The small stage before the Organ Casing overlooking the Grand Atrium has been the site of a number of concerts since 1919 when Mr. John Wanamaker organised the first of his After Hours Concerts.  At this first After Hours Concert, The Philadelphia Orchestra, under the leadership of Leopold Stokowski, was installed on the stage with Charles M. Courboin at the organ.   After Hours Concerts continued until the death of Mr. Wanamaker’s son, Rodman Wanamaker, in 1928.  In September 2008. the Philadelphia Orchestra returned to the stage for the premiere performance of Joseph Jongen‘s Symphonie Concertante (1926) on the organ for which it was written with Peter Richard Conte as organist.

From 1994, the Grand Court has been the site of a series of Concerts organised by The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ each year with the highlight being The Wanamaker Organ Festival at Macy’s, which takes place at the end of June.  In June 2014, as part of the Festival, Jeremy Filsell at the piano and the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale directed by Jeffrey R. Smith appeared in concerts on the stage.

Top Left: Jeremy Filsell; Top Right: Peter Richard Conte; Bottom: The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale founded in 1968 and often referred to as America’s Ambassadors of Song

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THE STAGE AT CHRISTMAS

In 1956, The Store introduced a Christmas Lights Show that stretched upwards from the stage that entertained shoppers with its blinking lights and seasonal music.  Until 1994, the narrator of the presentation was John Facenda, a television and radio personality and sports announcer.  Starting in 2006 when Julie Andrews became the spectacle’s narrator, a number of changes have taken place to the Lights Show: in 2007, the entire Light Show was rebuilt, and in 2008, a new Christmas Tree with LED lights was installed on the stage and, for safety concerns, the Dancing Fountains, a feature from 1956, was removed with no plans to restore and reinstall them unfortunately.  During the rebuilding of the spectacle, the simple parapet  present at the edge of the stage for many years was replaced with the fancier one that is present today.   Each Christmas, the annual display features many novelties together with music in keeping with the season.

Click here to see the Christmas Lights Show of 1983 – note the Dancing Fountains

Click here to see the Christmas Lights Show of 2013

The Dancing Fountains in 1956

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THE FIRST CONCERT OF THE EVENING

The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale

After my tour behind the scenes of The Friends Wurlitzer Organ and of The Workshop, it was almost time for the next event of the Wanamaker organ Festival 2014.  This was to be the Grand Choral Concert and was to be given by The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale conducted by Jeffrey R. Smith, an alumni of the Choir & Choral, and with accompaniment on the Wanamaker Organ by Peter Richard Conte.

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FINDING A PLACE

Our tour had ended on the Third Floor of The Store.   I took the escalator down to the Ground Floor and found that it was much more crowded now than it had been earlier in the day.  I made my way to The Eagle and found that the seats surrounding it filling the open area of the Grand Atrium now filled with people.  Unfortunately, there was not one free for me.  I went over to Ladies Shoes, but all of the available seating was also taken up by the audience.

Full House – no empty seats

I went back up to the Second Floor and looked to see if there was any space free at one of the Galleries.  Those areas with good views of the Organ Casing and The Console were also choc-a-block with people, leaving no room for me, sadly!

Second Floor Galleries were filled with Spectators

All that was left for me now was hope for some space on the Third Floor.  Luckily, there was although the best viewing spots were already taken.

Third Floor Galleries with a few places left

Happily I managed to squeeze into a small spot facing The Organ Casing just as the Choral Concert was to begin.

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THE EVENING’S PROGRAMME

The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale under the direction of Jeffery R. Smith and with Peter Richard Conte at the Wanamaker Organ were to sing:

The Circle of Lifeby Elton John & Tim Rice

Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber

G-d Bless America by Irving Berlin, arranged Jeffrey R. Smith

Gloria in Excelsis Deo by Daniel Pinkham

Amen arranged by David T. Clydesdale

Ave Maria by J.S. Bach, Charles Gounod

When the Saints Go Marching In arranged by John Rutter

(Although I enjoy this version of the Spiritual, I prefer a more traditional version and also that of Bill Haley & His Comets!)

