Even though this restoration project was performed years ago, I would like to dedicate this article to Gaston & Lucienne Arel, who were greatly responsible for the installation of this fantastic Beckerath organ. I had the chance to visit them at their house right before the pandemic lockdown. Gaston Arel died December 28, 2021, and this article is written in his memory.
Pipe Organs of La Grange, Illinois, and the Architectural Edifices That House Them, Part 7: First Presbyterian Church
Pipe Organs of La Grange, Illinois, and the Architectural Edifices That House Them, Part 7: First Presbyterian Church April 27, 2021
Stephen Schnurr
Stephen Schnurr is editor and publisher of
The Diapason; director of music for Saint Paul Catholic Church, Valparaiso, Indiana; and adjunct instructor in organ for Valparaiso University.
This article is a continuation of a series in the August 2015, June 2016, July 2017, February 2018, June 2018, and March 2021 issues of The Diapason
. The information was delivered as a lecture for the Midwinter Pipe Organ Conclave on January 19, 2015, in La Grange, Illinois. The research for this project provides a history of a number of pipe organs in the village, but not all. For instance, organs in residences and theaters are not surveyed.