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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Installation of New Pipe Organ on Capitol Hill

Fr. David Friel · May 19, 2019

NSTALLATIONS of new pipe organs are significant events. Even as their digital counterparts have grown in popularity, pipe organs have retained a place of unique importance in the field of Church music. New installations require the cooperation and support of the whole parish—pastor, musicians, and faithful—and they are a cause for real celebration.

One recently completed project took place at St. Peter’s Church in Washington, DC. Situated on the House side of Capitol Hill, the parish elected to replace, rather than repair, its previous instrument. The earlier organ, installed in 1940, had been damaged by plaster that fell during a 2001 earthquake in the city. The new organ debuted at this year’s Easter Vigil.

The music program at St. Peter’s is directed by Kevin O’Brien, a respected organist and conductor who holds a DMA from The Catholic University of America. The Archdiocese of Washington’s Catholic Standard featured a nice article on the installation project, including interviews of O’Brien and the pastor.

The new instrument is Opus 162 of Noack Organ Company, headquartered in Massachusetts. It is both modern and traditional: modern in the sense that it is carefully designed to support congregational singing, and traditional in that it uses all mechanical (tracker) action. One of the most interesting aspect of this project is that the organ builders worked around two brick walls in the choir loft area that are integral to the structure of the church. Below are three images illustrating how this was accomplished:

Organ3 Organ2 Organ1

Full specifications of the instrument are found on the organ builder’s website here.

St. Peter’s Church is one of two venues utilized by the excellent Washington Bach Consort. The ensemble performs a Noontime Cantata Series on the first Mondays and Tuesdays of several months throughout the year. In addition to a fine program of Bach works, each concert begins with an organ solo. The new instrument will be specially featured in the upcoming season of the Consort.

Congratulations to St. Peter’s Church on their achievement!

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Pipe Organ Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    2-Voice Arr. • “Creator of the Starry Height”
    Do you direct a choir consisting of women or children only? (Some call this a “treble” choir.) Download a two-voice arrangement of Creator of the Starry Height set to the tune of IOANNES by clicking here and then scrolling to the bottom. In our times, this hymn is normally used during ADVENT, and the Latin title is: Cónditor alme síderum. It’s important to say “cónditor”—placing the accent on the antepenult—because ‘condítor’ in Latin means “one who embalms the dead.”
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Equal Voices” Choir Pieces
    My colleague, CORRINNE MAY, has posted some delightful compositions for equal voices: that is, choirs consisting of all men or all women. Included there are settings of the “Ave Maria” and “Tantum Ergo.” They strike me as relatively simple and not excessively lengthy. (In other words, within reach of volunteer singers.) Even better, all the scores have been made available as instant PDF downloads, completely free of charge. Bravo!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Typo in the “Missale Romanum” (1962)
    The 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM was a transitional missal. It was on its way to becoming the 1970 version, but wasn’t there yet. It eliminated certain duplications, downplayed the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, expanded the role of laymen, minimized the Last Gospel, made many items optional, and so forth. Father Valentine Young spotted many typos in the 1962 MISSALE ROMANUM, especially incorrect accents. The Offertory Antiphon for this coming Sunday (OF kalendar) contains an error, citing the wrong verse from Psalm 118. It should be 118:107b, not 118:154. If you read verse 154, you’ll understand how that error crept in. [In this particular case, the error pre-dates the 1962 Missal, since the 1940s hand-missal by Father Lasance also gets it wrong.]
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Our Father” • Musical Setting?
    Looking through a Roman Catholic Hymnal published in 1859 by Father Guido Maria Dreves (d. 1909), I stumbled upon this very beautiful tune (PDF file). I feel it would be absolutely perfect to set the “Our Father” in German to music. Thoughts?
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The frequent elisions, as in the verse “Hoc óstium arcae in látere est Genti ad salútem pósitum” (feast of the Sacred Heart) make for an unpronounceable and unsingable hymn, and slightly less so does the hymn for Christ the King.

— Archbishop Hannibal Bugnini

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