On the afternoon of Sunday, October 27, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ hosted the latest installment of its annual music series at the Ancilla Domini Chapel in Plymouth, Indiana. This year's featured artist was internationally acclaimed prize-winning organist Fred Hohman. Residents came from all over the Region and even Michigan to enjoy this free recital.
This past April, Hohman recorded the fifth CD of his "Hohman and Bach" series on the Ancilla Domini Chapel's Taylor & Boody organ. He is the first person to produce a professional recording on the organ, which was completed and dedicated last spring. Andrew Jennings, director of liturgy and music for the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ and the organist at Ancilla Domini Chapel, was pleased to have Hohman perform.
“Last December, I invited Frank to come see the progress on the new organ,” Jennings said. “Once he visited the chapel and played the organ, he realized that, at long last, he had found the perfect instrument on which he could continue recording his series of J.S. Bach’s all-organ works. While he was here for the recording, I invited him to do a recital for our performing arts series. It’s been really wonderful having him here because the people who know him from other places came to watch him perform today. For some of them, this was their first time visiting the Ancilla Domini Chapel. Hopefully, they’ve enjoyed encountering this space and are excited to come back.”
During the recital, Hohman performed selections from the works of some of the 18th century's most prominent composers, several of which were featured on “Hohman and Bach, Volume 5.” These included Johann Sebastian Bach's “Chorale-Prelude from Weimar” and his “Prelude and Fugue in C major.” Hohman also performed a selection from Nicolas de Grigny's “Premier Livre d'Orgue.” Hohman appreciated the opportunity to play the organ once again, this time for a live audience.
“I was immediately taken with this organ,” Hohman said. “The North German design of its physical console and its tonal specification give it a very authentic sound. Typically, one must go to Europe to find an instrument built in this style and with these qualities. Very rarely do I receive spur-of-the-moment invitations to perform, but I was very happy to be asked to perform here. It has been a delight to play this instrument. I hope the audience members leave feeling the way Bach would want them to. He once said that the purpose of music is to worship God and to enrich the human spirit. That's exactly what music is about. Nothing more, nothing less. If everyone present today feels that their spirit has been enriched, then I've done well.”
Jennings hopes that the concerts and other events offered at the chapel can give attendees a respite from the demands of daily life.
“While this chapel is the Poor Handmaids’ spiritual center, it is also a spiritual home for everyone,” Jennings said. “It is a beautiful space in which all are welcome, regardless of their background. We invite the public to the chapel every week to give them the opportunity to encounter God in their own unique way. Day-to-day life doesn’t always take us to the best places. Our hope with these concerts is that the visual and acoustic beauty of the chapel, coupled with the music of the choir, orchestra, or organist, will create an atmosphere in which our visitors can have a transcendental experience. We want to give them some time to experience something bigger than themselves for a little while.”
For more information on the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christs’ services and upcoming events, please visit poorhandmaids.org.
