Edmonton church installs unique antiphonal organ, the only one on the Prairies

For almost 100 years thesounds of a pipe organ filled Holy Trinity Anglican Church, but the old instrumentwas fading.

"We were finding in the last 10 years or so that we were fixing things with string and duct tape," said John Brough, music director and principal organist.

The organ was installed in 1923, a gift dedicated to those who died in the First World War, but five years ago, the church kicked off what it anticipated would be 20 years of fundraising to restore the organ.

Several grants were obtained along with donations from parishioners as the church inched towarda goal ofabout $900,000.

Then an anonymous benefactor came forward with a $500,000 donation.

"To have someone come forward from the community and have enough trust that he would offer us that kind of money to finish this, without any other agenda,is tremendous," Broughsaid.

"I was totally flabbergasted and moved," said Rector ChristopherPappas.

The donor is not a member of the church but someone who has enjoyed concerts in the space, Pappassaid.

"What we were told was,"What you are doing for music in Edmonton is unique. Your church is a music box and it produces spectacular music and we want to help you do even more"," he said.

'Like moving from an economy car to a Rolls Royce'

6 years ago

Duration 1:15

The church organ at Edmonton's Holy Trinity Anglican Church gets a $900,000 upgrade.

The donationnot only ensured the restoration of the main organwas covered, italso coveredthe entire cost of anantiphonal organ, he said.

An antiphonal organ is a second set of pipes, usually installed opposite the main pipes.

AtHoly Trinity, the main organ is at the front of the church behind the choir inthe chancel. The antiphonal organ is at the rearbehind the congregation inthe nave.

Tall golden pipes flank thehuge stained-glass window, while copper "trumpets" protrudebelow the window.

Broughcompares the organ's sound to colour,with the antiphonal organ providing "a new array, a new palette of sound to choose from."

Watch as church installs antiphonal organ

6 years ago

Duration 0:13

Edmonton's Holy Trinity Church organ gets revamped.

The antiphonal organ expands the ability of the main organ by 50 per cent,said Steve Miller, withCasavantFrres, an organ-building company based inSaint-Hyacinthe, Que.

"When John plays, he's able to not only play different music but he's able to place it in different parts of the room," Miller said.

"You can give the impression that a flute is dancing around the room," he said.

The organ is the only antiphonal of its type on the Prairiesthat he knows of, Miller said.

Brough says the organ is a joy to play.

"Playing it, yeah I can't wipe the grin off my face right now.Going from an economy car to a Rolls-Royce I guess would be a way of describing it.

"It's like a new toy. I want to be here every day."

SincePappasbecame rector eight years ago, the church, located in the heart of OldStrathconaat101stStreet and84thAvenue,has put the artsat the centreof its ministry.

Five city choirs rehearse in the building, as doesa resident musical theatre groupand opera company. The church has awriter in residence andis a venue during the annual Fringe theatre festival.

"There are two types of art there's art about the light, sort of like our wonderful ascension stained-glass window, and then there's art that depicts what the light reveals about the world,"Pappassaid.

"It's all about connecting people to something bigger than themselves," he said.

A concert to officially unveil the antiphonal organ is being planned for September with the details to be announced on the church website www.holytrinity.ab.ca.