From the Vieux Carré to Versailles: Echoes of the French Organ
HNOC is excited to present a rare solo recital featuring visiting scholar and organist Dr. Joyce Wei-Jo Chen, who will perform on HNOC’s restored Aeolian residence organ located in the Barbara S. Beckman Music Room at 520 Royal Street. Dr. Chen will perform works by French composers—including François Couperin, Louis Vierne, and others—that showcase the capabilities of this mechanical musical marvel.
Admission is free with registration required on hnoc.org. Seating is very limited, with some standing room available for walk-up attendees.
About the Organ
In the early 20th century, having a player organ in the home was a luxury reserved for the most opulent residences, allowing the owner to have access to recorded music before radios and phonographs were commonplace. Tobacco magnate William Ratcliffe Irby remodeled the property at 520 Royal Street—now part of HNOC’s Seignouret-Brulatour Building—to serve as his personal residence starting in 1918. In the process he installed a player organ in the entry room to his lavish third-floor apartment. The instrument, built by the Aeolian Company of New York, is one of only a handful that has survived to this day in its original location and in working condition, after a meticulous restoration by the Holtkamp Organ Company.
