New Organs

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, 

Bellwood, Illinois

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 

St. Paul, Minnesota

The 31-rank organ at Pilgrim Lutheran, St. Paul, Minnesota, originally began its life as Schantz Organ Company Opus 1828 for Community Reformed Church, Zeeland, Michigan. In 2011, Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders transplanted the organ to Pilgrim Lutheran, and reconfigured it to fit within its new home.  

The Great and parts of the Pedal are located at the front of the chancel, which contains the Pedal 16′ Principal as façade pipes. Newly appointed casework, designed to enhance the chancel furnishings, was custom-built by Berghaus. The Swell division and remaining stops of the Great and Pedal are located in left chamber speaking into the chancel. Existing Schantz chests were repaired and combined with a new winding system to accommodate the new configuration. 

Given the new unencumbered tonal placement of the Great principal chorus, the pipes were revoiced utilizing lower pressures and a moderately open-toe style to yield a sound that is full, singing, and unforced. Warm flutes at 8′ and 4′ pitch, as well as a pair of Gemshorns, round out this division. The Swell, voiced on 4 inches wind pressure, remained unchanged, except for the addition of a III-rank Scharf to crown the minor principal chorus and reeds. The refurbished console was created by refinishing the existing Schantz shell and outfitting it with new solid-state components, including a Peterson Duo-Set combination action with 128 levels of memory and twelve-stage transposer.  

Scott Riedel of Riedel and Associates in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, served as the consultant, and the organ was formally dedicated in December 2011.

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders