The audience experienced the past, as Grace Lutheran Church presented the classic silent movie “King of Kings” by Cecil B. DeMille on Sunday, November 25, 2007.  A reception was held after the showing.

 

The film was accompanied, just as in the “Roaring Twenties,” by Mr. John V. Baratta on the “mighty” Konzelman Pipe Organ, using the original score for the film. "King of Kings” is one of the many Silent films he has accompanied.   

Mr. Baratta has been resident of Wantage, New Jersey, for 15 years. He recently retired after 30 years as the Instrumental Instructor for the Eisenhower Middle School in Roxbury, New Jersey. He holds a BA degree from Jersey City University, Jersey City, in Music Education, Piano, Tuba, and Organ Performance. For 17 years Baratta has been the Organist and Director of Music Ministries for the First Presbyterian Church of Newton, New Jersey. He is also one of the staff organists of the Historic Lafayette Theatre in Suffern, New York, where he performs Saturday and Sundays on the Ben Hall Memorial Mighty Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. He has performed in concert at many notable churches, theaters and concert halls along the east coast including the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in New York City, Spivey Hall at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, and the Byrd Theatre in Richmond, Virginia. Baratta is a member of the American Guild of Organists where he is Chairman of the student organist search committee, the American Theatre Organ Society and the Theatre Organ Society International.