Concert to note organ’s Mankato anniversary

Photo courtesy of Cristiano Rizzotto

Even though it was nearly a century old when it arrived at Our Lady of Good Counsel’s chapel in 1975, the fact that the Johnson and Son Opus 499 pipe organ was installed in a new space was reason for celebration. Now, 40 years after its installation there, a special concert is planned for 7 p.m. Friday, April 22.

Appearing in concert are Kraig Windschitl, a New Ulm, Minnesota, native who since 2005 has been the principal organist at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis and Victoria; Christopher Stroh, who has been organist at the Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis, since 2006; and Jeffrey Patry, director of sacred music at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Robbinsdale. They will perform “A Festival of Franck,” three organ chorales written by Cesar Franck (1822-1890).

This organ had been installed in St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Church in Boston’s North End in 1877. When the Jesuits decided to close and demolish the church in 1974, an article written by Thomas Murray saying the organ was for sale was published in The Diapason international journal. There it caught the attention of Dr. Kim Kasling, organ instructor at what is now Minnesota State University, Mankato.

On April 1, 1975, the School Sisters of Notre Dame took ownership and worked with Richard Lurth to transport and install it at Our Lady of Good Counsel. On Sept. 30, 1976 – the 99th anniversary of its first dedication in Boston – a dedication concert was held in Mankato. With the help of a thorough update and improvements in 1994, the organ continues to serve the SSND community in the chapel at Our Lady of Good Counsel as the organ approaches its 140th year in 2017.

For more information, visit our calendar of events or call Sister Lucille Matousek at 507-389-4228. See photos from when it was moved to Good Counsel in April 1975 on our Facebook page.