Pipe Organ for Sale

A small pipe organ is for sale in western Wisconsin, not far from Winona, Minnesota. This is a five-rank Wicks organ (circa 1975), built in Wicks' American Classic encased style. The instrument has been dismantled; as such, all reasonable offers will be considered. For more information, contact Jeff Daehn (507-289-2494) or Brian Poch (507-251-4981).

Brief sketches of pipe organ happenings in the Rochester area:

1933 Kimball in Rushford, Minnesota Restored
A nine-rank instrument built by W. W. Kimball, opus 7121, originally installed Calvary Episcopal Church, Rochester was moved to Emmanuel Church, Rushford, in 1974. This wonderful little organ was damaged several years back by the flooding that hit southeast Minnesota. Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Rushford, which sits on a little higher ground, did sustain damage in the basement from this flooding. The organ, with its vintage switching system and blower in the basement, was rendered unplayable.

The organ sat silent for about three years until a grant was secured to help finance the reconditioning that was necessary. A team of technicians, selected and guided by Jeff Daehn of Rochester, brought this sturdy little organ back to life. It was used once again beginning at the first mass of Easter 2011. Many people had a hand in tasks surrounding this outcome: Jeff Daehn, project manager; David Grandal, electrical design and installation; Niel Wiegand, electrical work; Herb Mueller and Gene VanCura, woodwork and cabinetry; David Kemmer, keyboard rebuild; Tom Specht, blower unit and winding; and Brian Williams, bookkeeper. We are thankful for the support of Fr. Ben Scott and Sally Scott for their support and efforts to secure the grant for this project. Read more

Mormon Möller moves to Mount Moriah
Say that five times in a row! Anyway, it is true that the small Möller originally installed in the synagogue on 2nd Street SW, Rochester, and then subsequently in the south Mormon center, has moved to Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church in Byron. The Mormon Church bought a new digitial instrument and put the Möller on the market. Lucky for the Byron church, a very satisfactory deal was struck and the Möller moved. At present, this mighty little Möller is being checked out and reassembled. And was it mentioned that it is also being enlarged? A small Tuba stop from a vintage Möller in Michigan is being added to the Mt. Moriah Möller. And, to add to all this, the Mormon Möller in Mount Moriah with the Michigan tuba is being assembled by Matt (Pr. Lehman, that is). Matt Lehman is one of our chapter members, and while he and folks from the congregation are doing most of this work, he is getting some help and advice from Brian Poch and Jeff Daehn. We should start hearing this organ mid-summer. Good luck, Matt!

Lourdes Chapel, Assisi Heights Convent, Rochester, Minnesota. The two-year-old Allen digital organ has a compliment of pipe voices added to the ensemble. Voicer, Robert Hoppe of Algoma, Wisconsin, has recently completed tonal finishing on the pipe ranks of the instrument. The overall result has proven quite satisfying for this installation.