NagyMusic

Old Town Organ Vespers

Many people do not know that Chicago’s St. Michael in Old Town Church’s pipe organ shares a common lineage with the pipe organ of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Both were made by the Kilgen Company, one of the most distinguished organ manufacturers in the country during the late 1800′s, which was known especially for its church and concert organs. Very few are still in existence today.

As St. Michael’s new Director of Music and Organist, I helped to develop and initiate an organ recital series — Old Town Organ Vespers, designed to raise parishioners’ and friends’ awareness of not only the importance of this historic Parish asset, but of the need to restore it to its full musical capacity. This first concert of the series will feature my performances of J.S. Bach’s Fantasy in C minor; C. Tournemire’s Office Festum Omium Sanctorum, from “Petites Fleurs Musicales”; and A. Pärt’s Da Pacem Domine; as well as the premiere of Valences, three miniatures for organ. While there are only a few functioning stops playing in the organ, I hope that even on the smaller scale, the beautiful and at time austere quality of those few stops will resonate distinctly. The evening will also include a short lecture about the Kilgen organ. Admission is by donation. For more information contact St. Michael in Old Town Church by phone at (312) 642-2498. Special thanks to everyone who helped start this important music series at St. Michael in Old Town, especially the Pastor, Fr. Richard Thibodeau, Ms. Jean Cacozza from Communications and Special Events Commission, and my wife, Haley Nagy for designing the poster and invitations. Admission is by donation. Proceeds will support for the repair and refurbishment of the historic Kilgen organ.