old First. Thursday, March 29, 7:00 PM Maundy Thursday: Dzieci Theatre’s “A Passion” Theatre Group Dzieci presents a unique and immersive passion play, incorporating Hebraic song and chant and […]
Our church historian, Jane Barber, has compiled a comprehensive chronicle of our amazing pipe organ, and the intriguing people who have played it. We plan to share with you a serialized version of that story, starting with this introduction and overview. More to come! The organ. It was a big part of our worship life in what now feels like a long time ago. Built […]
The word “vision” can have many meanings and stir many emotions. At Old First on Saturday, December 9, we’ll get to see — and hear — a choral interpretation of what may be our most mystical sense. The Accord Treble Choir presents Oculi as its winter concert, the latest of its performance tradition at Old First. The work is an attempt to explore the mystery […]
We’ve heard of Brokelyn and Crooklyn, but this is the first we’re hearing of Baroquelyn. And it’s truly something to hear. The baroque-themed concert — complete with violins as well as an oboe, trumpet, cello, bassoon, recorder, and even a countertenor — is the brainchild of our music director, Aleeza Meir; the project’s first concert, on Sunday, November 12, was performed in the Upper Hall […]
April 9: 11:00 am, Palm Sunday Festival and St. Matthew’s Passion We bless the palm branches and celebrate the Triumphal Entry, and we follow that with our annual readers’ theater presentation of the whole Passion of Christ. April 13: 7:00 pm, Maundy Thursday – “A Passion” by Theatre Group Dzieci Theatre Group Dzieci has refined their text from the earliest existing translations, relying heavily on the Aramaic Peshita, […]
Charles Wesley wrote six thousand Christian hymns, but this is arguably his best known. Composed in 1738, he often worked in collaboration with his older brother, John, while they were both studying at Oxford. As part of a study group called The Holy Club, they were known to approach prayer, hymn writing and Bible study in an extremely methodical manner. As a result, their classmates […]
The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) was as long and as agonizing as it sounds. Martin Rinkart, a Lutheran minister, spent a good part of it in the walled city of Eilenburg, Saxony, where he wrote this hymn (circa 1636) amidst great distress and destruction. The walls did little good; armies had overrun the city three times, and pestilence, famine and overcrowding added to the pain […]
Aleeza Meir – Old First’s organist and pianist for the last decade – contends that musicians who come to New York to make a living must have more than just talent; they also have to have a little bit of luck. Looks like she’s been blessed with both: she is able to keep herself busy – actually extremely busy – working as a full-time musician. In addition […]