History of Trinity’s Organs
- 1839: 2 Reed Organs were brought over on the ships from Germany, but one was lost when a ship sank.
- 1846-50: A Metz Organ was installed at Trinity Lutheran Church when it was first located at 3rd St. & Lombard St. The Metz organ was a 1 manual, tracker organ. The Metz organ was sold when Trinity relocated and needed a larger organ. The Metz organ still exists and is located at San Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy, IL.
- 1864: A larger Pfeffer Organ was installed at Trinity Lutheran Church when it relocated to 8th & Soulard. The organ was a 2 manual, tracker organ located in the back balcony.
- 1898: A Kilgen Organ was installed after the Great Cyclone of 1896 and the rebuilding of Trinity. It was a 2 manual, tracker organ installed in the front balcony. It was slightly more modest in size compared to the previous organ and reused the remaining Pfeffer pipework that survived the tornado.
- 1928: The Kilgen Organ was refurbished, enlarged, and modernized. The organ consisted of 26 ranks with a detached 3 manual electro-pneumatic console. The pipework was revoiced from a Baroque to a Romantic organ voicing.
- 2014: After years of having constant repairs, the congregation boldly decided to replace the ailing Kilgen with a new instrument. Schantz Organ Company was contracted to install a new 52 rank organ, complete with a new Gallery Organ in the remodeled back balcony. Twenty ranks of Pfeffer and Kilgen pipes were retained in the new instrument. The organ was dedicated in the Spring of 2014 by Frederick Swann, and will continue to serve Trinity for decades to come!