Organists of Old First | 2: Rafael Navarro (1893-1895)

Organists of Old First | 2: Rafael Navarro (1893-1895)

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 […]

Organists of Old First | 1: Harris Cornell Meserole (1891-1893)

Organists of Old First | 1:  Harris Cornell Meserole (1891-1893)

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, […]