Campaign to restore historic pipe organ Campaign to restore historic pipe organ (August 06, 2004)

St. Joseph's book sale to raise funds for rare instrument built in 1906

By Jon Wiener

For the fourth time in its nearly 100-year history, parishioners are lining up to help save the old pipe organ at St. Joseph's Church. They are helping raise funds to restore the antique instrument by donating their books for a sale at the Hope Street church on Aug. 8.

The rare instrument has been a part of weddings, funerals and Catholic masses for close to a century. Originally built in 1906 for St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco, the organ survived the devastating earthquake that year and a subsequent fire that burned the church to the ground. The congregation saved the organ by disassembling it, covering the pipes in damp blankets and passing them out of the flaming building onto the street, according to St. Joseph's organist and unofficial organ historian Pat Eldred.

Newly-built St. Joseph's acquired the organ, but it too was destroyed by fire in 1928, causing severe water damage to the organ. Periodic restoration efforts, the last coming in 1981, have kept the organ functioning ever since. But it remains in need of new cabinetry, temperature controls in the pipe chambers and some other updating.

Parishioners speak of the organ as a community resource, according to Eldred, saying it plays an integral role in services at the church. The book sale, scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will likely be followed by at least one more, according to cantor Mary Munden, who's organizing the fund-raising drive. Munden estimated she had collected at least 1,000 books from donors.

"They keep on coming," said a laughing Munden. "I've had to ask people to stop."

Munden estimates the restoration effort will cost $10,000, and is hoping to raise $1,000 to $2,000 this Sunday.

The pipe organ is one of only two authentic pipe organs in public venues in Santa Clara County. The other one is located at Stanford's Memorial Church.

"This one is unique and should be preserved for many generations," said Eldred. "It has a very big sound, it's almost bigger than the church is."

Eldred has been playing the organ twice each Sunday for the last 20 years. She described the organ like one would talk about an accomplished opera singer or a skilled orator.

The organ is not just beautiful to look at and listen to, she said, "It's appropriate to its space. ... It really has a better sense of its place than the cathedral organ, as far as its voice and speaking."

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com.

Information

What: Book sale fund-raiser for St. Joseph's pipe organ

Where: St. Joseph's Church, 582 Hope St

When: Sunday, Aug. 8, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Price: Donations only

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