The music flowing from the organ at Saint John’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is beautiful, but the instrument, in place for more than 60 years is in need of repair.
According to the cathedral’s organist and music director Richard Kidd, the current state of the organ makes it a challenge to use it to its full capacity.
“It’s really frustrating when you’re playing a piece and you’ve spent a lot of time choosing the right registration and then you find out that the stop you’ve chosen — three or four of the notes suddenly don’t work,” Kidd said.
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The problem lies within the organ’s 3,000 valves — which play an integral part in the overall sound. They are supposed to open and close in each pipe to create the bellowing organ sound, but not all of them are performing as they should.
“When you’re playing [a] certain key, it won’t come — the pipe won’t speak because the valve won’t open,” said Brian Eves of Maritime Pipe Organ Builders.
All sides seem to be singing from the same hymnbook to get the work done on the classic Quebec-built Casavant.
Maritime Pipe Organ Builders are already working to replace 650 valves in the choir division of the organ.
The Cathedral Parish Fundraising Committee has dedicated its fall art show and sale to raising funds for the organ work. They say the organ is the heart and soul of the church.
“In the last few we’ve raised $10,000 each year, on average, and so we’re hoping to raise about $16,000 this year,” said committee coordinator Francine Quinn-Steeves.
“We’re hoping we’re going to find some organ donors to help pay for those valves.”
It’s believed the organ at the Saint John Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was installed around 1953.
The Cathedral Parish fundraiser to will be held September 23 and 24.
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