130 years of harmonies: Elgin church will re-enact the first concert on its big pipe organ
There will be a lot to live up to when First Congregational Church in Elgin celebrates the 130th anniversary of its organ Tuesday with a recreation of the concert that first dedicated the massive instrument.
“This will be one of the finest concerts ever given in Elgin,” the Elgin Daily News proclaimed on Sept. 12, 1893, just a week before the public unveiling of what it said was the largest organ in the country.
The newspaper wasn't disappointed. “A splendid concert in every way,” the paper wrote after the performance by acclaimed 19th-century organist Clarence Eddy.
The church at 256 E. Chicago St. will honor that history Tuesday with a performance of the same pieces played during the 1893 concert.
Jeff Neufeld, the church's music director and organist, said those news articles held enough clues to help set the playlist for Tuesday night, a mix that includes well-known pieces such as “Fantasia and Fugue in G” by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, “Toccata in G” by French Romantic composer Théodore Dubois and the overture to “William Tell” by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini.
The organ, built by the Lancashire-Marshall Organ Co., features 2,572 pipes, of which about a quarter are original. It's more or less the same size as when it was built at 22 feet wide, 30 feet high and 10 feet deep.
The console — the part the organist plays — has been swapped out several times over the years. It features 61 keys and 32 pedals that help it create the tones of myriad instruments.
While at least one older pipe organ exists in the area, Neufeld said, the First Congregational Church's organ is the oldest in its original home.
What's it like to play something with so much history?
“Majestic, humbling, worrisome sometimes because it can do funny things like keys not working,” Neufeld said. “But most of the time, it's amazing and just fun to play. It's like you're controlling the whole orchestra.”
Tuesday's concert will be performed by one of Neufeld's former professors, internationally acclaimed organist Douglas Cleveland, who has performed at venues including Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Westminster Abbey in London and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore.
Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $20 at the door or can be purchased in advance online at fcc-elgin.square.site.
The church was founded in 1836 and built its current home on the corner of Chicago and Villa streets in 1889. The organ was said to be valued at $7,000 when it was installed.
Neufeld, who has been with First Congregational since November 2021, said something comparable today would cost more than $500,000.
“I'm really not a history wonk, but being able to play here with the history it has and learning about it has been pretty awesome,” he said.