Come see the Mother Church of Polonia and hear it’s incredible organ on Friday.
Garrett Martin, the organist and music director of Westminster Presbyterian Church, is giving a free recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday in St. Stanislaus Church. And this is not just any organ recital.
For one thing, there is the chance that Martin could bring along his dachshund. He has been known to. His Facebook profile picture shows him playing with the dachshund in his lap.
For another thing, Martin plans to improvise on a theme submitted to him by the audience. He has the reputation of making humble themes exalted. Word has it that the experts from Heritage Organs, who restored the St. Stan’s organ, asked Martin to test the newly tuned organ by improvising on the nursery rhyme “Bingo Was His Name-O.” The report we heard concluded: “And he easily improvised an impressive toccata on the spot.”
Yet another reason to catch the concert: to celebrate St. Stan’s recently rebuilt pipe organ. Why wait till Dyngus Day to pay a visit to this historic church?
St. Stanislaus Church is at 123 Townsend St. in the Broadway Market neighborhood. For info, call 854-5511.
— Mary Kunz Goldman
