Long before children could pull up virtually any song or instrument with a quick search, The Ghost of Faffner Hall was introducing young viewers to the wonderfully strange world of music. Created by the Jim Henson Company, the 1989 series combined puppetry, comedy and musical education in a way that could only have come from the creative universe behind the Muppets.
The series took place inside Faffner Hall, a grand and decidedly unusual music conservatory inhabited by an equally unusual collection of characters. At the heart of the story was Fughetta Faffner, the ghost of the hall’s founder, who remained devoted to keeping music alive within its walls. Unfortunately, her descendant, Farkas Faffner, had very different ideas about what the hall should become.
What really made The Ghost of Faffner Hall special was its impressive collection of musical guests. Rather than simply telling children about rhythm, melody, instruments and musical styles, the show brought accomplished performers into its wonderfully chaotic world. Guests included artists such as Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Bobby McFerrin, Ry Cooder and Mark Knopfler, among others.
The result was something far more imaginative than a traditional music lesson. Children could learn how music worked while watching puppets cause trouble, ghosts wander the halls and world-class musicians demonstrate their craft.
Although The Ghost of Faffner Hall lasted only 13 episodes, it remains one of the more fascinating corners of Jim Henson’s television legacy. It represented something Henson's productions did exceptionally well: trusting that children could appreciate creativity, humor and genuine artistry without everything being simplified beyond recognition.
For anyone who grew up watching it, The Ghost of Faffner Hall may feel like a half-remembered musical dream. For everyone else, it is a wonderfully odd piece of television history waiting to be rediscovered — proof that sometimes the best way to teach children about music is to throw open the doors of a haunted concert hall and let the Muppets take over.
There are only eight posted so far. You can see them all on their YouTube channel or watch them in chunks below as they become available in chunks.
Episodes 1-3
