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Volume 33, Number 1 |
Richardton, ND 58652 |
January 2005 |
Abbey Installs New Organ
by Fr. Terrence Kardong, O.S.B.
Fr. Thomas Wordekemper at the new organ.
This spring a new organ was delivered and installed in our church by the Schmitt Music Company of Fargo. This new digital instrument replaces an Allen organ that was in use here since 1979. That organ was still functional, but it was reaching an age when the replacement of parts would be increasingly difficult. Still, it gave us good service for 26 years and we are grateful. But the new organ is superior.
It is a Dutch organ called Johannus, and the model is Rembrandt 3900. After all, Rembrandt was a Dutchman, although not a musician. This new instrument has 64 voices that are American Classic, and 64 that are Baroque. It has nine amplifiers and three manuals, plus twenty toe studs. Anybody that wants more information should consult our three organists, Fr. Odo, Bro. Aaron and Fr. Thomas.
No doubt some will want to know why we have settled for an electronic organ when we were hoping for a pipe organ? For many years we have been saving for that purpose, but we finally decided that it would not be practical or right for us to spend the half a million or so dollars needed for a pipe organ. Furthermore, we feel we cannot maintain the steady building temperature needed to keep a pipe organ in tune. So we used the organ fund for the new Johannus, and Fr. Thomas solicited many donations, for which we are grateful.
While we are on the subject of the pipe organ we cannot afford, it should be noted that the new Rembrandt 3900 sounds very much like a pipe organ. In fact, each one of its keys plays a recording of a pipe organ key, so it should sound like a pipe organ. At any rate, it seems we are coming closer to the day when the recording equals the reality.
The Abbey organists are happy with the new organ, and that is important because they have to play it and we need them for the accompaniment of our daily liturgy. Only a monastery without organists knows how much they are missed. At this point, of course, they are still discovering the new features of this organ. In future months the Schmitt Music Company will send out a concert organist for a demonstration concert. Then we shall see what the “beast” can do!
