1902 Lyon and Healy Organ - Basilica of Our Lady of the Sorrows - Chicago, Illinois

[@brianshaw373]

Listening to Corrado speaking was as melodious as the organ. Very much enjoyed.

[@brianshaw373]

David’s tour was fascinating and enlightening and educational and much appreciated.

[@sgiovangelo47]

The Basilica was my mother's family's parish. My grandmother was married there in the early 20th century. I remember hearing that organ at family weddings and at funerals; beautiful and marvelous acoustics. Before and during World War II, Mom told me there were several thousand parishioners.

[@stepheneggert9474]

Bradford organ company. Specialists in repairs to Skinner organs RIP Walter Bradford, John Peters. 2 great Chicago area organ repair guys back in the day...great video and to city organ works ,David ..as well.

[@markbeggs2256]

it never ceases to amaze me at the quality of these videos. thank you for sharing!

[@alancorley6455]

Gorgeous room & acoustics

[@davef.2329]

Nice presentation of a beautiful organ and venue. Thanks, Corrado and Brent.

[@davef.2329]

And David!! Sorry about that, lol.

[@danielmkubacki]

Wow that organ is so cool!

[@Tracygriffith-dz2ys]

Than u fr showing the organ and playing it I enjoy when you go into chamber and showing

[@mic1240]

This church is massive, behind the area where entrance to organ loft is also a chapel. There are very few members of the parish, but as one of Chicago’s three basilicas, it (thankfully) isn’t under control or part of mergers and closings by local Cardinal. It is in a rough area of city, but worth a visit if in Chicago. Typically it is one of the many buildings open each fall for Open House Chicago and occasionally organ recitals too. If it looks familiar to movie buffs, it is where scenes with Sean Connery filmed for Untouchables.

[@729MendicantTide]

Neat to see Chicago once again on this channel. I've been intending to check this instrument out for a long time, but never got to arranging it (same with the Saint John Cantius organ). This instrument actually also has a little-big brother in town as well - Lyon and Healy Opus 80 still sings at Saint Vincent's Church (located next to the campus of DePaul University in Lincoln Park - who also own the former Lyon and Healy office buildings in the loop for use as part of their downtown campus).

[@TruckguyTruckguy]

Now that is a classic 1902 sound

[@Velostigmat]

I believe early Hook & Hastings electropneumatic action magnets had a similar plunger design. I'm really glad this grand dame is playing and playing so well.

[@Ken_Weber_organist]

These pitman chests have similar theory of operation as to the air brake systems on large commercial trucks and busses. Activation is triggered by EXHAUSTING wind pressure (via primaries.

[@Rl469]

I love hearing other keys than C major!

[@louisglen1653]

Another great video! Nice organ!

[@PeterWarner-yz7tb]

The viola D'Anour stop is unusual. I have heard many Flute D'Amour sops on various different videos. The VDA stop is unique, like that Ludwig Tone on the Gesu organ in one of the previous videos. .

[@sovereign254]

Built in the heyday of symphonic/orchestral organbuilding it still retains its silvery/woollen tone, and yet there is power behind that fundamental-heavy tone. It's a shame that organbuilding like this went out of style in the organ reformation times and never really recovered. Hopefully the basilica continues to cherish and maintain this piece of musical history long into the future.

[@johnwidmann1674]

....ok...I looked up further information. The Chambersburg Lyon and Healy organ was originally at St. Paul's K Street in Washington DC, and was installed by Irv Lawless of Lawless and Associates.

[@johnwidmann1674]

The organ database does not list it, but there is a Lyon and Healy organ in St. Paul's United Methodist in Chambersburg, PA. This organ was bought from somewhere else, and brought there, by who, I am not sure. The original St. Paul's in downtown Chambersburg burned down, with a Moller inside. The church is on the outskirts of town, on a different property from the original property, and was built new awhile back, 20-30 years ago, maybe?

[@TheProsaicCult]

Looks like an Austin console

[@dragonpullman23]

Interesting that they decided to have the console positioned on one side of the altar while the pipes or on the other side. Why was it put there instead of the rear balcony?

[@DanielGauger]

Back in the Latin rite days, the choir used to sit up where the console was located (there’s actually a video of a 1940 Latin mass with full choir to prove it). The back loft isn’t really that big and it’s better for the choir to be closer to the organ in general. So it would be easier with the choir and organist in that location.

[@andrewashdown3541]

Interesting. I have the recording of Peter Hurford there - J S Bach: Preludes, Fantasies, Toccatas & Fugues BWV 533 535 537 538 542 551 561 562 564 570/946 572 575 576 577 579 581; Passacaglia + Fugue 582; Kleine Harmonisches Labyrinthe 591; Pedalexercitium 598; Kirnberger Chorales 690-710; Partitas 766 767 769 771; Schlüber Chorales 645-50; Concertos 593 596; Little Preludes 553-60; Trios 583 585 586; Orgelbüchlein 599-644

[@OrganMediaFoundation]

I believe the organ used on that album was the Casavant at Our Lady of Sorrows in Toronto.

[@andrewashdown3541]

@@OrganMediaFoundation Yes indeed - right dedication, wrong city!

[@christiantedesco1477]

Despite their name being on the instrument, it’s probable they did not actually built it. I have seen Lyon and Healy fairground organs wich are actually rebranded instruments from the North Tonowanda barrel organ company (later absorbed into Wurlitzer). That being said, almost everything was probably sub-contracted out to other organ builders and sold under the Lyon and Healy name with them taking a cut of the money. Not to dissimilar to modern “builders” who simply order everything from OSI or a similar supply factory, come to think of it.

[@DVR85]

Lyon & Healy built their own instruments in their Chicago Factory from 1895-1906, verified by newspaper articles of the time. Robert J Bennett was in charge of the Pipe Organ division, and Jerome B Meyer was the Pipe Shop Foreman. In 1906 they purchased the Compensating Pipe Organ Co in Battle Creek MI and moved organ production there from 1906-08. After 1908, all instruments sold under the name Lyon & Healy were purchased from other manufacturers as you suggest. I wish I’d have pointed it out during the tour, but some pipes in the Solo have “Cast by Lyon & Healy” stamped into the pipes.

[@christiantedesco1477]

@@DVR85 thank you, this is interesting information. I would have otherwise assumed it was a rebranded hook organ sold under the L&H name. The Viol d'Amour and double swell shades are something they did often. Do you know who built the organs they resold post-1908?

[@CarlosVazquez-p4c]

The basilica resemblance with Saint Peter in Rome.

[@garysmith394]

Seems to me that there is too much reverberation.

[@bertspeggly4428]

Would have been nice to see the older consoles. Austin consoles are ugly IMHO.

[@bhigdaddymark]

Austin console? Looks like it, indestructible consoles!