Merry Mariners

Toms Excellent Organ Tour 2007

Germany & Denmark

Bach and Buxtehude

February 20 2016
Denmark

Germany
 Saxony Anhalt

Saxony

Hesse
Thuringia
Marilyn Mason (born June 29th, 1925) is an American concert organist, recording artist, and teacher. Mason is
Professor Emerita at the University of Michigan. She joined the staff of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in
1947, became chair of the organ department in 1962, and was named a professor in 1965.

Her career as performer, lecturer, adjudicator, and teacher has taken her throughout the western world, at one
point performing more than thirty recitals per year. In 1988, she was described as "among the important influences
on the American organ scene in the second half of the 20th century" by the American Guild of Organists New York
Chapter when she was named International Performer of the Year. Over her career, she has also commissioned over
75 original works for the organ. In 1985, a C. B. Fisk organ modeled on the eighteenth-century organs of Gottfried
Silbermann was commissioned by the University of Michigan School of Music and named the Marilyn Mason Organ
in her honor. She was the first American woman organist to perform in Westminster Abbey, the first woman organist
to play in Latin America, and the first American organist to perform in Egypt. Mason's teaching legacy was
recognized in the fall of 2007 when the 47th Conference on Organ Music, which she founded in 1960, was dedicated
to her in celebration of her 60th year of teaching. On the occasion of the 2009 Gala, sponsored by the national
council of the American Guild of Organists, Dr. Mason was honored as the seventh in a series of organ
teachers/performers who have reached the highest level of success in their profession.

A biographical video retrospective, "A Life's Harmony," was created in 2007 to recognize Mason's exceptional
teaching and mentorship. She is the longest-serving faculty member at the University of Michigan, having been on
the faculty for 66 years, and was recognized in 2013 with a symposium in her honor titled "Teacher of Music,
Teacher of Life".
Muehlhausen
Dr. Mason and Tom Marshall

Altenburg Schlosskirche
The Whole Gang!
Muehlhausen
Divi-Blasii-Kirche
Latin divi Blasii = "of Blaise the Divine"
Eisenach Bachs birthplace
Eisenach Wartburg Castle
Leipzig Nikolaikirche
St Nicholas Church
Denmark

Germany
An Organ Manufactory
We give here a description of the Organ, kindly furnished us by the
This valuable enterprise will be established near the Kimball Gentleman who has been the Organist where this Organ has been
Manufacturing Co., in the same building of the Cornell Watch Co. recently used, and also acted as Organist in many other Churches of
our city, an Organist too of excellent ability.
The new Manufactory will be under the management of Mr. John
Bergstrom, a skilled and ingenious workmen (sic) who is fully capable We can also state that we have recently enjoyed the music of this
by his superior knowledge and experience in ORGAN BUILDING to Organ in its "Sabbath Melody" at sent forth by the skilled Artist who
manufacture an Instrument of any dimensions, and who can give understands understands well how to draw forth its hidden powers.
ample Testimony that he can please and satisfy any Church or Society
that may desire an Organ, and that California can now Build and send CAPACITY OF THE ORGAN.
forth Organs equal to any Imported, and at much less cost than can
possibly be had from abroad. This Organ has two Manuals and Pedal Organ.

The very excellent Organ recently built by Mr. Bergstrom, and been (Stoplist and Specifications - see photo)
used in the Fifth Baptist Church in our city, one that has been so
much admired for its compass, its sweet and smooth tones, has been By this description our Organ Artists and lovers of Sacred Music can
sold to the First Presbyterian Society at Napa, for $2700. This see that California can produce an Organ that it highly meritorious,
Instrument is remarkable for its quality and capacity, resisting the and one that will reflect not only great credit upon its enterprising
action of the weather and season, and still retaining all its superior and worthy Builder, but also upon our State, and the Society at Napa
qualities, and really equal to many Organs costing $5000 to to (sic) may feel justly proud of possessing a California Built Organ of such
$7500. Its mechanical construction compares favorably with that of great excellence.
any Organ in this city, the possible combinations of this grand
Instrument gives great variety and compass of tone and power, the
finish of it is in elegant taste, and as a whole this Organ reflects the
very highest credit upon the skilled workmanship and ability of Mr.
Bergstrom tbe maker.