Cathedral of the Epiphany to dedicate new organ on May 27
Blessing during morning Mass and evening concert featuring Cathedral's Matthew Geerlings

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
May 24, 2007

Last October, the new organ at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City arrived in about 10,000 pieces. Traveling by steamship, train and truck, it took about six weeks to transport it here from the German organ builder's shop.

Assembly took three weeks and the fine-tuning process - called voicing - took several more weeks.

This weekend Father Paul-Louis Arts, rector of the Cathedral, will bless and dedicate the 31-stop mechanical-action organ during 9 a.m. Mass on May 27.

Robert Wech, the organ builder, will be present for the dedication.

"We are very excited about the new organ because it really is the completion of the restoration of the Cathedral," noted Father Arts. "It was long-awaited."

He pointed out that this is the 140th anniversary of the parish, so this is a fitting time for completion of the project.

"We have a beautiful instrument not only for our parish but for the community and the diocese," said Father Arts. "The organ will not only enhance our liturgies here, but other musical things that we will do."

In addition to the blessing during the morning liturgy, dedication festivities will also include an evening organ concert on May 27 by Matthew Geerlings, director of music and liturgy for the Cathedral.

"It was part of the overall plan to hold a dedication concert because the organ is more than just an instrument. It is also an instrument used for a solo repertoire," he noted. "There is actually more music written for the organ than any other instrument, other than the human voice."

He pointed out that the concert would feature a repertoire from Germany, Spain, France and the United States.

"The music runs from the 15th Century to the 1980s," said Geerlings. "There will also be a couple of selections for the audience to participate in. This will also be a good opportunity to showcase not just the organ but also the Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Schola Cantorum. It's not strictly an organ concert. It is being used to demonstrate how the organ works as a concert instrument, as an instrument to accompany a choir and also an instrument to accompany and lead the congregational song."

The organist said the repertoire will provide an excellent way to show "all of the different colors of the organ."

Geerlings pointed out that some people would argue that the pipe organ is a liturgical vessel itself because "it is a major tool that we use in the worshiping experience. The pipe organ has been associated with the church for centuries. In the Second Vatican Council, it was noted that the organ should be given pride of place amongst all the instruments used for the church because it's the one that helps the congregation sing the best. With that in mind, it seems very appropriate to dedicate the organ during the Mass."

Both Father Arts and Geerlings have heard many positive comments about the organ.

"With no exceptions, the feedback has been all positive," said Geerlings. "People are amazed once they see it because it is very striking - the case is a very beautiful work of art in and of itself - and then to listen to it when it is played well is remarkable. We don't have an instrument of this quality in the Sioux City area."

He noted that parishioners have even thanked them for how much the new organ has improved the quality of the worship experience at the Cathedral.

The concert, which is expected to last about an hour and 20 minutes with intermission, is free and open to the public.

This will be the first concert in a yearlong series for the celebration of the organ in its inaugural year. All of these organ concerts, featuring national and international concert artists, will be free and open to the public.

A reception, sponsored by the Cathedral women's guild, will follow.