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Tomorrow: There's a price to pay for housing Canada's largest pipe organ

By John Terauds on January 31, 2014

The 5 manual, 120-stop organ console at Metropolitan United Church.
The 5 manual, 120-stop organ console at Metropolitan United Church.

It is all fine and good to boast that you have Canada’s largest pipe organ. But it means you also have to foot the country’s largest maintenance bill. Or, to put it another way, there is no such thing as a free lunch-hour organ recital.

Patricia Wright, the longtime music director at Metropolitan United Church, next door to St Michael’s Hospital on Queen St. E., has organised an eclectic and intriguing concert on Saturday evening to raise money to repair the church’s massive, old instrument.

“This concert idea began with Linda Beaupré and the Bach Children’s Chorus – the idea that the musical community which enjoys the instrument can help to preserve it,” says Wright. “What a wonderful gift!”

The 8,092-pipe Casavant organ, Opus 1367, was installed at Metropolitan United in 1930, in time for the opening of the rebuilt church (the original building and organ were destroyed in a fire in 1928).

Like any mechanical device, the organ has needed regular maintenance and repair. The console has been upgraded at least twice, and the congregation was given a gift of a gallery organ addition in 1998.

But, as is the case with most mainline Christian churches, the building that once served thousands of congregants over multiple services every Sunday is now happy if it can welcome hundreds of worshippers (rather than dozens) every week.

We all appreciate the historical value of our big, old churches and would protest loudly if anyone ever wanted to demolish them. Many people also still appreciate the variety of sounds and dynamics of a good pipe organ in the hands of an accomplished musician.

But are we actually prepared to pay for the benefit of keeping these gems around?

Metropolitan United is but one of many congregations in Toronto and well beyond that live with buildings and other infrastructure that now hugely exceed their means. And not all of them can raise money by redeveloping their real estate.

That didn’t include the $200,000 that Casavant Op. 1367 needs in order to remain a concert instrument.

To include as many tastes as possible, Saturday’s concert includes the Bach Children’s Chorus, the choir of Metropolitan United and the multi-competition-winning barbershop harmony-style group, Toronto Northern Lights. Wright will also give us a solo or two at the organ console.

Adult tickets are a steal at $20 ($10 for anyone 18 or under) at the door. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

Here’s a little video I made with my phone in 2012 of organist Christian Lane, who gives us a tour of this wonderful instrument:

John Terauds

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