Amazing Grace arranged by David T. Clydesdale

Wedding March from The Sound of Music by Richard Rodgers

Opening Sequence from the musical, Titanic by Maury Yeston

and

The Star-Spangled Banner arranged by Peter Richard Conte

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THE CIRCLE OF LIFE – A PERSONAL VIEW

For those readers who are lovers of this song and of the film from whence it came, I would advise you not to read my personal view, which appears as PART SEVEN – APPENDIX.  My view has offended a sufficient number of people already without the further risk to increasing the number.

However for those wishing to read this piece, please CLICK HERE

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Although I was very impressed by the singing of the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale and greatly impressed by their Concert, I have to confess that I was not totally enamoured with each of their musical choices.

Readers of PART SEVEN – APPENDIX will have learned that The Circle of Life is not one of my favourite pieces, although I have to admit that the Choir & Chorale presented it well.  I much preferred their renditions of G-d Bless America, Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Amen and Ave Maria.  

Pie Jesu

Ave Maria

Amazing Grace

Although I enjoyed the singing of the principal singer, but as I said earlier, I fear that I was less impressed by the interpretation of When the Saints Go Marching In.

or the opening sequence from the stage musical, Titanic, where a number of the boys donned costumes to illustrate their roles.

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I saw the musical, Titanic, in 1997 when it opened on Broadway.  I did not enjoy it especially and found that I had forgotten all of the tunes immediately I left the theatre.  This is a somewhat damning indictment of the musical, I fear, but it is one that is quite common for me of late sadly when it comes to new musicals.

I was brought up with Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals and opera and operettas of the past.   It took me a time to appreciate the work post-West Side Story of Stephen Sondheim, but I do now.  Perhaps my favourite musicals of his are Company, and of course, West Side Story.  I also liked the early work of Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice, especially Evita.  But the musicals that crowd both the Broadway and London stages at present do not get great reviews from me.   I find that too many songs in too many productions go from crescendo to crescendo where the singer, generally a woman, strains again and again to reach the high notes.  As I said, such songs are totally forgotten once I pass through the exit door and pass into the street!  Sorry!

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At the end of the Choral Concert, the Choir & Choral received a rousing round of applause, which was well-deserved and expressed our appreciation for the performance.

As the members of the Choir & Choral made their way from the stage to the escalator, they received further adulation from the audience including me.

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Click on the links that follow to hear additional pieces sung by The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale at Southend-on-Sea, which was once the playground of East Londoners (like me!) and which boasts the longest pier in the world:

Elijah Rock, Ave Maria & American Hymn

Amen & When the Saints Go Marchin’ In

Pie Jesu & Here comes the Sun

and

G-d Save the Queen, O Freedom & G-d Bless America

(As kind as it was that the Choir & Chorale should sing the National Anthem, we British are not used to having it played at such events today and I am sure that were some groans and moans at having to get up and stand!)

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Choral Suite from Polar Express – sung at a 2010 Christmas Concert

Joy to the World and Winter Wonderland – sung on ABC-TV at Christmas 2010

Gloria etc and assorted Carols – sung on ABC-TV at Christmas 2012

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Click here to go to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART SEVEN – APPENDIX

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Click here to go to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART EIGHT:
THE GRAND EVENING CONCERT

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Click here to return to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART SIX:
THE FRIENDS WURLITZER ORGAN & ZORRO

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Click here to go to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART FIVE:
THE GRAND OPENING CONCERT – 2014

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Click here to return to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART FOUR:
A VISIT BEHIND THE SCENES

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Click here to return to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART THREE:
CONCERT DAYS

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Click here to return to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART TWO:
I’M OFF TO PHILADELPHIA IN THE MORNING

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Click here to return to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – PART ONE:
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

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Click here to go to THE WANAMAKER ORGAN – HOME PAGE

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Click here to return to the TABLE OF CONTENTS

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