Music is an essential part of worship at First Congregational Church of Blue Hill! Director of Music Dr. Tina Dreisbach coordinates the music offerings for Sunday mornings, leading our Gallery Choir and bringing a variety of talented musical guests to join us in worship and praise. We are blessed to have local favorites Clair Maxwell and George Emlen on the team to bring forth glorious music from our Ryder Organ, Opus 139. The many wonderful musicians in our congregation contribute to worship and special events with the Chimes Choir and Instrumental Consort. Subscribe to our weekly email newsletter or follow our socials for advance notice of each week’s musical offerings.
Join Us!
We welcome musicians to join our choirs and consort. In addition to the usual Sunday music, the Gallery Choir performs in church fund raisers and for special services. Regular Choir rehearsal is 9:00 am on Sunday mornings in the Sanctuary and every Thursday at 3:30 pm in Jonathan Fisher Hall. Come sing with us!
For the Chimes choir and Instrumental Consort, please contact Ann Boudreaux for the rehearsal and performance schedule.
We know that music is a vital element of our Blue Hill Peninsula community as well, and we are delighted to make our space available to other community organizations. With its wonderful acoustics, the Sanctuary is home for the Bagaduce Chorale, Blue Hill Bach, Blue Hill Concert Association, Vanderkay Summer Concert Series and other concert and spoken word events.
Ryder Organ, Opus 139
Opus 139 was built in 1888 for a residence and later was moved to Broadway Methodist Church, Somerville, Massachusetts at which time a 4’ flute stop was added to the Great. The organ was removed from the church in 1979 and remained in storage until the spring of 2003 when Andover Organ Company began to restore, rebuild and augment the instrument for installation in our church.
We were unable to use the original casing from the Ryder Organ due to height constraints. That problem produced a serendipitous result. Andover designed a new walnut case, with new case pipes, in a classic style to harmonize with the colonial architecture of the church. The uniquely carved shades above the case pipes were designed and produced by Richard Grosh, a local wood-carver. Because of the added stops, the Great and Pedal chests are also new.
The original console was retained and refinished and the stop jambs were rebushed. The key beds of the manual keyboards were refurbished and new center pins were installed as necessary. A new table of voidless plywood was installed in the Swell chest and one stop added. The sliders were re-shimmed and sponcil areas were recovered.
The new Great chest includes three additional stops. A new 42-note mechanically duplexed pedal chest and a pedal board of 30 notes were built with a new pedal key action which includes three added coupler notes. The pipes were cleaned and repaired and the stoppers in the wood pipes were releathered and greased. The reservoir was releathered as a double fold and a new blower provided.
The design was by Jay Zoller. The mechanical work was under the direction of Project Leader, Ben Mague. Tonal work was by John Morlock.