St. Mary's Pipe Organ Restoration
Donation protected
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pierce City, MO is undertaking the project to repair their parish pipe organ.
For over 100 years the parishioners of St. Mary's have received enjoyment and beautiful music from their pipe organ. Due to recent issues with the instrument, a pipe organ restoration company from Lake City Iowa, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, LLC was asked to assess the condition of the pipe organ. The report indicated that years of inattention have caught up with the organ and it is in need of numerous repairs to continue enjoying the beautiful and unique sound.
Research by the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders indicates the organ was manufactured by the Felgemaker firm, originally of Buffalo, New York and later of Erie, Pennsylvania. As history has it, the organ was moved to St. Mary's from another church thought to be in Connecticut in the early 1900s. An opus number 504 is stamped on the front of the instrument's great wind chest. If this is indeed an opus number, given the construction dates of other like instruments on the Organ Historical Society's database, construction of this instrument can be placed around 1889. There is a pencil inscription inside the organ which reads "Hugo E. Stahl Jan. 22/13". According to research, Hugo Stahl worked for the Barkhoff Organ Company at one time and later ran his own firm, Hugo E Stahl and Co, out of Chicago, IL. This firm is well documented as having installed or moved numerous pipe organs throughout the central U.S. The inscription indicates it was moved to St. Mary's in the January 1913 after serving in another parish for over 25 years.
"It is one-of-a-kind." said a Dobson Builders representative.
The complete restoration will begin May 2015 and last possibly until September 2015. The repairs needed are extensive and some parts will need to be taken off site and repaired at the Dobson Builders workshop. Some cleaning work will be done on site and laborers will be enlisted to volunteer to clean over 650 pipes in the organ by hand. It will not be an inexpensive process to restore the organ to its former glory.
This is a one-of-a-kind, rare musical instrument that is in need of restoration to preserve it's sound, value and continue to enjoy it's beautiful, unique music the next 100 years for future generations. The estimated cost of restoration is approximately $125,000. After restoration, the value of the organ will be over $500,000. As with any task, project or undertaking, it takes a community and church family to make it manageable.
For over 100 years the parishioners of St. Mary's have received enjoyment and beautiful music from their pipe organ. Due to recent issues with the instrument, a pipe organ restoration company from Lake City Iowa, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders, LLC was asked to assess the condition of the pipe organ. The report indicated that years of inattention have caught up with the organ and it is in need of numerous repairs to continue enjoying the beautiful and unique sound.
Research by the Dobson Pipe Organ Builders indicates the organ was manufactured by the Felgemaker firm, originally of Buffalo, New York and later of Erie, Pennsylvania. As history has it, the organ was moved to St. Mary's from another church thought to be in Connecticut in the early 1900s. An opus number 504 is stamped on the front of the instrument's great wind chest. If this is indeed an opus number, given the construction dates of other like instruments on the Organ Historical Society's database, construction of this instrument can be placed around 1889. There is a pencil inscription inside the organ which reads "Hugo E. Stahl Jan. 22/13". According to research, Hugo Stahl worked for the Barkhoff Organ Company at one time and later ran his own firm, Hugo E Stahl and Co, out of Chicago, IL. This firm is well documented as having installed or moved numerous pipe organs throughout the central U.S. The inscription indicates it was moved to St. Mary's in the January 1913 after serving in another parish for over 25 years.
"It is one-of-a-kind." said a Dobson Builders representative.
The complete restoration will begin May 2015 and last possibly until September 2015. The repairs needed are extensive and some parts will need to be taken off site and repaired at the Dobson Builders workshop. Some cleaning work will be done on site and laborers will be enlisted to volunteer to clean over 650 pipes in the organ by hand. It will not be an inexpensive process to restore the organ to its former glory.
This is a one-of-a-kind, rare musical instrument that is in need of restoration to preserve it's sound, value and continue to enjoy it's beautiful, unique music the next 100 years for future generations. The estimated cost of restoration is approximately $125,000. After restoration, the value of the organ will be over $500,000. As with any task, project or undertaking, it takes a community and church family to make it manageable.
Organizer
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Organizer
Pierce City, MO
